Apple confirmed today that the “MacBook Air with M2” will be available to order starting on Friday, July 8 at 5 AM Pacific Time. Orders will start arriving on July 15, but if other product releases are any indication, that shipping estimate could slip further into the future after a day or two of orders. Just as the company said during the initial reveal, the base model will cost $1,299, or $1,099 with an education discount.
The new MacBook Air is a substantial redesign — unlike the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 that was revealed at the same time. The screen is larger and brighter (25% brighter at maximum brightness than the previous Air), with the same large “notch” cutout at the top as the current 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. It still has two Thunderbolt/Type-C ports, but with the addition of the same MagSafe power connector as those MacBook Pro laptops. You can still charge over USB Type-C, too.
The main selling point is the new M2 chipset, which has an updated CPU and GPU paired with other improvements. M2 makes the new MacBook even more power-efficient and fast than the M1 MacBook Air. Apple says the new MacBook Air can apply filters and effects in Photoshop “up to 20% faster than before,” and play videos for up to 18 hours on a single charge — all without a single cooling fan.
Apple will sell the new MacBook Air starting July 8, but the company also plans to keep selling the current M1 MacBook Air as a budget alternative. While the new model starts at $1,299, the current Air only costs $999 (or $899 with an education discount).
Source: Apple Newsroom
