Macbook 2015 (Photo : Reuters)
Apple fans will have another laptop model to choose from as the Macbook 2015 is set to release next month, but is it worth the upgrade from the 13-inch Macbook 2015 Air?
The first thing that is noticeable is that the newer model is thinner, lighter and smaller at only 0.52 inches thick, while the older Air is 0.68 inches thick.
Both models are made with the same aluminum uni-body, but the refreshed model is 0.93 pounds lighter than the Air at 2.03 pounds.
The Macbook 2015 has a revamped trackpad and backlit keyboard, which sports butterfly switches rather than the previous scissor-switch model. The trackpad now features haptics whenever the user touches it.
In terms of the models' specifications, the Air still wins with its dual-core Intel Core i5 at 1.6Ghz that can be clocked up to 2.7Ghz. Apple decided to use a less powerful 1.1 Ghz dual-core Intel Core M processor, which can be clocked up to 2.4Ghz, to let the user experience longer battery life, according to Digital Trends.
However, the new model's RAM is doubled with its 1600MHz 8GB, compared to the Air's 4GB.
The Air scores another point, however, as it features an Intel HD Graphic 6000 for graphical processing power, which is slightly more powerful than the new Macbook's Intel HD Graphics 5300.
Another difference that favors the Macbook 2015 is their display screen. While the Air has larger 13.3-inch LED display at 1440 x 900 resolution, the refreshed model has a smaller but more crisp 12-inch LED IPS display with the higher 2304 x 1440 resolution, which means that it has significantly more pixels per inch.
The new model also has a bigger capacity with its 256GB flash storage, while the Air only has 128GB.
One major difference, however, is that the Macbook 2015 sports the new USB-C port, which supports the faster USB 3.1 speeds, according to CNET.
However, the new model only has a 480p FaceTime camera, compared to the higher 720p the Air has. Both run the new Mac OS X Yosemite however.
The refreshed model also comes in more colors instead of the standard silver such as Gold and Space Gray.
For the price tags, the newer model is slightly more expensive at $1,300, compared to the Air's $1,000 cost.
The Macbook 2015 will be available on April 10.
