What are the differences between the MacBook Air configuration options?

By default, there is only one configuration of the MacBook Air. However, Apple does offer two "standard" configurations via the company website, and there are a variety of configuration options available.

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc.

In a nutshell, the MacBook Air can either be configured with a 1.6 GHz "Core 2 Duo" processor and an 80 GB PATA (4200 RPM) hard drive -- the default configuration -- or one can opt for the "ultimate" configuration with a 1.8 GHz "Core 2 Duo" processor and a 64 GB solid-state drive. These two configurations are priced as such:

MacBook Air	Default	Ultimate
Processor Speed:	1.6 GHz	1.8 GHz
Drive Size:	80 GB	64 GB
Drive Type:	PATA	Solid-state
Price:	US$1799	US$3098

The upgrade from a 1.6 GHz processor to a 1.8 GHz processor costs US$300 by itself, and the upgrade from the 80 GB hard drive to the 64 GB solid-state drive comes at a massive US$999 premium. As the MacBook Air does not come with an internal optical drive, many will find it convenient also to purchase the offered external MacBook Air SuperDrive for US$99.

Regardless of configuration, the MacBook Air features 2 GB of non-upgradable onboard 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, an Intel GMA X3100 integrated "graphics processor with 144 MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory", an integrated iSight video camera, a new trackpad that supports "multi-touch gesturing" (two-finger scroll, pinch, rotate, swipe, tap, double-tap, and drag), a "flush against the bed MacBook-style" full-size backlit keyboard with ambient light sensor, and a 13.3" widescreen TFT LED-backlit active-matrix "glossy" display (1280x800 native resolution) in a razor thin (0.16-0.76 inch), three pound, aluminum case.

Both configurations also include the same connectivity -- AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a single USB 2.0 port, analog audio out, and video out capabilities (micro-DVI) that support an external 24" display. It lacks Ethernet (an external adapter is available), Firewire, and optical audio in/out.

Site sponsor PowerMax has the MacBook Air available free of sales tax.