Apple MacBook Air M1 review: Unleashing the Future of Performance

Apple's MacBook Air M1

MSRP $999.00

Rating

“The MacBook Air M1 brings unparalleled performance to a compact form factor, redefining laptop capabilities.”

  • Apple's M1 outpaces Intel effortlessly
  • Astonishing battery longevity
  • Exceptional keyboard and touchpad
  • Uncompromising build quality
  • Simply elegant aesthetics
  • Limited support for external displays
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Apple has always dared to venture beyond the norm, particularly when innovation begets the creation of one of the most exceptional laptops in existence. Like discarding the floppy disk or transitioning from Motorola CPUs to Intel, Apple's latest leap entails embedding its ARM-based silicon into the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro 13, and Mac mini, leaving Intel behind.

This bold move might stir apprehension among MacBook aficionados. Could the Apple M1 genuinely match up to expectations, especially given ARM's limited accomplishments, such as the underwhelming Windows 10 on ARM initiative? Those familiar with our MacBook Pro 13 M1 review are already privy to the answer. The MacBook Air M1's prowess speaks for itself. I embarked on a journey to assess the performance of the fanless iteration of Apple's groundbreaking initiative.

For this evaluation, I explored the entry-level $1,000 MacBook Air M1 featuring 8GB RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a seven-core GPU. Another option, priced at $1,250, offers 512GB storage and an eight-core GPU. My experience didn't even encompass the maximum 16GB RAM configuration achievable for a nominal additional cost. Did the MacBook Air M1 exceed expectations or merely pull a rabbit out of its hat?

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M1 Chip Performance

While it might be tempting to attribute the Apple M1's prowess to sorcery, the truth is less mystical. This eight-core CPU, with four high-performance cores supplemented by four for lighter tasks, showcases ARM-based technology's potential to rival Intel's Core CPUs in performance. If the MacBook Air excels, it's not magic but a testament to an ingenious technology ushering in a new era for the MacBook series.

Spoiler alert: The MacBook Air M1 not only meets expectations but defies them in a pleasantly astonishing manner. This assertion isn't confined to comparisons with the existing Intel MacBook Air, which relies on a 9-watt variant of Intel's Core i3 and i5 processors that lag behind their 15-watt Windows 10 counterparts. No, the MacBook Air, housing the 10-watt Apple M1, competes admirably with Intel's latest 12- to 28-watt Tiger Lake processors (Intel has introduced a range this time around, as opposed to a fixed value), and frequently outperforms them.

Before delving into the numbers, it's important to clarify that Apple's M1-based machines achieve optimal speeds with software tailored for the M1 architecture. This includes all of Apple's software and select third-party applications and utilities. For applications not designed for the M1, Apple's Rosetta 2 emulation layer comes into play. Naturally, this translates to slightly reduced speeds compared to native software. In some instances, particularly with software requiring specific hardware drivers, certain applications might not run at all.

Consider Geekbench 5, a benchmark software running natively on the M1. The fanless MacBook Air M1 notched slightly higher scores than the fan-equipped MacBook Pro 13 M1. In single-core mode, the scores were 1,727 versus 1,707, and in multi-core mode, they were 7,585 versus 7,337. The fact that the ostensibly slower MacBook Air M1 surpasses the Pro in performance is indeed remarkable. Furthermore, both models greatly outperform the fastest Tiger Lake laptops with four cores and eight threads. For instance, the MSI Prestige 14 Evo, housing Intel's Core i7-1185G7, scored 1,593 and 5,904. Notably, even the six-core, 45-watt Core i7-10850H in the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 struggled to keep up, managing a mere 1,299 and 6,372.

“Discover the MacBook Air 15-inch: AAchieving this level of thinness relies on the eApprehensive about a potential drop in performance during the transition? Put your fears to rest.”

Let's delve into Cinebench R23, another benchmark app optimized for the M1. While the MacBook Air M1 didn't quite surpass the MacBook Pro 13 M1, the difference was marginal. Impressively, the MacBook Air M1 nearly matched the Lenovo Yoga 9i equipped with a six-core Core i7-10750H operating in its high-performance mode with elevated fan activity. Astonishingly, the MacBook Air M1 remained utterly silent (sans fans) and barely heated up during the test, comfortably resting on my lap. Perhaps there's a hint of magic in this performance after all.

