MacBook Air: Processor Secrets Revealed

This year's MacWorld Expo brought enthusiasts the MacBook Air, the latest innovation from Steve Jobs' laboratories. Although it is not an all-times thinnest notebook, it surely is the thinnest model on the current market. Measuring only 4 millimeters at its thinnest point, the notebook is extremely elegant and powerful. One of its secrets is the Core 2 Duo processor I have told you about when I first introduced the laptop to you.

Initially, we estimated that the Air is powered by a new breed of processors, namely the Low Voltage Core 2 Duo in the Merom family. We were close in our estimations, yet things are somewhat different. The processor is even less conventional and further information let us think that it is a custom-made processor, designed by Intel for the MacBook Air only. That should add some extra value to the already expensive notebook.

When asked about the processor type used inside the Air, Intel would only provide the standard answer. "Intel provides its customers with a range of technology choices. If a customer requires a different technology feature-set, then where possible, Intel will work with them to develop a solution to meet their respective market needs, as we have done in this case."

The MacBook Air notebook is actually powered by a 65nm Merom based Core 2 Duo, with a 4MB L2 cache, 800MHz FSB running at either 1.6 or 1.8 GHz. It may seem just an ordinary processor, but it's the special packing technology that makes it different. Intel has used for Apple's product one of the technologies that were reserved for the upcoming mobile Penryn processors. Intel has adapted the technology in order to be used for Apple's MacBook Air.

Intel finally spilled the beans and presented the exact specifications for the custom-designed processor. "The MacBook Air uses the Intel Core™ 2 Duo Processor and Intel 965GMS chipset with integrated Gfx using a new miniaturized package technology. This new CPU and chipset allows for approximately 60% reduction in total footprint. The Core 2 Duo Processor TDP is 20 watts. The Macbook Air is using existing Core 2 Duo technology with a lower voltage spec in a new miniaturized packaging design. It is not a ULV processor."

Not only that the MacBook Air looks and performs exquisitely, but it is the first notebook to come with a technology that is reserved for future products only.

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