Intel Lists New Processors Destined for the MacBook Air?

Intel has added three new Sandy Bridge processors to its lineup that will likely be used in the upcoming MacBook Air, according to CNET.

Apple is expected to use this type of Intel chip in its upcoming MacBook Air refresh. The Air, to date, has used older-generation Intel Core 2 Duo chips. Referred to in Intel argot as ULV, or ultra-low voltage, the processors have a thermal envelope of only 17 watts. This is a crucial metric because mainstream Intel laptop chips dissipate 25 or 35 watts--too much heat for ultraslim, ultrasmall designs like an 11.6-inch MacBook Air.

The three new processors are:
● Core i7-2677M: 2 cores, 1.8 GHz (turbos to 2.9GHz), 4MB cache, 17 watts, $317
● Core i7-2637M: 2 cores, 1.7GHz (turbos to 2.8GHz), 4MB cache, 17 watts, $289
● Core i5-2557M: 2 cores, 1.7GHz (turbos to 2.7GHz), 3MB cache, 17 watts, $250


Apple is expected to release the new MacBook Air next month, perhaps alongside Mac OS X Lion.

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