After 14 years, three upgrades, and two distinct chip architectures, the MacBook Air's characteristic wedge design is now a thing of the past. A brand-new MacBook Air that is the same thickness from front to back has replaced it. The new MacBook Air includes almost entirely new features and is the most substantial update to the Air since its release almost 15 years ago.
Because the Air is the laptop of choice for millions of consumers, these updates are important. Aside from that, the Air sets the benchmark for light and thin laptops to which every other producer aspires. The M2, Apple's newest internal processor, as well as upgrades to the hardware and design, are included in this new Air. Additionally, it is more expensive; a device with sufficient storage costs $1,499 or more, starting at $1,199, $200 more than the model that came before it. Since many MacBook Air buyers do not want to spend more than $1,000 on a new notebook, Apple is retaining the previous M1 model in its portfolio as an option.
At the time, Dieter Bohn referred to the M1 MacBook Air as "a victory." That's a high bar to clear, and given all the modifications Apple made to the M2 model, it makes sense to wonder whether the new model will exceed the old one.
Most of the time, the response is in the affirmative. However, there are many details in this situation, and as they say, the devil is in the details.
In terms of form and shape, the new MacBook Air takes inspiration from the MacBook Pro 14 and 16 which made their debut in the latter part of last year. Compared to earlier MacBook Air models, it has a more brutalist presentation and is more symmetrical and squared off.
It's surprisingly thin, though, measuring only a hair over 11 millimeters, and when you open the lid and start typing on it, you can feel how thin it is. When you carry it or put it in a bag, it is also obvious. The earlier MacBook Air's tapered form made it appear lighter visually and thinner, but the current model is slimmer than its forerunner.
It weighs 2.7 pounds as opposed to the previous model's 2.8 pounds, making it a little bit lighter. Although there isn't much of a difference and the Air is not the lightest computer on the market, it does make it much more portable and simple to carry wherever I need it.
I enjoy the new design overall. It has a contemporary, energizing feel and is incredibly useful. I may not be the only one who doesn't see the wedge shape. This new Air is a beautiful machine, and I think the design will hold up for the next five (or maybe more!) years until Apple modifies it once more.
Unless you get the brand-new Midnight color, of course. This new color has a deep blue-black finish that changes color depending on the light, and it looks magnificent right out of the box. However, as soon as you take it up, greasy, difficult-to-clean fingerprints appear all over it. It seriously detracts from a finish that was otherwise impressive. Razer computers have been known to attract fingerprints for years; Apple is by no means the only business to have this problem with dark aluminum, but it is substantial enough that I wouldn't purchase the Midnight variant.
Additionally, I tried a model with a surface free of fingerprints in the silvery-gold Starlight color.
The new Air is just as durable and well-made as its predecessor, although having a thinner profile and being lighter in weight. Even though the chassis is robust and the lid flexes barely at all, it can still be opened with with one finger. With regard to design, fit, and finish, Apple continues to be the industry leader, and the new Air is no exception.
