Apple has unveiled its new MacBook, which has a number of updated features and holds the company title for thinnest laptop. How does the new thinnest computer stack up against Apple's other ultra-thin computer, the 2015 MacBook Air?
Design
Apple is a design powerhouse and that's illustrated by both of these computers. The new MacBook, however, is a work of art that comes in three different colors with a single USB-C port.
That's of course not to say that the MacBook Air isn't beautiful as well. In classic Apple fashion, the computer delivers elegance, beauty and extreme portability. In spite of this — now that the new MacBook has been released — the MacBook Air seems a little outdated. On the new MacBook, the keyboard extends all the way to the edge of the computer, defining the size of the computer.
The new MacBook also incorporates a number of new design features. For instance, it makes use of a new "butterfly" mechanism in the keyboard, which makes the keys a little more stable and uniform.
Ports
The new MacBook has only a single port, which is a USB-C port — the new industry standard for USB. USB-C allows for both charging and data transfer. While this certainly makes for a clean and refined design, it also means that users who need to connect to a lot of peripherals will perhaps have to steer clear of this computer or get used to dongles.
The MacBook Air, however, includes a number of options for users. Apart from a dedicated charging port, through MagSafe, there are also two USB 3.0 ports, as well as a Thunderbolt port. Clearly, the MacBook Air is a better option in terms of connectivity, but with the world going wireless, that might not even matter to many users.
Processing Power
The base model of the new MacBook includes, rather surprisingly, an Intel Core M processor. This is certainly less powerful than the Intel Core i5 found in the base model of the MacBook Air. That may not be so important for most users. Neither the MacBook or MacBook Air are designed to be powerful computers for gaming and high-power applications. Instead, they are used for their portability, making them perfect for students who need to take notes and those who need to run office-type applications.
Memory and Storage
The new MacBook might not be as powerful as the MacBook Air, but it is able to hold more data. With 8GB of RAM beating out the MacBook Air's 4GB, as well as either 256GB or 512GB of onboard storage going up against the MacBook Air's 128GB or 256GB options, the MacBook is better for those who plan on storing a lot of media or apps.
Conclusions
The new MacBook is clearly a better computer for those who don't need sheer power. It's the computer of the future.
