Source: Apple. The new MacBook is offered in three aluminum finishes—gold, silver, and space gray. Its thickest point measures 13.1 mm.
Apple has introduced the redesigned MacBook, a new notebook lineup representing the thinnest and lightest Macs to date. Every aspect of the new MacBook has been meticulously redesigned to achieve a remarkably thin and light profile, weighing a mere two pounds and measuring a mere 13.1 mm thick.
The new MacBook features a 12-inch Retina display, the thinnest ever on a Mac, accompanied by a full-size keyboard designed by Apple. Despite its slim profile, the keyboard remains incredibly responsive. Additional highlights include the all-new Force Touch trackpad, a compact USB-C port that consolidates data transfer, video output, and charging capabilities, and an innovative battery design.
“With the new MacBook, a marvel of engineering weighing in at a mere two pounds and measuring a mere 13.1 mm, Apple has effectively reinvented the notebook, establishing a new standard for thin and light Macs,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing. “Each and every component of the MacBook is a testament to innovation. From its fanless architecture and ultra-thin Retina display to its full-size keyboard, which is an impressive 34% thinner, as well as the inclusion of the all-new Force Touch trackpad, versatile USB-C port, and groundbreaking terraced battery design, the new MacBook embodies the future of notebooks.”
At its thickest point, the new MacBook measures a mere 13.1 mm, a remarkable 24% thinner than the 11-inch MacBook Air. Its new precision-milled unibody enclosure seamlessly integrates Wi-Fi antennas and marks the first MacBook to feature an all-metal enclosure.
To accommodate a full-size keyboard within the MacBook’s svelte profile, Apple had to completely rethink the mechanics of a notebook keyboard. The result is a new keyboard that employs an Apple-designed butterfly mechanism, which is 40% thinner than traditional keyboard scissor mechanisms yet four times more stable, resulting in enhanced typing precision. New stainless steel dome switches underneath each key provide a crisp and responsive feel, and each key is individually backlit with a single LED, ensuring uniform brightness behind every keycap.
The new MacBook features a 12-inch Retina display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. With a thickness of just 0.88 mm, this Retina display is the thinnest ever on a Mac. A larger aperture for each pixel enhances energy efficiency, allowing the new Retina display to consume 30% less energy than previous Mac notebook Retina displays while maintaining the same level of brightness. With a resolution of 2,304 x 1,440, text, photos, and movies are displayed with enhanced clarity.
The MacBook introduces the innovative Force Touch trackpad, adding a new dimension of interactivity. This trackpad incorporates built-in force sensors that allow for clicking anywhere on the surface, while haptic feedback ensures a responsive and consistent feel. Users can personalize their experience by adjusting the amount of pressure required to register clicks. The Force Touch trackpad also introduces a new gesture called Force Click, executed by pressing a click and then applying a deeper press. This gesture can be used for tasks such as accessing word definitions, viewing maps, or previewing files.
By employing miniaturization techniques from the iPhone and iPad, MacBook engineers have created the most compact logic board ever in a Mac. It’s an impressive 67% smaller than the logic board found in the 11-inch MacBook Air. Designed without moving parts or vents, the new MacBook is the first fanless Mac notebook, ensuring silent and energy-efficient operation. It features the new fifth-generation Intel Core M processor, which operates at a mere 5 watts, and Intel HD Graphics 5300. These processors work seamlessly with OS X optimizations to make the new MacBook the world’s most energy-efficient notebook.*
The new MacBook features a revolutionary terraced battery design. Individual battery sheets are precisely layered and contoured to fit the MacBook’s sleek, curved enclosure. This allows the new MacBook to have 35% more battery capacity than would be possible with traditional battery cells, enabling all-day battery life, with up to nine hours of wireless web browsing and up to 10 hours of iTunes movie playback.**
Engineered for a wireless world, the MacBook comes equipped with the latest wireless technologies, including built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. It also features a next-generation USB-C port that is compact, versatile, and user-friendly. This new industry-standard port supports higher wattage charging, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gbps) data transfer, and DisplayPort 1.2—all in a single connector that’s one-third the size of a traditional USB port.
Every new Mac includes OS X Yosemite, the latest version of OS X, along with iMovie, GarageBand, iPhoto, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. iMovie offers a suite of movie editing and creation tools, while GarageBand empowers users to create and edit audio. iPhoto serves as Apple’s image-sharing platform. Pages, Numbers, and Keynote provide intuitive platforms for creating, editing, and sharing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, respectively. These applications are also integrated with iCloud, enabling seamless document creation, editing, and sharing across multiple devices.
The all-new MacBook will be available for purchase starting April 10 through the Apple Online Store, Apple’s retail stores, and select Apple Authorized Resellers. The MacBook is available in two configurations: a 1.1 GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor with Turbo Boost speeds of up to 2.4 GHz, 8GB of memory, 256GB of flash storage, and Intel HD Graphics 5300, starting at US$1,299, and a 1.2 GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor with Turbo Boost speeds of up to 2.6GHz, 8GB of memory, 512GB of flash storage, and Intel HD Graphics 5300, starting at US$1,599. For detailed technical specifications, configure-to-order options, and accessories, please visit www.apple.com/macbook.
*Claim based on energy efficiency categories and products listed in the EPA ENERGY STAR database for Notebook Computers as of March 5, 2015.
**The Wireless Web protocol testing was conducted by Apple in March 2015 using preproduction MacBook configurations. Battery life and charge cycles vary by use and settings.