Aug 06, 2018 1GB = 1 billion bytes and 1TB = 1 trillion bytes; actual formatted capacity less. Testing conducted by Apple in May 2017 using preproduction 2.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-based 15-inch MacBook Pro systems with a 256GB SSD and 16GB of RAM.
Apple yesterday unveiled its new MacBook Air lineup featuring faster internals, a Retina Display, and connectivity options that are more suitable for a 2018 laptop. The MacBook Air was always a consumer favorite so there’s a lot riding on the refreshed model. If you are wondering how the 2018 MacBook Air is different from the outgoing model though, read our comparison below.
The 2018 MacBook Air is a major step up from the 2017 variant in almost every aspect. Its a thorough refresh of the lineup, right from top to bottom.
2018 MacBook Air vs 2017 MacBook Air: What’s Different?
Dimensions, Display, and Colors
- The previous generation MacBook Air weighs in at 1.35kg (2.96lbs), while the 2018 MacBook Air weighs 1.25kg (2.75lbs)
- The 2018 MacBook Air is 0.16 to 0.61-inch thick (15.6mm thin), while the older MacBook Air is 0.11 to 0.68-inch thick
- This means at its thickest point, the new MacBook Air is 0.07-inch thinner than the outgoing model
- Both MacBook Air variants come with a 13.3-inch LED-backlit display
- The new MacBook Air, however, comes with a Retina display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels compared to 1440 x 900 resolution of the older panel
- Apart from improved clarity, it shows 48 percent more colors
- It also has a display glass that goes edge to edge and has 50 percent thinner bezels
- Both displays have a 300-nit brightness level
- The new MacBook Air is available in three colors: Gold, Silver, and Space Gray
- The old MacBook Air was only available in Silver
Processor, Storage, RAM, and Security
- The 2018 MacBook Air comes with Intel’s 8th gen dual-core processor
- The dual-core Core i5 chip runs at 1.6GHz and can Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz
- In comparison, the older MacBook Air features Intel’s 5th gen Core i5 dual-core processor
- The new Air makes use of Intel’s 7W processor which is not as powerful as the naming scheme from Intel might suggest
- The 2018 MacBook Air comes with an Intel UHD 617 GPU
- The previous Air featured Intel’s HD 6000 GPU
- The new MacBook Air features Apple’s latest SSD and its available in storage capacity of up to 1.5TB
- The older Air is available with up to 512GB storage
- Both variants of MacBook Air make use of LPDDR3 RAM
- However, the new Air comes with up to 16GB RAM while the older model is limited to 8GB RAM
- The new Air comes with Apple’s T2 Security chip for additional security
- It offers on-the-fly data encryption, Hey Siri recognition, and other advanced security measures
- The new Air also has Touch ID
Keyboard and Trackpad
- The new MacBook Air features Apple’s third-generation butterfly keyboard
- Apple says it provides four times more key stability than its scissor mechanism keyboard along with improved comfort and responsiveness
- The 2017 MacBook Air makes use of Apple’s crowd-favorite scissor mechanism keyboard
- There’s a 20 percent larger trackpad on the 2018 MacBook Air
- The bigger trackpad is Force Touch compatible thereby allowing for pressure-based gestures
Connectivity
- The new MacBook Air features two Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports on its left side
- The older MacBook Air only features two USB-A ports and one Thunderbolt 2 port
- The new Air has Wi-Fi ac with Bluetooth 4.2 while the older one is limited to Bluetooth 4.0
- Both devices also feature a FaceTime HD camera
- The new Air does not feature an SDXC card slot
Battery and Charging
- The new MacBook Air comes with a smaller 50.3-watt-hour battery
- This is smaller than the 54-watt-hour battery found inside the older Air
- The new Air offers 13 hours of iTunes movie playback — up one hour from the older Air
- The new Air charges over USB-C while the older Air featured a MagSafe 2 Power Adapter
- Apple bundles a 30W USB-C power adapter with the new Air
- This means it will charge slower than the older Air since it came bundled with a 45W power adapter
Price
- The new MacBook Air has a higher price tag than the outgoing model
- It starts at $1,199, while the older model started at $999
What do you think about the new MacBook Air? Will you be upgrading to it from your existing Air?