Apple announced the next MacBook Air today with an all-new design for the first time in….ever? The company has ditched the slanted shape the device has had since Steve Jobs first pulled it out of a manila envelope and swapped it in for a chassis that looks more like the Pro models, except much, much thinner.
There’s a new M2 chip that is a faster, more efficient upgrade from the M1 chip introduced in 2020.
At 2.7 pounds, it has a 20% reduction in volume. The screen, which is 25% brighter, has less of a border around the edges, so the screen is slightly bigger than before, at 13.6 inches.
It has a few exciting new features too that will make it stand out from the most recent Air from last year. For people who do lots of video calls, there’s a camera upgrade to 1080p, which means you won’t look like the grainiest person on your Zoom (this is what the latest Pro versions have).
This also marks the much-anticipated return of the MagSafe charger. If you’ve ever tripped over your USB-C charger and pulled your laptop off your bed, sending it crashing onto the floor, you’ll appreciate this. It also has support for fast charging (you can get to 50% in just 30 minutes), and battery life is 18 hours.
The new Air comes in four different colors: a space gray, silver, light gold, and a very chic “midnight” — a matte black. (Obviously, get the matte black. That’s the coolest.)
A new 13-inch Pro with the M2 chip was also announced. Prices start at $1,199 and will be available in July. The older, M1 chip Airs will drop to $999.