Summary
Your conception of a MacBook Air is thrown out the window by the Apple MacBook Air with M1 review. Though Apple Silicon makes it significantly more powerful and capable than ever before, crushing Intel’s CPUs and making it one of the greatest 13-inch laptops on the market, it still has the same distinctive wedge look. With pro-grade power that rivals and often outperforms Intel-based Windows PCs, the MacBook Air entered a new era.
I’m delighted to report that the new MacBook Air delivers significant speed improvements over its predecessor in addition to many more hours of battery life, since I am considering purchasing a MacBook myself. This evaluation of the MacBook Air with M1 will demonstrate why it’s among the greatest laptops available.
Rosetta 2 is utilized by macOS Big Sur to convert most of the programs that I’ve used on the MacBook Air, which is still based on Intel software to run on its ARM CPU. App developers should expect significantly quicker performance on Apple silicon systems, like as this M1-based MacBook Air, after they provide Universal versions of their programs.
To demonstrate how much has changed (or not), I’ll be comparing the new M1 MacBook Air not only to the finest PC laptops in this review, but also to the Intel-based MacBook Air that was introduced the previous year.
| MACBOOK AIR WITH M1 REVIEW: SPECS |
| Price: $999 (starting), $899 (education) |
| CPU: Apple M1 |
| Display: 13.3‑inch, 2560 x 1600-pixel |
| Battery: 14:41 (tested) |
| Memory: 8GB to 16GB |
| Storage: 256GB to 2TB |
| Dimensions: 12 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches |
| Weight: 2.8 pounds |
MacBook Air with M1 review: Price and release date
Although it is available for $899 to educational users, the MacBook Air with M1 begins at $999. Also, it’s usually on sale for less than $800 at retailers like Best Buy and Amazon. This variant has a 256GB SSD, 8GB of RAM, and a 7-core CPU and GPU. With an 8-core GPU in addition to 512GB of SSD storage, the $1,249 model is a touch more loaded.
November 17, 2020 was the release date of the MacBook Air with M1. The MacBook Air M2, its successor, went on sale in June 2022 and has a starting price of $1,199.
MacBook Air with M1 review: Performance
With its M1 CPU and 16GB of RAM, the MacBook Air performs really well. I never noticed even the slightest slowdown when I divided its screen between 20 Chrome (Intel, not Universal) tabs and a 1080p YouTube video, along with Apple’s Mail and Photos app, Pixelmator (another Intel program), and 1Password (Intel, again) running in the background. Oh, and all of this was happening in the background while 20GB of 4K footage was being AirDropped, all the while maintaining stability and smoothness.
I even managed to sneak in some iOS app experimentation during a group call, installing and launching HBO Max, the game Among Us, and the Overcast podcatcher. I experimented with all those programs, dragging my little Among Us figure across the screen, downloading podcasts, and starting an Adventure Time episode as a 4K YouTube video of a chef preparing played on my laptop display. Yes, I have excellent multitasking skills.
In terms of speed, the MacBook Air with M1 felt, for the most part, as quick as the 2020 Core i5 MacBook Pro that I used to test Big Sur or the 2017 Core i7 MacBook Pro work computer that I depended on. This also applies to the times I hooked up an external monitor. Despite Apple’s claims of 3.5 times faster performance compared to the Intel MacBook Air, which was launched earlier this year, I was a little dubious before since I’ve always pushed my MacBooks to their limits and required a MacBook Pro—not an Air—to complete my job. This MacBook Air, huh? It has a pro-like vibe.
And let’s see how that performs in benchmarks. I should point out that not all of our testing used Universal app versions, and Intel version software isn’t M1-optimized.
On the Geekbench 5.1 (Intel) multicore test, the Air scored 5,962, almost even with the 5,925 from the M1 MacBook Pro. On the same Geekbench 5.2 test, the Air easily defeated the 5,084 from the ZenBook 13 and the 5,319 from the XPS 13 (both tested with the Intel Core i7-1165G7 CPU and 16GB of RAM). Just 2,738 were produced using the outdated Intel MacBook Air Y-series Intel CPU.
Using a 4K movie that is transcoded to 1080p for our Handbrake (Universal) test, the MacBook Air completed the test in 9 minutes and 15 seconds, while the MacBook Pro took 7:44 (using a beta version of Handbrake optimal for Apple hardware). These timings crush the ZenBook 13 (17:51) and XPS 13 (18:22) marks as well as the Intel MacBook Air’s earlier-this-year 27:10 time.
Additionally, Apple delivered on their promise of twice as fast storage speeds. Using the Black Magic Disk Speed Test (Intel), the 1TB SSD in the MacBook Air we tested achieved a read speed of 2692 MBps, which is over twice as fast as the Intel MacBook Air’s read rate of 1,301.9 MBps.
In the PugetBench Photoshop (Intel) test, the MacBook Air received a score of 653, surpassing the 588 of the XPS 13, but losing to the 743 of the ZenBook 13 (a rare victory for the x86 community). With a 649, the MacBook Pro was quite close.
