🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 130 (from laksa046)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa130.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.cultofmac.com/reviews/m1-macbook-air-review\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.cultofmac.com/reviews/m1-macbook-air-review\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews\/m1-macbook-air-review","crawl_time":1776365381,"first_indexed_time":1721250681,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,cultofmac!www,\/reviews\/m1-macbook-air-review s443","src_root_hash":"16068540578668373130","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"M1 MacBook Air review: Apple unleashes an instant classic | Cult of Mac","meta_descriptions":["It's blazing-fast, ultraportable and boasts mind-blowing battery life. The new entry-level laptop is classic Apple. An M1 MacBook Air review."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Reviews\nApple's new M1 chip makes this ultraportable laptop ultra-fantastic.\nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\nI just opened more than 650 tabs in Safari on a new M1 MacBook Air. I would have opened more, but I got bored.\nMeanwhile, in the background, the machine is downloading Photoshop and the Microsoft 360 suite, and I can see in Activity Monitor that it’s processing thousands of iCloud photos while also indexing the hard drive.\nDespite this, the machine is as fleet as a greyhound. I started working on a Photoshop project while checking email, keeping an eye on TweetDeck and, of course, clicking around all those open Safari tabs. The MacBook Air is just humming. I’ve never seen anything like it.\nOpening 650 tabs in Safari\nAs you can see in the embedded video above, there are 653 tabs open. I can click around with abandon! Oh happy day! I kept the tabs open all weekend while I’ve been testing and working on the new machine. It hasn’t slowed down at all. (Note: Most of the tabs aren’t active. The majority of tabs are cached in the background, and are dormant until they are clicked on. But once clicked, they load quickly.)\nHalf-incredulous, I tried the same thing on my previous MacBook, a relatively recent 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro. By contrast, the Pro was unusable during the test. It began to get creaky at 50 tabs, really started choking at 100 tabs, and at 150 tabs, it slowed to a painful crawl. At this point, the dreaded spinning beachball of death appeared every time I tried to do anything. Photoshop crashed, so I force-quit Safari and rebooted. (The older MacBook Pro is\na 2.9 GhZ Dual-Core Intel i5\n, with 16GB of RAM and a 250GB SSD drive. It cost $1,700. It’s not the most powerful MacBook Apple ever made, but it is supposed to be a step up from the Air — until now. Both machines are running Apple’s latest macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 and the 14.0.1 version of Safari.)\nM1 MacBook Air battery life is insane\nThis is the point where I should mention battery life. I haven’t charged the MacBook Air’s battery since opening the box on Thursday. It’s been running for four days now on a single charge, which is mind-boggling. My previous MacBook Pro can barely get through an afternoon. I haven’t been using the Air all day, every day. I tinkered around for a couple of hours Friday, left it alone most of Saturday, used it most of the day Sunday, and half of Monday morning. It finally ran out of juice at noon on Monday. When it comes to battery life, it’s more like an iPad than a notebook.\nAccording to Apple, the M1 MacBook Air offers up to 15 hours of wireless web browsing and up to 18 hours of video playback in between charges. That compares to just 10 hours of browsing on the previous Air. I didn’t do a great job timing it, but I estimate I got between 12 and 13 hours of tinkering about opening up browser tabs and downloading iPad games. That’s almost two full days of work, and is easily the best battery performance I’ve ever got from any Mac.\nDesign\nThe new MacBook Air retains its predecessor’s wedge profile.\nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\nThere’s no way to tell this is a new MacBook Air from the outside. The M1 model sports the same wedge-shaped design we all know and love, which still slips nicely inside a Manila envelope, just like the original. It measures just 0.16 inches at its thinnest point and 0.63 inches at its thickest point, and it weighs just 2.8 pounds. The same gold, silver and space gray color options are available, and you get a 30W USB-C power adapter in the box, just like before. Aside from the M1 chip, the only other changes from the previous model are Wi-Fi 6 and a better screen that can display a wider range of colors.\nBuying an M1 MacBook Air is a lot simpler than it used to be. All models are powered by the M1 chip — you don’t have to choose between different Intel chips anymore — and there are just two standard configurations to choose from. The most affordable offers a 256GB SSD for $999; the other bumps storage to 512GB for $1,249. Both have 8GB of RAM. You can order extra RAM, which maxes out at 16GB in all M1 machines, and it’s possible to add up to 2TB of storage. I’ve been testing the 16GB RAM\/512GB SSD version, which costs $1,450.\nOther features include two Thunderbolt ports, a gorgeous 13-inch Retina display with True Tone, a brilliant Magic Keyboard, and a trusty Touch ID sensor. The M1 MacBook Air is\nthe first that boasts a completely silent design\n. It is passively cooled, which means it has no fan, and yet it stays cool no matter how hard you push it. That’s a terrific change for anyone who likes to work in silence.\nThe M1 chip\nThe powerful M1 chip inside gives this laptop unbelievable performance.\nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\nThe best reason to buy a new MacBook Air is, of course, the\nM1 chip\n. It’s Apple’s first custom chipset for Mac, and the first computer chip built using the latest 5-nanometer manufacturing process. It’s an amazing feat of engineering, with a whopping 16 billion transistors. The M1 features an 8-core CPU, an 8-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine for optimizing machine learning. (Note: The entry-level MacBook Air\nonly utilizes seven of the GPU’s eight cores\n.)\nAnd it doesn’t stop there. M1 also features Apple’s new\nunified memory architecture\n, or UMA. The UMA puts high-bandwidth, low-latency memory together into a single pool so that all of the technologies baked into the M1 can access the same data without having to copy it between multiple memory pools. The UMA dramatically improves performance and power efficiency, Apple says. So although 16GB of maximum RAM may not seem like a lot, you’ll be surprised how far it goes. We’ve already seen what Apple can do with smaller memory capacities on iPhone (compared to rival Android devices), and now it’s doing the same on Mac. All these things help make the M1 significantly faster than rival mobile chips (and even most desktop chips). Apple says the new MacBook Air delivers 3.5x faster CPU performance and up to 2x faster graphics. And despite all that, battery life is better than ever.\nRunning old Intel apps\nPerhaps the biggest issue with the new M1 chips is compatibility with old Intel apps, which at this point, is the vast majority of Mac apps. New M1 Macs run Intel apps using\nRosetta 2\n, which converts the code on the fly. The original Rosetta did the same thing during the PowerPC-to-Intel transition.\nSo far, it’s been working like a champ. I installed Adobe Photoshop, Zoom, Slack,\nDashlane password manager\n, TweetDeck and Microsoft Word and Excel. I also installed a new version of\nGoogle Chrome written for the M1 architecture\n, and have been running some of Apple’s apps that have been rewritten for the M1 also.\nSo far, they’ve all been running almost flawlessly. Aside from a weird freeze during the initial setup (while adding a credit card to Apple Pay), I’ve yet to experience any crashes, slowdowns or unexpected freezes. I’ve also had no installation errors, which\nothers have reported\n.\nSaying that, some other early testers have reported problems. Reviewing the new M1 MacBook Pro for\nForbes\n, Patrick Moorhead\nencountered several software problems\n, and linked to a\nrunning list of apps incompatible with Rosetta 2\n. This is perhaps the one big caveat for the new M1: If there’s an Intel app you need and can’t find an alternative, best to check the list and keep an eye on the app’s developer for an update.\nWhat about Windows?\nOne big missing piece of software is Microsoft’s Windows. Thanks to the new architecture, M1 Macs will no longer run Windows natively like Intel-based Macs. So no\nBoot Camp\nand no dual boot. But it will run Windows in emulation. (Reports on Twitter say that works pretty well.) There’s also an ARM version of Windows that\none day may be retooled to run on Apple hardware\n, but don’t hold your breath. Meanwhile, CrossOver allows Apple’s newest machines to run Windows apps,\nand reportedly does it brilliantly\n.\niPhone and iPad apps\nOne of the big selling points of the M1 is the ability to run iPhone and iPad apps on these new Macs. In the Mac App Store, iOS\/iPadOS apps appear in their own tab in search results. Once installed, they run in their own small window, and are controlled using the keyboard and trackpad instead of your fingers. I haven’t had a chance to download many of the hundreds of iOS and iPadOS apps and games available, and I had trouble finding the ones I did want, like Instagram. I did, however, play a couple of Apple Arcade games, including\nSuper Stickman Golf 2\nand\nAmong Us!\nBoth played flawlessly and looked great.\nWhat it’s like to use\nNo butterfly keyboard — what a relief!\nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\nThanks to that M1 chip, the MacBook Air wakes up immediately, ready for action the minute you press the Touch ID sensor. (The older Intel MacBook Pro wakes up about as fast as I do, which is not fast.) The keyboard is the old scissor-switch-style, which replaces the much-hated butterfly design. In the past, I’ve misguidedly defended the butterfly keyboard, and it’s just now that I realize how much I like the older design. I’m glad to see it back. There’s better travel on the keys, and they don’t bash your fingertips like the flatter butterfly keys. The Air keyboard feels roomy and expansive, and the backlight makes it really easy to use in the dark.\nThere’s no Touch Bar on the Air, and TBH, I don’t miss it much. Touch ID works as expected — flawlessly. The Force Touch trackpad is huge and works great. It has a nice, gentle click, which is purely perceptive. The “click” is generated by a Haptic Engine. The actual trackpad doesn’t move at all. The Air’s built-in speakers are fantastic. They can really pump the jams.\nThe backlit keyboard is a joy to type on in the dark.\nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\nBenchmarks\nI didn’t run any benchmarks. They’ve already been\ncovered to death\n. Nonetheless, benchmarks show the new M1-equipped Macs are faster than most Macs that use Intel chips. Even the Air, the lowliest MacBook in Apple’s own lineup,\nbeats every other mobile CPU on the market\n. One YouTube reviewer was so surprised by the benchmarks,\nhe flat out didn’t believe them\n.\nThe downsides\nUnfortunately, the new MacBook Air comes with only two ports.\nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\nThere are a few minor disappointments, however. The new M1 Macs will\nonly support one external monitor\n, not two or more like previous MacBooks. And, like previous MacBooks, the new Air has a webcam that maxes out at 720p resolution, which is positively archaic given today’s webcam standards and the fact we live in a Zoom world. Apple says the M1 chip will upgrade the image, but I didn’t notice that it was spectacularly better. Perhaps in low light it was better. I use the webcam only for the occasional Zoom call, and it’s not a high-priority feature for me, but if you want a better webcam, get an external one.\nOne thing I do miss is Face ID, which I would love to see make its way to the Mac. Perhaps it will debut on some future iMac or MacBook Pro. For now, Touch ID will suffice. I do love it for logging in, filling in passwords and approving system updates. But Face ID would be better.\nAnd there are only two Thunderbolt\/USB 4 ports. The lack of ports drives some people absolutely batty, especially when one port is used for charging. I have a\nSatechi USB-C multiport adapter\n, which sports a couple of USB ports, two card readers and HDMI. Yeah, it’s something extra to carry, but it lives in my backpack and is readily available when I need to plug stuff in. For the most part, I\ndon’t\nplug stuff in. I rarely need dongles. But if you do use external peripherals, the Air’s lack of ports is something to be aware of.\nConclusion\nIt even makes a good cat bed!\nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\nThe new M1 MacBook Air is classic Apple. It’s a great computer at a fair price. It’s not the cheapest laptop by a long shot, but this machine will last for years. My son is still using an older Intel-based MacBook Air from 2012.\nThe M1 Air is a great laptop. Powerful performance. Long battery life. Completely silent and cool. It’s the distillation of what Apple does best — democratizing technology. Bringing tech to the masses. It’s a great computer for most people. As I was playing with the Air over the weekend, I wondered to myself, is this a classic? Could it be up there with the best Macs ever made? It certainly feels like an instant classic. Even my cat loves it.\nLeander Kahney\nis the editor and publisher of\nCult of Mac\n.\nLeander is a\nlongtime technology reporter\nand the author of six acclaimed books about\nApple\n, including two\nNew York Times\nbestsellers:\nJony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple’s Greatest Products\nand\nInside Steve’s Brain\n, a biography of Steve Jobs.\nHe’s also written a top-selling biography of\nApple CEO Tim Cook\nand authored\nCult of Mac\nand\nCult of iPod\n, which both won prestigious design awards. Most recently, he was co-author of\nCult of Mac, 2nd Edition\n.\nLeander has been reporting about Apple and technology for nearly 30 years.\nBefore founding\nCult of Mac\nas an independent publication, Leander was news editor at\nWired.com\n, where he was responsible for the day-to-day running of the Wired.com website. He headed up a team of six section editors, a dozen reporters and a large pool of freelancers. Together the team produced a daily digest of stories about the impact of science and technology, and won several awards, including\nseveral Webby Awards\n, 2X\nKnight-Batten Awards for Innovation in Journalism\nand the\n2010 MIN (Magazine Industry Newsletter) award for best blog\n, among others.\nBefore being promoted to news editor, Leander was Wired.com’s senior reporter, primarily covering Apple. During that time, Leander published a ton of scoops, including the\nfirst in-depth report about the development of the iPod\n. Leander attended almost every keynote speech and special product launch presented by Steve Jobs, including the historic launches of the iPhone and iPad. He also reported from almost every Macworld Expo in the late ’90s and early ‘2000s, including, sadly, the last shows in Boston, San Francisco and Tokyo. His reporting for Wired.com formed the basis of the first\nCult of Mac\nbook, and subsequently this website.\nBefore joining Wired, Leander was a senior reporter at the legendary\nMacWeek\n, the storied and long-running weekly that documented Apple and its community in the 1980s and ’90s.\nLeander has written for\nWired\nmagazine (including the Issue 16.04 cover story about\nSteve Jobs’ leadership at Apple, entitled Evil\/Genius\n),\nScientific American\n,\nThe Guardian\n,\nThe Observer\n,\nThe San Francisco Chronicle\nand many other publications.\nLeander has a\npostgrad diploma in artificial intelligence\nfrom the University of Aberdeen, and a\nBSc (Hons) in experimental psychology\nfrom the University of Sussex.\nHe has a\ndiploma in journalism\nfrom the UK’s National Council for the Training of Journalists.\nLeander lives in San Francisco, California, and is married with four children. He’s an avid biker and has ridden in many long-distance bike events, including California’s legendary\nDeath Ride\n.\nYou can find out more about Leander on\nLinkedIn\nand\nFacebook\n. You can follow him on X at\n@lkahney\nor\nInstagram\n.","attrs_markdown":"[Cult of Mac](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/)\n\n[Subscribe](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews\/m1-macbook-air-review)\n\n- [News](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news)\n  - [Apple rumors and leaks](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-rumors)\n  - [Apple Intelligence](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-intelligence)\n  - [Apple silicon](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-silicon)\n  - [Apple patents](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/patents)\n  - [AAPL](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/aapl)\n  - [Apple events](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-events)\n  - [WWDC](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wwdc)\n  - [Editor's picks](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/category\/top-stories\/)\n  - [More news ...](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news)\n- [ReviewsHere at Cult of Mac, we regularly review Apple products and other tech gear and accessories. We also frequently write about Apple TV+ offerings. 