The MacBook Air is one of the most loved Macs ever. This incredibly slim and compact machine can handle unbelievably powerful tasks, be it running heavy After Effects projects or handling complex 3D models in Blender. It has been a preferred choice for students, creators and even professionals. Though the 13-inch model has been a sweet spot for many, Apple has now an update for users who felt it was too small. At WWDC 23, Apple launched the MacBook Air 15-inch, making it the biggest Air ever made. This model is just as slim but has many subtle changes.
The MacBook Air 15-inch sports a larger 15.3-inch display. It is 11.5mm wide, and Apple says this is the world’s slimmest 15-inch laptop. The build quality is premium and solid, made of aluminium alloy. Apple is using 100 per cent recycled aluminium, making the MacBook Air 15 very eco-friendly. The Air is available in four colours. The Space Grey and the Silver are subtle options, while the Midnight Blue and the Starlight variant are also worth your attention.
The 15.3-inch Retina Display is also impressive with its 2,880 x 1,864 native resolution, 1B colours support. The Retina Display is known for its supreme accuracy, which is perfect for colour correction and photo editing work. The larger display lets you run more apps on the screen and requires less scrolling while reading documents or scrolling through video timelines. The larger size will also make content watching on this laptop more immersive. The screen also supports Apple’s True Tone features, and it has 500 nits of brightness.
The MacBook Air 15-inch runs the Apple M2 CPU, the one on the 13-inch model. This 8-core processor has proven its capabilities and can demanding applications without hiccups. Like the 13-inch variant, there are two models. The base mode comes with a 256GB SSD comes with an 8-core GPU, while the higher-end 512GB variant has a 10-Core GPU. If you work on apps like Adobe Photoshop, Premiere Pro and Lightroom, we recommend going in for the 512GB model. Apple claims the processor should let you work on 4K and 8K ProRes videos effortlessly. It also supports hardware-accelerated H.264, which will significantly reduce rendering times.
The larger size also allows for a slightly larger battery. The 15-inch model equips a 66.5W Lithium-Polymer battery which should give more run time on a single charge. Apple claims the laptop delivers up to 18 hours of Apple TV movie playback time and up to 15 hours of wireless web surfing. The device ships with a 35W Dual USB Type-C power adaptor. It is also capable of fast charging with a 70W adaptor which is sold separately. Since it has a MagSafe 3 connection, the charger attaches magnetically and detaches just as easily if the cable is accidentally tugged on.
The device comes with two Thunderbolt 4 ports for data transfer and connection to external displays. You can also use these ports to charge the device. There is also a headphone jack, in case you want to use your wired headphones. On the wireless side, the device has Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6.
A good keyboard has always been MacBook’s strength, and this one is no different. It comes with the Backlit Magic Keyboard which has always been a delight to use. It has very responsive and accurate feedback and makes typing an enjoyable experience. The story is also the same for the trackpad. It is smooth, large and lets you glide through documents, photos, or long video timelines with few swipes.
Though the MacBook Air 15-inch will ship with the macOS Ventura update, the device will soon get an update to the all-new macOS Sonoma. The new OS brings interactive widgets which can now be placed right on your desktop. They now blend with your wallpaper and with the Continuity feature, you can even use your iPhone widgets on the Mac. The new OS also brings better video conferencing features like the Presenter Overlay that allows a user to display themselves in front of the content they are sharing.
The Macbook Air 15-inch fills the gap between the 13-inch MacBook Air and 16-inch MacBook Pro. It’s perfect for those who want a bigger screen, but without Pro’s extreme power and high price. The device is expected to be available in your nearest Reliance Digital store soon. For more information, keep following us at www.reliancedigital.in.
