The M1 MacBook Air, five years later
When the M1 MacBook Air came out in late 2020, the headline was simple: no fan, all-day battery, and performance that embarrassed the Intel machines it replaced. Five years on, one of ours is still the daily driver for writing, browsing and light photo editing.
What has held up
- Silence. A fanless laptop never gets old. Video calls, a dozen tabs, a Lightroom import — it stays quiet.
- The keyboard and trackpad. Comfortable, consistent and still among the best on any laptop.
- Software support. It keeps receiving current macOS releases, and everyday apps still feel quick.
What has not
- Battery capacity. Ours now reports a little over 80% of its original capacity. It still lasts a working day, but no longer a day and a half.
- Two ports, one display. Two USB-C ports and support for a single external monitor felt tight in 2020. They feel tighter now.
- 8 GB of memory. The base configuration copes, but if you are buying used today, look for 16 GB.
9.0
Verdict. A used M1 Air with healthy battery remains one of the best-value laptops you can buy. Check the battery cycle count and the memory configuration before you pay.