The 12-inch MacBook vs. 13-inch MacBook Air -- How Does Apple's New Notebook Fit Into the Mac Mix?

By Chris Neiger – Mar 17, 2015 at 12:16PM

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Apple's new, smaller MacBook is $300 more expensive than the largest MacBook Air -- but the new notebook fits perfectly into the Mac lineup.

Apple (AAPL 1.27%) turned plenty of heads when it unveiled the new 12-inch MacBook at its Spring Forward event earlier this month. The notebook boasts a Retina display, a Force Touch trackpad, fanless design, and weighs about a pound lighter than its 13-inch MacBook Air cousin.

But not everyone was convinced of the MacBook's merits.

Skeptics may have noticed the newer MacBook falls short of some specs from the 13-inch MacBook Air -- namely in battery life, processing power, and the lack of available ports.

But despite some drawbacks, the MacBook fills in Apple's product line quite nicely. The company can market this device to consumers who want a high-resolution screen, fanless processing, and sleek design, while still offering more powerful computers from the rest of its MacBook lineup. To find out more of what Apple's up to, click through the slideshow below.

Chris Neiger has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.