I also conducted our Handbrake test, which encodes a 420MB file to H.265 through two iterations. The first iteration utilized Handbrake 1.3.1 (emulation mode), while the second employed Handbrake 1.4.0 beta (M1-native). In emulation mode, the MacBook Air M1 completed the test in approximately 4.5 minutes, comparable to laptops featuring Intel's 10th-gen Core i5. In the M1-native test, the MacBook Air M1 accomplished the task in 2.8 minutes, rivalling 45-watt, six-core Intel laptops equipped with Handbrake 1.3.1, and trailing the MacBook Pro 13 M1 by a mere eight seconds in the native version. Notably, the laptop remained remarkably cool during these tests. These findings provide a glimpse into the impact of software optimization for the M1.

Finally, a pivotal aspect is the performance within Adobe's Premiere Pro (which currently lacks M1 optimization), assessed through the PugetBench benchmark. While MacBooks have historically been favored by creatives, the MacBook Air previously struggled due to severe performance limitations of the Intel version when running Adobe's creative suite. However, the M1 revolutionizes this experience, even within the $999 MacBook Air.

Remarkably, the MacBook Air M1 rivalled Intel's more potent CPUs, easily surpassing Intel's Tiger Lake laptops. Additionally, I conducted a Premiere Pro encoding test, generating a 2GB 4K video, wherein the MacBook Air M1, even in emulation, proved approximately 40 seconds faster than a Tiger Lake laptop.

Most strikingly, this level of performance was achieved under emulation — an exciting preview of the speed at which applications like Premiere Pro (and Photoshop, Lightroom, etc.) will operate once natively optimized for the M1. The ability to perform intensive creative tasks on a thin, lightweight, fanless laptop marks a transformative achievement for creative professionals seeking compact yet high-performance machines. For the first time, meaningful creative work on a MacBook Air is not only plausible but remarkably potent.

During real-world use, I observed minor slowdowns in legacy applications like Microsoft Office (notably, Microsoft released native versions shortly after my review's completion). Particularly noticeable during startup, Office apps exhibited snappier performance on Intel machines compared to the MacBook Air M1. However, this discrepancy is negligible and unlikely to perturb regular users. Optimized for the M1, both macOS itself and M1-optimized applications demonstrated outstanding speed.

What about gaming? While I did not subject the MacBook Air M1 to our full suite of gaming tests, it's essential to note that the MacBook Air M1, designed primarily for productivity, emerged as a surprisingly adept gaming machine. In Fortnite, the laptop maintained around 33 frames per second (fps) at a resolution of 1,680 x 1,050 and high graphics settings, delivering a playable experience superior to Tiger Lake's Intel Iris Xe graphics. Similarly, in Civilization VI, the MacBook Air attained 51 fps at the same resolution with medium graphics, dipping to 32 fps with ultra graphics settings. This performance eclipses Intel Iris Xe laptops and rivals entry-level integrated graphics like the Nvidia GeForce MX350.

This completely silent, fanless laptop astoundingly outperforms its Intel counterparts in gaming, a feat once deemed unlikely for a MacBook Air. It's noteworthy that my tests involved the seven-core GPU variant; for an additional $250, you can acquire the eight-core GPU model, which brings a marginal speed boost. This upgraded version also offers 512GB of storage.

Finally, I encountered some applications that did not run on the MacBook Air M1, though these instances were relatively rare. An essential example pertains to the software that supports my older colorimeter, lacking the requisite drivers for operation on the MacBook.

Nonetheless, the majority of other tested applications, even in emulation, performed as capably as they would on a midrange Intel laptop. A few exceptions existed, such as the Epic Games Launcher, which exhibited sluggishness akin to its performance on the MacBook Pro 13 M1. Such instances, however, were infrequent.

Macbook Air M1 Battery life

Performance isn't the only realm where the Apple M1 shines. Battery life, a hallmark of ARM technology's efficiency, presents another captivating facet. How efficient can a laptop be while delivering equivalent performance to power-focused CPUs? Allow me to elaborate.

