General Features
Small chip. Giant leap
It’s here. Our first chip designed specifically for Mac. Packed with an astonishing 16 billion transistors, the Apple M1 system on a chip (SoC) integrates the CPU, GPU, Neural Engine, I/O and so much more onto a single tiny chip. With incredible performance, custom technologies and industry-leading power efficiency, M1 is not just a next step for Mac — it’s another level entirely.
8-core CPU Devours tasks. Sips battery
M1 has the fastest CPU we’ve ever made. With that kind of processing speed, MacBook Air can take on new extraordinarily intensive tasks like professional-quality editing and action-packed gaming. But the 8‑core CPU on M1 isn’t just up to 3.5x faster than the previous generation — it balances high-performance cores with efficiency cores that can still crush everyday jobs while using just a tenth of the power. Up to 9x faster. Even for a 16‑core Neural Engine, that’s a lot to process. Apps on MacBook Air can use machine learning (ML) to automatically retouch photos like a pro, make smart tools such as magic wands and audio filters more accurate at auto‑detection, and so much more. That’s not just brain power — that’s the power of a full stack of ML technologies.
The power of macOS Big Sur on M1
Developed to unlock the potential of the M1 chip, macOS Big Sur transforms Mac with major performance benefits and so much more. Powerful updates for apps. A beautiful new design. Industry-leading privacy features and best‑in‑class security. It’s our most powerful software ever — running on our most advanced hardware yet.
Speed and responsiveness
The M1 chip and macOS Big Sur work together to make the entire system snappier. MacBook Air wakes instantly from sleep. Everyday tasks from flipping through photos to browsing Safari are faster. And your hardest‑working apps all have access to the power they need.
Biggest collection of apps ever
Run powerful apps built for M1. All your existing apps work thanks to Rosetta 2. And for the first time, you can use your favourite iPhone and iPad apps directly on macOS Big Sur. Altogether you’ll have access to the biggest collection of apps ever for Mac.
Unified memory
The do‑it‑all notebook gets do‑the‑unbelievable memory. The M1 chip brings up to 16GB of super-fast unified memory. This single pool of high‑bandwidth, low‑latency memory allows apps to share data between the CPU, GPU and Neural Engine efficiently — so everything you do is fast and fluid.
Retina display
Lifelike colours for unreal beauty.
Images take on new levels of detail and realism on the brilliant 13.3-inch, 2560×1600-resolution Retina display. Text is sharp and clear. Colours are more vibrant than ever. And the glass goes right to the edge of the enclosure, so nothing takes away from your gorgeous view.
True Tone technology
Good looking. And easy on the eyes. MacBook Air automatically adjusts the white point of your display to the colour temperature of your environment for a more natural viewing experience.
Camera and mics
You’re live on the Air.
The image signal processor in the M1 chip helps you look your best for every FaceTime call and video conference. Three built-in microphones make sure what you say gets heard whether you’re on a call, dictating a note or asking Siri about the weather.
FaceTime HD camera
Get clearer, sharper images. See more detail in shadows and highlights. And face detection uses the Neural Engine to adjust white balance and exposure for even more natural‑looking skin tones.
Magic Keyboard
Go ahead. Take the keys.
When a keyboard types like a dream and still does a whole lot more: that’s magic. With new pre-programmed shortcuts, useful features are even easier to access. Get help from Siri, switch keyboard languages, respond with the perfect emoji, find documents with Spotlight — there’s so much you can do with just a tap. And the backlit keys with ambient light sensor help you type in low-light settings.
Scissor mechanism
The refined scissor mechanism delivers the best typing experience ever on a Mac notebook.
Touch ID
One touch is all it takes to lock or unlock MacBook Air. Use your fingerprint to rent a movie, buy an app or access things like secure documents or system settings without having to re-enter your password.
Wi-Fi 6
The next generation of Wi‑Fi isn’t just faster — it keeps MacBook Air going strong even as more and more devices join the network.
Thunderbolt / USB 4
Ultra‑high bandwidth meets ultra‑versatility. Thunderbolt enables data transfer, charging and video output all through a single port — and MacBook Air has two of them.
