Apple MacBook Air M1 review: Near-perfect laptop

At Rs 92,900, it has everything one wants in a premium laptop.

By Aabhas Sharma, TOI Contributor | Jan 16, 2021, 11.00 PM IST

Apple MacBook Air M1 keeps its cool even during heavy-duty processing tasks.

Apple MacBook Air M1
GET IT FOR: Starts at Rs 92,900
HIGHLIGHT: Fast performance

Starting afresh is never easy, especially when you have a product that enjoys a cult following. But that is exactly what Apple did in 2020 with its MacBook devices when it introduced its own M1 processor. By the looks of it, nothing has changed - the MacBook Air still looks the same. But at the heart of it, everything is different.

The M1 processor has an eight-core CPU - with four high-performance cores and four more for routine tasks. The M1 processor is based on ARM and not Intel's Core CPUs and it is a risk to move away from the tried and tested model used by one and all. Apple has taken that risk and it has paid off handsomely as the new MacBook Air is an excellent laptop that does everything really well.

We put the MacBook Air through some rigorous testing - high graphics games, video editing and photo editing - and found that it hardly broke a sweat. The MacBook Air is one of the rare laptops to not have a fan and it is remarkable how cool the laptop remains even during heavy-duty processing tasks.

The battery life on the MacBook Air is really good and lasts for close to 18 hours - one of the best we have seen in any laptop. The design remains the same - thin and light with an aluminium frame that makes it look good and easy to carry. You get three colour variants - space grey, gold and silver.

Both Dell and HP have made thinner laptops than the Air so that can't really be the selling point of the MacBook like it used to. That's why the shift in the processor, as it is something you will not find in any other laptop in the market - except the MacBook Pro, which costs about Rs 25,000 more.

One of the sore points of the MacBook Air always has been connectivity and that, unfortunately, hasn't changed. You get two Type-C ports and a 3.5-mm jack, which means a dongle dock is something you will have to buy.

The 13-inch display (2560 x 1600 resolution) IPS display remains the same and is great to look at - vivid and accurate colour reproduction and sharp viewing angles. The Magic Keyboard is found in the MacBook Air which has ample travel time and the trackpad is as responsive as ever.

The MacBook Air M1 is a near-perfect laptop. At Rs 92,900, it has everything one wants in a premium laptop - fast processor, good looks and a really long battery life.

- The writer is with gadgetsnow.com

Apple Unveils 4 New 5G-Enabled iPhones, To Come Sans Charger & Earphones; Also Launches A Smaller HomePod

1/5

Apple, at its virtual 'Hi, Speed' event, unveiled four new iPhones equipped with technology to support the new 5G wireless networks.

In addition to the new variants of iPhone 12, priced between $700 to $1100, the Cupertino-based tech giant also launched a smaller and cheaper version of its HomePod speaker.

Apple also said it won't be including earbuds or power adaptors with the newest iPhones, since most customers already have these. That will reduce manufacturing and make boxes lighter to ship.

The company's environment policy chief Lisa Jackson said the move was part of Apple's efforts "to cut waste and use less materials."