The MacBook Air is a line of laptop computers from Apple Inc. They serve as an ultrathin, lightweight alternative to Apple’s MacBook Pro line. They also cost less: The Air series is designed for typical consumers and students, not professionals.
Currently, the computers come in 13-inch and 15-inch versions. No matter the size, they offer two USB-C ports that support Thunderbolt.
Apple moved the MacBook Air line to Apple silicon in 2020, starting with the M1 processor. The current models run on an M4 chip. Like all MacBooks, they run macOS, Apple’s own operating system.
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs introduced the MacBook Air on January 15, 2008, pulling it from a standard manila envelope and calling it the “world’s thinnest notebook.”
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The MacBook Air comes in four mostly pastel and bright colors. Since the reintroduction of MagSafe, all colors come with a color-matched MagSafe charging cable. It has an aluminum connector that matches the color of the laptop, with a similarly colored braided cable.
The Starlight color is very similar to Silver, but with a slight warmth. It’s much less prominent than Gold, a color option that was available on the Intel and M1 models. Starlight is more subtle in color.
Sky Blue MacBook Air
Sky Blue is the latest color option, available on the M4 model. Much like Starlight, it’s a very subtle color, but with a cooler tint. It’s noticeable in the Apple Store and in broad daylight, but in most indoor situations, it’s hard to tell apart from regular Silver.
Midnight is a dark color option. It’s a very dark blue-gray. It’s somewhat similar to Space Black on the MacBook Pro, although that shade is more neutral gray. The slight blue of Midnight is most noticeable in bright lighting conditions, like in an Apple Store or in broad daylight. In most situations, it looks near black.
Silver is perhaps the most iconic Apple color. It was the only color option for many, many years, from its introduction in 2008 until the 2018 Retina model. While there are three more color options, silver is still available.
Space Gray is a darker medium gray color that was available from 2018 (with the first Retina model) through the 2024 M3 model. With the addition of Sky Blue as a color, Space Gray was discontinued. Those who want a dark laptop can opt for Midnight, which is dark gray with a hint of blue.
Space Gray is no longer available on the MacBook Pro either, replaced by Space Black.
Apple’s most popular laptop now comes in two sizes: a 13-inch model and a 15-inch model.
The 13-inch screen size has been the standard size of the Air ever since it was first introduced. Now, the screen runs edge-to-edge, with a notch in the top of the display to accommodate the built-in camera. The 13-inch model is the ideal balance of screen space for web browsing and light work tasks, while being incredibly portable and lightweight.
The 13-inch model is considered the entry level model, and costs $200 less.
The 15-inch model was introduced in 2023. It has most of the same specs as the 13-inch model, with a slightly higher-end base configuration. New models are released at the same time, so you always have a choice of screen size. The 15-inch model, however, is $200 more expensive.
The 15-inch screen is great for work in pro apps like Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro and others.
From late 2010 to early 2015, Apple made a smaller model with an 11-inch screen. This compact laptop was highly portable while still featuring a full-size keyboard. The big bezel around the display of the MacBook Air at the time added a lot of extra width to the device, so Apple did not have to make a smaller keyboard.
Apple replaced this model with the 12-inch MacBook in 2017. The MacBook received a few updates, but was discontinued without a replacement. Now, the 13-inch Air remains the smallest laptop Apple makes.
The 13-inch MacBook Air starts at $999. It comes with the latest M4 chip, 16 GB of memory and 256 GB of storage. The 15-inch model starts at $1,199 and comes with a slightly higher-end M4 chip.
In the Apple Education Store, the prices are a bit cheaper. The 13-inch model starts at $899; the 15-inch model starts at $1,099. All you need to check out in the education store is a .edu email address.
Older models are available through Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart and other retailers. Any Apple silicon Mac with an M1 chip or later is still going to be a good purchase. Apple sells the M1 MacBook Air at Walmart for just $650 — and it’s often discounted even cheaper.
The M4 model is the current MacBook Air. It introduced a new color, Sky Blue, replacing Space Gray. The M4 offers the biggest leap in performance since the original switch from Intel to M1. This single update performs in benchmarks up to 50% faster than the M3 version immediately prior.
It also simplified the lineup, replacing the old model at its lower price of $999. And finally, it can drive two external displays with the built-in display active as well, bringing three-screen multitasking to the MacBook Air.
The M3 model was a simple spec bump with the same beloved design. The M3 chip brought a die shrink down to three nanometers, using a cutting-edge manufacturing process from TSMC. This led to a 60% performance boost compared to the original M1 model.
The M3 model added support for two external monitors (albeit with the main display closed), solving a long-standing issue since the introduction of Apple silicon.
