The memory is built into the motherboard, with no upgrade slots for additional memory DIMMs. If you want more system memory, you'll have to order the system with it pre-installed (8GB total for $100 more). There are 256GB and 512GB options available on Apple's website. The base system comes with a 128GB flash storage unit, with about 102GB free when you take it out of the box. The flash storage is physically smaller than last year's, according to, which means that third party upgrades will again be scarce. The 128GB flash memory module is mated to the motherboard with a new, faster PCIe connector, which makes the system react a little faster than the SATA-based flash storage of last year's model. What's Inside The interior of the MacBook Air has been updated, with a new fourth-generation Intel Core i5-4250U processor and new PCIe-based Flash Storage.
If you need a higher resolution on a Mac, consider the MacBook Pro 13-inch (Retina Display). This is lower than the 1,920 by 1,080 resolution you'll get on systems like the Acer S and Dell XPS 13-MLK, but you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference while watching a video at this screen size. The display measures 13.3 inches and has a screen resolution of 1,440 by 900. The system doesn't have a touch screen or touch screen option, but that's no deal breaker on a Mac, since OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion isn't optimized for touch anyway. The MacBook Air has a backlit keyboard that's comfortable to type on, and a glass-surface, multi-touch trackpad. The new MacBook Air tips the scales at a svelte 2.91 pounds, which is in the same ballpark as competitors like the Dell XPS 13-MLK ( at Amazon) (2.96 pounds) and the Acer Aspire S ( at Amazon) (2.63 pounds with extended battery). MagSafe 2 is the same connector that was introduced with last year's MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with Retina Display ( at Amazon). In the future, under OS X Mavericks, the dual mic setup will help the system pick out your voice when you're using voice recognition (and maybe even Siri in the future). The twin microphones are new, and will help others hear you during FaceTime sessions.
The side panels house a pair of USB 3.0 ports (one left, one right), a Thunderbolt port (which can be used as a mini-DisplayPort for external monitors), a headset jack, a SDXC card slot, dual microphones and the system's MagSafe 2 power connector.
While not necessarily the thinnest laptop on the market anymore, it is still as thin and portable as it ever has been. It's essentially the same chassis Apple has been using for the past three years, which is in turn a slightly modified version of the chassis they've been using since 2008. The MacBook Air has an all-aluminum construction, tapering from 0.11 inches thick in the front to 0.68 inches in the back. Design and Features Almost physically identical to the previous Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (Mid 2012) ($429.99 at Groupon), the new MacBook Air 13-inch continues on in almost the same chassis as the previous model.