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[Editor's picks](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/category\/top-stories\/)\n  - [More news ...](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news)\n- [ReviewsHere at Cult of Mac, we regularly review Apple products and other tech gear and accessories. We also frequently write about Apple TV+ offerings. If we receive a review unit, we disclose it. (Read our reviews policy.) We frequently employ affiliate links. If you purchase a product after clicking a link from our website, we might earn a commission.](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews)\n  - [iPhone reviews](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/iphone-reviews)\n  - [iPad reviews](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ipad-reviews)\n  - [Mac reviews](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/mac-reviews)\n  - [Apple Watch reviews](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-watch-reviews)\n  - [Vision Pro reviews](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/vision-pro-reviews)\n  - [AirPods reviews](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/airpods-reviews)\n  - [Apple TV reviews](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-tv-reviews)\n- [How-To](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/how-to)\n  - [Setups](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/setups)\n  - [iPhone how-tos](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/iphone-how-to)\n  - [iPad how-tos](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ipad-how-to)\n  - [Mac how-tos](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/mac-how-to)\n  - [Apple Watch how-tos](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-watch-how-to)\n  - [Vision Pro how-tos](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/vision-pro-how-to)\n  - [AirPods how-tos](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/airpods-how-to)\n  - [Apple TV how-tos](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-tv-how-to)\n- [Deals](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/deals)\n  - [Daily deals](https:\/\/deals.cultofmac.com\/)\n  - [Apple deals](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-deals)\n  - [Black Friday \/ Cyber Monday](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/black-friday)\n  - [Amazon Prime Day](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/prime-day)\n  - [More deals ...](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/deals)\n- [Buying guides](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/buying-guides)\n  - [M4 vs. M5 iPad Pro](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/buying-guides\/m4-vs-m5-ipad-pro-comparisonhttps:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/buying-guides\/m4-vs-m5-ipad-pro-comparison)\n  - [M3 vs. M3 Pro MacBook Pro](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news\/m3-vs-m3-pro-macbook-pro-comparison)\n  - [Best Apple Watch bands](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews\/best-apple-watch-bands)\n  - [Best iPhone 15 cases](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews\/best-cases-iphone-15)\n  - [Best MagSafe wallets](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews\/best-magsafe-wallets-iphone)\n  - [Best USB-C hubs](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews\/best-usb-c-hubs-for-iphone-15)\n  - [More buying guides ...](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/buying-guides)\n- [GuidesCult of Mac’s guides to everything in the Apple universe. Here you’ll find guides to all the important products, people and events in the Apple world, from iPhone to Jony Ive.](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/guide)\n  - [iPhone](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/iphone)\n    - [iPhone 17](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/iphone-17)\n    - [iPhone 16](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/iphone-16)\n    - [iPhone 15](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/iphone-15)\n    - [iPhone 14](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/iphone-14)\n    - [iPhone SE](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/iphone-se)\n    - [iOS](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ios)\n    - [iPhone accessories](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/iphone-accessories)\n    - [Awesome Apps](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/awesome-apps)\n  - [iPad](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ipad)\n    - [iPad](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ipad)\n    - [iPad Air](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ipad-air)\n    - [iPad Pro](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ipad-pro)\n    - [iPad mini](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ipad-mini)\n    - [Apple Pencil](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-pencil)\n    - 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[macOS](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/macos)\n  - [Vision Pro](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/vision-pro)\n    - [Vision Pro](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/vision-pro)\n    - [visionOS](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/visionos)\n    - [Vision Pro accessories](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/vision-pro-accessories)\n  - [AirPods](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/airpods)\n    - [AirPods Pro](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/airpods-pro)\n    - [AirPods 4](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/airpods-4)\n    - [AirPods Max](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/airpods-max)\n    - [Beats by Dre](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/beats)\n    - [AirPods accessories](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/airpods-accessories)\n  - [TV and home](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/appletv)\n    - [Apple TV](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-tv)\n    - [Apple TV+](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-tv-plus)\n    - [HomePod](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/homepod)\n    - [HomePod mini](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/homepod-mini)\n    - [AirTags](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/airtags)\n    - 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[Jony Ive](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/jony-ive)\n- [Videos](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/openvideo\/)\n- [Podcast](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/podcast \"Cult of Mac podcast\")\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/newsletters.cultofmac.com\/)\n\n[Mobile menu toggle](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews\/m1-macbook-air-review)\n\n- [News](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news)\n  - [Apple rumors and leaks](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-rumors)\n  - [Apple Intelligence](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-intelligence)\n  - [Apple silicon](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-silicon)\n  - [Apple patents](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/patents)\n  - [AAPL](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/aapl)\n  - [Apple events](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-events)\n  - [WWDC](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wwdc)\n  - [Editor's picks](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/category\/top-stories\/)\n  - [More news ...](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news)\n- [ReviewsHere at Cult of Mac, we regularly review Apple products and other tech gear and accessories. We also frequently write about Apple TV+ offerings. If we receive a review unit, we disclose it. (Read our reviews policy.) We frequently employ affiliate links. If you purchase a product after clicking a link from our website, we might earn a commission.](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews)\n  - [iPhone reviews](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/iphone-reviews)\n  - [iPad reviews](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ipad-reviews)\n  - [Mac reviews](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/mac-reviews)\n  - [Apple Watch reviews](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-watch-reviews)\n  - [Vision Pro reviews](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/vision-pro-reviews)\n  - [AirPods reviews](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/airpods-reviews)\n  - [Apple TV reviews](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-tv-reviews)\n- [How-To](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/how-to)\n  - [Setups](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/setups)\n  - [iPhone how-tos](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/iphone-how-to)\n  - [iPad how-tos](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ipad-how-to)\n  - [Mac how-tos](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/mac-how-to)\n  - [Apple Watch how-tos](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-watch-how-to)\n  - [Vision Pro how-tos](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/vision-pro-how-to)\n  - [AirPods how-tos](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/airpods-how-to)\n  - [Apple TV how-tos](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-tv-how-to)\n- [Deals](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/deals)\n  - [Daily deals](https:\/\/deals.cultofmac.com\/)\n  - [Apple deals](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-deals)\n  - [Black Friday \/ Cyber Monday](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/black-friday)\n  - [Amazon Prime Day](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/prime-day)\n  - [More deals ...](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/deals)\n- [Buying guides](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/buying-guides)\n  - [M4 vs. M5 iPad Pro](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/buying-guides\/m4-vs-m5-ipad-pro-comparisonhttps:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/buying-guides\/m4-vs-m5-ipad-pro-comparison)\n  - [M3 vs. M3 Pro MacBook Pro](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news\/m3-vs-m3-pro-macbook-pro-comparison)\n  - [Best Apple Watch bands](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews\/best-apple-watch-bands)\n  - [Best iPhone 15 cases](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews\/best-cases-iphone-15)\n  - [Best MagSafe wallets](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews\/best-magsafe-wallets-iphone)\n  - [Best USB-C hubs](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews\/best-usb-c-hubs-for-iphone-15)\n  - [More buying guides ...](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/buying-guides)\n- [GuidesCult of Mac’s guides to everything in the Apple universe. Here you’ll find guides to all the important products, people and events in the Apple world, from iPhone to Jony Ive.](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/guide)\n  - [iPhone](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/iphone)\n    - [iPhone 17](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/iphone-17)\n    - [iPhone 16](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/iphone-16)\n    - [iPhone 15](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/iphone-15)\n    - [iPhone 14](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/iphone-14)\n    - [iPhone SE](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/iphone-se)\n    - [iOS](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ios)\n    - [iPhone accessories](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/iphone-accessories)\n    - [Awesome Apps](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/awesome-apps)\n  - [iPad](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ipad)\n    - [iPad](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ipad)\n    - [iPad Air](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ipad-air)\n    - [iPad Pro](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ipad-pro)\n    - [iPad mini](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ipad-mini)\n    - [Apple Pencil](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-pencil)\n    - [iPad apps](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ipad-apps)\n    - [iPadOS](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ipados)\n    - [iPad accessories](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/ipad-accessories)\n  - [Apple Watch](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-watch)\n    - [Apple Watch Series 11](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-watch-series-11)\n    - [Apple Watch Ultra](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-watch-ultra)\n    - [Apple Watch SE](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/apple-watch-se)\n    - [watchOS](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/watchos)\n  - [Mac](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/mac)\n    - [MacBook Pro](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/macbook-pro)\n    - [MacBook Air](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/macbook-air)\n    - [iMac](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/imac)\n    - [Mac mini](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/mac-mini)\n    - [Mac Pro](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/mac-pro)\n    - [Mac Studio](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/mac-studio)\n    - [Mac accessories](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/mac-accessories)\n    - [Mac apps](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/mac-apps)\n    - 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[Jony Ive](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/jony-ive)\n- [Videos](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/openvideo\/)\n- [Podcast](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/podcast \"Cult of Mac podcast\")\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/newsletters.cultofmac.com\/)\n\n- [iOS 26](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/tag\/ios-26\/?utm_campaign=tagmenu)\n- [AirPods Pro 3](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/tag\/airpods-pro-3\/?utm_campaign=tagmenu)\n- [iPhone Air](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/tag\/iphone-air\/?utm_campaign=tagmenu)\n- [Apple rumors](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/tag\/apple-rumors\/?utm_campaign=tagmenu \"Apple legal battles\")\n- [Editor’s picks](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/category\/top-stories\/?utm_campaign=tagmenu \"Editor’s picks\")\n- [Videos](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/humix\/)\n\n# M1 MacBook Air is an instant classic \\[Review\\]\nBy [Leander Kahney](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/author\/leander-kahney \"Posts by Leander Kahney\") • 6:00 am, November 24, 2020\n\n- [Reviews](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews \"Reviews\")\n\n![MacBook Air M1 2020](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/MacBook_Air_M1_back.jpeg)\n\nApple's new M1 chip makes this ultraportable laptop ultra-fantastic.   \n*Photo: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac*\n\nI just opened more than 650 tabs in Safari on a new M1 MacBook Air. I would have opened more, but I got bored.\n\nMeanwhile, in the background, the machine is downloading Photoshop and the Microsoft 360 suite, and I can see in Activity Monitor that it’s processing thousands of iCloud photos while also indexing the hard drive.\n\nDespite this, the machine is as fleet as a greyhound. I started working on a Photoshop project while checking email, keeping an eye on TweetDeck and, of course, clicking around all those open Safari tabs. The MacBook Air is just humming. I’ve never seen anything like it.\n\n## M1 MacBook Air review\n### Opening 650 tabs in Safari\nAs you can see in the embedded video above, there are 653 tabs open. I can click around with abandon! Oh happy day! I kept the tabs open all weekend while I’ve been testing and working on the new machine. It hasn’t slowed down at all. (Note: Most of the tabs aren’t active. The majority of tabs are cached in the background, and are dormant until they are clicked on. But once clicked, they load quickly.)