Apple's new MacBook might well be the blueprint for tomorrow's notebooks, but it's not the only ultra-thin and light laptop out there.
It has a very attractive screen and its thin profile and 2-pound weight would be heaven for my back, but it's terribly underpowered with its puny 1.1GHz or 1.3GHz Intel Core M processor. The single USB-C port is extremely versatile, but it also means owners will often visit dongle hell.
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Alongside the new MacBook introduction, Apple updated its MacBook Air with the latest fifth-generation Intel Core ("Broadwell") processors and faster flash storage. The 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro also got the fancy new Force Touch trackpad. The MacBook Air's screen, of course, is still not a Retina display.
The new 12-inch MacBook also commands a premium over the MacBook Air; it starts at $1,299, which is pricier than all of the standard Air configurations in 11.6- and 13.3-inch models and the same as the entry-level 13.3-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display.
Apple's new MacBook isn't the only ultraportable notebook to choose from. Intel's low-wattage Core M processors are paving the way for thinner and lighter Windows 8.1 Ultrabooks that give Apple's new baby a run for its money.
Here's how the new MacBook fares against Samsung's ATIV Book 9, Lenovo's Yoga 3 (11-inch) and Asus' Transformer Book T300 Chi. For fairness, we compared the new MacBook with Ultrabooks with 11.6 to 12.5-inch displays and fanless Intel Core M processors.
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New MacBook
Samsung ATIV Book 9
Lenovo Yoga 3 (11-inch)
Asus Transformer Book T300 Chi
Form factor
Clamshell
Clamshell
2-in-1 convertible
2-in-1 transformer
Screen Size
12 inches
12.2 inches
11.6 inches
12.5 inches
Resolution
2,304 x 1,440
2,560 x 1,600
1,920 x 1,080
2,560 x 1,440
Touchscreen
No
No
Yes
Yes
Dimensions
11.04 x 7.74 x 0.52 inches
11.19 x 8.37 x 0.46 inches
11.42 x 7.75 x 0.62 inches
12.5 x 7.54 x 0.65 inches
Weight
2.03 pounds
2.09 pounds
2.65 pounds
3.15 pounds
Mobile Operating System
OS X 10.10 Yosemite
Windows 8.1 (64-bit)
Windows 8.1 (64-bit)
Windows 8.1 (64-bit)
Processor
1.1GHz or 1.3GHz Intel Core M (Turbo Boost up to 2.4GHz and 2.6GHz)
0.9GHz Intel Core M 5Y31 (Turbo Boost up to 2GHz)
0.8GHz Intel Core M 5Y10c
1.2GHz Intel Core M 5Y71
GPU
Intel HD 5300
Intel HD 5300
Intel HD 5300
Intel HD 5300
Storage Space
256GB or 512GB PCIe-based SSD
128GB or 256GB SSD
180GB or 256GB SSD
64GB or 128GB SSD
RAM
8GB
4GB or 8GB
4GB or 8GB
4GB or 8GB
Battery Life
Up to 9 hours
Up to 10.5 hours
Up to 6.5 hours
Up to 8 hours
USB ports
1x USB-C
2x USB 3.0
2x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.0
1x Micro USB 3.0
Other ports
3.5mm audio
3.5mm audio, microSD slot, Micro HDMI port
3.5mm audio, SD card slot, Micro HDMI port
3.5mm audio, microSD slot, Micro HDMI
Webcam
480p
720p
720p
720p
Color choices
Silver, Space Gray, Gold
Imperial Black
Black or White
Black
Price
Starting at $1,299
Starting at $1,199.99
Starting at $979.99
Starting at $699.99
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