MacBook Air with M1 review: Graphics
We believe that the 8-core GPU setup in our test MacBook Air might change some gamers’ perceptions of the Mac. I started things off simply by playing Bioshock 2 Remastered at its original resolution of 2560 x 1600. The game ran well, with foes being struck by electroshocks, water flowing through the rooms I walked, and all the aquatic life outside the passageways I explored moving without a hitch.
As Rise of the Tomb Raider is an older game, I pulled it out and played it at 2560 x 1600 with Medium graphics. It looked fantastic on the MacBook Air, and I never imagined that a MacBook Air could run such a demanding AAA game. Lara Croft moved the way she should have whether I was traversing the Syrian deserts or scaling a snow-capped polar peak. Oh, and these two games aren’t Universal versions (yet); they’re Intel versions that work on Rosetta 2.
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (Intel) ran at 37 frames per second when we benchmarked it on the MacBook Air (with 1440 x 900 as the maximum resolution supported). This beat the Intel MacBook Air’s score of 7 frames per second and was marginally faster than the M1 MacBook Pro’s 38 frames per second. Rates were 21 frames per second for the ZenBook 13 and 16 frames per second for the XPS 13, which could run the game at a significantly crisper 1080p resolution.
Fascinatingly, the Air and Pro received almost identical results on the GFXBench Metal Aztec Ruins graphics test (Universal): 54 on High and 60 on Normal (both rounded down).
MacBook Air with M1 review: Battery Life
With the M1 processor, Apple promised all-day battery life, and the firm has delivered on that promise. The new MacBook Air outperformed the ZenBook 13 (13:47) and XPS 13 (11:07) with a remarkable 14 hours and 41 minutes (while the new MacBook Pro reached 16:32) in the Tom’s Guide battery test (web browsing at 150 nits). The OLED XPS 13 (7:59) finished significantly faster.
Additionally, individuals who only want to make comparisons with earlier Intel Mac models are no longer relevant. We have now beaten the Intel MacBook Air (9:31) and MacBook Pro (10:21) marks by 5 and 6 hours, respectively.
MacBook Air with M1 review: Webcam
Although I had hoped Apple would include a higher-resolution camera in the MacBook, they managed to upgrade the MacBook for the Zoom era in another manner. An image signal processor included into the M1 chip improves your appearance in a few different ways.
I joined the same Google Meet session and pitted the webcams of the New MacBook Air and the early-2020 Intel-based MacBook Pro against each other. Observing both of us simultaneously, my supervisor saw that the video captured by the M1-equipped MacBook Air had more vibrant colors and a more even image overall. Even while we weren’t able to compare in real time, the video quality of the other calls I made on the MacBook Air didn’t wow everyone, proving that a better camera is still useful.
MacBook Air with M1 review: Design
The early 2020 MacBook Air that I examined back in March seems and feels precisely like the MacBook Air with M1. And maybe that’s the main idea. With its wedge-shaped machined aluminum chassis in space gray, silver, and gold, this MacBook Air follows Apple’s apparent strategy of easing consumers into the Apple Silicon age.
As a result, the 12 x 8.4 x 0.6-inch, 2.8-pound M1 MacBook Air has a striking resemblance to its 11.9 x 8.4 x 0.6-inch, 2.8-pound Intel-based predecessor. Honestly, there’s still space for it to go smaller. Because of its very thin InfinityEdge bezels, the 2.8-pound Dell XPS 13 has a smaller footprint than the 11.6 x 7.8 x 0.6-inch Asus ZenBook 13, which weighs 2.5 pounds.
The MacBook Air is available from Apple in space gray, silver, and gold. I truly wish Apple would provide gold for the MacBook Pro since I really do like it (which it does not).
MacBook Air with M1 review: Ports
Like its Intel-based predecessor, the M1 MacBook Air includes two Thunderbolt three USB four ports in addition to a headphone jack on the side (which I hope Apple never eliminates). The XPS 13 divides its USB-C ports between its left and right sides, which makes it simpler to connect devices on your right side, even if they are both on the left side.
Simply said, other laptops have more ports. Moreover, the MacBook Air lacks a microSD reader, whereas the XPS 13 has. The ZenBook 13 lacks a headphone jack but does include a complete HDMI-out and a USB-A connector.
Are you annoyed that the MacBook Air lacks the previous MagSafe charging feature? Fear not—it is rumored that the MacBook Air 2021 will be equipped with the more practical charging standard.
Furthermore, the ZenBook is built to last a long time, as seen by its several MIL-STD 810G certifications, which withstand harsh temperatures, high altitudes, drops, shocks, and vibrations.
MacBook Air with M1 review: Display
Using the MacBook Air M1, I was watching Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse when I observed how the green of the spider that bit young Miles Morales and the pinks, yellows, and blues of the graffiti sprang off the screen. The 2,560 x 1600-pixel Retina display on the MacBook Air produced a high level of detail, as seen by the hairs on the spider, the many Ben-Day dots throughout the whole movie, and the wood floor grains in Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite. Both the ZenBook 13 and XPS 13 come with 1080p displays out of the box, which are not as crisp.
