Apple Bumps MacBook Air to 1.4 GHz Core i5, Drops Price

By Jane McEntegart
published

Looks like Apple is giving the MacBook Air a little springtime makeover.

Apple has quietly given its MacBook Air a little speed bump in the form of Intel's 1.4 GHz Core i5. This is a slight upgrade for the 2013 MacBook Air, which launched last year with 1.3 GHz under the hood. Turbo Boost speed jumps from 2.7 GHz on the 2013 MacBook Air to 2.6 GHz on the 2014 version of the notebook.

Processor aside, there isn't much else Apple has changed with the 2014 MacBook Air. In fact, the company has only changed one other aspect of the laptop, but it's probably the most important detail: the price. With the addition of a faster processor, Apple has slashed the price of the MacBook Air by $100. That means the entry-level 11-inch MacBook Air can now be picked up for $899 in the United States. Those of you looking to pick up a 13-inch model can expect to pay $999. 

While the price puts a little bit of distance between the MacBook Air and the Retina display-toting MacBook Pro, it's possible Apple is preparing for the introduction of a Retina display MacBook Air. Right now, anyone buying a MacBook and trying to choose between the Pro and the Air is going to be swayed by a couple of obvious differences, and one of the biggest is probably the difference in screen resolution. If the MacBook Air does get a Retina display, then the choice becomes a bit harder.

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Jane McEntegart
21 Comments Comment from the forums
  • danwat1234
    Whooo hooooooooooo. Said no one this year about the Macbook Air.
    Needs a regular voltage CPU and innovative cooling so it can be powerful.
    Reply
  • JD88
    The $100 price drop is welcome and puts it more in line with where its specs are. However, I would still be hesitant to buy now when rumors of an all new model later this year are still flying around.
    Reply
  • pills161
    /yawn. And a whopping $100 off, I wouldn't consider that "slashing".
    Reply
  • danny2000
    way way way over-priced still!!!!!
    Reply
  • stridervm
    Great upgrade. Now the Macbook Air is now competitive to a Laptop released in 2010.
    Reply
  • mrmez
    $100 off is more than 10% for most of the line.
    For a premium priced brand to drop 10% IS a big deal.

    Also, they aren't meant to be powerful. You want power get normal Macbook.
    Reply
  • tomfreak
    Need $300 off to be in line with other laptops with similar specs.
    Reply
  • crikey2
    "Turbo Boost speed jumps from 2.7Ghz ... to 2.6GHz"
    Since when is a change from 2.7Ghz down to 2.6GHz considered a jump?
    Reply
  • amk-aka-Phantom
    Needs a regular voltage CPU and innovative cooling so it can be powerful.

    It doesn't need to be. It's meant as a basic ultrabook for low-requirement users. As for CPU, ULV Haswells only lose to regular ones on multithread loads (less cores) or very heavy loads (low TDP limit). Neither is the intended use of MB Air. I have an Asus N550JV with an i7-4700HQ and I'm realizing that I'm not doing ANYTHING with those 4 cores/8 threads, all serious work gets done on desktop. Would have been fine with a ULV Haswell paired with the same GPU (GT 750M) for games I do play on the go (Mass Effect 3, Battlefield 3). What matters the most to user experience is SSD and egough RAM to have tons of browser tabs open; ULV Haswell is enough. MBA is NOT a heavy production machine, it doesn't need a regular CPU. Want that - buy something else. Why not an Asus N550JK? :P
    Reply
  • amk-aka-Phantom
    The $100 price drop is welcome and puts it more in line with where its specs are. However, I would still be hesitant to buy now when rumors of an all new model later this year are still flying around.

    They didn't do the most desired upgrade - Retina Air. So I think you have a good point there, they'll have to do it. After all, there's already a Retina MBP 13, so Air will have to follow soon.
    Reply