Apple MacBook Air Laptop (Late 2020)
Product Gallery
Product Overview
The Late-2020 MacBook Air is the first to feature Apple's proprietary M1 chip in the long line of the company's most popular Mac model. Apple boasts 3.5x faster CPU and 5x faster GPU performance.
Additionally, the M1 chip also delivers up to 9x faster Machine Learning workload performance. Apple also promises up to 2x the SSD performance, thanks to improved storage controller embedded in the M1 chip. These performance boosts represent the largest jump ever for any MacBook Air.
Beyond performance improvements, the M1 chip is also more efficient, resulting in significant increase in battery life.
The Late-2020 MacBook Air is the first to adopt WiFi 6 in the model's history.
Apple also announced a new 13-inch MacBook Pro and a new Mac mini, both of which powered by the same M1 chip found in the $1249 MacBook Air.
Ratings
What we found**
Pros
- Sleek, minimalist design
- Quiet, silent operation
- Long battery life
- Great keyboard and touchpad
Cons
- Nothing in particular
What external reviewers found***
External score 88% (not directly comparable across industries)
Pros
- Great display
- Great performance
- Excellent graphics performance
- Excellent speakers
Cons
- No Thunderbolt 3 port
- Only 512 GB SSD
- No Thunderbolt 3
Price Comparison
Specifications
Connectivity
Ports
2x Thunderbolt 3 / USB 4 + 3.5mm headphone jack
Wireless Connectivity
WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
Construction
Battery | Capacity
49.9 Wh
Camera | Front
HD (720p)
Colors
Gold, Silver, Space Gray
Form Factor
Clamshell laptop computer
Microphone
Three-mic array with directional beamforming
Speakers
Stereo speakers
Dimensions
Size | Depth
8.36 inches (21.24 cm)
Size | Height
0.16–0.63 inch (0.41–1.61 cm)
Size | Width
11.97 inches (30.41 cm)
Weight
2.8 lbs (1.29 kg)
Display
Brightness
400 nits
Display Diagonal
13.3 inch
Display Type
IPS
Gamut
DCI-P3, True Tone technology
Pixel Density
227 ppi
Resolution
QHD+ (2560 x 1600)
Function
Graphics
Apple M1 7-core or 8-core GPU
Keyboard Backlight
Yes
Operating System
MacOS Big Sur
Operating Temperature
50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C)
Processor
Apple M1 8-core CPU with 16-core Neural Engine
Security
Touch ID sensor
Touchpad
Force Touch trackpad
Performance
Battery Life
Up to 15 hours wireless web / Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback
Memory | Capacity
8 or 16 GB
Power Supply
30 W
Storage
256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB
Production
Availability
2020-11-17
Debut
2020-11-10
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Launch Comparison
Clear List
Related Articles
Apple's New M1 SoC Leapfrogs Intel in Performance & Efficiency
Apple introduces the new M1 SoC with 3.5x faster CPU, 6x faster GPU, and 15x faster ML performance. The ARM chip will power the latest Macs.
News · 10 Nov 2020
3rd-Party Review Videos
External Reviews
androidauthority[1]
Reviewer score 78%There was hope that Apple would upgrade the camera in the new MacBook Air, but it didn't. The basic HD definition is not worthy of 2020. The M1 MacBook Air has the same basic audio setup as the last Intel-based generation. For some people, $999 or $1,249 is too much for a laptop.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Excellent performance
- Excellent battery life
- Excellent keyboard
Cons
- No Thunderbolt 3
digitaltrends[2]
Reviewer score 89%The MacBook Air M1 boasts the new Magic Keyboard that Apple created to replace the ill-fated butterfly keyboard on previous models. The keyboard is perhaps my favorite of all the laptops I've used and the only one that beats out the excellent version that HP puts in its Spectre lineup. If you're a creative professional and need the widest color gamut, go with the Pro line.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Fast performance
- Excellent keyboard
- Excellent speakers
- Great battery life
Cons
- Only one external display
- Only one Thunderbolt 3 port
macworld[3]
Reviewer score 94%The M1-based MacBook Air lasted 82 percent longer than the Intel-based one from earlier this year. While I'm suitably impressed with the performance of this 8GB model, I suggest getting 16GB, since it can never be upgraded. Apple missed a good opportunity to make real improvements to the MacBook Air beyond the 720p webcam.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Fantastic performance
- Sleek design
- Great battery life
Cons
- Only 8GB of RAM and 7-core GPU
notebookcheck[4]
Reviewer score 81%The new M1 processor with ARM architecture makes an impressive debut in the MacBook Air. In CPU as well as GPU performance, comparable chips from Intel and AMD are surpassed in terms of the theoretical raw performance. With maturing software, probably no one will miss the Intel chips in the Mac in the future.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Very bright display
- Very good battery life
- Very fast SoC
- Good speakers
Cons
- No Thunderbolt 3
notebookcheck[5]
