Apple announces redesigned MacBook Air with M2 chip and MagSafe

From left to right: silver, space grey, starlight, and midnight. | Apple

Apple’s WWDC isn’t an event that traditionally packs in several hardware announcements, but nevertheless, a new MacBook Air took the stage during the keynote. The new 2022 model has been designed around the more powerful M2 processor, and its design comes closer to that of the 14-inch MacBook Pro, with a more squared-off look than the traditional wedge shape. It features MagSafe charging, two Thunderbolt ports, and a headphone jack. It’s 11mm thick and comes in at 2.7 pounds. It will be available in silver, space grey, and new “starlight” gold and “midnight” blue colors.

This MacBook Air will be available in July starting at $1,199. The M1-based Air will continue to be available for $999.

The 2022 MacBook Air features a larger 13.6-inch display with smaller bezels surrounding it. Apple says it has 500 nits of peak brightness. It features a silent, fan-less design, which is impressive given the performance gains that Apple is claiming to squeeze from the M2. Apple says that it’s 40-percent faster than the previous model, but that performance boost likely varies depending on the app.

In terms of some of the small, but important specs, this MacBook Air is getting a 1080p FaceTime HD webcam, as well as new mics and speakers that support Dolby Atmos. Apple is offering a new power adapter that features two USB-C ports, allowing it to quickly charge to 80-percent in just 20 minutes.

Not to be excluded from the news, Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Pro is getting the update to the M2, as well. So, for all of you Touch Bar lovers, you can have the best performance with, well, an interesting way to control your function row. This model will be available for $1,299.

Developing… we’re adding more to this post, but you can follow along with our WWDC 2022 live blog to get the news even faster.