The M1-equipped MacBook Air now packs far better performance than its predecessors, rivaling at times the M1-based MacBook Pro. At $999, it’s the best value among macOS laptops.

Good value; especially for a MacBook; Much-improved performance; thanks to Apple’s new M1 processor; Exceptional battery life; Sleek; portable metal design; High-quality keyboard; touchpad; and display; Multiple color options

Port selection limited to two USB Type-C connections; Still no touch-screen option

In a week of testing, I have pushed this computer and its new Apple-made processor to its limits and found that those limits exceeded my expectations on nearly every level.

Fast; Intel-based apps work well; Excellent battery life

Awful webcam; iOS apps are a whiff; It’s time to admit Macs would be better with touchscreens

Reviewing hardware is an act of minutia. Occasionally something new or potentially earth-shattering comes along, but on the whole, it’s about chipping away. Documenting small, gradual changes designed to keep product lines fresh and — if you play your cards right — differentiating yourself from the...

The MacBook Air (M1, 2020) is easily one of the most exciting Apple laptops of recent years. Its M1 chip is a real game-changer, and the ability to run both legacy apps, new M1-optimized apps and iOS apps is very impressive. Battery life is also great, and performance is excellent as well.

macOS Big Sur is fast and responsive; Battery life is great; Silent in use; Keyboard remains very good

No new design; Fanless design could impact performance

Apple's MacBook Air has always been my preferred technological travelling companion (back in the days when we actually travelled) thanks to its lightweight design and solid battery life.

Speedy M1 SoC; Outstanding battery life; Rosetta 2 emulation works well with Intel-native apps; Slimline; lightweight design

Design is looking a bit dated; No CPU upgrade options; Expensive RAM and storage upgrades; Only two Thunderbolt ports

I was fortunate enough to receive my built-to-order M1 MacBook Air (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, 8-core GPU) last Tuesday, and I’ve had a week to truly experience it. We’ve all read the early reviews ( Snell , Gruber , and Bohn are the highlights), and they’ve focused on the specs and the highlights, so I...

There’s an old saying in tech that you should never buy the first generation of any new product – you’re paying to be an early adopter and to iron out the kinks. The thing is, I cannot find any kinks for your average consumer with the new M1 MacBook Air.

Pros: super-fast; super cool; extremely long battery life; fanless; great screen; great keyboard; best-in-class trackpad; good speakers; good mics; recycled materials; Touch ID.

Cons: poor webcam; only two USB-C ports; can only drive one external display; expensive; some niche apps may have issues running until updated; no BootCamp/Windows.

Were Charles Darwin here today, once he’d finished screaming at us for tinkering with necromancy and demanding to know what the heck a Lexus was, I think he’d want to see the new MacBook Air.

Apple M1 is astonishingly fast; Excellent battery life; Compatibility with non-native apps is impressive

720p webcam is still underwhelming; Lack of an embedded 4G/5G option is frustrating

Blazing speeds, better battery - but a disappointing camera

Super-fast; Great battery life; Retina display is superb

Webcam poor; Thick bezels

Stop press. This is the best MacBook Air we’ve ever used, and for once we aren’t overly hankering for a Pro as the M1 chip means the Air’s significant performance boost allows you to dip into both video editing and graphics-heavy gaming without breaking so much as a sweat. The battery is a trooper, and though it might age over time, a day’s work is entirely achievable. There really is only one bugbear, and it’s that rubbish webcam, which in the age of essential video calling is an annoyance we're finding hard to shake off. If you can get over it, though, the MacBook Air (M1) arguably becomes the best all-round work laptop for under a grand.

Super-fast; Great battery life; Retina display is superb;

Webcam poor; Thick bezels ;