Apple’s 2023 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), they announced a new addition to the MacBook Air lineup—a 15-inch model, making it the largest screen size ever for the popular laptop series. The base price for consumers is set at $1,299(₹1,07,285 INR), with a discounted price of $1,199(₹99,026 INR) for education customers. The laptop will be available for purchase starting next week.
The new MacBook Air 15 features the M2 chip, which is the same chip found in the 13-inch MacBook Air released the previous year. The M2 chip boasts an 8-core CPU and a 10-core GPU, delivering powerful performance.
Despite the larger 15.3-inch screen size, the new MacBook Air still uses LCD technology, offering a resolution of 2880 x 1864. The screen is rated at 500 nits brightness. The design of the laptop remains similar to the 13-inch Air, including features such as two Thunderbolt 4 ports over USB Type-C, MagSafe 3 magnetic charging, and flat edges. If you require more ports, you may want to consider the MacBook Pro.
The 15-inch MacBook Air also incorporates a 1080p webcam placed in a notch at the top of the display. It weighs 3.3 pounds, is 11.5 mm thick, and will be available in midnight, starlight, silver, and space gray color options, just like the 13-inch model. The laptop comes equipped with six speakers, and Apple claims it can provide up to 18 hours of battery life from its slim chassis.
In a brief hands-on experience with the new MacBook Air, it was noted that it felt very similar to the 13-inch model. While it was not possible to test the speakers, the screen appeared of similar quality. Further testing will be needed to evaluate its performance over a longer period. Apple claims that the new MacBook Air is twice as fast as 15-inch Windows laptops, although they did not provide specific details regarding the comparison.
The new 15-inch MacBook Air will ship with macOS Ventura but will also be compatible with macOS Sonoma, which is set to release in the fall.
Previously, Apple had a smaller MacBook Air with an 11.6-inch version, which was introduced in 2010 and sold until 2016. With the addition of the 15-inch model, Apple now offers MacBook sizes in 13, 14, 15, and 16-inch variations, including the 13 and 15-inch Airs, and the 13, 14, and 16-inch Pros.
Additionally, the 13-inch MacBook Air is receiving a price cut, now priced at $1,099(₹82,280 INR)., while the M1 option will remain at $999(₹82,280 INR).