\n\nHalf-incredulous, I tried the same thing on my previous MacBook, a relatively recent 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro. By contrast, the Pro was unusable during the test. It began to get creaky at 50 tabs, really started choking at 100 tabs, and at 150 tabs, it slowed to a painful crawl. At this point, the dreaded spinning beachball of death appeared every time I tried to do anything. Photoshop crashed, so I force-quit Safari and rebooted. (The older MacBook Pro is [a 2.9 GhZ Dual-Core Intel i5](https:\/\/everymac.com\/systems\/apple\/macbook_pro\/specs\/macbook-pro-core-i5-2.9-13-late-2016-retina-display-touch-bar-specs.html), with 16GB of RAM and a 250GB SSD drive. It cost \\$1,700. It’s not the most powerful MacBook Apple ever made, but it is supposed to be a step up from the Air — until now. Both machines are running Apple’s latest macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 and the 14.0.1 version of Safari.)\n\n### M1 MacBook Air battery life is insane\nThis is the point where I should mention battery life. I haven’t charged the MacBook Air’s battery since opening the box on Thursday. It’s been running for four days now on a single charge, which is mind-boggling. My previous MacBook Pro can barely get through an afternoon. I haven’t been using the Air all day, every day. I tinkered around for a couple of hours Friday, left it alone most of Saturday, used it most of the day Sunday, and half of Monday morning. It finally ran out of juice at noon on Monday. When it comes to battery life, it’s more like an iPad than a notebook.\n\nAccording to Apple, the M1 MacBook Air offers up to 15 hours of wireless web browsing and up to 18 hours of video playback in between charges. That compares to just 10 hours of browsing on the previous Air. I didn’t do a great job timing it, but I estimate I got between 12 and 13 hours of tinkering about opening up browser tabs and downloading iPad games. That’s almost two full days of work, and is easily the best battery performance I’ve ever got from any Mac.\n\n### Design\n![MacBook Air M1 2020: The new MacBook Air retains the same wedge profile](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/MacBook_Air_M1_side_profile_.jpeg)\n\nThe new MacBook Air retains its predecessor’s wedge profile.  \nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\n\nThere’s no way to tell this is a new MacBook Air from the outside. The M1 model sports the same wedge-shaped design we all know and love, which still slips nicely inside a Manila envelope, just like the original. It measures just 0.16 inches at its thinnest point and 0.63 inches at its thickest point, and it weighs just 2.8 pounds. The same gold, silver and space gray color options are available, and you get a 30W USB-C power adapter in the box, just like before. Aside from the M1 chip, the only other changes from the previous model are Wi-Fi 6 and a better screen that can display a wider range of colors.\n\nBuying an M1 MacBook Air is a lot simpler than it used to be. All models are powered by the M1 chip — you don’t have to choose between different Intel chips anymore — and there are just two standard configurations to choose from. The most affordable offers a 256GB SSD for \\$999; the other bumps storage to 512GB for \\$1,249. Both have 8GB of RAM. You can order extra RAM, which maxes out at 16GB in all M1 machines, and it’s possible to add up to 2TB of storage. I’ve been testing the 16GB RAM\/512GB SSD version, which costs \\$1,450.\n\nOther features include two Thunderbolt ports, a gorgeous 13-inch Retina display with True Tone, a brilliant Magic Keyboard, and a trusty Touch ID sensor. The M1 MacBook Air is [the first that boasts a completely silent design](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/727460\/macbook-air-goes-silent-insanely-fast-with-apple-m1-chip\/). It is passively cooled, which means it has no fan, and yet it stays cool no matter how hard you push it. That’s a terrific change for anyone who likes to work in silence.\n\n### The M1 chip\n![The powerful M1 chip inside gives this laptop unbelievable performance.](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/MacBook_Air_M1_front_1.jpeg)\n\nThe powerful M1 chip inside gives this laptop unbelievable performance.  \nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\n\nThe best reason to buy a new MacBook Air is, of course, the [M1 chip](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/727437\/apple-macbook-first-apple-silicon\/). It’s Apple’s first custom chipset for Mac, and the first computer chip built using the latest 5-nanometer manufacturing process. It’s an amazing feat of engineering, with a whopping 16 billion transistors. The M1 features an 8-core CPU, an 8-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine for optimizing machine learning. (Note: The entry-level MacBook Air [only utilizes seven of the GPU’s eight cores](https:\/\/9to5mac.com\/2020\/11\/11\/why-is-there-a-comical-difference-in-the-new-macbook-air-specs\/).)\n\nAnd it doesn’t stop there. M1 also features Apple’s new [unified memory architecture](https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/videos\/play\/wwdc2020\/10686\/), or UMA. The UMA puts high-bandwidth, low-latency memory together into a single pool so that all of the technologies baked into the M1 can access the same data without having to copy it between multiple memory pools. The UMA dramatically improves performance and power efficiency, Apple says. So although 16GB of maximum RAM may not seem like a lot, you’ll be surprised how far it goes. We’ve already seen what Apple can do with smaller memory capacities on iPhone (compared to rival Android devices), and now it’s doing the same on Mac. All these things help make the M1 significantly faster than rival mobile chips (and even most desktop chips). Apple says the new MacBook Air delivers 3.5x faster CPU performance and up to 2x faster graphics. And despite all that, battery life is better than ever.\n\n### Running old Intel apps\nPerhaps the biggest issue with the new M1 chips is compatibility with old Intel apps, which at this point, is the vast majority of Mac apps. New M1 Macs run Intel apps using [Rosetta 2](https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/documentation\/apple_silicon\/about_the_rosetta_translation_environment), which converts the code on the fly. The original Rosetta did the same thing during the PowerPC-to-Intel transition.\n\nSo far, it’s been working like a champ. I installed Adobe Photoshop, Zoom, Slack, [Dashlane password manager](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/?s=dashlane), TweetDeck and Microsoft Word and Excel. I also installed a new version of [Google Chrome written for the M1 architecture](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/728234\/google-chrome-apple-silicon\/), and have been running some of Apple’s apps that have been rewritten for the M1 also.\n\nSo far, they’ve all been running almost flawlessly. Aside from a weird freeze during the initial setup (while adding a credit card to Apple Pay), I’ve yet to experience any crashes, slowdowns or unexpected freezes. I’ve also had no installation errors, which [others have reported](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/728566\/avoid-macos-reinstallation-errors-m1-mac\/).\n\nSaying that, some other early testers have reported problems. Reviewing the new M1 MacBook Pro for *Forbes*, Patrick Moorhead [encountered several software problems](https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/patrickmoorhead\/2020\/11\/21\/apple-macbook-pro-13-m1-reviewwhy-you-might-want-to-pass), and linked to a [running list of apps incompatible with Rosetta 2](https:\/\/isapplesiliconready.com\/). This is perhaps the one big caveat for the new M1: If there’s an Intel app you need and can’t find an alternative, best to check the list and keep an eye on the app’s developer for an update.\n\n### What about Windows?\nOne big missing piece of software is Microsoft’s Windows. Thanks to the new architecture, M1 Macs will no longer run Windows natively like Intel-based Macs. So no [Boot Camp](https:\/\/support.apple.com\/boot-camp) and no dual boot. But it will run Windows in emulation. (Reports on Twitter say that works pretty well.) There’s also an ARM version of Windows that [one day may be retooled to run on Apple hardware](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/728484\/apple-silicon-windows-on-arm-boot-camp-potential\/), but don’t hold your breath. Meanwhile, CrossOver allows Apple’s newest machines to run Windows apps, [and reportedly does it brilliantly](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/728344\/crossover-windows-apps-m1-mac\/).\n\n### iPhone and iPad apps\nOne of the big selling points of the M1 is the ability to run iPhone and iPad apps on these new Macs. In the Mac App Store, iOS\/iPadOS apps appear in their own tab in search results. Once installed, they run in their own small window, and are controlled using the keyboard and trackpad instead of your fingers. I haven’t had a chance to download many of the hundreds of iOS and iPadOS apps and games available, and I had trouble finding the ones I did want, like Instagram. I did, however, play a couple of Apple Arcade games, including *[Super Stickman Golf 2](https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/super-stickman-golf-2\/id585259203)* and [*Among Us\\!*](https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/among-us\/id1351168404) Both played flawlessly and looked great.\n\n### What it’s like to use\n![No butterfly keyboard -- what a relief\\!](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/MacBook_Air_M1_trackpad.jpeg)\n\nNo butterfly keyboard — what a relief\\!  \nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\n\nThanks to that M1 chip, the MacBook Air wakes up immediately, ready for action the minute you press the Touch ID sensor. (The older Intel MacBook Pro wakes up about as fast as I do, which is not fast.) The keyboard is the old scissor-switch-style, which replaces the much-hated butterfly design. In the past, I’ve misguidedly defended the butterfly keyboard, and it’s just now that I realize how much I like the older design. I’m glad to see it back. There’s better travel on the keys, and they don’t bash your fingertips like the flatter butterfly keys. The Air keyboard feels roomy and expansive, and the backlight makes it really easy to use in the dark.\n\nThere’s no Touch Bar on the Air, and TBH, I don’t miss it much. Touch ID works as expected — flawlessly. The Force Touch trackpad is huge and works great. It has a nice, gentle click, which is purely perceptive. The “click” is generated by a Haptic Engine. The actual trackpad doesn’t move at all. The Air’s built-in speakers are fantastic. They can really pump the jams.\n\n![The backlit keyboard is a joy to type on in the dark.](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/MacBook_Air_M1_keyboard.jpeg)\n\nThe backlit keyboard is a joy to type on in the dark.  \nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\n### Benchmarks\nI didn’t run any benchmarks. They’ve already been [covered to death](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/?s=benchmarks). Nonetheless, benchmarks show the new M1-equipped Macs are faster than most Macs that use Intel chips. Even the Air, the lowliest MacBook in Apple’s own lineup, [beats every other mobile CPU on the market](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/727721\/m1-macbook-air-cpu-in-benchmarks\/). One YouTube reviewer was so surprised by the benchmarks, [he flat out didn’t believe them](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XQ6vX6nmboU).\n\n### The downsides\n![MacBook Air M1 2020: Unfortunately, the new MacBook Air comes with only two ports.](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/MacBook_Air_M1_-Thunderbolt-_ports.jpeg)\n\nUnfortunately, the new MacBook Air comes with only two ports.  \nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\n\nThere are a few minor disappointments, however. The new M1 Macs will [only support one external monitor](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/728610\/6-reasons-an-m1-mac-might-not-be-right-for-you\/), not two or more like previous MacBooks. And, like previous MacBooks, the new Air has a webcam that maxes out at 720p resolution, which is positively archaic given today’s webcam standards and the fact we live in a Zoom world. Apple says the M1 chip will upgrade the image, but I didn’t notice that it was spectacularly better. Perhaps in low light it was better. I use the webcam only for the occasional Zoom call, and it’s not a high-priority feature for me, but if you want a better webcam, get an external one.\n\nOne thing I do miss is Face ID, which I would love to see make its way to the Mac. Perhaps it will debut on some future iMac or MacBook Pro. For now, Touch ID will suffice. I do love it for logging in, filling in passwords and approving system updates. But Face ID would be better.\n\nAnd there are only two Thunderbolt\/USB 4 ports. The lack of ports drives some people absolutely batty, especially when one port is used for charging. I have a [Satechi USB-C multiport adapter](https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B07F7NBVJK?tag=cult087-20), which sports a couple of USB ports, two card readers and HDMI. Yeah, it’s something extra to carry, but it lives in my backpack and is readily available when I need to plug stuff in. For the most part, I *don’t* plug stuff in. I rarely need dongles. But if you do use external peripherals, the Air’s lack of ports is something to be aware of.\n\n### Conclusion\n![MacBook Air M1 2020 makes a good cat bed, too.](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/MacBook_Air_M1_cat_.jpeg)\n\nIt even makes a good cat bed\\!  \nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\n\nThe new M1 MacBook Air is classic Apple. It’s a great computer at a fair price. It’s not the cheapest laptop by a long shot, but this machine will last for years. My son is still using an older Intel-based MacBook Air from 2012.\n\nThe M1 Air is a great laptop. Powerful performance. Long battery life. Completely silent and cool. It’s the distillation of what Apple does best — democratizing technology. Bringing tech to the masses. It’s a great computer for most people. As I was playing with the Air over the weekend, I wondered to myself, is this a classic? Could it be up there with the best Macs ever made? It certainly feels like an instant classic. Even my cat loves it.\n\n![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0bcecb747875fd316b49f9eb2a657a8deb3e7570d93e3d216eac60e2843624df?s=121&d=mm&r=g)\n\n[Leander Kahney](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/author\/leander-kahney)\n\n**Leander Kahney** is the editor and publisher of *Cult of Mac*.\n\nLeander is a [longtime technology reporter](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Leander_Kahney) and the author of six acclaimed books about [Apple](https:\/\/www.apple.com\/), including two *New York Times* bestsellers: [*Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple’s Greatest Products*](https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/159184617X\/?tag=cult087-20) and [*Inside Steve’s Brain*](https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1591845513\/?tag=cult087-20), a biography of Steve Jobs.\n\nHe’s also written a top-selling biography of [Apple CEO Tim Cook](https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B07FLVCT2J\/?tag=cult087-20) and authored [*Cult of Mac*](https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1886411832\/?tag=cult087-20) and [*Cult of iPod*](https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1593270666\/?tag=cult087-20), which both won prestigious design awards. Most recently, he was co-author of [*Cult of Mac, 2nd Edition*](https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Cult-Mac-2nd-Leander-Kahney\/dp\/1593279140\/?tag=cult087-20).\n\nLeander has been reporting about Apple and technology for nearly 30 years.\n\nBefore founding *Cult of Mac* as an independent publication, Leander was news editor at [Wired.com](https:\/\/www.wired.com\/), where he was responsible for the day-to-day running of the Wired.com website. He headed up a team of six section editors, a dozen reporters and a large pool of freelancers. Together the team produced a daily digest of stories about the impact of science and technology, and won several awards, including [several Webby Awards](https:\/\/winners.webbyawards.com\/search?sort=0&searchTerm=wired), 2X [Knight-Batten Awards for Innovation in Journalism](http:\/\/www.j-lab.org\/projects\/knight-batten-awards-for-innovations-in-journalism\/) and the [2010 MIN (Magazine Industry Newsletter) award for best blog](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20120206130837\/http:\/\/www.minonline.com\/awards\/bestofweb10\/), among others.