Apple’s rumored 15.5-inch MacBook Air could use the 5nm M2 chip. The same SoC powers the 2022 MacBook Air and the new Mac mini.
The Cupertino company has never released a MacBook Air with a display size larger than 13.6 inches.
M2 MacBook Air was unveiled at WWDC22
The MacBook Air lineup received its last major refresh during WWDC22. Featuring an M2 chip, the new MacBook Air has a redesigned chassis with a sleek new design, a bigger 13.6-inch display, and a MagSafe port for charging.
The M2 SoC inside the laptop is based on TSMC’s 2nd gen. 5nm fab and brings an 18% boost in CPU performance. Apple has equipped the SoC with a 35% more powerful GPU and a 40% faster Neural Engine.
In its report, Digitimes claims the 15-inch MacBook Air will use the same M2 chip. Leaks suggest Apple is also working on an M3 MacBook Air refresh for later this year. The upcoming M-series chip will use TSMC’s 3nm fab, making it more power efficient.
Last year, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claimed that the M3 MacBook Air could arrive in 13-inch and 15-inch screen sizes in 2023.
Apple is unlikely to refresh its MacBook Air lineup twice in a year. So, the company could launch the 15-inch MacBook Air with M2 this year and postpone the M3 refresh for the lineup to next year. Or it could refresh the entire Air lineup with its M3 chip later in the year.
MacBook Air lineup could soon grow with a bigger model
Rumors indicate the 15.5-inch MacBook Air could debut in April 2023. The slim laptop’s components are reportedly in mass production, with the machine on track for a spring 2023 launch.
A 15-inch MacBook Air could be the perfect machine for many users who want a bigger display without the additional power and heft of the Pro models. Unlike the latter, the MacBook Air misses out on a dedicated HDMI port, an SD card slot, a 120Hz ProMotion display, and a beefier cooling system.
