Refresh results in longer time between charge Apple today refreshed the MacBook, switching to Intel’s sixth-generation “Skylake” processor architecture for slightly longer battery life. The new MacBook (vendor price) is priced starting at $1,299, the same as the initial model introduced more than a year ago. With a new graphics chipset — Intel’s HD Graphics 515 — the MacBook boasts a 25% improvement in graphics performance, Apple claimed. The 1.1-GHz Skylake processor’s lower-power demands should add an hour to the time between charge: Up to 10 hours of browsing, up to 11 hours of video playback. Apple also increased the speed of the flash memory that composed the 256GB SSD (solid-state drive) storage, from 1600MHz to 1886MHz. The MacBook is the first Apple notebook to get a processor from Intel’s 14-nanometer Skylake line, the successor to 2014’s “Broadwell.” Other laptops, including Microsoft’s Surface Book — which debuted last year — preceded Apple’s to market. The MacBook form factor remains the same, with the system tipping the scale at 2 lbs. and taking the tape at a half-inch thick. Apple added rose gold — aka pink — to the previous color choices of gold, silver and space gray to match the available options for the iPhone and iPad. Most other features stay static as well, including the single USB-C port — the most controversial of Apple’s design choices for the MacBook — and the high-resolution 12-in. display that maxes out at a 2304-by-1440-pixel resolution. Both iterations of the MacBook — the more expensive option remains the $1,599 model with a 1.2-GHz CPU and 512GB of storage — are equipped with 8GB of RAM. Apple also said it has increased the standard RAM of the MacBook Air notebooks to 8GB. Now nearly ignored by Apple, the 2.4-lb. Air has not been refreshed since March 2015, and has not changed its design since 2006. It remains the only part of Apple’s Mac line that lacks a “Retina” high-resolution display, whether standard or as an option. The new MacBook went on sale Tuesday on Apple’s online store — early in the day, however, the purchase page was inaccessible — and was to hit its retail chain and some authorized resellers on Wednesday. Related content opinion Can AI tools help reduce Zoom fatigue? When it comes to meetings, whether in person or on video, can anything make them better? Yes, but it’s not the technology. By Steven Vaughan-Nichols May 06, 2024 5 mins Augmented Reality Generative AI Zoom Video Communications news analysis Apple earnings: About that iPhone 'slump' in China Based on information from Thursday's earnings report, it seems that data pointing to an iPhone slump in China were over-baked. By Jonny Evans May 03, 2024 9 mins iMac iPhone Apple news Microsoft begins to phase out ‘classic’ Teams Microsoft is encouraging Teams customers to move to the new, faster version of the collaboration app; the older version will be switched off next year. By Matthew Finnegan May 03, 2024 3 mins Microsoft Teams Collaboration Software Productivity Software news analysis Apple confirms it will open up the iPad in Europe this fall The latest efforts to comply with Europe’s Digital Markets Act mean developers can offer to side load apps to both iPhones and iPads in the EU. Apple has also taken steps to improve what it offers to smaller and non-commercial developers in the By Jonny Evans May 02, 2024 6 mins iPad Apple Mobile Apps Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe