Apple has released the MacBook Air 2011 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch ultraportable laptops, which now include the Intel “Sandy Bridge” processors, Mac OS X Lion operating system, and a starting price of $999.
The updated MacBook Airs have the same aluminum unibody cases as the previous generation models, but now sport backlight keyboards, as well as Thunderbolt I/O technology.
The new Air SKUs are the MC968LL/A, MC969LL/A, MC965LL/A, and MC966LL/A. In the table below, you can see the specifications for each SKU.
| MacBook Air 2011 SKU Specifications | MC968LL/A | MC969LL/A | MC965LL/A | MC966LL/A |
| Screen | 11.6 (1366-by-768) LED-backlit glossy | 13.3 (1440-by-900) LED-backlit glossy | ||
| CPU (Sandy Bridge) | 1.6GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5 | 1.6GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5
(optional 1.8GHz Dual-Core Intel Core |
1.7GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5 | 1.7GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5
(optional 1.8GHz Dual-Core Intel Core |
| RAM (1333MHz DDR3, onboard) | 2GB (optional 4GB, + $100) | 4GB | 4GB | |
| SSD Storage | 64GB | 128GB (optional 256GB, + $300) | 128GB | 256GB |
| Graphics | Intel HD 3000 integrated | |||
| USB (2.0) | x 2 | |||
| Thunderbolt I/O | Yes | |||
| SD slot | No | Yes | ||
| Wireless & Networking | 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, LAN available only via USB / Ethernet adapter | |||
| Speakers | Stereo | |||
| Webcam and Mic | FaceTime camera & omnidirectional microphone |
|||
| OS | Mac OS X Lion | |||
| Battery (Lithium-Polymer) | 35-watt-hour
Up to 5 hours of web surfing via Wi-Fi |
50-watt-hour
Up to 7 hours of web surfing via Wi-Fi |
||
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 0.11-0.68 x 11.8 x 7.56 inches | 0.11-0.68 x 12.8 x 8.94 inches | ||
| Weight | 2.38 pounds | 2.96 pounds | ||
| Warranty | One-Year Limited | |||
| Price | $999.00 | $1,199.00 | $1,299.00 | $1,599.00 |
The laptops can be found now at Apple.com and via Apple resellers.
