16GB ( 2x8GB ) DDR3/DDR3L 1600Mhz for iMac, Mac Mini & Macbook Pro Unbuffered Non-Parity SDRAM 204pin Low Voltage Dual Rank Module. However, buyers are guaranteed a free update to OS X Mountain Lion when it launches in July. That being said, if you're planning on doing a significant amount of video processing, we recommend looking to a notebook with a discrete GPU (we highly recommend the new MacBook Pro with Retina display) or alternatively equipping the Air with an external video processing dongle such as from Elgato.Īt launch – and for the next few weeks – the new MacBook Air runs OS X Lion. In comparison to the new MacBook Pro Retina display, importing the same video took 12-minutes and 5-seconds and exporting only took 20-minutes and 48-seconds. It took 15-minutes and 28-seconds to import an 8-minute long 1080p video while exporting the same video took 33-minutes and 35-seconds in our testing. Intel quotes a 60-percent improvement in graphics performance from the new GPU, and we did find iMovie exported HD video clips faster than the last-gen model. In practical terms, our usual load of multiple browser windows (each with many tabs), email app, multimedia playback and image editing ran with no issues on the updated Air. 
It's worth bearing in mind that, thanks to the soldered RAM and the proprietary flash storage system, upgrading your MacBook Air is near-impossible, so it pays to make sure you're happy with the specifications when you first order. A 512GB upgrade is also on offer, though it's expensive at $500 or more.
Storage starts at 64GB of flash memory on the entry-level 11-inch and 128GB on the entry-level 13-inch, with the option to double that on each for $100 or $300 respectively. Otherwise there's 4GB of 1600MHz DDR3L memory as standard – double that of the 2011 model – with 8GB a $100 upgrade. For most mobile users that's probably an acceptable compromise in the name of portability and battery life, though if you plan on doing any HD video editing – or, indeed, gaming – then the limitations of the HD Graphics 4000 chipset will soon make themselves clear.
Unlike the larger MacBook Pro there's no discrete graphics option, and you can only drive one external display, not two. Each model uses Intel HD Graphics 4000, the onboard GPU paired with Ivy Bridge processors.
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