Apple announced three new Mac computers during its 'One More Thing' event, including a brand new MacBook Air. The popular entry-level laptop is equipped with new hardware that differentiates it from the MacBook Air released earlier this year. The new MacBook Air is set to be released in two models, resulting in a choice for buyers.
The MacBook Air was first introduced by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs in 2008 as the world's thinnest notebook. Fast forward over a decade and the MacBook Air continues to be a popular laptop among students and casual laptop users, due to its lightweight design and cheaper price. The MacBook Pro still offers the best Apple laptop experience overall, but lately, the MacBook Air has become a competitive alternative.
The new MacBook Air starts at $999 and is available to preorder starting today. Orders and deliveries for the laptop begin a week later on November 17. Apple has two variants for the MacBook Air; the entry-level $999 model or an upgraded $1,249 model. The biggest difference between the two models is the GPU and storage. The $1,249 model includes an eight-core GPU and 512GB of storage whereas the $999 model has a seven-core GPU and only 256GB of storage. All other specifications remain the same. Apple also has special educational pricing for students and teachers, alongside parents and faculties of universities. The MacBook Air models will be $100 cheaper with educational pricing, resulting in the entry-level and upgraded models dropping to $899 and $1,149, respectively.
New MacBook Air Includes Apple's M1 Chip
Apple released a MacBook Air model earlier this year with a few tweaks, such as the Magic Keyboard, more storage, and a lower price. The new MacBook Air keeps those same features while also introducing Apple's powerful M1 chip. Previous MacBook models, including the MacBook Air released earlier this year, use Intel processors, but Apple has now shifted in a different direction. The M1 is a small 5-nanometer chip with 16 billion transistors, and rather than using multiple chips, the Apple M1 combines the processor, I/O (or input/output), security, and memory into a single chip. This is expected to result in faster and more efficient performance, along with up to 18 hours of battery life.
The new MacBook Air is the best option for consumers searching for a new entry-level Apple laptop with great battery life. Similar to the iPhone 12 series and its A14 chip, the new MacBook Air is powered by the same M1 chip used in the new MacBook Pro and Mac mini. Being that the new MacBook Air was just announced, there are no real-world examples to compare the M1 chip's performance to the Intel-based MacBook Air just yet. However, given that Apple is fully investing in transitioning its entire Mac lineup to Apple Silicon, it should be expected that the new MacBook Air will likely satisfy buyers.
Source: Apple