The MacBook Air just got a big makeover — and not just because it’s now dark blue. Apple just wrapped up the latest version of its most popular laptop, promising a significant performance boost thanks to a new M2 chip packed inside, all in a refined design that borrows heavily something we loved about last year’s MacBook Pro models.
The new MacBook Air will launch in July and starting at $1,119 or $1,099 for education users. And after getting some brief practice time, we thought it might be The best MacBook to buy for most people. Wondering if you should perform the upgrade? These are our first impressions.
The MacBook Air is already one of the thinnest and lightest laptops available, and it’s going to be even thinner for 2022. The latest Air is 20% smaller overall than the 2020 model, with thin bezels of just less than half an inch thick. All wrapped up in a 2.7-pound construction that feels easy to use.
But here’s what really caught my attention – for the first time in a while, the MacBook will have a consistent range of colors. The MacBook Air 2022 comes in Silver, Space Gray, Starlight (gold), and a particularly attractive Midnight option that coats the laptop in an attractive dark blue. This is a refreshing change from the Silver and Space Gray colors that most Macs have fallen for over the years, and gives the MacBook Air an added weapon against laptops. Colorful Windows similar to HP Dragonfly Elite and from Microsoft Surface Laptop 4. I haven’t been intrigued by the MacBook’s design since 2017 Rose Gold MacBookand both the Midnight and Starlight Air models look great.
Other important changes include a larger and brighter 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, thanks to thinner bezels. As with MacBook Pro 14 inch, this comes at the cost of a high-end webcam, but based on my many months with the latest Pro, I don’t find it to have many distractions. The new MacBook Air also borrows the same MagSafe charger we’ve seen on the latest Pro, which magnetically quickly attaches and detaches and helps keep your Mac from flying if someone moves over the cable. This dedicated charging port also means you’ll have access to both a Thunderbolt USB-C port for your accessories and storage (though you can still charge via USB-C if you want).
The MacBook Air’s Magic Keyboard feels more snappy than ever in my limited hands-on time, and I’m pleased to see the return of physical function keys for quick adjustments to things like brightness and tone. quantity. I really appreciated this extra touch on last year’s Pro models, and it makes quick shortcuts easier to use than the older generation’s Touch Bar.
Many of us are still making video calls most of the day, so I’m pleased to see that the new Air has a sharper 1080p FaceTime webcam (up from 720p), which promises higher resolution. and twice the low-light performance of the previous model thanks to the intelligent processing of that M2 chip inside. You’ll also get a four-speaker sound system that supports Spatial Sound for 360-degree sound in compatible songs and movies.
Sure, the new MacBook Air looks great, but the biggest upgrades are at the bottom. When we consider MacBook Air 2020, being the first to launch with Apple’s own M1 processor, we found it delivered a huge leap in overall performance over its Intel-based predecessors. The new model will see the launch of Apple’s second-generation M2 chip, which promises some significant benefits over a chip that already has this speed.
The M2 has more transistors and memory bandwidth, which is a nice way of saying it delivers up to 18% better overall performance than the M1 powered MacBook, and 1.9 times faster. times that of a competing Intel Windows laptop. The new processor has received a bigger boost in terms of graphics, as Apple is promising up to 35% better GPU performance than its M1 laptop. That should make the new MacBook Air more reliable for doing intensive video editing or 3D rendering, as well as playing demanding Mac games.
We’ll have to put the MacBook Air through our usual tests to see how much better it is than the previous-generation model, but it makes for a promising first impression. Swiping between more than a dozen apps feels smooth and immediate, and the laptop can simultaneously play seven 4K video streams in Final Cut Pro without any noticeable stutter.
The new MacBook Air comes with Apple’s macOS monterey software, which recently brought handy new features to the Mac like SharePlay (for viewing content over FaceTime with friends) and improved Safari for smooth web surfing. It’s set to get even better this fall with the macOS Ventura update just announced at WWDC, which will introduce a new Stage Manager feature for easier multitasking as well as a number of improvements on performance to improve the gaming experience on Mac. Gaming giant Capcom is planning to bring the hit game Resident Evil Village to the Mac thanks to this update, which bodes well for those hoping for more big-name video games on the Mac. Ventura will even let you easily use your iPhone as your Mac’s webcam, complete with support for handy features like Portrait Mode for beautiful bokeh and Studio Lighting for self-lighting in dark rooms.
In addition to the new MacBook Air, Apple is also updating 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 . chip. This is largely the MacBook Pro coming out in late 2020, just with more power to do big video edits and intense Photoshop projects. Apple is also promising up to 20 hours of battery life on this model, which will launch next month with prices starting at $1,299. However, we think most people can ignore this model – it still has a less than ideal Touch Bar from the previous iteration, lacks a MagSafe port, and beyond the two hours of battery life promised, doesn’t deliver much. benefits over the new MacBook Air.
If you haven’t bought a new MacBook in a while, the new MacBook Air looks like an absolute no-brainer to most people. Long ago we recommended Air as best laptop for Apple users, thanks to performance can run around anything in its price range when it comes to everyday creative and multitasking workflow. And if Apple’s claims about the M2 chip are true, then the MacBook Air could be a worthy MacBook Pro replacement for those who need a little more power to do photo work and play games on the go. transfer. As someone who loves the design of the 14-inch MacBook Pro but doesn’t need ridiculous amounts of power, the new Air seems like the perfect laptop to me.
If you own a MacBook Air M1 and are satisfied with its performance, you can skip the M2 model. But if you’re still using an older, Intel-powered Mac, this would be the perfect upgrade point. The M1 MacBook Air will remain in the lineup for $999, but at least on paper the M2 model’s increased performance and better design is worth the extra money. Just don’t bother with the new M2 MacBook Pro – you get a bigger screen, better webcam, and updated ports on the new Air.
We’ll be including both of Apple’s new MacBooks in our full review as soon as we get our hands on them. $1,099 MacBook Air and $1,299 MacBook Pro It’s not yet available for pre-order, but with the laptop launching next month, we expect pre-orders to open in the very near future. In the meantime, you can visit their store pages on Apple’s website Now compare them and find out exactly which configuration best suits your needs.
