One of the most hotly anticipated laptops of 2015 is Apple’s rumored 12-inch Retina MacBook Air, a redesigned, slimmer and lighter MacBook Air version that should pack Intel’s faster and more energy-efficient Core M chips. However, Apple isn’t the only company exploring new fan-less notebook designs made possible by Intel’s chip advancements, and Samsung has already unveiled a worthy Retina MacBook Air rival.
FROM EARLIER: New rumor says the MacBook Air of your dreams will enter production soon
The Ativ Book 9 is Samsung’s 12.2-inch laptop built around Intel’s Broadwell Core M processor. When it comes to other specs, the laptop will offer users an ultra-bright 2560 x 1600 display, 4/8GB of RAM, 128/256GB SSD, 802.11 ac Wi-Fi, 2 USB 3.0 ports and 10.5 hours of battery life.
The Ativ Book 9 is made of aluminum, weighs just 2.1 pounds (950g), and measures 11.19 x 8.37 x 0.46 inches (284.1 x 212.7 x 11.8 mm), which is even thinner than the MacBook Air.
The device will run Windows 8.1 out of the box, and will pack some special security features, including the ability to hide apps in use, and the ability to permanently disable the laptop’s microphone and camera.
Samsung will have two such laptops available for sale in stores in the first quarter of 2015, including a $1,199.99 model (4GB of RAM and 128GB SSD) and a $1,399.99 version (8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD). An actual launch date for the laptop isn’t available at this time.
