A new generation of MacBook Air has arrived.
Announced at WWDC 2022, the latest version of Apple’s entry-level laptop was redesigned with a larger display, a new processor, fresh colour options, and — for better or worse — a notch.
The first thing you’ll notice about the MacBook Air is the new colour options. Along with traditional Space Grey and Silver, the new Air is available in Straylight (soft gold) and Midnight (dark bluish). It has an aluminium unibody enclosure that looks a bit flatter than before (goodbye wedge) and is more portable, at 0.5 inches thick and 1 kg.
Apple also brought back MagSafe, freeing up the two Thunderbolt ports on the left side. On the right is a 3.5mm headphone jack with high-impedance audio support.
The screen was expanded from 13.3 inches to 13.6 inches but a notch was added in the process. It looks the same as the one on the MacBook Pro 14 and 16, meaning the top edge of the screen is interrupted by a dark rectangle. Along with being larger than before, the new Liquid Retina Display is 25% brighter.
Above the display is a 1080p webcam which promises to deliver a much better video quality than the 720p snapper on the previous model. Augmenting the camera is a three-mic array and a four-speaker sound system. The Magic Keyboard returns with a full-height function row and Touch ID below which is a Force Touch trackpad.
Under the hood is an M2 processor, the sophomore release of its custom chips following the M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, and M1 Ultra. You can read all about the M2 chip over here.
The MacBook Air is still fanless despite gaining the more powerful chip and promises 18 hours of battery life doing video playback. Another nice addition is a new compact power adaptor with two USB-C ports. And for the first time, the MacBook Air supports Fast Charge to juice up to 50% in just 30 minutes.
Apple also unveiled a new MacBook Pro 13 with M2 chips but an otherwise unchanged design.
- MacBook Air with M2 starts at RRP $1,899 RRP (RRP $1,749 for education)
- The 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 starts at RRP $1,999 (RRP $1,849 for education)
Apple’s WWDC developer event is scheduled to last all week long, and Gizmodo’s got you covered. We’ve got boots on the ground in Cupertino for the keynote and more, and will keep you up to date on any iOS, Mac, iPad, or Apple Watch news. Apple’s almost certainly got a surprise or two in the works, like its long-rumoured AR/VR headset. We’re dedicating individual coverage to key topics as they arise, but for a comprehensive overview of everything from the event, check out our collection of everything we know from WWDC 2022.