Media Event Recap: MacBook
03/09/2015 15:16
None of us knew that it would come today, but Apple did announce the new 12-inch MacBook. This is just simply labeled "MacBook", not going with either the Air or Pro line. This means that it is the first time that Apple has released a new Mac part of the MacBook line since 2010. This new MacBook has many cool new features that we've never seen on any Mac.
First, the MacBook comes in colors. You can pick from either Silver, Gold, or Space Gray. It's also 24% thinner than the MacBook Air. Apple has able to achieve this from redesigning the keyboard. They changed the way the keys connect to the computer. Instead of using the traditional clips, they created butterfly-like clips, which makes it thinner. Apple has also changed the keyboard backlight, also making it thinner. Finally, they have also changed the logic board, making the brains 67% thinner.
The display is also a big selling point on the computer. It's what Apple calls a "Retina Display". It's resolution comes in at 2304 x 1440. There's only one screen size option: 12.1 inches. Like the new MacBook Pro, the MacBook also has the new Force Touch trackpad. This allows you to press harder on the trackpad to have different actions happen. Finally, the MacBook has USB type C. This is a smaller version of USB, which is faster and reversible. Oddly enough there’s only 1 USB port, 1 headphone jack, and a power plug. That’s it.
The only problem with it is that the MacBook has very low specs. It's more meant for the consumer who will use it for basic web browsing and emails, with very light photo editing. The base line model has a 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor, Intel HD Graphics 5300, 8GB of memory, and a 256GB SSD. That comes in at $1,299. However, if you want slightly higher specs you can opt for a 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor and a 512GB SSD, which comes in at $1,599. There is no other option for higher specs.
The new MacBook will be available for purchase on March 10. You can learn more about pricing here.