The prior M2 model remained on sale at $999 after the M3 was introduced, starting at $1,099. This slightly confusing lineup remained until the M4 was introduced.
The M2 Air from June 2022 was a significant upgrade. It brought the new design that subsequent models have used, with an edge-to-edge display, MagSafe and two Thunderbolt/USB-C ports, and a flat design similar to the MacBook Pro. A matching 15-inch model was also released a year later.
The M1 model from later that year was one of the first three Macs with Apple silicon inside. This offered a gigantic leap in terms of performance and battery life — a 3.5× faster CPU, 5× faster graphics and 9× faster machine learning (AI) performance. It got an incredible 18 hours of battery life. And all of that is possible in a design without a fan, for totally silent operation.
The model from early 2020 is the last model with an Intel processor inside. Later that year, Apple released the M1 model, which looks the same from the outside but has a much faster chip. Apple has said that macOS 26 Tahoe, the update coming this fall, will be the last version this Mac will run. macOS 27 will not be supported on Intel Macs.
While the Air has the same chip as the entry-level MacBook Pro, the Pro has a number of other advantages. The Pro features a bigger, brighter display. It has many more ports; it adds an extra Thunderbolt port, an HDMI port and SDXC card slot.
The MacBook Pro can be upgraded with much higher specs than the Air as well. The M4 Pro and M4 Max chips aren’t available on the Air. These chips have more CPU and GPU cores for faster performance in intense tasks like video editing, gaming, compiling code, 3D modeling and more.
The MacBook Pro can also be configured with more memory and storage space than the Air and supports more external displays.
However, the MacBook Pro is noticeably heavier. The smaller Air is 2.7 lbs. compared to 3.5 lbs. The larger Air is 3.3 lbs. compared to 4.7 lbs.
The MacBook Pro is also more expensive. It starts at $1,499, whereas the Air starts at $999.
This Genshin Impact Edition Nexode 3-port GaN fast USB-C charger is a compact power adapter with foldable prongs for MacBook Pro/Air, iPhone 16/15, iPad Pro and more.
The MacBook Air can be charged in two different ways. Models from 2018 onwards can be plugged in via any USB-C port to a charger. The M2 models from 2022 and later can also be charged with MagSafe 3 to a charger. Every MacBook comes with a color-matched MagSafe cable in the box, and replacements can be ordered online from Amazon.
Ugreen produces a line of USB-C wall chargers. These come in different power levels to keep it — and multiple other devices — fully charged up.
Powered by Apple's M4 chip, this 13-inch laptop delivers excellent performance and extreme efficiency in the same gorgeous design as last year's model. It packs two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a MagSafe connector for fast charging, with Wi-Fi 6E connectivity. It comes in four colors, including an interesting new sky blue.
MacBook Air with the M4 chip lets you blaze through work and play. With Apple Intelligence, up to 18 hours of battery life, and an incredibly portable design, you can take on anything, anywhere.
The MacBook Air is often on sale with good deals on Amazon. You can find bigger deals on the more expensive configurations. However, Amazon has a limited number of premade configurations, and does not allow you to fully build-to-order a Mac.
Replacing the battery on a MacBook Air can give it a new lease on life.
You can get your battery replaced at an Apple Store, but it may cost a pretty penny. Apple also only works on MacBooks that are under seven years old.
Replacing it on your own is certainly manageable, but is not an operation for the faint of heart. The bottom case easily unscrews, and the battery is mostly unobstructed. You will, however, need to remove the trackpad from the inside to get full access to the battery. The battery is also held in with a lot of glue that can be tricky to remove.
You need to properly reset your MacBook Air before you trade, sell or pass it down. That way, the new owner will be able to set it up as brand new, with none of your data left on it.
First, make sure that a recent Time Machine backup is in place. You can check this in System Settings > Time Machine. Make sure that “Backups” shows a recent date and time. Otherwise, right-click on your Time Machine and click Back Up Now.
After setting up your new device, go to System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset, click Erase All Content and Settings and follow the instructions.
You can trade in an old MacBook Air you’re ready to ditch through the Cult of Mac Buyback program. You can get some cash back for an old laptop you have that you can put towards a new purchase.
Don’t worry about packaging — put your device in the box you’ll get in the mail and use the included return label to send it back for free. You don’t have to send back your charger, either; keep it for yourself.
You can get your money back by a printable e-check, ACH deposit or even a check through the mail.
This Black Friday week, you can find stellar discounts on a new MacBook. With Intel Macs aging out, there’s no better time to upgrade to the latest models that run on far-superior Apple silicon processors.
Whether you’re looking at the base MacBook Air or a specced-out MacBook Pro, you can rack up hundreds of dollars in savings by upgrading this week.
