X

Apple updates MacBook Air and Mac Mini (photos)

Apple's summer 2011 hardware refresh includes updates to the MacBook Air and Mac Mini computers, now with Thunderbolt.

Justin Yu
Justin Yu covered headphones and peripherals for CNET.
Justin Yu
design_multitouch.jpg
1 of 13 Apple

Multitouch

The trackpad on the new Macbook Air is multitouch enabled, meaning you can use its glass surface to gesture and scroll, and the whole thing is a button.
design_keyboard.jpg
2 of 13 Apple

Keyboard

The keyboard is backlit and can automatically adjust to changes in surrounding light.
design_storage.jpg
3 of 13 Apple

Build

The Air's flash chip and solid-state hard drive allow the hardware to measure less than an inch thin, leaving room for a larger battery with up to 5 hours on the 11-inch model and up to 7 hours on the 13-inch.
design_unibody1.jpg
4 of 13 Apple

Unibody

The Macbook Air's enclosure and display both feature Apple's unibody design, allowing the chassis to remain wafer-thin.
design_unibody2.jpg
5 of 13 Apple

Unibody

The Macbook Air's enclosure and display both feature Apple's unibody design, allowing the chassis to remain wafer-thin.
features_connectivity_right_side.jpg
6 of 13 Apple

Thunderbolt

The right side of the body now features a Thunderbolt port in addition to an SD card slot (13-inch only) and a USB 2.0 port. The new Thunderbolt interface can transfer up to 12 times faster than FireWire 800 and works with Apple's new Thunderbolt Display.
features_connectivity_left_side.jpg
7 of 13 Apple

Left-side connections

On the left of both sizes, you'll find an additional USB 2.0 port, microphone and headphone jacks, and Apple's MagSafe power cord.
features_display_main.jpg
8 of 13 Apple

FaceTime

Unlike the Nvidia graphics processor found in the last iteration of the MacBook Air, the 2011 models use the Intel HD Graphics 3000 GPU that's built into the Core i-series chips.
features_i5_main.png
9 of 13 Apple
Unlike the built-in 3G or 4G broadband options found on many Windows laptops, the MacBook Air still only supports Wi-Fi.
performance_thunderbolt.jpg
10 of 13 Apple

Thunderbolt

The right side of the body now features a Thunderbolt port in addition to an SD card slot and a USB 2.0 port. The new Thunderbolt interface can transfer up to 12 times faster than FireWire 800 and works with Apple's new Thunderbolt Display.
design_hero_20100615.jpg
11 of 13 Apple

Build

A power supply built into the chassis allows the Mac Mini to remain small inside a small hardware enclosure with fewer cables to connect.
design_macmini_open_20100615.jpg
12 of 13 Apple

Panel

The removable bottom panel makes it easy to upgrade.
design_energy_efficient.jpg
13 of 13 Apple
The new Mac Minis feature Intel Core i7 and Core i5 processors, up to 8GB of optional memory, and dual 500GB on the Lion Server model.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos