As rumored and predicted, Apple announced a completely redesigned MacBook Air during its WWDC keynote on Monday. Designed around the new M2 chip, the soon-to-ship MacBook Air offers a larger display, better connectivity options, and a return to MagSafe charging.
Thin, Lightweight, but Powerful
Apple always touted the MacBook Air for its slim size and light weight. The new design is no different, measuring just 11.3mm thin and weighing in at just 2.7 pounds. The all-aluminum unibody enclosure is built to last, and the design allows for a completely silent, fanless cooling solution.
The new MacBook Air ditches the old wedge design, looking instead like the beefier MacBook Pro family. It features two Thunderbolt ports for connecting accessories, as well as a 3.5mm audio jack that supports high-impedance headphones. MagSafe charging returns to the MacBook Air, allowing both Thunderbolt ports to be free for accessory connections.
M2 MacBook Air Provides Larger Display and a Magic Keyboard With Touch ID
Apple’s latest lightweight laptop features its new M2 SoC and a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display. The Cupertino-based company expanded the display closer to the sides and up around the corner. This provides more screen real estate with thinner borders, but it does incorporate the notch design many dislike.
The display offers 500 nits of brightness, 25% brighter than previous models. It also supports 1 billion colors for the first time, making photos and videos look positively vibrant.
The computer features Apple’s Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. It offers a full-height row of function keys and a Force Touch trackpad.
Improved FaceTime Camera and Speaker System
In the notch of the new MacBook Air display, you’ll find a new 1080P FaceTime HD camera. This provides a larger image sensor and more efficient pixels, delivering twice the resolution and low-light performance of the earlier model.
Inside the chassis, you’ll find a four-speaker sound system with a three-microphone array. Apple says the design offers improved stereo separation and vocal clarity. The laptop supports both Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos. Meanwhile, advanced beam forming algorithms for the microphone array allows the MacBook Air to capture clean audio with ease.
New MacBook Air Availability
The new MacBook Air is listed now on Apple’s website and the Apple Store app. However, it won’t be until July before the computers begin shipping. Available in silver, starlight, space gray and an all-new midnight blue color option, the MacBook Air starts at $1,199.