Tech

Inside The Totally Redesigned MacBook Air

There’s a new laptop in town.

by Michelle Toglia
Apple's new MacBook Air
Apple

On June 6, Apple announced a new addition to its laptop lineup: an all-new MacBook Air. With a totally new design, the laptop is powered by the game-changing M2 chip and has a bunch of standout features (Spoiler: it’s fanless!). Keep reading to learn more.

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"It's chock-full of all kinds of technology that allows our most cost-conscious customers to get a computer that has great performance inside."

— Laura Metz, Worldwide Mac product marketing at Apple

The Design

Since 2008, the MacBook Air has been an incredibly thin and light notebook. And the 2022 model, which was designed around the next-gen M2 chip, takes it to the next level at 2.7 pounds and 0.44”, making it a laptop you’ll want to travel with.

Apple

"It's a design that's uniformly thin, strikingly thin from every angle, making it thinner and lighter for our users, which we know they really appreciate."

— Kate Bergeron, Apple’s vice president of hardware engineering

How Did They Get It So Thin?

As Kate Bergeron, Apple’s vice president of hardware engineering tells Bustle, "It's the first time where we have a single-sided board [on a Mac], meaning all the components on one side, which really allowed us to shrink down the thickness."

Apple
Say Goodbye To The Fan

"We deliver all this performance in a fanless design so that your MacBook Air continues to operate completely quietly,” Laura Metz, Worldwide Mac product marketing at Apple, tells Bustle. “ Users responded extremely well to that when we launched the fanless design with the M1 MacBook Air, and so it was something we definitely wanted to carry forward."

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The Colors

In addition to silver and space gray, the new MacBook Air comes in a midnight and starlight finish.

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The Display

Even though this model is lighter and thinner, it also boasts a larger 13.6-inch retina display. It’s also 25% brighter than previous generations and supports a billion (yes, billion!) colors.

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MagSafe

Apple also brought user-fave MagSafe to MacBook Air. So if anything (or anyone) runs into your cable while you’re plugged in, it’ll easily break away — phew!

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The Camera

If you spend most of your workday on video calls, you won’t have a hard time finding your light. “We felt it was really important to make sure that camera quality was a standout feature of this product, too,” Bergeron says.

Apple

“It's taking performance to the next level. Not only in terms of what you can throw at it in terms of CPU and GPU, but it has this great 1080p camera — double the resolution than we had with the M1 MacBook Air, which is also great for performance and lower lighting conditions."

— Laura Metz, Worldwide Mac product marketing at Apple

Listen To This

Plus, there’s a four-speaker sound system, so whether you’re watching a film or stuck on back-to-back Zoom calls, you’re in for clear audio.

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Let’s Talk Continuity

“We've looked really closely at how to optimize your experience, not only with the MacBook itself, but how that can interact more seamlessly with your other Apple devices,” Metz says. “We have a number of continuity features, like being able to answer that call on your Mac if your phone isn't handy.”

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Another way to use your devices seamlessly? You can scan docs with your phone and then have them upload immediately into a note on your Mac.

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How Much Is The MacBook Air?

The MacBook Air with M2 starts at $1,199, and the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 starts at $1,299. And, with Apple’s Trade In program, you can also trade in your current computer to get credit toward your new laptop.

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