MacBook Air combines power and lightness

The new MacBook Air models became available in stores July 21; weighing less than 3 lbs., the 13-inch model shown here measures 12.8 inches across, and just under 9 inches from front to back.

On the right side of the 13-inch MacBook Air are (left to right) the SD card reader, a USB 2.0 port and the multi-purpose Thunderbolt port—which, when connected to the Apple Thunderbolt Display, provides video signals and USB and FireWire data on a single smart cable.

On the left side of the 13-inch MacBook Air are (left to right) the power port for MagSafe adapters, a USB 2.0 port and a headphone port; the microphone is visible to the right of the headphone port.

The underside of the MacBook Air can be removed to access the flash storage during replacement or upgrade.

The MacBook Air is only 0.11 inches thick on the user-facing side.

On its thickest side—the hinge—the MacBook Air is only 0.68 inches from top to bottom.

The MacBook Air has been upgraded from the tired Intel Core 2 Duo to the Intel Core i5; an i7 processor is available when ordering online.