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Intel Shipping New 1.7GHz-1.8GHz MacBook Air-Class Processors

Monday June 20, 2011 3:11 pm PDT by Arnold Kim

CNet reports that Intel has added new MacBook Air-class processors to their price list yesterday.

The processors, which appeared Sunday on Intel's updated processor price list, are faster than current power-efficient Sandy Bridge chips used in skinny laptops such as the Samsung Series 9.

Apple is expected to use this type of Intel chip in its upcoming MacBook Air refresh. The Air, to date, has used older-generation Intel Core 2 Duo chips.

We previously covered the rumors about these new processors which could be used in Apple's upcoming MacBook Air. The specs for the new chips are listed here:

• Core i7-2677M: 2 cores, 1.8GHz (turbos to 2.9GHz), 4MB cache, 17 watts, $317
• Core i7-2637M: 2 cores, 1.7GHz (turbos to 2.8GHz), 4MB cache, 17 watts, $289
• Core i5-2557M: 2 cores, 1.7GHz (turbos to 2.7GHz), 3MB cache, 17 watts, $250

The new MacBook Air is rumored to launch in June or July, but Apple may be holding its release for OS X Lion to ship.
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awer25
12 months ago
How much you wanna bet it won't be a $67 upgrade to go from the lower 1.7GHz chip to the 1.8GHz ;)
Rating: 10 Positives / 0 Negatives
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Icaras
12 months ago

Not really. It's missed sales opportunity. Anyone buying now would get a free upgrade anyway.


Missed opportunity? You mean Apple not making a high profit margin off the current Core 2 Duo MBAs is missed opportunity? :confused:

Seriously, what average consumer walking into your local Apple store even know what a "Sandry Bridge" is? Forum dwellers on the internet dabbling in tech talk is such a tiny minority in the grander scheme of things.
Rating: 8 Positives / 2 Negatives
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ratzzo
12 months ago
Excellent! I can see these becoming the most sold Apple laptop over the MBP. They are just amazing.
Rating: 7 Positives / 1 Negatives
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42streetsdown
12 months ago

Maybe a Thunderbolt, but at the expense of one of the USBs of course.


You won't have to trade a USB port for ThunderBolt! ThunderBolt supersedes the mini DisplayPort
Rating: 4 Positives / 0 Negatives
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jdechko
12 months ago
Man I want one of these Airs.
Rating: 4 Positives / 0 Negatives
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kdimitt
12 months ago

Wow these are more powerful than the Sandy Bridge processors?


They are still Sandy Bridge, just newer, and better.
Rating: 4 Positives / 0 Negatives
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Optimus Frag
12 months ago
Just thinking out loud here.

What will happen if after the new MBA's are released with these new CPU options and the benchmark results start coming in...

And the upgraded CPU in conjuction with the HD3000 make them game even better than the current models....

Will anyone who's dissed the integrated graphics hold up their hand and admit they were wrong?

I doubt it somehow.
Rating: 4 Positives / 1 Negatives
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Esquire1
12 months ago
Can someone discuss the differences between these processors? Any benchmarks?

They seem relatively the same, except for the i5 with its 3MB cache compared to 4MB. What does that mean, layman wise?
Rating: 3 Positives / 0 Negatives
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Tootles
12 months ago
Fast is good but do they run cool enough that the fan runs silently during non-gaming usage?
Rating: 3 Positives / 0 Negatives
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42streetsdown
12 months ago
So based on my old (a week ago) guesses, and these new processors here is what I expect to find in the new Airs. These choices are based on prices relative to the current CPUs.

11" MBA Base CPU:
Intel® Core™ i5-2557M Processor (Dual Core, 1.7 GHz(2.7GHz turbo) 3M Cache)Price:$250.00.

11" MBA BTO CPU:
Intel® Core™ i7-2677M Processor (Dual Core, 1.8 GHz(2.9GHz turbo) 4M Cache)Price:$317.00.

13" MBA Base CPU:
Intel® Core™ i7-2629M Processor (Dual Core, 2.1 GHz(3.0GHz turbo) 4M Cache)Price:$311.00.

13" MBA BTO CPU:
Intel® Core™ i7-2649M Processor (Dual Core, 2.3 GHz(3.2GHz turbo) 4M Cache)Price:$346.00.
Rating: 2 Positives / 0 Negatives

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