The MacBook Air has officially gained Thunderbolt support, a backlit keyboard, and an Intel Core i5 processor (Sandy Bridge). As expected, Apple released the updated machines on Wednesday morning to coincide with the launch of Mac OS X Lion, in addition to Thunderbolt-compatible Mac minis and updated Cinema Displays.
The Sandy Bridge processors were highly anticipated for the MacBook Air line, and it was rumored that Apple was holding the speed-bumped Airs until the Lion launch in order to best showcase both products. Apple seems to think the wait was worth it, claiming that the new MacBook Air has "up to twice the performance of the previous generation."
So what are the specs like? The lowest-end 11-inch MacBook Air sits at $999 and has a 1.6GHz Core i5 processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 64GB SSD. That goes all the way up to the highest end 13-inch machine at $1599, which gets you a 1.7GHz Core i5, 4GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. (All come with Intel HD Graphics 3000.) And just like the rumors said, the Air's backlit keyboard has made a triumphant return with this update, after mysteriously disappearing for a while.
In addition to the new MacBook Air, Apple also updated its Mac mini line with Thunderbolt and Core i5 or i7 processors (bumped from Core 2 Duo). The updated machines also lack an optical drive. The low end starts at $599 with a 2.3GHz Core i5 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, and Intel HD Graphics 3000, while the higher-end non-server version starts at $799 for a 2.5GHz Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, and AMD Radeon HD 6630M graphics. Mac mini with Lion Server costs $999 with a 2GHz quad-core Core i7 processor, 4GB of RAM, dual 500GB hard drives, and Intel HD Graphics 3000.
Last but not least, Apple introduced the "world's first Thunderbolt display" Wednesday morning. When used with another Thunderbolt-compatible Mac, users can access the display's audio, Gigabit Ethernet, FireWire 800, USB 2.0, Thunderbolt ports, and FaceTime camera through a single cable, though there's still a separate MagSafe connector for powering your MacBook Pro or Air. The size of the LED-backlit display remains the same at 27 inches, with a resolution of 2560x1440, and is priced at $999.
All of the machines introduced today come with Lion preinstalled, though there are certainly other ways to get Lion as well, including the Mac App Store. Check out our Lion screenshot gallery while you wait for the download, or if you think you're prepared, John Siracusa's incredibly thorough Lion review.
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