Apple’s New 15-inch MacBook Air is the World’s Thinnest 15-inch Laptop
At last year’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), Apple launched new notebooks that used the company’s just-announced M2 processor, including a new M2-powered MacBook Air with a 13.6-inch display. At this year’s WWDC, Apple revealed a new, still-very-thin MacBook Air with a larger 15-inch display.
15-inch MacBook Air: Super-Thin Notebook with a Larger Display
There were rumblings that Apple intended to introduce a second MacBook Air model last year, but it never materialized. However, that rumored notebook is finally here, and it offers users a compelling blend of performance and portability while introducing the largest display ever seen in a MacBook Air.
The new MacBook Air looks practically identical to the existing 13.6-inch MacBook Air, albeit large — at least in terms of its display, the device is still very thin at just 11.5 millimeters. The larger notebook weighs only 3.3 pounds and is the world’s most compact 15-inch notebook.
The 15.3-inch Liquid Retina Display is surrounded by thin borders that are just five millimeters thick. The display promises rich, vibrant colors and can display a billion colors. The display’s max brightness is 500 nits, which is 25 percent brighter than a comparable PC laptop, per Apple.
The MacBook Air can also power an external 6K display with one of its Thunderbolt ports.
The redesigned MacBook Air launched in 2022 also reduced the size of the notebook’s bezels, which allowed for more display in the same size footprint, plus it includes Apple’s (then) new 1080p webcam and M2’s enhanced image signal processing.
MacBook Air is Apple’s best-selling laptop, so there’s clearly a big market for its compact and thin notebook. Apple calls the new MacBook Air the “world’s best 15-inch laptop.”
Last year’s M2-powered MacBook Air already delivered big performance gains, promising 20 percent faster performance in Photoshop and nearly 40 percent faster editing in Final Cut Pro than the previous-generation MacBook Air. With the improved M2 chips available in the refreshed MacBook Air lineup, and the all-new larger MacBook Air, Apple is packing a lot of power in a very portable form factor.
Compared to an Intel-based MacBook Air, the new M2-powered MacBook Air is 12 times faster. It’s also up to twice as fast as a PC laptop powered by an Intel Core i7 processor.
Powered by a standard M2, the notebook promises amazing battery life. It’s 12 times faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Air and gets 18 hours of battery life.
“We’re thrilled to introduce the first 15-inch MacBook Air. With its incredible performance and striking design, the new MacBook Air is the world’s best 15-inch laptop. And it’s only possible with Apple silicon,” says John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. “From its expansive Liquid Retina display and remarkably thin and fanless design, to extraordinary battery life and an immersive six-speaker sound system, the new MacBook Air has it all.”
Pricing and Availability
Like last year’s refreshed MacBook Air, the new 15-inch MacBook Air comes in multiple colors: midight, starlight, space gray, and silver.
The 15-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,299, a $200 premium over the 13-inch MacBook Air with M2.
Customers can order the new 15-inch MacBook Air starting today, with shipping expected to begin next week.
Image credits: Apple