Reviewer score 88%The new MacBook Air 2020 is probably the most balanced MacBook we have seen in the last couple of years. The performance is now similar to the MacBook Pro 13 with two Thunderbolt ports, and the annoying chassis fan of previous model was finally removed. Apple also improved the display as it now covers the wider P3 color gamut and the PCIe SSDs are much faster than before.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Higher performance than the entry-level model
- Very good battery life
- Great display
Cons
- Only 256 GB SSD
- Display hinge is creaking
- Only 512 GB SSD
pcmag[6]
Reviewer score 91%The M1's performance is twice as good in some places, and comfortably superior elsewhere. At higher settings, the MacBook Pro hangs close, but as before, the 2019 MacBook Air is left in the dust. The battery life on this laptop is nothing short of exceptional. It ran for 29 hours and 1 minute on our battery rundown test.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Super-portable design
- High-quality build quality
- Long battery life
- Excellent graphics performance
Cons
- No Thunderbolt 3 port
t3[7]
Reviewer score 85%The MacBook Air M1 can run iPhone and iPad apps as well as Mac. So if you have a favourite iOS app that doesn't have a good Mac equivalent, you can just download the iPhone version from the App Store instead. It's a nice option to have, but as much as we've wanted to make good use of it, we've struggled during our time with Air.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Sleek design
- Great battery life
- Good speakers
Cons
- No Thunderbolt 3
- No external GPU
techradar[8]
Reviewer score 96%Apple claims the new MacBook Air is three times faster than other laptops in its class, and faster than 98% of PC laptops sold in the past year. With the M1 chip using similar architecture to iPhones, you can now run any iOS app or game as well. iOS apps and games are more feature-rich and graphically impressive than ever before. We played a few iOS games, and they ran perfectly on the MacBook Air – suddenly, the MacBook has become a decent gaming machine.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Long battery life
- New M1 chip
- Great performance
Cons
- No Touch Bar
- No Thunderbolt 3
tomsguide[9]
Reviewer score 93%The MacBook Air's 4.8 x 3.2 glass Force Touch trackpad offers accurate input recognition and smooth scrolling. Apple continues to substitute haptic feedback for clicks, a decision that seems to have been a success. When you’re making video calls, the trio of built-in microphones means that Siri can hear you.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Slim bezels
- Great performance
- Slim and light
- Great battery life
Cons
- M1 chip will not natively run applications
- No Thunderbolt 3
User Reviews
Comments
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References
- ^ Apple MacBook Air (M1) review: Apple's silicon for Apple's laptop. [androidauthority]. https://www.androidauthority.com/apple-macbook-air-m1-review-1184857/. 2020-12-20. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
- ^ Apple MacBook Air M1 review: Fast, fanless, and absolutely fantastic. [digitaltrends]. https://www.digitaltrends.com/laptop-reviews/apple-macbook-air-m1-review/. 2020-12-23. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ MacBook Air M1 review: An absolutely stunning debut for Apple silicon in a Mac. [macworld]. https://www.macworld.com/article/3596603/macbook-air-m1-review-an-absolutely-stunning-debut-for-apple-silicon-in-a-mac.html. 2020-11-17. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Apple MacBook Air 2020 M1 Entry Review: Apple M1 CPU humbles Intel and AMD. [notebookcheck]. https://www.notebookcheck.net/Apple-MacBook-Air-2020-M1-Entry-Review-Apple-M1-CPU-humbles-Intel-and-AMD.508057.0.html. 2020-12-05. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Apple MacBook Air 2020 Review: Should you get the more powerful version of the M1 processor?. [notebookcheck]. https://www.notebookcheck.net/Apple-MacBook-Air-2020-Review-Should-you-get-the-more-powerful-version-of-the-M1-processor.511529.0.html. 2020-12-23. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Apple MacBook Air (M1, Late 2020) Review. [pcmag]. https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/apple-macbook-air-m1-late-2020. 2020-11-17. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020) review: the best laptop for most people. [t3]. https://www.t3.com/reviews/apple-macbook-air-m1-2020-review. 2021-03-22. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
- ^ Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020) review. [techradar]. https://www.techradar.com/reviews/apple-macbook-air-m12020. 2020-11-19. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ MacBook Air with M1 review: A computing revolution. [tomsguide]. https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/macbook-air-2020-m1. 2021-04-16. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
The MSRP provided on this page may not apply to all regions equally. For the current price, please refer to the Price Comparison section.
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These key takeaways ("pros" and "cons") and summaries are identified from third-party reviews. They may differ from the original texts.
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