\n\nBefore being promoted to news editor, Leander was Wired.com’s senior reporter, primarily covering Apple. During that time, Leander published a ton of scoops, including the [first in-depth report about the development of the iPod](https:\/\/www.wired.com\/2004\/07\/inside-look-at-birth-of-the-ipod\/). Leander attended almost every keynote speech and special product launch presented by Steve Jobs, including the historic launches of the iPhone and iPad. He also reported from almost every Macworld Expo in the late ’90s and early ‘2000s, including, sadly, the last shows in Boston, San Francisco and Tokyo. His reporting for Wired.com formed the basis of the first *Cult of Mac* book, and subsequently this website.\n\nBefore joining Wired, Leander was a senior reporter at the legendary *MacWeek*, the storied and long-running weekly that documented Apple and its community in the 1980s and ’90s.\n\nLeander has written for *Wired* magazine (including the Issue 16.04 cover story about [Steve Jobs’ leadership at Apple, entitled Evil\/Genius](https:\/\/www.wired.com\/2008\/03\/how-apple-got-everything-right-by-doing-everything-wrong\/)), *Scientific American*, *The Guardian*, *The Observer*, *The San Francisco Chronicle* and many other publications.\n\nLeander has a [postgrad diploma in artificial intelligence](https:\/\/www.abdn.ac.uk\/study\/postgraduate-taught\/degree-programmes\/1034\/artificial-intelligence\/) from the University of Aberdeen, and a [BSc (Hons) in experimental psychology](https:\/\/www.sussex.ac.uk\/study\/undergraduate\/courses\/psychology-bsc) from the University of Sussex.\n\nHe has a [diploma in journalism](http:\/\/www.nctj.com\/journalism-qualifications\/diploma-in-journalism) from the UK’s National Council for the Training of Journalists.\n\nLeander lives in San Francisco, California, and is married with four children. He’s an avid biker and has ridden in many long-distance bike events, including California’s legendary [Death Ride](https:\/\/deathride.com\/).\n\nYou can find out more about Leander on [LinkedIn](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/leanderkahney\/) and [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/lkahney\/). You can follow him on X at [@lkahney](https:\/\/twitter.com\/lkahney\/) or [Instagram](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/lkahney\/).\n\n[![Add as a preferred source on Google](https:\/\/cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2421769f-57a4-4bff-913f-cf316747493e.jpg)](https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com)\n### Comments [Cancel reply](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews\/m1-macbook-air-review#respond)\n- ![](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/themes\/com2014\/images\/newsletter_com_today512x556.jpg)\n  #### *Subscribe to the Newsletter*\n  Our daily roundup of Apple news, reviews and how-tos. Plus the best Apple tweets, fun polls and inspiring Steve Jobs bons mots. *Our readers say: \"Love what you do\" -- Christi Cardenas. \"Absolutely love the content!\" -- Harshita Arora. \"Genuinely one of the highlights of my inbox\" -- Lee Barnett.*\n\n[Newsletter archive](https:\/\/newsletters.cultofmac.com\/)\n\n## Popular This Week\n- [Why Apple pulled high-end Mac mini and Mac Studio models from sale](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news\/apple-pulls-high-end-mac-mini-mac-studio-models-sale?utm_campaign=popp_post1)\n  ### [Why Apple pulled high-end Mac mini and Mac Studio models from sale](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news\/apple-pulls-high-end-mac-mini-mac-studio-models-sale?utm_campaign=popp_post1)\n- [Top 7 CarPlay voice commands for every driver](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/how-to\/best-carplay-voice-commands?utm_campaign=popp_post2)\n  ### [Top 7 CarPlay voice commands for every driver](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/how-to\/best-carplay-voice-commands?utm_campaign=popp_post2)\n- [Why MacBook Neo 2 will boast 50% more RAM](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news\/why-macbook-neo-2-will-boast-50-more-ram?utm_campaign=popp_post3)\n  ### [Why MacBook Neo 2 will boast 50% more RAM](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news\/why-macbook-neo-2-will-boast-50-more-ram?utm_campaign=popp_post3)\n- [New 10-port hub brings 8K video and high-speed networking to MacBooks](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news\/plugable-usbc-10in1e-usb-c-hub-dock-8k-video?utm_campaign=popp_post4)\n  ### [New 10-port hub brings 8K video and high-speed networking to MacBooks](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news\/plugable-usbc-10in1e-usb-c-hub-dock-8k-video?utm_campaign=popp_post4)\n- [3 ways to give your old iPhone a performance boost](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/how-to\/speed-up-old-iphone?utm_campaign=popp_post5)\n  ### [3 ways to give your old iPhone a performance boost](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/how-to\/speed-up-old-iphone?utm_campaign=popp_post5)\n- [See all your streaming bills and other subscriptions in one simple dashboard](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/deals\/subscriptionnotebook?utm_campaign=popp_post6)\n  ### [See all your streaming bills and other subscriptions in one simple dashboard \\[Deals\\]](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/deals\/subscriptionnotebook?utm_campaign=popp_post6)\n- [How to hide all the menu bar icons in macOS Tahoe](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/how-to\/tahoe-menu-bar-icons?utm_campaign=popp_post7)\n  ### [How to hide all the menu bar icons in macOS Tahoe](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/how-to\/tahoe-menu-bar-icons?utm_campaign=popp_post7)\n- [How Apple’s folding iPhone will crack the crease problem](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news\/how-apples-folding-iphone-will-crack-the-crease-problem?utm_campaign=popp_post8)\n  ### [How Apple’s folding iPhone will crack the crease problem](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news\/how-apples-folding-iphone-will-crack-the-crease-problem?utm_campaign=popp_post8)\n- [Apple smart glasses could stand out in more ways than one](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news\/apple-smart-glasses-could-stand-out-in-more-ways-than-one?utm_campaign=popp_post9)\n  ### [Apple smart glasses could stand out in more ways than one](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news\/apple-smart-glasses-could-stand-out-in-more-ways-than-one?utm_campaign=popp_post9)\n- [iOS 26.4 adds new way to tone down Liquid Glass](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/how-to\/reduce-bright-effects-ios-26-4-liquid-glass?utm_campaign=popp_post10)\n  ### [iOS 26.4 adds new way to tone down Liquid Glass](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/how-to\/reduce-bright-effects-ios-26-4-liquid-glass?utm_campaign=popp_post10)\n\n**Posted in:** [Reviews](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews) **Tagged:** [M1 chip](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/m1-chip), [MacBook Air](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/macbook-air), [Magic Keyboard](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/magic-keyboard), [n1](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/n1), [Newsstand](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/newsstand), [Top stories](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/top-stories), [Touch ID](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/touch-id)\n\n- [About](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/about)\n- [Advertise](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/advertising-with-cultofmac-com)\n- [Privacy](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/news\/apple-google-invited-to-senate-hearing-on-mobile-phone-privacy\/attachment\/privacy)\n#### Latest Posts\n\n- [Advertising with Cult of Mac](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/advertising-with-cultofmac-com)\n- [Our privacy policy](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/privacy-policy)\n- [About Cult of Mac](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/about)\n- [Our comment moderation policy](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/cult-of-macs-commenting-moderation-policy)\n\nCopyright © 2026 - Cult of Mac. All rights reserved.\n\n×\n\n## Subscribe to the Cult of Mac newsletter\nA daily blast of Apple news, reviews, how-tos and deals, delivered straight to your inbox.\n\nThank you! You’ll be hearing from us soon.\n\n![](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tr?id=309115492766084&ev=EditorialView&noscript=1)","attrs_readable_markdown":"- [Reviews](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews \"Reviews\")\n\n![MacBook Air M1 2020](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/MacBook_Air_M1_back.jpeg)\n\nApple's new M1 chip makes this ultraportable laptop ultra-fantastic.   \n*Photo: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac*\n\nI just opened more than 650 tabs in Safari on a new M1 MacBook Air. I would have opened more, but I got bored.\n\nMeanwhile, in the background, the machine is downloading Photoshop and the Microsoft 360 suite, and I can see in Activity Monitor that it’s processing thousands of iCloud photos while also indexing the hard drive.\n\nDespite this, the machine is as fleet as a greyhound. I started working on a Photoshop project while checking email, keeping an eye on TweetDeck and, of course, clicking around all those open Safari tabs. The MacBook Air is just humming. I’ve never seen anything like it.\n\n### Opening 650 tabs in Safari\nAs you can see in the embedded video above, there are 653 tabs open. I can click around with abandon! Oh happy day! I kept the tabs open all weekend while I’ve been testing and working on the new machine. It hasn’t slowed down at all. (Note: Most of the tabs aren’t active. The majority of tabs are cached in the background, and are dormant until they are clicked on. But once clicked, they load quickly.)\n\nHalf-incredulous, I tried the same thing on my previous MacBook, a relatively recent 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro. By contrast, the Pro was unusable during the test. It began to get creaky at 50 tabs, really started choking at 100 tabs, and at 150 tabs, it slowed to a painful crawl. At this point, the dreaded spinning beachball of death appeared every time I tried to do anything. Photoshop crashed, so I force-quit Safari and rebooted. (The older MacBook Pro is [a 2.9 GhZ Dual-Core Intel i5](https:\/\/everymac.com\/systems\/apple\/macbook_pro\/specs\/macbook-pro-core-i5-2.9-13-late-2016-retina-display-touch-bar-specs.html), with 16GB of RAM and a 250GB SSD drive. It cost \\$1,700. It’s not the most powerful MacBook Apple ever made, but it is supposed to be a step up from the Air — until now. Both machines are running Apple’s latest macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 and the 14.0.1 version of Safari.)\n\n### M1 MacBook Air battery life is insane\nThis is the point where I should mention battery life. I haven’t charged the MacBook Air’s battery since opening the box on Thursday. It’s been running for four days now on a single charge, which is mind-boggling. My previous MacBook Pro can barely get through an afternoon. I haven’t been using the Air all day, every day. I tinkered around for a couple of hours Friday, left it alone most of Saturday, used it most of the day Sunday, and half of Monday morning. It finally ran out of juice at noon on Monday. When it comes to battery life, it’s more like an iPad than a notebook.\n\nAccording to Apple, the M1 MacBook Air offers up to 15 hours of wireless web browsing and up to 18 hours of video playback in between charges. That compares to just 10 hours of browsing on the previous Air. I didn’t do a great job timing it, but I estimate I got between 12 and 13 hours of tinkering about opening up browser tabs and downloading iPad games. That’s almost two full days of work, and is easily the best battery performance I’ve ever got from any Mac.\n\n### Design\n![MacBook Air M1 2020: The new MacBook Air retains the same wedge profile](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/MacBook_Air_M1_side_profile_.jpeg)\n\nThe new MacBook Air retains its predecessor’s wedge profile.  \nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\n\nThere’s no way to tell this is a new MacBook Air from the outside. The M1 model sports the same wedge-shaped design we all know and love, which still slips nicely inside a Manila envelope, just like the original. It measures just 0.16 inches at its thinnest point and 0.63 inches at its thickest point, and it weighs just 2.8 pounds. The same gold, silver and space gray color options are available, and you get a 30W USB-C power adapter in the box, just like before. Aside from the M1 chip, the only other changes from the previous model are Wi-Fi 6 and a better screen that can display a wider range of colors.\n\nBuying an M1 MacBook Air is a lot simpler than it used to be. All models are powered by the M1 chip — you don’t have to choose between different Intel chips anymore — and there are just two standard configurations to choose from. The most affordable offers a 256GB SSD for \\$999; the other bumps storage to 512GB for \\$1,249. Both have 8GB of RAM. You can order extra RAM, which maxes out at 16GB in all M1 machines, and it’s possible to add up to 2TB of storage. I’ve been testing the 16GB RAM\/512GB SSD version, which costs \\$1,450.\n\nOther features include two Thunderbolt ports, a gorgeous 13-inch Retina display with True Tone, a brilliant Magic Keyboard, and a trusty Touch ID sensor. The M1 MacBook Air is [the first that boasts a completely silent design](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/727460\/macbook-air-goes-silent-insanely-fast-with-apple-m1-chip\/). It is passively cooled, which means it has no fan, and yet it stays cool no matter how hard you push it. That’s a terrific change for anyone who likes to work in silence.\n\n### The M1 chip\n![The powerful M1 chip inside gives this laptop unbelievable performance.](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/MacBook_Air_M1_front_1.jpeg)\n\nThe powerful M1 chip inside gives this laptop unbelievable performance.  \nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\n\nThe best reason to buy a new MacBook Air is, of course, the [M1 chip](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/727437\/apple-macbook-first-apple-silicon\/). It’s Apple’s first custom chipset for Mac, and the first computer chip built using the latest 5-nanometer manufacturing process. It’s an amazing feat of engineering, with a whopping 16 billion transistors. The M1 features an 8-core CPU, an 8-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine for optimizing machine learning. (Note: The entry-level MacBook Air [only utilizes seven of the GPU’s eight cores](https:\/\/9to5mac.com\/2020\/11\/11\/why-is-there-a-comical-difference-in-the-new-macbook-air-specs\/).)\n\nAnd it doesn’t stop there. M1 also features Apple’s new [unified memory architecture](https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/videos\/play\/wwdc2020\/10686\/), or UMA. The UMA puts high-bandwidth, low-latency memory together into a single pool so that all of the technologies baked into the M1 can access the same data without having to copy it between multiple memory pools. The UMA dramatically improves performance and power efficiency, Apple says. So although 16GB of maximum RAM may not seem like a lot, you’ll be surprised how far it goes. We’ve already seen what Apple can do with smaller memory capacities on iPhone (compared to rival Android devices), and now it’s doing the same on Mac. All these things help make the M1 significantly faster than rival mobile chips (and even most desktop chips). Apple says the new MacBook Air delivers 3.5x faster CPU performance and up to 2x faster graphics. And despite all that, battery life is better than ever.\n\n### Running old Intel apps\nPerhaps the biggest issue with the new M1 chips is compatibility with old Intel apps, which at this point, is the vast majority of Mac apps. New M1 Macs run Intel apps using [Rosetta 2](https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/documentation\/apple_silicon\/about_the_rosetta_translation_environment), which converts the code on the fly. The original Rosetta did the same thing during the PowerPC-to-Intel transition.\n\nSo far, it’s been working like a champ. I installed Adobe Photoshop, Zoom, Slack, [Dashlane password manager](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/?s=dashlane), TweetDeck and Microsoft Word and Excel. I also installed a new version of [Google Chrome written for the M1 architecture](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/728234\/google-chrome-apple-silicon\/), and have been running some of Apple’s apps that have been rewritten for the M1 also.\n\nSo far, they’ve all been running almost flawlessly. Aside from a weird freeze during the initial setup (while adding a credit card to Apple Pay), I’ve yet to experience any crashes, slowdowns or unexpected freezes. I’ve also had no installation errors, which [others have reported](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/728566\/avoid-macos-reinstallation-errors-m1-mac\/).