Take a look at these Black Friday deals on MacBooks and get ready to make your next big move.
We put together the ultimate guide to the best Black Friday 2025 deals on Apple gear — and all the accessories you could want. We’ll be updating this post throughout the week as deals come and go.
There’s no better week to get your shopping taken care of. If you have an Apple enthusiast in your life, pick them up a great accessory for their gear.
Find our absolute top five picks, and our other favorite deals sorted by product category, below.
The M4 MacBook Air is the best mobile computer for most people, and a sweet new deal drops both the 13-inch and 15-inch models to new lifetime low prices. You can snag the 13-incher for just $749 or the 15-incher for just $949.
Both deals slash $250 off — a wickedly good price for a beautiful and powerful Apple laptop.
macOS 26.2 beta 2 adds a new Edge Light feature to improve the look of your video calls. As the name indicates, it will add a white light to the edges of your Mac’s display while you’re on a video call.
It’s like a built-in ring light that should improve your appearance when hopping on FaceTime to chat with friends or colleagues.
The new MacBook Pro M5 is here, and it might be Apple’s most powerful laptop ever.
But with prices starting at $1,599, getting the device you want can feel like a serious investment.
That’s where Upgraded comes in. It’s a new way to get the tech you need without paying thousands upfront. Instead, you pay monthly with the option to upgrade every two years.
With Upgraded, you can get the new M5 MacBook Pro starting at just $52.17 per month and as low as 0% APR. Get the M5 MacBook Pro from $52.17 per month.
The Apple M5 chip jumped from rumor to reality Wednesday with the launch of MacBook Pro and iPad Pro models running the new cutting-edge processor. But so far, there’s been no official mention of an M5 Mac mini, M5 MacBook Air, M5 Studio or M5 iMac.
Here’s when the next generations of these Macs are rumored to reach customers, along with the probable launch dates of the M5 Pro and M5 Max versions of the MacBook Pro.
Apple’s M5-powered MacBook Air will launch in spring 2026. The company is also working on refreshed Mac Studio, Mac mini, and new external monitors for next year.
Apple unveiled the first set of M5-powered devices earlier this week, including the 14-inch MacBook Pro, Vision Pro and iPad Pro.
Apple’s new M5 chip packs more power than predecessors, with advanced performance for Apple Intelligence and pumped up GPU performance boosting graphics processing, among other incremental improvements across the chip.
“M5 ushers in the next big leap in AI performance for Apple silicon,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Technologies. “With the introduction of Neural Accelerators in the GPU, M5 delivers a huge boost to AI workloads.”
“Combined with a big increase in graphics performance, the world’s fastest CPU core, a faster Neural Engine, and even higher unified memory bandwidth,” he added, “M5 brings far more performance and capabilities to MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and Apple Vision Pro.”
Ready to convert to Mac? I came across one user who scored a nice student deal on a MacBook Air, and soon found themself upgrading their whole outdated PC setup as a complete, highly functional and reasonably affordable Apple-ecosystem rig.
“I’m so so cooked … the Apple ecosystem is a huge trap!” they joked. “Don’t let one device get into your house.”
Anker’s a top accessories maker for Apple users — maybe most of all for charging needs related to MacBooks and other devices. As usual, Anker Prime Day and Prime Big Deal Days sale items could fill a dense catalogue. So we thought we’d put together some top picks for MacBook users. Namely, a choice multiport charger with solid wattage, a great portable power bank with retractable cables and a highly functional docking station with fast transfer speeds and ample connectivity. Check them out below.
MacBooks make you faster, sharper and more productive. But they’ve always come with one big problem: price. Upgraded’s affordable MacBook financing program changes that.
Whether you’re buying a MacBook for yourself or outfitting an entire company, it usually means a huge upfront bill, a complicated reselling process, or headaches when managing devices for remote employees.
Upgraded solves this with simple monthly MacBook subscriptions, starting at just $33.28 per month. For businesses, Upgraded’s innovative MacBook financing also means turning big upfront capital expenses into smaller operating expenses you can write off, while handing off the hassle of device management.
Apple will reportedly expand the use of custom chips in its future devices. This will start with the upcoming iPhone 17 Air using its in-house modem.
The M5 MacBook Air will allegedly then follow, using a new in-house wireless chip, likely combining Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functionality into one.
Apple is gearing up for a blockbuster year, with a packed product roadmap that spans nearly every category in its lineup. From an iPhone redesign to upgrades for the Mac, iPad and Apple Watch families, the next twelve months promise a steady stream of hardware refreshes, software milestones and perhaps a few surprises.
Whether you’re a casual user or a die-hard fan, here’s a look at every major Apple product expected between now and next summer.
