It's the first Mac to feature Apple's new M2 CPU.
It's hard to believe that Apple revamped the MacBook Air with a Retina display over four years ago. That laptop received a significant speed boost when it was one of the first machines to come with Apple's M1 hardware in late 2020, but it has recently begun to seem dated. Apple is upgrading the MacBook Air today, as expected, using the recently disclosed M2 CPU and a larger, 13.6-inch display. For the first time in years, it includes MagSafe, just like Apple's 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros debuted last fall. It also contains a headphone jack and two Thunderbolt ports (so you don't have to give up one for charging).
The M2 processor has an 8-core CPU, a 10-core GPU, and up to 24GB of RAM; however, the base model only has 8GB of RAM and an 8-core GPU. Apple promises 18 hours of battery life for the MacBook Air, like it has in the past. The new Air, like the MacBook Pro, has a notch that houses a 1080p webcam with double the resolution and low-light capabilities of the previous MacBook Air camera, according to Apple. The keyboard also has a full-size row of function keys, just like the one on the new MacBook Pro.
Its shape is similarly evocative of the new MacBook Pro, with a little more squared-off shell — and unlike prior generations, the MacBook Air does not have a tapered wedge design. It's still extremely light, weighing just 2.7 pounds, which is somewhat less than the previous generation. Colors have also been modified, albeit we won't be getting the brilliant, iMac-style colors that had been rumored. Silver, space grey, "starlight," and "midnight" are the colors of the moment.
Unfortunately, the MacBook Air is now more pricey than previously. It costs $1,199, which is $200 higher than the previous model. There's no information on when it'll be released; they had stated that it would be released next month. And the $999 MacBook Air with the outdated M1 processor will remain in the lineup.
Along with the new M2 CPU, the new larger 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, the largest ever in an Air model, is possibly the most significant update. The display now has a brightness of 500 nits and can display 1 billion colors. A 1080p FaceTime HD camera and four-speaker system round out the package. Surprisingly, the three microphones and speakers are all built within the display and keyboard, contributing to the device's small size.
On top of that, the new MacBook Air has a battery life of up to 18 hours. It also now supports 67 W rapid charging, which allows for a 50 percent battery boost in 30 minutes. The new 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 has a battery life of up to 20 hours.
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