\n\nSaying that, some other early testers have reported problems. Reviewing the new M1 MacBook Pro for *Forbes*, Patrick Moorhead [encountered several software problems](https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/patrickmoorhead\/2020\/11\/21\/apple-macbook-pro-13-m1-reviewwhy-you-might-want-to-pass), and linked to a [running list of apps incompatible with Rosetta 2](https:\/\/isapplesiliconready.com\/). This is perhaps the one big caveat for the new M1: If there’s an Intel app you need and can’t find an alternative, best to check the list and keep an eye on the app’s developer for an update.\n\n### What about Windows?\nOne big missing piece of software is Microsoft’s Windows. Thanks to the new architecture, M1 Macs will no longer run Windows natively like Intel-based Macs. So no [Boot Camp](https:\/\/support.apple.com\/boot-camp) and no dual boot. But it will run Windows in emulation. (Reports on Twitter say that works pretty well.) There’s also an ARM version of Windows that [one day may be retooled to run on Apple hardware](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/728484\/apple-silicon-windows-on-arm-boot-camp-potential\/), but don’t hold your breath. Meanwhile, CrossOver allows Apple’s newest machines to run Windows apps, [and reportedly does it brilliantly](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/728344\/crossover-windows-apps-m1-mac\/).\n\n### iPhone and iPad apps\nOne of the big selling points of the M1 is the ability to run iPhone and iPad apps on these new Macs. In the Mac App Store, iOS\/iPadOS apps appear in their own tab in search results. Once installed, they run in their own small window, and are controlled using the keyboard and trackpad instead of your fingers. I haven’t had a chance to download many of the hundreds of iOS and iPadOS apps and games available, and I had trouble finding the ones I did want, like Instagram. I did, however, play a couple of Apple Arcade games, including *[Super Stickman Golf 2](https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/super-stickman-golf-2\/id585259203)* and [*Among Us\\!*](https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/among-us\/id1351168404) Both played flawlessly and looked great.\n\n### What it’s like to use\n![No butterfly keyboard -- what a relief\\!](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/MacBook_Air_M1_trackpad.jpeg)\n\nNo butterfly keyboard — what a relief\\!  \nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\n\nThanks to that M1 chip, the MacBook Air wakes up immediately, ready for action the minute you press the Touch ID sensor. (The older Intel MacBook Pro wakes up about as fast as I do, which is not fast.) The keyboard is the old scissor-switch-style, which replaces the much-hated butterfly design. In the past, I’ve misguidedly defended the butterfly keyboard, and it’s just now that I realize how much I like the older design. I’m glad to see it back. There’s better travel on the keys, and they don’t bash your fingertips like the flatter butterfly keys. The Air keyboard feels roomy and expansive, and the backlight makes it really easy to use in the dark.\n\nThere’s no Touch Bar on the Air, and TBH, I don’t miss it much. Touch ID works as expected — flawlessly. The Force Touch trackpad is huge and works great. It has a nice, gentle click, which is purely perceptive. The “click” is generated by a Haptic Engine. The actual trackpad doesn’t move at all. The Air’s built-in speakers are fantastic. They can really pump the jams.\n\n![The backlit keyboard is a joy to type on in the dark.](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/MacBook_Air_M1_keyboard.jpeg)\n\nThe backlit keyboard is a joy to type on in the dark.  \nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\n### Benchmarks\nI didn’t run any benchmarks. They’ve already been [covered to death](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/?s=benchmarks). Nonetheless, benchmarks show the new M1-equipped Macs are faster than most Macs that use Intel chips. Even the Air, the lowliest MacBook in Apple’s own lineup, [beats every other mobile CPU on the market](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/727721\/m1-macbook-air-cpu-in-benchmarks\/). One YouTube reviewer was so surprised by the benchmarks, [he flat out didn’t believe them](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XQ6vX6nmboU).\n\n### The downsides\n![MacBook Air M1 2020: Unfortunately, the new MacBook Air comes with only two ports.](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/MacBook_Air_M1_-Thunderbolt-_ports.jpeg)\n\nUnfortunately, the new MacBook Air comes with only two ports.  \nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\n\nThere are a few minor disappointments, however. The new M1 Macs will [only support one external monitor](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/728610\/6-reasons-an-m1-mac-might-not-be-right-for-you\/), not two or more like previous MacBooks. And, like previous MacBooks, the new Air has a webcam that maxes out at 720p resolution, which is positively archaic given today’s webcam standards and the fact we live in a Zoom world. Apple says the M1 chip will upgrade the image, but I didn’t notice that it was spectacularly better. Perhaps in low light it was better. I use the webcam only for the occasional Zoom call, and it’s not a high-priority feature for me, but if you want a better webcam, get an external one.\n\nOne thing I do miss is Face ID, which I would love to see make its way to the Mac. Perhaps it will debut on some future iMac or MacBook Pro. For now, Touch ID will suffice. I do love it for logging in, filling in passwords and approving system updates. But Face ID would be better.\n\nAnd there are only two Thunderbolt\/USB 4 ports. The lack of ports drives some people absolutely batty, especially when one port is used for charging. I have a [Satechi USB-C multiport adapter](https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B07F7NBVJK?tag=cult087-20), which sports a couple of USB ports, two card readers and HDMI. Yeah, it’s something extra to carry, but it lives in my backpack and is readily available when I need to plug stuff in. For the most part, I *don’t* plug stuff in. I rarely need dongles. But if you do use external peripherals, the Air’s lack of ports is something to be aware of.\n\n### Conclusion\n![MacBook Air M1 2020 makes a good cat bed, too.](https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/MacBook_Air_M1_cat_.jpeg)\n\nIt even makes a good cat bed\\!  \nPhoto: Leander Kahney\/Cult of Mac\n\nThe new M1 MacBook Air is classic Apple. It’s a great computer at a fair price. It’s not the cheapest laptop by a long shot, but this machine will last for years. My son is still using an older Intel-based MacBook Air from 2012.\n\nThe M1 Air is a great laptop. Powerful performance. Long battery life. Completely silent and cool. It’s the distillation of what Apple does best — democratizing technology. Bringing tech to the masses. It’s a great computer for most people. As I was playing with the Air over the weekend, I wondered to myself, is this a classic? Could it be up there with the best Macs ever made? It certainly feels like an instant classic. Even my cat loves it.\n\n![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0bcecb747875fd316b49f9eb2a657a8deb3e7570d93e3d216eac60e2843624df?s=121&d=mm&r=g)\n\n**Leander Kahney** is the editor and publisher of *Cult of Mac*.\n\nLeander is a [longtime technology reporter](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Leander_Kahney) and the author of six acclaimed books about [Apple](https:\/\/www.apple.com\/), including two *New York Times* bestsellers: [*Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple’s Greatest Products*](https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/159184617X\/?tag=cult087-20) and [*Inside Steve’s Brain*](https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1591845513\/?tag=cult087-20), a biography of Steve Jobs.\n\nHe’s also written a top-selling biography of [Apple CEO Tim Cook](https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B07FLVCT2J\/?tag=cult087-20) and authored [*Cult of Mac*](https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1886411832\/?tag=cult087-20) and [*Cult of iPod*](https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1593270666\/?tag=cult087-20), which both won prestigious design awards. Most recently, he was co-author of [*Cult of Mac, 2nd Edition*](https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Cult-Mac-2nd-Leander-Kahney\/dp\/1593279140\/?tag=cult087-20).\n\nLeander has been reporting about Apple and technology for nearly 30 years.\n\nBefore founding *Cult of Mac* as an independent publication, Leander was news editor at [Wired.com](https:\/\/www.wired.com\/), where he was responsible for the day-to-day running of the Wired.com website. He headed up a team of six section editors, a dozen reporters and a large pool of freelancers. Together the team produced a daily digest of stories about the impact of science and technology, and won several awards, including [several Webby Awards](https:\/\/winners.webbyawards.com\/search?sort=0&searchTerm=wired), 2X [Knight-Batten Awards for Innovation in Journalism](http:\/\/www.j-lab.org\/projects\/knight-batten-awards-for-innovations-in-journalism\/) and the [2010 MIN (Magazine Industry Newsletter) award for best blog](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20120206130837\/http:\/\/www.minonline.com\/awards\/bestofweb10\/), among others.\n\nBefore being promoted to news editor, Leander was Wired.com’s senior reporter, primarily covering Apple. During that time, Leander published a ton of scoops, including the [first in-depth report about the development of the iPod](https:\/\/www.wired.com\/2004\/07\/inside-look-at-birth-of-the-ipod\/). Leander attended almost every keynote speech and special product launch presented by Steve Jobs, including the historic launches of the iPhone and iPad. He also reported from almost every Macworld Expo in the late ’90s and early ‘2000s, including, sadly, the last shows in Boston, San Francisco and Tokyo. His reporting for Wired.com formed the basis of the first *Cult of Mac* book, and subsequently this website.\n\nBefore joining Wired, Leander was a senior reporter at the legendary *MacWeek*, the storied and long-running weekly that documented Apple and its community in the 1980s and ’90s.\n\nLeander has written for *Wired* magazine (including the Issue 16.04 cover story about [Steve Jobs’ leadership at Apple, entitled Evil\/Genius](https:\/\/www.wired.com\/2008\/03\/how-apple-got-everything-right-by-doing-everything-wrong\/)), *Scientific American*, *The Guardian*, *The Observer*, *The San Francisco Chronicle* and many other publications.\n\nLeander has a [postgrad diploma in artificial intelligence](https:\/\/www.abdn.ac.uk\/study\/postgraduate-taught\/degree-programmes\/1034\/artificial-intelligence\/) from the University of Aberdeen, and a [BSc (Hons) in experimental psychology](https:\/\/www.sussex.ac.uk\/study\/undergraduate\/courses\/psychology-bsc) from the University of Sussex.\n\nHe has a [diploma in journalism](http:\/\/www.nctj.com\/journalism-qualifications\/diploma-in-journalism) from the UK’s National Council for the Training of Journalists.\n\nLeander lives in San Francisco, California, and is married with four children. He’s an avid biker and has ridden in many long-distance bike events, including California’s legendary [Death Ride](https:\/\/deathride.com\/).\n\nYou can find out more about Leander on [LinkedIn](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/leanderkahney\/) and [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/lkahney\/). You can follow him on X at [@lkahney](https:\/\/twitter.com\/lkahney\/) or [Instagram](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/lkahney\/).\n\n[![Add as a preferred source on Google](https:\/\/cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2421769f-57a4-4bff-913f-cf316747493e.jpg)](https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com)","meta_canonical":null}

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URL	https://www.cultofmac.com/reviews/m1-macbook-air-review
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Meta Title	M1 MacBook Air review: Apple unleashes an instant classic \| Cult of Mac
Meta Description	It's blazing-fast, ultraportable and boasts mind-blowing battery life. The new entry-level laptop is classic Apple. An M1 MacBook Air review.
Meta Canonical	null
Boilerpipe Text	Reviews Apple's new M1 chip makes this ultraportable laptop ultra-fantastic. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac I just opened more than 650 tabs in Safari on a new M1 MacBook Air. I would have opened more, but I got bored. Meanwhile, in the background, the machine is downloading Photoshop and the Microsoft 360 suite, and I can see in Activity Monitor that it’s processing thousands of iCloud photos while also indexing the hard drive. Despite this, the machine is as fleet as a greyhound. I started working on a Photoshop project while checking email, keeping an eye on TweetDeck and, of course, clicking around all those open Safari tabs. The MacBook Air is just humming. I’ve never seen anything like it. Opening 650 tabs in Safari As you can see in the embedded video above, there are 653 tabs open. I can click around with abandon! Oh happy day! I kept the tabs open all weekend while I’ve been testing and working on the new machine. It hasn’t slowed down at all. (Note: Most of the tabs aren’t active. The majority of tabs are cached in the background, and are dormant until they are clicked on. But once clicked, they load quickly.) Half-incredulous, I tried the same thing on my previous MacBook, a relatively recent 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro. By contrast, the Pro was unusable during the test. It began to get creaky at 50 tabs, really started choking at 100 tabs, and at 150 tabs, it slowed to a painful crawl. At this point, the dreaded spinning beachball of death appeared every time I tried to do anything. Photoshop crashed, so I force-quit Safari and rebooted. (The older MacBook Pro is a 2.9 GhZ Dual-Core Intel i5 , with 16GB of RAM and a 250GB SSD drive. It cost $1,700. It’s not the most powerful MacBook Apple ever made, but it is supposed to be a step up from the Air — until now. Both machines are running Apple’s latest macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 and the 14.0.1 version of Safari.) M1 MacBook Air battery life is insane This is the point where I should mention battery life. I haven’t charged the MacBook Air’s battery since opening the box on Thursday. It’s been running for four days now on a single charge, which is mind-boggling. My previous MacBook Pro can barely get through an afternoon. I haven’t been using the Air all day, every day. I tinkered around for a couple of hours Friday, left it alone most of Saturday, used it most of the day Sunday, and half of Monday morning. It finally ran out of juice at noon on Monday. When it comes to battery life, it’s more like an iPad than a notebook. According to Apple, the M1 MacBook Air offers up to 15 hours of wireless web browsing and up to 18 hours of video playback in between charges. That compares to just 10 hours of browsing on the previous Air. I didn’t do a great job timing it, but I estimate I got between 12 and 13 hours of tinkering about opening up browser tabs and downloading iPad games. That’s almost two full days of work, and is easily the best battery performance I’ve ever got from any Mac. Design The new MacBook Air retains its predecessor’s wedge profile. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac There’s no way to tell this is a new MacBook Air from the outside. The M1 model sports the same wedge-shaped design we all know and love, which still slips nicely inside a Manila envelope, just like the original. It measures just 0.16 inches at its thinnest point and 0.63 inches at its thickest point, and it weighs just 2.8 pounds. The same gold, silver and space gray color options are available, and you get a 30W USB-C power adapter in the box, just like before. Aside from the M1 chip, the only other changes from the previous model are Wi-Fi 6 and a better screen that can display a wider range of colors. Buying an M1 MacBook Air is a lot simpler than it used to be. All models are powered by the M1 chip — you don’t have to choose between different Intel chips anymore — and there are just two standard configurations to choose from. The most affordable offers a 256GB SSD for $999; the other bumps storage to 512GB for $1,249. Both have 8GB of RAM. You can order extra RAM, which maxes out at 16GB in all M1 machines, and it’s possible to add up to 2TB of storage. I’ve been testing the 16GB RAM/512GB SSD version, which costs $1,450. Other features include two Thunderbolt ports, a gorgeous 13-inch Retina display with True Tone, a brilliant Magic Keyboard, and a trusty Touch ID sensor. The M1 MacBook Air is the first that boasts a completely silent design . It is passively cooled, which means it has no fan, and yet it stays cool no matter how hard you push it. That’s a terrific change for anyone who likes to work in silence. The M1 chip The powerful M1 chip inside gives this laptop unbelievable performance. