Though the processor clock speed of the new 13-inch model is actually lower than the previous generation (1.7GHz versus 1.8GHz), the Intel Core i5 family is vastly superior to the Core 2 Duo processors found in the old models. The high-end configuration of the 11- and 13-inch models can be custom-ordered with a 1.8GHz Intel Core i7 processor (for $150 and $100, respectively) for even more power. The 11-inch models ($999 and $1199) are powered by a 1.6GHz Core i5, while the 13-inch models ($1299 and $1599) comes with a 1.7GHz Core i5.
These new MacBook Airs are powered by ultra-low-voltage editions of Intel’s latest-generation Core i5 processors, known to chip geeks as the “Sandy Bridge” family.