Two new HDMI adapters from Other World Computing (OWC) solve the external display limitations that have frustrated Apple Silicon Mac users since the M1 chip’s introduction, the company said Monday. The new OWC USB-C Quad HDMI 4K Adapter and redesigned OWC USB-C Dual HDMI 4K Adapter offer Mac owners a way to connect multiple external monitors without juggling multiple dongles.
“Whether you’re working with spreadsheets, streaming data, editing video or just need more screen real estate to stay productive, we believe your gear shouldn’t hold you back,” said Larry O’Connor, OWC’s founder and CEO. “With our new Quad and enhanced Dual HDMI adapters, we’re giving users the power to easily expand their visual workspace, without the complexity or cost of juggling multiple adapters or sacrificing performance.”
Want a capable Apple laptop at a super-affordable price? This sale from Cult of Mac Deals means you can land a refurbished M1 MacBook Air for only $429.99.
That’s a crazy-good price for an Apple laptop that’s perfect for most people’s needs.
Apple could launch a MacBook next year that’s even more affordable than the current $999 13-inch MacBook Air. The new budget laptop supposedly will use an A18 Pro chip and come in several colors.
The company hopes to boost MacBook shipments to return to the COVID-19 peak of around 25 million next year with this move.
Want to buy a MacBook and pay monthly? Apple fans love staying current. But when it comes to MacBooks, upgrading isn’t always easy. Base models at big box stores can feel underpowered. Reselling is a pain. And dropping $2,000-plus upfront? Not ideal.
That’s why more people are switching to Upgraded, a MacBook installment plan that starts at just $33.28 per month. It lets you customize your machine’s specs, and offers an easy upgrade every two years.
No resale headaches. No massive upfront cost. Just the Mac you want, when you want it.
Sometimes a computer setup may look basic or boring at a glance — but it still might get the job done quite well and pack some surprisingly cool gear. Today’s featured setup, centered on an M3 MacBook Air with dual monitors, is a good example. It features not only Apple’s great lightweight laptop driving a pair of displays, but some other solid peripherals — like a Harman Kardon Bluetooth speaker I’ve never seen before in a setup featured on Cult of Mac.
And while the user seemed unsure his not-super-cool setup warranted posting on social media, he ended up getting lots of reassurance and good advice for improvements.
The 3-monitor setup isn’t terribly rare in the world of computer workstations displayed on social media. But a MacBook Air driving a trio of wall-mounted 4K monitors — all in landscape orientation, end to end — isn’t especially common, as it appears in today’s featured setup. Viewers loved its clean look. And it turned out the user employs a couple of tricks to help keep it that way.
Apple device users looking for a more compact and versatile charging solution now have a compelling new option in the new CukTech 15 140W GaN Charger, the company said Wednesday. That’s particularly good news for MacBook Pro owners. And not just because of the 40% off launch discount — but because this charger packs enough power for laptops.
If your favorite app doesn’t work well with the screen notch in your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, there is a solution. Apple created a “Scale to fit below built-in camera” setting that always puts the app into the space below the notch when in full-screen mode.
And it can be set for individual apps. Here’s how.
President Donald Trump’s newly announced 54% tariff on Chinese imports sent shock waves through the tech industry, with Apple potentially facing billions in additional costs. This raises an urgent question for consumers: Should you rush to buy that new iPhone or MacBook before prices skyrocket?
You might want to accelerate the timing of that upgrade you had in the back of your mind. But those who aren’t desperate to upgrade might benefit from playing the waiting game. See the ins and outs below.
Hooray for (super-) simple solutions. Today’s MacBook Pro and MacBook Air user runs both laptops with Studio Display. But how does he switch between them? Sure, he could employ cabling and software fixes to run both at once, but in this case simple hardware in the form of a dual vertical laptop stand comes to the rescue.
Amazon is famous for its Prime Day and Black Friday deals, but it also runs the Amazon Big Spring Sale, on now. It ends Monday, March 31, unless extended. That wouldn’t be too surprising, given that the mega retailer often extends its sales. So it’s another chance for you to score savings on all sorts of Apple gear, including MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac mini, iPad Pro, iPad Air, Apple Watch, AirPods Pro 2 and more. Click on our posts to all the best deals, below.
When I came across today’s M4 iMac setup on the interwebs, I realized how rarely they come up in Cult of Mac‘s setups coverage. Out of 616 articles I’ve written about setups to date — over more than 4 years — this is only the 11th one to feature an iMac (plus a few others from before I took over the setups beat). And that small number doesn’t come from any hatred of iMacs on my part. It’s just that users seem to flaunt them much less on social media than other hardware. And they’re not top sellers for Apple.