Our wait for an OLED MacBook continues, while the Dell XPS 13 OLED, which just debuted to widespread praise for its stunning display, is still ongoing. However, as I said in the section on battery life, this better screen comes at a significant cost.
The MacBook Air with M1 generates 114.3% of the sRGB spectrum, according to our Klein K10-A colorimeter. This is somewhat higher than the M1 MacBook Pro’s (110.6%), the Asus ZenBook 13 (107.5%), and the Dell XPS 13 (97.9%) results. The OLED XPS 13 scored slightly better, at 117.3%, than the Intel MacBook Air, which registered a comparable 113%.
The new MacBook Air’s display, according to our colorimeter, can produce up to 365.8 nits of brightness, which is comparable to the ZenBook 13 (370 nits) and the Intel-based MacBook Air (386 nits), albeit somewhat less than the company’s 400-nit estimate. Both the XPS 13 (469.2 nits) and the M1 MacBook Pro (434.8 nits) grow brighter. When viewing the panel at an angle of thirty degrees to the left and right, the additional brightness may assist keep the colors from slightly fading.
To maintain a MacBook screen that looks its best, be sure to read our instructions on cleaning MacBook screens.
MacBook Air with M1 review: Keyboard and touchpad
Using the 10fastfingers typing test to test the MacBook Air’s Magic Keyboard, I was able to type 74 words per minute, which is not too distant from my 80 wpm average. Similar to the early 2020 MacBook Air, this keyboard was the necessary update for Apple after the controversy around its too shallow Butterfly-switch keys, which many said were prone to sticking when dust or other debris got inside of them.
The 4.8 x 3.2 glass Force Touch trackpad of the MacBook Air provides precise input detection and fluid scrolling. Apple still uses haptic feedback instead of clicks, which appears to be a successful move (even if I liked the previous method more).
MacBook Air with M1 review: Audio
I noticed that the MacBook Air’s stereo speakers could provide a loud enough sound to fill my somewhat big living room when I turned on “Bulls on Parade” by Rage Against The Machine. Zach De La Rocha’s vocals were audibly clear, the speakers had a respectably big soundstage, and the guitar riffs and synths sounded true, creating a rather immersive atmosphere.
Additionally, the MacBook Air supports Dolby Atmos, so I felt like I heard the thunderous music of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse more on the Air than I had on other computers. The movie simply sounded better, whether it was Post Malone and Swae Lee’s “Sunflower” or Nicolas Cage’s voice for the Spider-Noir persona.
Because of the three in-built microphones, Siri can hear you during video conversations even if you’re speaking away from the laptop.
MacBook Air with M1 review: Heat
The MacBook Air on my lap became a touch warm as I used it for writing this review, viewing videos, and using Mail.app to synchronize my personal and work emails. Not in an uncomfortable way, however. That’s fortunate since there isn’t a fan on the new Air.
Our heat gun detected low readings on the MacBook Air’s touchpad (78 degrees Fahrenheit), keyboard (80.5 degrees), and underside (83 degrees), all of which are below our 95-degree comfort criteria, after 15 minutes of streaming full HD video.
MacBook Air with M1 review: Software and iOS apps
As you have undoubtedly seen, we used a number of Intel-only apps while testing and benchmarking the MacBook Air. These apps cannot be executed natively on the Apple M1 chip or any future Apple hardware. Luckily, Apple’s program translation tool, Rosetta 2, is now available and does the translation right after installation, allowing the apps to function without interruption. It is hoped that sooner rather than later, developers will provide Universal versions of these applications, enabling the M1 Macs to reach their full potential.
You may use Apple silicon chips, such as the M1, to run programs from the iPhone and iPad on your Mac. They will be available via the Mac App Store, but keep an eye out for the phrase “Not verified for macOS”; if it appears, the developer hasn’t proved that their software works properly on the Mac. Developers may choose not to have their apps appear on the Mac App Store by default, so don’t expect everything to be there. I’ve tested out a few of my favorites, such as Overcast, and having the HBO Max app on the Mac is convenient for viewing movies on the go. It took some getting used to to play Among Us without a touch screen. Having said that, you may also go at some of the top MacBook Air Mac programs.
At last, the core of the new MacBook Air is macOS Big Sur, which I’ve been enjoying experimenting with in betas this summer. Its vivid interface makes extensive use of transparency and translucency; thus, depending on your tastes, you may need to make some tweaks. The most significant change to Big Sur is the addition of new tab previews and a customized home screen to make Safari more competitive with Chrome.
MacBook Air with M1 review: Verdict
This evaluation of the MacBook Air with M1 has shown how the device’s incredible speed and endurance work together to propel it to new heights. The new MacBook Air might be a five-star device if it had a few extra connectors and thinner bezels.
Although the Dell XPS 13 has much reduced bezels than the MacBook Air, it performs worse and has a shorter battery life. A similarly equipped $999 Asus ZenBook 13 may save you $650 and include a few ports, but you would lose out on performance and around an hour of endurance. However, if you work and live in the Apple ecosystem, purchasing a MacBook Air is among the simplest purchases you’ve made in a long time. However, the MacBook Air M2 is now available if you want the newest model.
