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Even though I figured Apple would handle this Intel-to-Arm transition better, I didn’t expect everything to work as well as it does.
NEW MAC AIRBOOK WINDOWS
I’ve used Windows laptops with Arm processors from Qualcomm, and they are slower, buggier, and more complicated than Intel machines. Overall, the hardware is identical to the last model. In fact, I have yet to run into any sort of performance problem at all - because this MacBook Air is fast. Unfortunately, I can’t speak to whether the 8GB model has enough RAM to comfortably handle both CPU and GPU needs, but I haven’t had any problems with the 16GB on my review unit.
NEW MAC AIRBOOK PRO
One other internal change that will affect pro users and developers more than the average MacBook Air user is that Apple has switched to a unified memory architecture, so there’s no separate graphics memory. Apple has tried to borrow some of its real-time image processing from the iPhone to try to spruce up the image - and I do find that it does a better job evenly lighting my face - but mostly what I notice is that it looks bad (only now it’s a more processed version of bad).
NEW MAC AIRBOOK 720P
Unfortunately, that similarity extends to the webcam, which is still 720p resolution and still terrible. Apple knows what the thermal ceiling for this system is, and it keeps the MacBook well within it. But even when pushing this machine to its absolute limit, I never felt it get more than a little warm. There’s no fan anymore, for one thing, just an aluminum heat spreader. The other differences are all on the inside. If, like me, you haven’t used Dictation much before this, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how good it is. Now, you get a button for Spotlight search (which, on macOS Big Sur, finally can do Google searches), Do Not Disturb, and Dictation. There is only one exterior difference between the new one and the last model: Apple swapped out some of the buttons on the function row for more useful ones. The MacBook Air still has a terrible webcam. Read more: 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1 review and Mac mini with M1 reviewĪpple kept the design exactly the same Apple has updated the options on the function row. The MacBook Air with the M1 chip is the most impressive laptop I’ve used in years.
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But as I used the MacBook Air, I often found myself so impressed that I had a hard time believing it.īelieve it. Apple’s insistence on using dumpy webcams continues to be a bummer, and running iPad apps is a mess.
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This MacBook Air not only avoids almost all of those pitfalls, but it gleefully leaps over them. Chip transitions are devilishly hard and don’t usually go smoothly. When doing so, I clocked eight and sometimes 10 hours of continuous use on battery.Ĭoming into this review, I had a catalog of potential pitfalls that Apple could have fallen into when switching from an Intel chip to its own processor. I’ve also used it in the way a MacBook Air is really meant to be used: as an everyday computer for workaday tasks. In a week of testing, I have pushed this computer and its new Apple-made processor to its limits and found that those limits exceeded my expectations on nearly every level. It’s rare you’ll find a current Mac at a price this low, so don’t miss out.The new MacBook Air with Apple’s M1 chip is a triumph. But these laptops start at $1,999 and $2,499 respectively, and are largely aimed at folks that need enough muscle for things like heavy-duty programming and 3D rendering.įor someone who just wants to get work done without ever having to worry about their laptop slowing down, the M1 MacBook Air delivers an absurd amount of power - and better battery life - for a fraction of the price of the latest MacBook Pros. It’s worth noting that Apple recently released new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, which have better displays, webcams, speakers and even more beastly M1 Pro and M1 Max processors. And because this is a MacBook Air, you’re getting the sleekest, most travel-friendly and nicest-looking MacBook (it’s the only one that comes in gold, after all). The MacBook Air’s performance and battery scores are leagues ahead of similarly priced rivals like the Surface Laptop 4 and Dell XPS 13, and it even holds its own with the 13-inch MacBook Pro M1 released last year. It also has stellar battery life, lasting for an exceptional 14 hours of continuous video playback during our stress test. The M1 MacBook Air is one of the most powerful laptops we’ve tested, able to juggle tons of apps at once and export complex 4K video files in seconds. When you consider what you’re getting for the money, this is as good a Black Friday laptop deal as you’ll find.