First, our standard web benchmark, simulating productivity endurance, revealed remarkable results. The MacBook Air excelled, boasting a staggering 15.5-hour endurance, positioning itself among the longest-lasting laptops. The Lenovo Flex 5G, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx, slightly exceeded this time, albeit with a caveat. The Lenovo model featured a Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) display, while the MacBook Air M1 sported a Retina display boasting a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution. The MacBook's superior display is a clear advantage, and if a Full HD display were adopted (though not recommended), the MacBook Air M1 would likely exhibit a lengthier battery life.

Moving on, our video benchmark, entailing continuous playback of a Full HD Avengers trailer, showcased the MacBook Air M1's endurance, clocking in at an impressive 18.5 hours. While not the lengthiest endurance compared to certain other laptops, it notably outperformed laptops equipped with high-resolution displays. The Lenovo Flex 5G, for instance, demonstrated an impressive 28-hour battery life, albeit benefiting from its lower-resolution display.

Unfortunately, I encountered difficulties with the Basemark web benchmark test, hindering completion of the test on the MacBook Air M1. Nonetheless, given the M1's inherent efficiency, we anticipate that the laptop would exhibit commendable endurance under intensive loads as well.

Macbook Air Design

The MacBook Air M1 preserves the design of its Intel predecessor, a design characterized by a wedge-shaped aluminum chassis that seamlessly marries glass and metal. Robust and resilient, the laptop exudes an air of elegance and durability. Apple's expertise in laptop design is evident in the MacBook Air's flawless construction, immune to twisting, bending, or flexing. Available in three colors — space gray, gold, and silver — each exudes a captivating charm.

Slim and lightweight, measuring 0.6 inches in thickness and weighing 2.8 pounds, the MacBook Air M1 maintains its appeal. While competing Windows 10 laptops like the Dell XPS 13 and HP Spectre x360 13 may rival or surpass it in size and weight, the MacBook Air's eminence remains unchallenged. Furthermore, the MacBook Air M1's width and depth, slightly larger than some 13-inch counterparts, can be attributed to its relatively broad bezels. Coupled with its 16:10 aspect ratio display, the MacBook Air M1 presents a unique silhouette.

Though these differences are minute, they hold little significance given the laptop's compact form. While slimmer bezels might bestow a modern flair, the MacBook Air M1's portability remains undisrupted.

Connectivity, however, emerges as an area of relative weakness. The MacBook Air M1 offers two Thunderbolt 3 ports and a 3.5mm audio jack as its primary connections. Lamentably, an SD card reader for streamlined photo and video transfers is absent. Consequently, reliance on adapters and a Thunderbolt 3 dock may be necessary. Additionally, it's important to note that the M1 does not support external GPU enclosures.

Furthermore, the M1 version is limited to a single external display, facilitated through Thunderbolt 3 ports or a compatible dock. Although this limitation stems from intricate technical aspects of the M1 architecture, potential buyers requiring multiple external displays must look beyond the M1 version. In contrast, various Windows 10 laptops and Intel-based MacBooks support multiple displays with varying resolutions. Even laptops within the $1,000 price range typically accommodate more than one external display through Thunderbolt 3 ports, multiple USB-C ports, or HDMI.

Display and speakers

The MacBook Air M1 retains its predecessor's display, a splendid 2,560 x 1,600 IPS screen. While not at the pinnacle of MacBook Pro displays, it still delivers impressive performance. Notably, the MacBook Air M1 satisfies the requirements of most creative professionals, save for those demanding the utmost precision.

Brightness registered at 389 nits, a satisfactory level for an average productivity laptop, though it slightly falls short of Apple's higher-tier standards. Boasting a slightly broader color gamut, the MacBook Air M1 reached 100% of sRGB and 79% of AdobeRGB. In comparison, most premium Windows 10 laptops achieve around 98% sRGB and 73% AdobeRGB. Although the differences are modest, they prove beneficial for photo and video editing tasks. With a commendable accuracy score of 1.39 (where values below 1.0 are indistinguishable to the human eye), and an above-average contrast ratio of 1130:1 (our benchmark is at least 1000:1), the MacBook Air M1's display showcases its quality.