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac The best reason to buy a new MacBook Air is, of course, the M1 chip . It’s Apple’s first custom chipset for Mac, and the first computer chip built using the latest 5-nanometer manufacturing process. It’s an amazing feat of engineering, with a whopping 16 billion transistors. The M1 features an 8-core CPU, an 8-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine for optimizing machine learning. (Note: The entry-level MacBook Air only utilizes seven of the GPU’s eight cores .) And it doesn’t stop there. M1 also features Apple’s new unified memory architecture , or UMA. The UMA puts high-bandwidth, low-latency memory together into a single pool so that all of the technologies baked into the M1 can access the same data without having to copy it between multiple memory pools. The UMA dramatically improves performance and power efficiency, Apple says. So although 16GB of maximum RAM may not seem like a lot, you’ll be surprised how far it goes. We’ve already seen what Apple can do with smaller memory capacities on iPhone (compared to rival Android devices), and now it’s doing the same on Mac. All these things help make the M1 significantly faster than rival mobile chips (and even most desktop chips). Apple says the new MacBook Air delivers 3.5x faster CPU performance and up to 2x faster graphics. And despite all that, battery life is better than ever. Running old Intel apps Perhaps the biggest issue with the new M1 chips is compatibility with old Intel apps, which at this point, is the vast majority of Mac apps. New M1 Macs run Intel apps using Rosetta 2 , which converts the code on the fly. The original Rosetta did the same thing during the PowerPC-to-Intel transition. So far, it’s been working like a champ. I installed Adobe Photoshop, Zoom, Slack, Dashlane password manager , TweetDeck and Microsoft Word and Excel. I also installed a new version of Google Chrome written for the M1 architecture , and have been running some of Apple’s apps that have been rewritten for the M1 also. So far, they’ve all been running almost flawlessly. Aside from a weird freeze during the initial setup (while adding a credit card to Apple Pay), I’ve yet to experience any crashes, slowdowns or unexpected freezes. I’ve also had no installation errors, which others have reported . Saying that, some other early testers have reported problems. Reviewing the new M1 MacBook Pro for Forbes , Patrick Moorhead encountered several software problems , and linked to a running list of apps incompatible with Rosetta 2 . This is perhaps the one big caveat for the new M1: If there’s an Intel app you need and can’t find an alternative, best to check the list and keep an eye on the app’s developer for an update. What about Windows? One big missing piece of software is Microsoft’s Windows. Thanks to the new architecture, M1 Macs will no longer run Windows natively like Intel-based Macs. So no Boot Camp and no dual boot. But it will run Windows in emulation. (Reports on Twitter say that works pretty well.) There’s also an ARM version of Windows that one day may be retooled to run on Apple hardware , but don’t hold your breath. Meanwhile, CrossOver allows Apple’s newest machines to run Windows apps, and reportedly does it brilliantly . iPhone and iPad apps One of the big selling points of the M1 is the ability to run iPhone and iPad apps on these new Macs. In the Mac App Store, iOS/iPadOS apps appear in their own tab in search results. Once installed, they run in their own small window, and are controlled using the keyboard and trackpad instead of your fingers. I haven’t had a chance to download many of the hundreds of iOS and iPadOS apps and games available, and I had trouble finding the ones I did want, like Instagram. I did, however, play a couple of Apple Arcade games, including Super Stickman Golf 2 and Among Us! Both played flawlessly and looked great. What it’s like to use No butterfly keyboard — what a relief! Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac Thanks to that M1 chip, the MacBook Air wakes up immediately, ready for action the minute you press the Touch ID sensor. (The older Intel MacBook Pro wakes up about as fast as I do, which is not fast.) The keyboard is the old scissor-switch-style, which replaces the much-hated butterfly design. In the past, I’ve misguidedly defended the butterfly keyboard, and it’s just now that I realize how much I like the older design. I’m glad to see it back. There’s better travel on the keys, and they don’t bash your fingertips like the flatter butterfly keys. The Air keyboard feels roomy and expansive, and the backlight makes it really easy to use in the dark. There’s no Touch Bar on the Air, and TBH, I don’t miss it much. Touch ID works as expected — flawlessly. The Force Touch trackpad is huge and works great. It has a nice, gentle click, which is purely perceptive. The “click” is generated by a Haptic Engine. The actual trackpad doesn’t move at all. The Air’s built-in speakers are fantastic. They can really pump the jams. The backlit keyboard is a joy to type on in the dark. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac Benchmarks I didn’t run any benchmarks. They’ve already been covered to death . Nonetheless, benchmarks show the new M1-equipped Macs are faster than most Macs that use Intel chips. Even the Air, the lowliest MacBook in Apple’s own lineup, beats every other mobile CPU on the market . One YouTube reviewer was so surprised by the benchmarks, he flat out didn’t believe them . The downsides Unfortunately, the new MacBook Air comes with only two ports. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac There are a few minor disappointments, however. The new M1 Macs will only support one external monitor , not two or more like previous MacBooks. And, like previous MacBooks, the new Air has a webcam that maxes out at 720p resolution, which is positively archaic given today’s webcam standards and the fact we live in a Zoom world. Apple says the M1 chip will upgrade the image, but I didn’t notice that it was spectacularly better. Perhaps in low light it was better. I use the webcam only for the occasional Zoom call, and it’s not a high-priority feature for me, but if you want a better webcam, get an external one. One thing I do miss is Face ID, which I would love to see make its way to the Mac. Perhaps it will debut on some future iMac or MacBook Pro. For now, Touch ID will suffice. I do love it for logging in, filling in passwords and approving system updates. But Face ID would be better. And there are only two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports. The lack of ports drives some people absolutely batty, especially when one port is used for charging. I have a Satechi USB-C multiport adapter , which sports a couple of USB ports, two card readers and HDMI. Yeah, it’s something extra to carry, but it lives in my backpack and is readily available when I need to plug stuff in. For the most part, I don’t plug stuff in. I rarely need dongles. But if you do use external peripherals, the Air’s lack of ports is something to be aware of. Conclusion It even makes a good cat bed! Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac The new M1 MacBook Air is classic Apple. It’s a great computer at a fair price. It’s not the cheapest laptop by a long shot, but this machine will last for years. My son is still using an older Intel-based MacBook Air from 2012. The M1 Air is a great laptop. Powerful performance. Long battery life. Completely silent and cool. It’s the distillation of what Apple does best — democratizing technology. Bringing tech to the masses. It’s a great computer for most people. As I was playing with the Air over the weekend, I wondered to myself, is this a classic? Could it be up there with the best Macs ever made? It certainly feels like an instant classic. Even my cat loves it. Leander Kahney is the editor and publisher of Cult of Mac . Leander is a longtime technology reporter and the author of six acclaimed books about Apple , including two New York Times bestsellers: Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple’s Greatest Products and Inside Steve’s Brain , a biography of Steve Jobs. He’s also written a top-selling biography of Apple CEO Tim Cook and authored Cult of Mac and Cult of iPod , which both won prestigious design awards. Most recently, he was co-author of Cult of Mac, 2nd Edition . Leander has been reporting about Apple and technology for nearly 30 years. Before founding Cult of Mac as an independent publication, Leander was news editor at Wired.com , where he was responsible for the day-to-day running of the Wired.com website. He headed up a team of six section editors, a dozen reporters and a large pool of freelancers. Together the team produced a daily digest of stories about the impact of science and technology, and won several awards, including several Webby Awards , 2X Knight-Batten Awards for Innovation in Journalism and the 2010 MIN (Magazine Industry Newsletter) award for best blog , among others. Before being promoted to news editor, Leander was Wired.com’s senior reporter, primarily covering Apple. During that time, Leander published a ton of scoops, including the first in-depth report about the development of the iPod . Leander attended almost every keynote speech and special product launch presented by Steve Jobs, including the historic launches of the iPhone and iPad. He also reported from almost every Macworld Expo in the late ’90s and early ‘2000s, including, sadly, the last shows in Boston, San Francisco and Tokyo. His reporting for Wired.com formed the basis of the first Cult of Mac book, and subsequently this website. Before joining Wired, Leander was a senior reporter at the legendary MacWeek , the storied and long-running weekly that documented Apple and its community in the 1980s and ’90s. Leander has written for Wired magazine (including the Issue 16.04 cover story about Steve Jobs’ leadership at Apple, entitled Evil/Genius ), Scientific American , The Guardian , The Observer , The San Francisco Chronicle and many other publications. Leander has a postgrad diploma in artificial intelligence from the University of Aberdeen, and a BSc (Hons) in experimental psychology from the University of Sussex. He has a diploma in journalism from the UK’s National Council for the Training of Journalists. Leander lives in San Francisco, California, and is married with four children. He’s an avid biker and has ridden in many long-distance bike events, including California’s legendary Death Ride . You can find out more about Leander on LinkedIn and Facebook . You can follow him on X at @lkahney or Instagram .
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[Videos](https://www.cultofmac.com/humix/) # M1 MacBook Air is an instant classic \[Review\] By [Leander Kahney](https://www.cultofmac.com/author/leander-kahney "Posts by Leander Kahney") • 6:00 am, November 24, 2020 - [Reviews](https://www.cultofmac.com/reviews "Reviews") ![MacBook Air M1 2020](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/MacBook_Air_M1_back.jpeg) Apple's new M1 chip makes this ultraportable laptop ultra-fantastic. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac I just opened more than 650 tabs in Safari on a new M1 MacBook Air. I would have opened more, but I got bored. Meanwhile, in the background, the machine is downloading Photoshop and the Microsoft 360 suite, and I can see in Activity Monitor that it’s processing thousands of iCloud photos while also indexing the hard drive. Despite this, the machine is as fleet as a greyhound. I started working on a Photoshop project while checking email, keeping an eye on TweetDeck and, of course, clicking around all those open Safari tabs. The MacBook Air is just humming. I’ve never seen anything like it. ## M1 MacBook Air review ### Opening 650 tabs in Safari As you can see in the embedded video above, there are 653 tabs open. I can click around with abandon! Oh happy day! I kept the tabs open all weekend while I’ve been testing and working on the new machine. It hasn’t slowed down at all. (Note: Most of the tabs aren’t active. The majority of tabs are cached in the background, and are dormant until they are clicked on. But once clicked, they load quickly.) Half-incredulous, I tried the same thing on my previous MacBook, a relatively recent 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro. By contrast, the Pro was unusable during the test. It began to get creaky at 50 tabs, really started choking at 100 tabs, and at 150 tabs, it slowed to a painful crawl. At this point, the dreaded spinning beachball of death appeared every time I tried to do anything. Photoshop crashed, so I force-quit Safari and rebooted. (The older MacBook Pro is [a 2.9 GhZ Dual-Core Intel i5](https://everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/specs/macbook-pro-core-i5-2.9-13-late-2016-retina-display-touch-bar-specs.html), with 16GB of RAM and a 250GB SSD drive. It cost \$1,700. It’s not the most powerful MacBook Apple ever made, but it is supposed to be a step up from the Air — until now. Both machines are running Apple’s latest macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 and the 14.0.1 version of Safari.) ### M1 MacBook Air battery life is insane This is the point where I should mention battery life. I haven’t charged the MacBook Air’s battery since opening the box on Thursday. It’s been running for four days now on a single charge, which is mind-boggling. My previous MacBook Pro can barely get through an afternoon. I haven’t been using the Air all day, every day. I tinkered around for a couple of hours Friday, left it alone most of Saturday, used it most of the day Sunday, and half of Monday morning. It finally ran out of juice at noon on Monday. When it comes to battery life, it’s more like an iPad than a notebook. According to Apple, the M1 MacBook Air offers up to 15 hours of wireless web browsing and up to 18 hours of video playback in between charges. That compares to just 10 hours of browsing on the previous Air. I didn’t do a great job timing it, but I estimate I got between 12 and 13 hours of tinkering about opening up browser tabs and downloading iPad games. That’s almost two full days of work, and is easily the best battery performance I’ve ever got from any Mac. ### Design ![MacBook Air M1 2020: The new MacBook Air retains the same wedge profile](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/MacBook_Air_M1_side_profile_.jpeg) The new MacBook Air retains its predecessor’s wedge profile. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac There’s no way to tell this is a new MacBook Air from the outside. The M1 model sports the same wedge-shaped design we all know and love, which still slips nicely inside a Manila envelope, just like the original. It measures just 0.16 inches at its thinnest point and 0.63 inches at its thickest point, and it weighs just 2.8 pounds. The same gold, silver and space gray color options are available, and you get a 30W USB-C power adapter in the box, just like before. Aside from the M1 chip, the only other changes from the previous model are Wi-Fi 6 and a better screen that can display a wider range of colors. Buying an M1 MacBook Air is a lot simpler than it used to be. All models are powered by the M1 chip — you don’t have to choose between different Intel chips anymore — and there are just two standard configurations to choose from. The most affordable offers a 256GB SSD for \$999; the other bumps storage to 512GB for \$1,249. Both have 8GB of RAM. You can order extra RAM, which maxes out at 16GB in all M1 machines, and it’s possible to add up to 2TB of storage. I’ve been testing the 16GB RAM/512GB SSD version, which costs \$1,450. Other features include two Thunderbolt ports, a gorgeous 13-inch Retina display with True Tone, a brilliant Magic Keyboard, and a trusty Touch ID sensor. The M1 MacBook Air is [the first that boasts a completely silent design](https://www.cultofmac.com/727460/macbook-air-goes-silent-insanely-fast-with-apple-m1-chip/). It is passively cooled, which means it has no fan, and yet it stays cool no matter how hard you push it. That’s a terrific change for anyone who likes to work in silence. ### The M1 chip ![The powerful M1 chip inside gives this laptop unbelievable performance.](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/MacBook_Air_M1_front_1.jpeg) The powerful M1 chip inside gives this laptop unbelievable performance. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac The best reason to buy a new MacBook Air is, of course, the [M1 chip](https://www.cultofmac.com/727437/apple-macbook-first-apple-silicon/). It’s Apple’s first custom chipset for Mac, and the first computer chip built using the latest 5-nanometer manufacturing process. It’s an amazing feat of engineering, with a whopping 16 billion transistors. The M1 features an 8-core CPU, an 8-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine for optimizing machine learning. (Note: The entry-level MacBook Air [only utilizes seven of the GPU’s eight cores](https://9to5mac.com/2020/11/11/why-is-there-a-comical-difference-in-the-new-macbook-air-specs/).) And it doesn’t stop there. M1 also features Apple’s new [unified memory architecture](https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10686/), or UMA. The UMA puts high-bandwidth, low-latency memory together into a single pool so that all of the technologies baked into the M1 can access the same data without having to copy it between multiple memory pools. The UMA dramatically improves performance and power efficiency, Apple says. So although 16GB of maximum RAM may not seem like a lot, you’ll be surprised how far it goes. We’ve already seen what Apple can do with smaller memory capacities on iPhone (compared to rival Android devices), and now it’s doing the same on Mac. All these things help make the M1 significantly faster than rival mobile chips (and even most desktop chips). Apple says the new MacBook Air delivers 3.5x faster CPU performance and up to 2x faster graphics. And despite all that, battery life is better than ever. ### Running old Intel apps Perhaps the biggest issue with the new M1 chips is compatibility with old Intel apps, which at this point, is the vast majority of Mac apps. New M1 Macs run Intel apps using [Rosetta 2](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/apple_silicon/about_the_rosetta_translation_environment), which converts the code on the fly. The original Rosetta did the same thing during the PowerPC-to-Intel transition. So far, it’s been working like a champ. I installed Adobe Photoshop, Zoom, Slack, [Dashlane password manager](https://www.cultofmac.com/?s=dashlane), TweetDeck and Microsoft Word and Excel. I also installed a new version of [Google Chrome written for the M1 architecture](https://www.cultofmac.com/728234/google-chrome-apple-silicon/), and have been running some of Apple’s apps that have been rewritten for the M1 also. So far, they’ve all been running almost flawlessly. Aside from a weird freeze during the initial setup (while adding a credit card to Apple Pay), I’ve yet to experience any crashes, slowdowns or unexpected freezes. I’ve also had no installation errors, which [others have reported](https://www.cultofmac.com/728566/avoid-macos-reinstallation-errors-m1-mac/). Saying that, some other early testers have reported problems. Reviewing the new M1 MacBook Pro for Forbes, Patrick Moorhead [encountered several software problems](https://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickmoorhead/2020/11/21/apple-macbook-pro-13-m1-reviewwhy-you-might-want-to-pass), and linked to a [running list of apps incompatible with Rosetta 2](https://isapplesiliconready.com/). This is perhaps the one big caveat for the new M1: If there’s an Intel app you need and can’t find an alternative, best to check the list and keep an eye on the app’s developer for an update. ### What about Windows? One big missing piece of software is Microsoft’s Windows. Thanks to the new architecture, M1 Macs will no longer run Windows natively like Intel-based Macs. So no [Boot Camp](https://support.apple.com/boot-camp) and no dual boot. But it will run Windows in emulation. (Reports on Twitter say that works pretty well.) There’s also an ARM version of Windows that [one day may be retooled to run on Apple hardware](https://www.cultofmac.com/728484/apple-silicon-windows-on-arm-boot-camp-potential/), but don’t hold your breath. Meanwhile, CrossOver allows Apple’s newest machines to run Windows apps, [and reportedly does it brilliantly](https://www.cultofmac.com/728344/crossover-windows-apps-m1-mac/). ### iPhone and iPad apps One of the big selling points of the M1 is the ability to run iPhone and iPad apps on these new Macs. In the Mac App Store, iOS/iPadOS apps appear in their own tab in search results. Once installed, they run in their own small window, and are controlled using the keyboard and trackpad instead of your fingers. I haven’t had a chance to download many of the hundreds of iOS and iPadOS apps and games available, and I had trouble finding the ones I did want, like Instagram. I did, however, play a couple of Apple Arcade games, including [Super Stickman Golf 2](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/super-stickman-golf-2/id585259203) and [Among Us\!](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/among-us/id1351168404) Both played flawlessly and looked great. ### What it’s like to use ![No butterfly keyboard -- what a relief\!](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/MacBook_Air_M1_trackpad.jpeg) No butterfly keyboard — what a relief\! Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac Thanks to that M1 chip, the MacBook Air wakes up immediately, ready for action the minute you press the Touch ID sensor. (The older Intel MacBook Pro wakes up about as fast as I do, which is not fast.) The keyboard is the old scissor-switch-style, which replaces the much-hated butterfly design. In the past, I’ve misguidedly defended the butterfly keyboard, and it’s just now that I realize how much I like the older design. I’m glad to see it back. There’s better travel on the keys, and they don’t bash your fingertips like the flatter butterfly keys. The Air keyboard feels roomy and expansive, and the backlight makes it really easy to use in the dark. There’s no Touch Bar on the Air, and TBH, I don’t miss it much. Touch ID works as expected — flawlessly. The Force Touch trackpad is huge and works great. It has a nice, gentle click, which is purely perceptive. The “click” is generated by a Haptic Engine. The actual trackpad doesn’t move at all. The Air’s built-in speakers are fantastic. They can really pump the jams. ![The backlit keyboard is a joy to type on in the dark.](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/MacBook_Air_M1_keyboard.jpeg) The backlit keyboard is a joy to type on in the dark. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac ### Benchmarks I didn’t run any benchmarks. They’ve already been [covered to death](https://www.cultofmac.com/?s=benchmarks). Nonetheless, benchmarks show the new M1-equipped Macs are faster than most Macs that use Intel chips. Even the Air, the lowliest MacBook in Apple’s own lineup, [beats every other mobile CPU on the market](https://www.cultofmac.com/727721/m1-macbook-air-cpu-in-benchmarks/). One YouTube reviewer was so surprised by the benchmarks, [he flat out didn’t believe them](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ6vX6nmboU). ### The downsides ![MacBook Air M1 2020: Unfortunately, the new MacBook Air comes with only two ports.](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/MacBook_Air_M1_-Thunderbolt-_ports.jpeg) Unfortunately, the new MacBook Air comes with only two ports. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac There are a few minor disappointments, however. The new M1 Macs will [only support one external monitor](https://www.cultofmac.com/728610/6-reasons-an-m1-mac-might-not-be-right-for-you/), not two or more like previous MacBooks. And, like previous MacBooks, the new Air has a webcam that maxes out at 720p resolution, which is positively archaic given today’s webcam standards and the fact we live in a Zoom world. Apple says the M1 chip will upgrade the image, but I didn’t notice that it was spectacularly better. Perhaps in low light it was better. I use the webcam only for the occasional Zoom call, and it’s not a high-priority feature for me, but if you want a better webcam, get an external one. One thing I do miss is Face ID, which I would love to see make its way to the Mac. Perhaps it will debut on some future iMac or MacBook Pro. For now, Touch ID will suffice. I do love it for logging in, filling in passwords and approving system updates. But Face ID would be better. And there are only two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports. The lack of ports drives some people absolutely batty, especially when one port is used for charging. I have a [Satechi USB-C multiport adapter](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F7NBVJK?tag=cult087-20), which sports a couple of USB ports, two card readers and HDMI. Yeah, it’s something extra to carry, but it lives in my backpack and is readily available when I need to plug stuff in. For the most part, I don’t plug stuff in. I rarely need dongles. But if you do use external peripherals, the Air’s lack of ports is something to be aware of. ### Conclusion ![MacBook Air M1 2020 makes a good cat bed, too.](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/MacBook_Air_M1_cat_.jpeg) It even makes a good cat bed\! Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac The new M1 MacBook Air is classic Apple. It’s a great computer at a fair price. It’s not the cheapest laptop by a long shot, but this machine will last for years. My son is still using an older Intel-based MacBook Air from 2012. The M1 Air is a great laptop. Powerful performance. Long battery life. Completely silent and cool. It’s the distillation of what Apple does best — democratizing technology. Bringing tech to the masses. It’s a great computer for most people. As I was playing with the Air over the weekend, I wondered to myself, is this a classic? Could it be up there with the best Macs ever made? It certainly feels like an instant classic. Even my cat loves it. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0bcecb747875fd316b49f9eb2a657a8deb3e7570d93e3d216eac60e2843624df?s=121&d=mm&r=g) [Leander Kahney](https://www.cultofmac.com/author/leander-kahney) Leander Kahney is the editor and publisher of Cult of Mac. Leander is a [longtime technology reporter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leander_Kahney) and the author of six acclaimed books about [Apple](https://www.apple.com/), including two New York Times bestsellers: [Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple’s Greatest Products](https://www.amazon.com/dp/159184617X/?tag=cult087-20) and [Inside Steve’s Brain](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1591845513/?tag=cult087-20), a biography of Steve Jobs. He’s also written a top-selling biography of [Apple CEO Tim Cook](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FLVCT2J/?tag=cult087-20) and authored [Cult of Mac](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1886411832/?tag=cult087-20) and [Cult of iPod](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1593270666/?tag=cult087-20), which both won prestigious design awards. Most recently, he was co-author of [Cult of Mac, 2nd Edition](https://www.amazon.com/Cult-Mac-2nd-Leander-Kahney/dp/1593279140/?tag=cult087-20). Leander has been reporting about Apple and technology for nearly 30 years. Before founding Cult of Mac as an independent publication, Leander was news editor at [Wired.com](https://www.wired.com/), where he was responsible for the day-to-day running of the Wired.com website. He headed up a team of six section editors, a dozen reporters and a large pool of freelancers. Together the team produced a daily digest of stories about the impact of science and technology, and won several awards, including [several Webby Awards](https://winners.webbyawards.com/search?sort=0&searchTerm=wired), 2X [Knight-Batten Awards for Innovation in Journalism](http://www.j-lab.org/projects/knight-batten-awards-for-innovations-in-journalism/) and the [2010 MIN (Magazine Industry Newsletter) award for best blog](https://web.archive.org/web/20120206130837/http://www.minonline.com/awards/bestofweb10/), among others. Before being promoted to news editor, Leander was Wired.com’s senior reporter, primarily covering Apple. During that time, Leander published a ton of scoops, including the [first in-depth report about the development of the iPod](https://www.wired.com/2004/07/inside-look-at-birth-of-the-ipod/). Leander attended almost every keynote speech and special product launch presented by Steve Jobs, including the historic launches of the iPhone and iPad. He also reported from almost every Macworld Expo in the late ’90s and early ‘2000s, including, sadly, the last shows in Boston, San Francisco and Tokyo. His reporting for Wired.com formed the basis of the first Cult of Mac book, and subsequently this website. Before joining Wired, Leander was a senior reporter at the legendary MacWeek, the storied and long-running weekly that documented Apple and its community in the 1980s and ’90s. Leander has written for Wired magazine (including the Issue 16.04 cover story about [Steve Jobs’ leadership at Apple, entitled Evil/Genius](https://www.wired.com/2008/03/how-apple-got-everything-right-by-doing-everything-wrong/)), Scientific American, The Guardian, The Observer, The San Francisco Chronicle and many other publications. Leander has a [postgrad diploma in artificial intelligence](https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/degree-programmes/1034/artificial-intelligence/) from the University of Aberdeen, and a [BSc (Hons) in experimental psychology](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/psychology-bsc) from the University of Sussex. He has a [diploma in journalism](http://www.nctj.com/journalism-qualifications/diploma-in-journalism) from the UK’s National Council for the Training of Journalists. Leander lives in San Francisco, California, and is married with four children. He’s an avid biker and has ridden in many long-distance bike events, including California’s legendary [Death Ride](https://deathride.com/). You can find out more about Leander on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanderkahney/) and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/lkahney/). You can follow him on X at [@lkahney](https://twitter.com/lkahney/) or [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/lkahney/). [![Add as a preferred source on Google](https://cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2421769f-57a4-4bff-913f-cf316747493e.jpg)](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=https://www.cultofmac.com) ### Comments [Cancel reply](https://www.cultofmac.com/reviews/m1-macbook-air-review#respond) - ![](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/themes/com2014/images/newsletter_com_today512x556.jpg) #### Subscribe to the Newsletter Our daily roundup of Apple news, reviews and how-tos. Plus the best Apple tweets, fun polls and inspiring Steve Jobs bons mots. 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Readable Markdown	- [Reviews](https://www.cultofmac.com/reviews "Reviews") ![MacBook Air M1 2020](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/MacBook_Air_M1_back.jpeg) Apple's new M1 chip makes this ultraportable laptop ultra-fantastic. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac I just opened more than 650 tabs in Safari on a new M1 MacBook Air. I would have opened more, but I got bored. Meanwhile, in the background, the machine is downloading Photoshop and the Microsoft 360 suite, and I can see in Activity Monitor that it’s processing thousands of iCloud photos while also indexing the hard drive. Despite this, the machine is as fleet as a greyhound. I started working on a Photoshop project while checking email, keeping an eye on TweetDeck and, of course, clicking around all those open Safari tabs. The MacBook Air is just humming. I’ve never seen anything like it. ### Opening 650 tabs in Safari As you can see in the embedded video above, there are 653 tabs open. I can click around with abandon! Oh happy day! I kept the tabs open all weekend while I’ve been testing and working on the new machine. It hasn’t slowed down at all. (Note: Most of the tabs aren’t active. The majority of tabs are cached in the background, and are dormant until they are clicked on. But once clicked, they load quickly.) Half-incredulous, I tried the same thing on my previous MacBook, a relatively recent 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro. By contrast, the Pro was unusable during the test. It began to get creaky at 50 tabs, really started choking at 100 tabs, and at 150 tabs, it slowed to a painful crawl. At this point, the dreaded spinning beachball of death appeared every time I tried to do anything. Photoshop crashed, so I force-quit Safari and rebooted. (The older MacBook Pro is [a 2.9 GhZ Dual-Core Intel i5](https://everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/specs/macbook-pro-core-i5-2.9-13-late-2016-retina-display-touch-bar-specs.html), with 16GB of RAM and a 250GB SSD drive. It cost \$1,700. It’s not the most powerful MacBook Apple ever made, but it is supposed to be a step up from the Air — until now. Both machines are running Apple’s latest macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 and the 14.0.1 version of Safari.) ### M1 MacBook Air battery life is insane This is the point where I should mention battery life. I haven’t charged the MacBook Air’s battery since opening the box on Thursday. It’s been running for four days now on a single charge, which is mind-boggling. My previous MacBook Pro can barely get through an afternoon. I haven’t been using the Air all day, every day. I tinkered around for a couple of hours Friday, left it alone most of Saturday, used it most of the day Sunday, and half of Monday morning. It finally ran out of juice at noon on Monday. When it comes to battery life, it’s more like an iPad than a notebook. According to Apple, the M1 MacBook Air offers up to 15 hours of wireless web browsing and up to 18 hours of video playback in between charges. That compares to just 10 hours of browsing on the previous Air. I didn’t do a great job timing it, but I estimate I got between 12 and 13 hours of tinkering about opening up browser tabs and downloading iPad games. That’s almost two full days of work, and is easily the best battery performance I’ve ever got from any Mac. ### Design ![MacBook Air M1 2020: The new MacBook Air retains the same wedge profile](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/MacBook_Air_M1_side_profile_.jpeg) The new MacBook Air retains its predecessor’s wedge profile. