The M1 MacBook Air, five years later
It is still the laptop we recommend to most people who ask. Here is what has held up, and what has not.
The laptop that started the Apple silicon era. Five years later it remains quick for everyday work and is one of the best-value used laptops around.
The laptop that started the Apple silicon era. Five years later it remains quick for everyday work and is one of the best-value used laptops around.
Every Mac we review becomes someone’s main computer for at least a month. We pay most attention to sustained performance, fan noise, battery life on real workdays and how far the base memory goes.
| Display | 13.3-inch Retina, 2560 x 1600 |
|---|---|
| Chip | M1, 8-core CPU |
| Memory | 8GB or 16GB |
| Ports | Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 |
| Battery | Up to 18 hours video playback |
It is still the laptop we recommend to most people who ask. Here is what has held up, and what has not.
Battery cycles, Activation Lock, memory configuration and the models worth buying second-hand.