In July, Apple is launching a new MacBook Air with the likewise new, in-house M2 chip. In the latest generation of the popular laptop, the MagSafe charging port makes a comeback and an improved display shines in the slim body.
Despite the global shortage of chips and other delivery problems, PC sales have risen sharply in the past two years, with notebooks in particular enjoying strong demand. According to the Gartner market research institute, the big boom is over and actually collapsed by more than 6 percent in the first quarter of the year due to Russia's attack on Ukraine in the EMEA economic area (Europe, Middle East, Africa). Despite everything, Apple was able to increase its PC sales again by 8.6 percent. So that this doesn't change, the manufacturer presented a new generation of its popular MacBook Air laptop at the beginning of its WWDC developer conference.
The heart of the device is the M2, the successor to the manufacturer's first own PC chip. Its main processor (CPU) is said to work 18 times faster, the graphics unit (GPU) by 35 percent. The neural processor responsible for machine learning (neural engine) is said to be 40 percent more powerful. The M2 also supports up to 24 gigabytes (GB) of memory whose maximum bandwidth has been doubled to up to 100 GB per second (GB/s).
Despite the high performance, Apple promises the same runtime of up to 18 hours for the new MacBook Air as before. The energy efficiency of the M2 has also allowed the manufacturer to do without fans and a significantly larger battery. As a result, the device has a 20 percent smaller volume than its predecessor, is only 1.13 centimeters high and weighs only 1.24 kilograms.
MagSafe is making a comeback with the new MacBook Air. This means that the charging cable docks magnetically, which means that, among other things, there is no mishap if you accidentally pull the cord. You can also charge the device via one of the two USB-C inputs (Thunderbolt/USB 4.), which allow data rates of up to 40 gigabits per second (GBit/s) for connected accessories. In addition, the new MacBook Air also has a jack for headphones.
The now 13.6-inch display with a pixel density of 224 ppi should be able to shine 25 percent brighter than the screen of the predecessor with 500 nits. A new front camera sits above it in a recess, which now offers a contemporary resolution of 1080p. Four loudspeakers placed between the display and the keyboard should deliver a clear stereo sound and support 3D audio.
With its equipment, the new MacBook Air competes with Apple's Pro models, which is also reflected in the prices. With 256 GB of SSD storage and 8 GB of RAM, it costs around 1500 euros. For a variant with a stronger GPU and 512 GB of SSD storage, buyers even have to shell out 1850 euros.
In order not to appear weaker than the newcomer, the 13-inch MacBook Pro will also receive the M2 chip with the market launch of the new MacBook Air. If you want it, you have to invest at least 1600 euros.
