The new MacBook Airs' i5 processor and backlit keyboard make it a speedy, slick machine. If you bought a MacBook Pro last year, it just got outflanked by its slimmer, smaller cousin, the MacBook Air. According to benchmark tests, the 2011 MacBook Air outperforms every 2010 MacBook Pro.
Laptop magazine reports that the 13-inch Air had a performance boost of 100 percent over last year's Air, scoring 5,860 on the Geekbench test. It boots in 17 seconds, and has a 6.25-hour battery life. The 11-inch Air jumped 149 percent, for a Geekbench score of 5,040, compared to 2,024 for last year's model.
Gadget Lab, MacBook Pros, Hit the Bench: The Air Is Gaining Muscle