Ultimately, users are likely to appreciate this display without substantial reservations. While creative professionals seeking the broadest color gamut may favor the Pro line, the MacBook Air M1 remains an enticing choice. Opting for the MacBook Pro 13 M1 would provide an improved display, along with speakers that offer an unparalleled audio experience.

Regarding audio quality, the MacBook Air M1 showcases admirable speakers. Notably clear and bright, the speakers excel in producing excellent mids and highs, accompanied by a subtle touch of bass. Even at maximum volume, no distortion is perceptible. Nonetheless, the maximum volume level is relatively modest. While suitable for personal listening, sharing audio with a larger audience may necessitate external speakers. For a more immersive experience, headphone usage is recommended.

Macbook Keyboard and touchpad

The MacBook Air M1 features the new Magic Keyboard, designed by Apple to replace the ill-fated butterfly keyboard found in prior models. This keyboard, exceptional in its design, stands out as a personal favorite among the laptops I've used. It even surpasses the excellent keyboard featured in HP's Spectre lineup.

Characterized by appropriately sized keycaps and substantial key travel, the Magic Keyboard offers a satisfying typing experience, diverging from the unsatisfactory feel of the butterfly keyboard. The keyboard switches are of exceptional quality, ensuring precise keystrokes and a definitive bottoming action. Typing on this keyboard is notably swift, exceeding the experience on other laptops. Though my preference leans toward fingerprint recognition, the Touch ID sensor embedded within the power button provides a seamless password-free login experience. Though Windows Hello offers a comparable alternative, the Touch ID experience remains superb.

The touchpad, while haptic in nature, stands out for its superiority. Surpassing the dimensions of most 13-inch laptop touchpads, it boasts a silky-smooth texture. While haptic feedback may require adjustment, users will likely find the touchpad affords a higher level of control than most. Although Windows 10 touchpads have considerably improved over time, they still lag behind in comparison.

In summary, the MacBook Air M1 offers an exceptional keyboard, unparalleled touchpad, and Touch ID sensor for streamlined, password-free access. The combination of these elements contributes to an elevated user experience.

Our verdict

While we previously deemed the Intel MacBook Air 2020 a “respectable choice for budget-conscious Mac fans,” I propose an amendment for the MacBook Air M1: It's a compelling option for any MacBook enthusiast seeking a compact, noiseless laptop with enduring battery life, comparable performance to the MacBook Pro 13 M1, and an affordable price point. This transition signifies more than cost savings; it introduces a laptop that astonishes with its performance, particularly as software optimization for the M1 ecosystem continues to evolve. Accompanied by its slender form factor and lightweight design, the MacBook Air M1 undeniably captivates.

However, certain constraints merit consideration. The RAM ceiling remains at 16GB (a limitation carried over from the Intel model), and the laptop accommodates just one external display.

Exploring Alternatives

The competition that applied to the Intel MacBook Air persists here as well, albeit with reduced performance in most instances. The Dell XPS 13 presents an apparent alternative, available for $980 with a Core i3-1115G4 CPU, identical RAM and storage configurations, though the MacBook Air M1 markedly outperforms it. Configuring the XPS 13 with a faster CPU still results in inferior performance compared to the MacBook Air.

The HP Spectre x360 13 offers the option of an enhanced OLED display and the versatility of a 2-in-1 design, available for a slightly higher price depending on the configuration. However, the MacBook Air M1 remains superior in terms of speed.

Finally, the MacBook Pro 13 M1 targets those seeking the fastest M1-based machine (although the difference is less substantial than anticipated). Delivering a superior display and exceptional speakers, the MacBook Pro 13 M1 entails an additional investment of at least $300.

Macbook Air M1 Longevity

The MacBook Air M1 is expected to remain relevant for a minimum of five years, benefiting from Apple's commitment to consistent updates. Notably, the laptop's durability ensures its longevity, and Apple's support further bolsters its appeal. While the standard one-year warranty aligns with industry norms, the MacBook Air M1 will continue to gain speed as software optimization progresses.

Conclusion

Absolutely. The MacBook Air M1 extends beyond the preferences of MacBook enthusiasts seeking a smaller device. It appeals to all potential laptop buyers open to embracing Mac OS, delving into the future of ARM-based computing.

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