Apple debuts new and improved MacBook Air — with a price to match

Tim Cook unveiling the new MacBook Air.
(Image credit: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

There's a new MacBook Air in town. And yes, it still fits in an envelope.

Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the newest addition to the Mac family on Tuesday, just one month after the company revealed a revamped line of iPhones and Apple Watches. Apple also introduced the new Mac mini and iPad Pro, and debuted a new series of live learning sessions called "Today at Apple."

Cook began the announcement event by touting the portable Air as Apple's "most loved" computer. The company recently rolled out the Mojave operating system for all Macs, which features a night mode and updated App Store. But an enhanced retina display on the new MacBook Air makes it all look even better, Cook said. A bezel-free 13.3-inch display brings the screen all the way to the laptop's edges, so it's a bit smaller and lighter than the old Air. But it still delivers 12 hours of battery life, and has enhanced T2 security. The new Air only features two ports that require dongles to connect to USB, Thunderbolt, and other devices.

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Thanks to a newly created aluminum alloy, all new MacBook Airs will be made completely out of recycled aluminum. The MacBook Air with 8 GB of memory and an i5 processor starts at $1199, up from the previous $999 MacBook. It can be ordered Tuesday and will be available Nov. 7.

The company also unveiled the new Mac Mini, which comes in 32 GB and 64 GB memory options and starts at $799. The two new iPad pros have slightly bigger and higher resolution displays, all-day battery life, and start at $799.

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Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.