WWDC 2022: Apple introduces new MacBook Air with M2 chip

On June 7, 2022By Garmin Philip

Apple not only presented a lot of new software at WWDC 2022 on Monday, but also a fresh MacBook Air. The laptop offers a whole range of innovations: There is a revised design, the powerful M2 chip and a larger 13.6 -inch display. However, prices have also been upgraded.

The new MacBook Air is only 11.3 millimeters thin and weighs only 1.2 kilograms. Nevertheless, Apple promises a robust aluminum unibody case. The fresh design also includes the new colors midnight and polar star, which join silver and space gray.

Higher performance thanks to the Apple M2

The Apple M2 processor offers 18 percent more processing power than its predecessor, the M1, and users can edit videos up to 40 percent faster than with the MacBook Air 2020. The graphics performance increases by up to 35 percent. With regard to the chip structure, Apple relies on four performance and four efficiency computing cores, and depending on the model there are also eight or ten computing cores for the graphics. Despite the high performance, the MacBook Air manages without a fan, so it works silently.

MagSafe returns

Thanks to the MagSafe charging connector, the charging cable quickly detaches in the event of an accidental pull without damaging the device. There’s also a 3.5mm headphone jack with high impedance and two Thunderbolt ports. The Magic Keyboard offers full-size function keys, the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, and a large Force Touch trackpad.

Larger, brighter display

The display now measures 13.6 inches.

Image: © Apple 2022

There are also upgrades to the display. This now measures 13.6 inches instead of 13.3 inches and, at 500 nits, achieves a brightness that is 25 percent higher. This makes the Apple laptop even better suited for working outdoors. The display bezels have become thinner and the screen can display up to 1 billion colors for HDR content. The (finally) improved FaceTime HD camera with 1080p resolution, three microphones and four speakers are handy for video calls. The battery life is said to be 18 hours of video playback as before.