At WWDC today, Apple not only unveiled its new M2 Silicon, but also a pair of devices that will be equipped with it – the new MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro. Although most of the Pro looks similar to older models, the Air also gets a redesign, making it thinner and lighter than before. It is also available in four colors and has a new, square look. I was able to quickly play with the new Air today at Apple Park, and so far I’m glad it looks significantly different, given that it’s been four years since Apple last redesigned the MacBook Air.
Of the four colors that Air is now available in, my personal favorite is Midnight, which is deep blue. Our editor-in-chief, Dana Wallman, who attended the event with me, also preferred this nuance. The models in silver and cosmic gray are very familiar, until the starlight stands out to me.
If you’re a fan of Apple’s distinctive wedge-shaped design on previous MacBooks, you may be worried about the new, more square look. I didn’t mind – in fact I prefer the refreshment, as the older aesthetics seem quite outdated so far. However, it’s similar to the new MacBook Pro, so if you liked these, you’ll appreciate it. Just like the last pros, the new Air has a number of full-size physical function keys. At the right end of this sits the power button with Touch ID sensor. Dana is a fan of groove here, which makes it easier to determine the touch where you need to place your finger. In addition, there is no glossy coating that attracts fingerprints.
Gallery: Apple MacBook Air (2022) with M2 chip 5 photos
Gallery: Apple MacBook Air (2022) with M2 chip 5 photos
Importantly, the new MacBook Air has a larger 13.6-inch Liquid Retina compared to the latest model’s 13.3-inch Retina display. This made the photo, which was edited on some of the demonstration devices, look bright and clear. The new Air reaches up to 500 nits of brightness, compared to 400 nits before, and is only about 64 pixels higher.
I also liked the quality of the webcam’s show when I opened the FaceTime app, even though I didn’t actually take a picture or spend too much time looking at my face.
Of course, the quality has a lot to do with the improved webcam, which is now 1080p (unlike 720p before). Again, I didn’t actually call or get enough time with the device, so I can’t tell you if it’s significantly better than before.
Cherlynn Low / Engadget
I can tell you that I definitely noticed the new slot in which the camera is located. Again, this is similar to the latest MacBook Pro and has been a polarizing feature since its introduction. My colleague Devindra Hardawar, who reviewed the MacBook Pros, didn’t mind and I tend to agree with him. Although I thought the slit was strangely high, it didn’t extend beyond the macOS header, ending just a hair before its bottom edge.
With the new MacBook Air, Apple returns the MagSafe charging port – just as it did with the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro released last fall. The company has also made MagSafe cables that match the color of the four new shades of the laptop, in case aesthetics are important to you. I have plugged one such wire into and out of the demo module socket many times and I can tell you that it works well and feels safe when connected.
One drawback of the new Air’s port layout is that the MagSafe and two USB-C / Thunderbolt ports are placed on the left end, while the solo headphone jack sits on the right. I would prefer if Apple offered one USB-C on each side, so it would work better with more keys. But perhaps the reason the company failed to do so is the new four-speaker audio system, which, among other things, supports Spatial Audio when playing music or video with Dolby Atmos.
Dana Wallman / Engadget
Despite the added speakers and the larger screen, the new MacBook Air manages to be slightly lighter than the M1, weighing 2.7 pounds compared to 2.8 pounds on the latter. Besides, I didn’t skimp on things like the keyboard or the trackpad, and I enjoyed typing a few sentences on the machine, thanks to the large-sized buttons with enough depth.
Of course, one of the biggest highlights of the new MacBook Air is the M2 processor in it. The most significant upgrade this SoC brings is a hardware-accelerated media engine and 100GB / s memory bandwidth. It also gets 10 graphics cores now, compared to the eight before. The base model comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD and reaches 24GB and 2TB respectively. The new Air will cost $ 200 more than before, starting at $ 1199, and will be shipped next month. The M1-powered model will still be available for $ 999.
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