Apple says that the MacBook Air is its most popular Mac, so we’re pleased to be able to report that a new version of this lightweight laptop has just been announced. The headlines are that this offers up to twice the CPU performance of its predecessor, 80% faster graphics and a starting storage configuration of 256GB.
For the first time, you can choose to buy a MacBook Air with a quad-core processor - a 1.1GHz quad-core 10th-generation Intel Core i5 or 1.2GHz quad-core 10th-generation Intel Core i7, to be precise - though the entry-level model has a 1.1GHz dual-core 10th-generation Intel Core i3 processor. Both models come with Intel Iris Plus Graphics as standard, as well as 8GB of RAM (expandable to 16GB). You can spec up to 2GB of storage if you’re willing to pay for it.
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Pleasingly, you also get the new scissor mechanism Magic Keyboard that made its debut on the 16-inch MacBook Pro, along with a 13-inch Retina display with True Tone. There are two Thunderbolt 3 ports for plugging in peripherals such as an audio interface.
Apple has also announced a storage boost for the Mac mini; capacity has been doubled on both of the standard configurations. So, the $/£799 model now has 256GB, and the $/£1099 machine has 512GB.
Obviously, all of this is good news for music makers who are on the lookout for a new Mac. More CPU power and storage is always welcome, and these upgrades provide both.
Prices for the new MacBook Air start at $/£999, with the cheapest quad-core model costing $/£1,299. Find out more on the Apple website.
