There can also be some issues with software compatibility with the new processor, but these tend to only be with really niche stuff, so won't be a worry for the vast majority of people. It's a shame that it only has two USB-C ports (which also must be used to power it), since that means you'll probably need adapters, but maybe you're all in on wireless and cloud already anyway. The sharp screen is also a pleasure to use, with a good level of brightness. And it can give you around 15 hours of battery life in real-world use (for things like light browsing) – a huge leap over previous Macs.Ĭomfort and usability are top-notch too – the keyboard and trackpad are excellent, it's a great size and weight to be portable, and the all-aluminum build is solid and feels premium. It's even got pretty solid graphics performance, playing games far more smoothly than anything else with an integrated GPU (though, being a Mac, the selection is more limited). But it also runs cool enough that it doesn't need any fans at all, so it's silent. Combined with the fastest storage in the business, this laptop is fast. It's an eight-core chip that's as powerful as what you find in the high-end MacBook Pros or gaming PCs, but uses a fraction of the power. It's all thanks to the M1 processor – the first Apple-made chip for Macs. Or that getting all of these things in one machine would be expensive? Wrong again. Or that big performance means smaller battery life? Nope.

Think thin and light laptops have to sacrifice power? Not any more. As our MacBook Air (M1, 2020) review explains, Apple's cheapest laptop is the start of a revolution.

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