AIR POWER
Apple MacBook Air
Thanks to Apple’s new M1 chip, this laptop is a revolution: light, impossibly fast and near silent
SPECIFICATIONS
Processor Apple M1 chip Screen 13.3-inch, 400 nit, 2560x1600 LED Memory 8GB / 16GB Storage 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB Battery Up to 18 hours Connectivity 2x Thunderbolt 3, Wi‐Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 OS macOS 11 Dimensions 304.1.212.4x4.1–16.1mm Weight 1.29kg
From £999 apple.com
This is the start of something huge for Apple: computers made using its own chips. Ever since the iPad debuted the first Apple-made chip back in 2010, we had to wonder whether this would be the long-term plan. The M1 chip makes that a reality, and it turns out to be a big leap forward for laptops. If you want a computer than can do standard tasks without breaking a sweat, the MacBook Air is pretty much unmatched.
It’s simply screamingly fast for a mid-price, lightweight machine. Actually, it’s screamingly fast for almost any laptop.
T3
★★★★★
PLATINUM AWARD
Its Geekbench 5 scores of 1732 in single-core and 7556 in multi-core give you an idea of what to expect: that is as fast for single-core performance as laptops get, and for multi-core performance it’s stronger than the 16-inch MacBook Pro that costs more than twice as much.
It’s not just benchmarks either – in practical tests such as video encoding or compressing files, we saw performance pretty much in line with hefty pro machines.
Open the lid and straight away the screen is on, waiting for your finger on the scanner
GOLDEN SCREEN
While the new MacBook Air still packs the same 400 nit, 2560x1600 display as its predecessor, its move to the P3 colour gamut means it will offer more realistic hues.
SPEEDY CPU
Thanks to its deservedly hyped new M1 system-ona-chip, everything the Air does is lightning fast. And it enables you to run iOS apps while you’re at it.