MacBook 2015: Release Date, Price, Features Unveiled at Spring Forward Event

At Apple's Spring Forward event last March 9, CEO Tim Cook unveiled the most recent developments on the company's MacBook lineup, introducing the new MacBook to generate an all-new notebook line.

As opposed to being the new MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, the latest laptop from Apple will simply be referred to as the new MacBook.

Weighing roughly 2 lbs., the latest MacBook measures only 13.1mm in thickness, making it 24% thinner than the last slimmest MacBook.
Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, released an official statement about the latest innovations that the company has developed for the new MacBook.

"Apple has reinvented the notebook with the new MacBook, and at just two pounds and 13.1mm, it's the thinnest and lightest Mac ever," Schiller explained.

He also mentioned several new features, enhancements and specifications for the company's slimmest and lightest notebook.

"... From its fanless design, ultra-thin Retina display and full-size keyboard that's 34 percent thinner, to its all-new Force Touch trackpad, versatile USB-C port and breakthrough terraced battery design, the new MacBook is the future of the notebook," Schiller further shared.

The new Macbook will be made available beginning April 10 through the Apple Online Store as well as other authorized retail stores and resellers. The super slim MacBook with Retina display comes with a starting price of $1,299.

Prior to the introduction of the new MacBook, speculations about a new MacBook Air getting a gold-finish overhaul went viral. Sure enough, aside from the usual silver aluminum and space gray colors, the latest MacBook has also been made available in gold.

In terms of display, the MacBook 2015 comes with an impressive 12-inch Retina display and a resolution of 2304 x 1440 pixels. It also has the thinnest display on a MacBook, measuring only 0.88mm thin.

With a redesigned keyboard and trackpad, a butterfly mechanism is incorporated into the laptop to significantly enhance accuracy and precision. The Force Touch Trackpad utilizes force sensors and a haptic engine, similar to the mechanism used in the Apple Watch. Users can then expect additional processes with a deeper click on the trackpad, such as fastforwarding videos and launching the Maps app when pressing on an address.

Interestingly, the use of the trackpad is now customizable so users can alter the amount of pressure necessary to recognize each click and movement to fit their preferences.

A new USB-C port has also been integrated into the new MacBook, allowing for data transfer, video out and charging, all in one connector. As such, Apple's latest laptop comes with only two ports. The new MacBook also packs in a fifth-generation Intel Core M processor and Intel HD Graphics 5300; in terms of connectivity, it supports 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0.

Finally, when it comes to battery capacity, the latest MacBook boasts an all-day battery life as its display has been designed to have 30% less energy consumption without affecting the brightness. Specifically, Apple's estimates include 9 hours of wireless Web browsing and 10 hours of movie playback on iTunes.