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac There’s no way to tell this is a new MacBook Air from the outside. The M1 model sports the same wedge-shaped design we all know and love, which still slips nicely inside a Manila envelope, just like the original. It measures just 0.16 inches at its thinnest point and 0.63 inches at its thickest point, and it weighs just 2.8 pounds. The same gold, silver and space gray color options are available, and you get a 30W USB-C power adapter in the box, just like before. Aside from the M1 chip, the only other changes from the previous model are Wi-Fi 6 and a better screen that can display a wider range of colors. Buying an M1 MacBook Air is a lot simpler than it used to be. All models are powered by the M1 chip — you don’t have to choose between different Intel chips anymore — and there are just two standard configurations to choose from. The most affordable offers a 256GB SSD for \$999; the other bumps storage to 512GB for \$1,249. Both have 8GB of RAM. You can order extra RAM, which maxes out at 16GB in all M1 machines, and it’s possible to add up to 2TB of storage. I’ve been testing the 16GB RAM/512GB SSD version, which costs \$1,450. Other features include two Thunderbolt ports, a gorgeous 13-inch Retina display with True Tone, a brilliant Magic Keyboard, and a trusty Touch ID sensor. The M1 MacBook Air is [the first that boasts a completely silent design](https://www.cultofmac.com/727460/macbook-air-goes-silent-insanely-fast-with-apple-m1-chip/). It is passively cooled, which means it has no fan, and yet it stays cool no matter how hard you push it. That’s a terrific change for anyone who likes to work in silence. ### The M1 chip ![The powerful M1 chip inside gives this laptop unbelievable performance.](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/MacBook_Air_M1_front_1.jpeg) The powerful M1 chip inside gives this laptop unbelievable performance. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac The best reason to buy a new MacBook Air is, of course, the [M1 chip](https://www.cultofmac.com/727437/apple-macbook-first-apple-silicon/). It’s Apple’s first custom chipset for Mac, and the first computer chip built using the latest 5-nanometer manufacturing process. It’s an amazing feat of engineering, with a whopping 16 billion transistors. The M1 features an 8-core CPU, an 8-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine for optimizing machine learning. (Note: The entry-level MacBook Air [only utilizes seven of the GPU’s eight cores](https://9to5mac.com/2020/11/11/why-is-there-a-comical-difference-in-the-new-macbook-air-specs/).) And it doesn’t stop there. M1 also features Apple’s new [unified memory architecture](https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10686/), or UMA. The UMA puts high-bandwidth, low-latency memory together into a single pool so that all of the technologies baked into the M1 can access the same data without having to copy it between multiple memory pools. The UMA dramatically improves performance and power efficiency, Apple says. So although 16GB of maximum RAM may not seem like a lot, you’ll be surprised how far it goes. We’ve already seen what Apple can do with smaller memory capacities on iPhone (compared to rival Android devices), and now it’s doing the same on Mac. All these things help make the M1 significantly faster than rival mobile chips (and even most desktop chips). Apple says the new MacBook Air delivers 3.5x faster CPU performance and up to 2x faster graphics. And despite all that, battery life is better than ever. ### Running old Intel apps Perhaps the biggest issue with the new M1 chips is compatibility with old Intel apps, which at this point, is the vast majority of Mac apps. New M1 Macs run Intel apps using [Rosetta 2](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/apple_silicon/about_the_rosetta_translation_environment), which converts the code on the fly. The original Rosetta did the same thing during the PowerPC-to-Intel transition. So far, it’s been working like a champ. I installed Adobe Photoshop, Zoom, Slack, [Dashlane password manager](https://www.cultofmac.com/?s=dashlane), TweetDeck and Microsoft Word and Excel. I also installed a new version of [Google Chrome written for the M1 architecture](https://www.cultofmac.com/728234/google-chrome-apple-silicon/), and have been running some of Apple’s apps that have been rewritten for the M1 also. So far, they’ve all been running almost flawlessly. Aside from a weird freeze during the initial setup (while adding a credit card to Apple Pay), I’ve yet to experience any crashes, slowdowns or unexpected freezes. I’ve also had no installation errors, which [others have reported](https://www.cultofmac.com/728566/avoid-macos-reinstallation-errors-m1-mac/). Saying that, some other early testers have reported problems. Reviewing the new M1 MacBook Pro for Forbes, Patrick Moorhead [encountered several software problems](https://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickmoorhead/2020/11/21/apple-macbook-pro-13-m1-reviewwhy-you-might-want-to-pass), and linked to a [running list of apps incompatible with Rosetta 2](https://isapplesiliconready.com/). This is perhaps the one big caveat for the new M1: If there’s an Intel app you need and can’t find an alternative, best to check the list and keep an eye on the app’s developer for an update. ### What about Windows? One big missing piece of software is Microsoft’s Windows. Thanks to the new architecture, M1 Macs will no longer run Windows natively like Intel-based Macs. So no [Boot Camp](https://support.apple.com/boot-camp) and no dual boot. But it will run Windows in emulation. (Reports on Twitter say that works pretty well.) There’s also an ARM version of Windows that [one day may be retooled to run on Apple hardware](https://www.cultofmac.com/728484/apple-silicon-windows-on-arm-boot-camp-potential/), but don’t hold your breath. Meanwhile, CrossOver allows Apple’s newest machines to run Windows apps, [and reportedly does it brilliantly](https://www.cultofmac.com/728344/crossover-windows-apps-m1-mac/). ### iPhone and iPad apps One of the big selling points of the M1 is the ability to run iPhone and iPad apps on these new Macs. In the Mac App Store, iOS/iPadOS apps appear in their own tab in search results. Once installed, they run in their own small window, and are controlled using the keyboard and trackpad instead of your fingers. I haven’t had a chance to download many of the hundreds of iOS and iPadOS apps and games available, and I had trouble finding the ones I did want, like Instagram. I did, however, play a couple of Apple Arcade games, including [Super Stickman Golf 2](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/super-stickman-golf-2/id585259203) and [Among Us\!](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/among-us/id1351168404) Both played flawlessly and looked great. ### What it’s like to use ![No butterfly keyboard -- what a relief\!](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/MacBook_Air_M1_trackpad.jpeg) No butterfly keyboard — what a relief\! Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac Thanks to that M1 chip, the MacBook Air wakes up immediately, ready for action the minute you press the Touch ID sensor. (The older Intel MacBook Pro wakes up about as fast as I do, which is not fast.) The keyboard is the old scissor-switch-style, which replaces the much-hated butterfly design. In the past, I’ve misguidedly defended the butterfly keyboard, and it’s just now that I realize how much I like the older design. I’m glad to see it back. There’s better travel on the keys, and they don’t bash your fingertips like the flatter butterfly keys. The Air keyboard feels roomy and expansive, and the backlight makes it really easy to use in the dark. There’s no Touch Bar on the Air, and TBH, I don’t miss it much. Touch ID works as expected — flawlessly. The Force Touch trackpad is huge and works great. It has a nice, gentle click, which is purely perceptive. The “click” is generated by a Haptic Engine. The actual trackpad doesn’t move at all. The Air’s built-in speakers are fantastic. They can really pump the jams. ![The backlit keyboard is a joy to type on in the dark.](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/MacBook_Air_M1_keyboard.jpeg) The backlit keyboard is a joy to type on in the dark. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac ### Benchmarks I didn’t run any benchmarks. They’ve already been [covered to death](https://www.cultofmac.com/?s=benchmarks). Nonetheless, benchmarks show the new M1-equipped Macs are faster than most Macs that use Intel chips. Even the Air, the lowliest MacBook in Apple’s own lineup, [beats every other mobile CPU on the market](https://www.cultofmac.com/727721/m1-macbook-air-cpu-in-benchmarks/). One YouTube reviewer was so surprised by the benchmarks, [he flat out didn’t believe them](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ6vX6nmboU). ### The downsides ![MacBook Air M1 2020: Unfortunately, the new MacBook Air comes with only two ports.](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/MacBook_Air_M1_-Thunderbolt-_ports.jpeg) Unfortunately, the new MacBook Air comes with only two ports. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac There are a few minor disappointments, however. The new M1 Macs will [only support one external monitor](https://www.cultofmac.com/728610/6-reasons-an-m1-mac-might-not-be-right-for-you/), not two or more like previous MacBooks. And, like previous MacBooks, the new Air has a webcam that maxes out at 720p resolution, which is positively archaic given today’s webcam standards and the fact we live in a Zoom world. Apple says the M1 chip will upgrade the image, but I didn’t notice that it was spectacularly better. Perhaps in low light it was better. I use the webcam only for the occasional Zoom call, and it’s not a high-priority feature for me, but if you want a better webcam, get an external one. One thing I do miss is Face ID, which I would love to see make its way to the Mac. Perhaps it will debut on some future iMac or MacBook Pro. For now, Touch ID will suffice. I do love it for logging in, filling in passwords and approving system updates. But Face ID would be better. And there are only two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports. The lack of ports drives some people absolutely batty, especially when one port is used for charging. I have a [Satechi USB-C multiport adapter](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F7NBVJK?tag=cult087-20), which sports a couple of USB ports, two card readers and HDMI. Yeah, it’s something extra to carry, but it lives in my backpack and is readily available when I need to plug stuff in. For the most part, I don’t plug stuff in. I rarely need dongles. But if you do use external peripherals, the Air’s lack of ports is something to be aware of. ### Conclusion ![MacBook Air M1 2020 makes a good cat bed, too.](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/MacBook_Air_M1_cat_.jpeg) It even makes a good cat bed\! Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac The new M1 MacBook Air is classic Apple. It’s a great computer at a fair price. It’s not the cheapest laptop by a long shot, but this machine will last for years. My son is still using an older Intel-based MacBook Air from 2012. The M1 Air is a great laptop. Powerful performance. Long battery life. Completely silent and cool. It’s the distillation of what Apple does best — democratizing technology. Bringing tech to the masses. It’s a great computer for most people. As I was playing with the Air over the weekend, I wondered to myself, is this a classic? Could it be up there with the best Macs ever made? It certainly feels like an instant classic. Even my cat loves it. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0bcecb747875fd316b49f9eb2a657a8deb3e7570d93e3d216eac60e2843624df?s=121&d=mm&r=g) Leander Kahney is the editor and publisher of Cult of Mac. Leander is a [longtime technology reporter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leander_Kahney) and the author of six acclaimed books about [Apple](https://www.apple.com/), including two New York Times bestsellers: [Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple’s Greatest Products](https://www.amazon.com/dp/159184617X/?tag=cult087-20) and [Inside Steve’s Brain](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1591845513/?tag=cult087-20), a biography of Steve Jobs. He’s also written a top-selling biography of [Apple CEO Tim Cook](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FLVCT2J/?tag=cult087-20) and authored [Cult of Mac](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1886411832/?tag=cult087-20) and [Cult of iPod](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1593270666/?tag=cult087-20), which both won prestigious design awards. Most recently, he was co-author of [Cult of Mac, 2nd Edition](https://www.amazon.com/Cult-Mac-2nd-Leander-Kahney/dp/1593279140/?tag=cult087-20). Leander has been reporting about Apple and technology for nearly 30 years. Before founding Cult of Mac as an independent publication, Leander was news editor at [Wired.com](https://www.wired.com/), where he was responsible for the day-to-day running of the Wired.com website. He headed up a team of six section editors, a dozen reporters and a large pool of freelancers. Together the team produced a daily digest of stories about the impact of science and technology, and won several awards, including [several Webby Awards](https://winners.webbyawards.com/search?sort=0&searchTerm=wired), 2X [Knight-Batten Awards for Innovation in Journalism](http://www.j-lab.org/projects/knight-batten-awards-for-innovations-in-journalism/) and the [2010 MIN (Magazine Industry Newsletter) award for best blog](https://web.archive.org/web/20120206130837/http://www.minonline.com/awards/bestofweb10/), among others. Before being promoted to news editor, Leander was Wired.com’s senior reporter, primarily covering Apple. During that time, Leander published a ton of scoops, including the [first in-depth report about the development of the iPod](https://www.wired.com/2004/07/inside-look-at-birth-of-the-ipod/). Leander attended almost every keynote speech and special product launch presented by Steve Jobs, including the historic launches of the iPhone and iPad. He also reported from almost every Macworld Expo in the late ’90s and early ‘2000s, including, sadly, the last shows in Boston, San Francisco and Tokyo. His reporting for Wired.com formed the basis of the first Cult of Mac book, and subsequently this website. Before joining Wired, Leander was a senior reporter at the legendary MacWeek, the storied and long-running weekly that documented Apple and its community in the 1980s and ’90s. Leander has written for Wired magazine (including the Issue 16.04 cover story about [Steve Jobs’ leadership at Apple, entitled Evil/Genius](https://www.wired.com/2008/03/how-apple-got-everything-right-by-doing-everything-wrong/)), Scientific American, The Guardian, The Observer, The San Francisco Chronicle and many other publications. Leander has a [postgrad diploma in artificial intelligence](https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/degree-programmes/1034/artificial-intelligence/) from the University of Aberdeen, and a [BSc (Hons) in experimental psychology](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/psychology-bsc) from the University of Sussex. He has a [diploma in journalism](http://www.nctj.com/journalism-qualifications/diploma-in-journalism) from the UK’s National Council for the Training of Journalists. Leander lives in San Francisco, California, and is married with four children. He’s an avid biker and has ridden in many long-distance bike events, including California’s legendary [Death Ride](https://deathride.com/). You can find out more about Leander on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanderkahney/) and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/lkahney/). You can follow him on X at [@lkahney](https://twitter.com/lkahney/) or [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/lkahney/). 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