Apple’s WWDC Keynote brought new Mac Pro and Mac Studio as well as software updates for iOS, iPadOS and watchOS. There was even a “one thing more” moment. The 15″ MacBook Air is the most likely Apple product that people will buy.
Since Apple discontinued the 11-inch Air, it is now available in three distinct models and two sizes: a model of 13 inches with Apple’s older M1 chip; a model of 13 inches with Apple’s newer, M2 chip; and a new configuration 15-inch with an Apple M2 processor. This new model will be available on June 13th, for $1,299 The MacBook Air lineup is the most crowded ever. Let us help you to sort through the differences so you can determine which laptop may be best for you.
What’s New in the 15″ MacBook Air
The new MacBook Air’s biggest feature is that it’s larger. The new MacBook Air model has a 15.3 inch notched display that is higher-resolution at 2880 x1864 pixels, which puts it at 224pixels per inch. This puts it on par with other MacBook Air models. The new MacBook Air shares the same M2 chip as the 13-inch MacBook Air redesigned last year. Its physical design is almost identical, even down to the matching colors. The new 15-inch MacBook Air differs from the 13-inch version in that it has two extra GPU cores as standard, which were an additional cost on the previous model. It also comes with a six speaker sound system, instead of the four speakers.
The new 15-inch MacBook Air may be a bit heavier and bigger than the two 13-inch MacBook Airs but it is only 0.01 inch thicker than the 13-inch MacBook Air M2, meaning that the larger laptop is very thin.
13-inch MacBook Air (M1) vs. 13-inch MacBook Air (M2) vs. 15-inch MacBook Air (M2)
The 15-inch MacBook Air is priced at $1,299 and offers the largest screen available. The 13-inch MacBook Air is still a good option if you don’t need the larger screen size and want to save money. If you’re looking for a MacBook Air that will handle your everyday computing needs, the 13-inch M1 MacBook Air is still a good value at $999. It can be discounted as low as $799.
