Design and Build

M1 MacBook Air features a sleek 13-inch aluminum body, weighing just 2.8 lbs and 16.1mm thick. Available in Space Gray, Silver, and Gold, it includes two Thunderbolt 3 ports, Touch ID, and a silent fanless design. The M1 MacBook Air is praised for its premium build and quiet performance.

• Aluminum chassis, 16.1mm thick
• Two Thunderbolt 3 ports
• Magic Keyboard, Touch ID
• 100% recycled aluminum
• Fanless design

Display

The M1 MacBook Air 13-inch features a premium aluminum chassis that's just 16.1mm thick and weighs only 2.8 lbs (1.29 kg), making it a perfect lightweight laptop for professionals and students. Available in Space Gray, Silver, and Gold, the M1 MacBook Air includes two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and the iconic Magic Keyboard with integrated Touch ID for secure access. Thanks to its fanless design, it runs completely silent, even under heavy load. While some users mention it's slightly thicker than the newer M2 model, the M1 MacBook Air remains a top choice for build quality, quiet performance, and long-lasting value.

• 13.3-inch Retina, 2560 x 1600
• 227 PPI, 400 nits
• True Tone, P3 wide color
• No notch
• No ProMotion

Performance and Software

The M1 MacBook Air features Apple’s powerful M1 chip with an 8-core CPU, up to 8-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine, delivering excellent performance for everyday tasks and creative workflows. With 8GB to 16GB of unified memory and SSD options ranging from 256GB to 2TB, the M1 MacBook Air remains a top choice for students and professionals alike. Running on macOS Big Sur (upgradeable to macOS Sequoia), it’s known for its energy efficiency and silent, fanless design—though slightly slower than the newer M2 version, it's still a high-value, budget-friendly MacBook in 2025.

• M1 chip, 8-core CPU, up to 8-core GPU
• 8GB–16GB unified memory
• 256GB–2TB SSD
• macOS Big Sur/Sequoia
• Apple Intelligence support

Battery and Charging

The M1 MacBook Air gives battery life of up to 18 hours, backed by a 49.9Wh lithium‑polymer battery suitable for the whole day. The M1 MacBook Air, which also supports fast 30W USB-C charging (0–50% in about 30 minutes) and offers real-world usage of 14 to 16 hours, is a perfect choice for students and professionals who need a reliable machine. Even though the M2 version has a small battery improvement, the majority of users still choose the M1 MacBook Air for its power efficiency, silent fanless design, and good price.

• 49.9Wh battery
• Up to 18h (web browsing)
• 30W USB-C charging
• 0–50% in ~30min

Connectivity

The MacBook Air 13-inch M1 supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a headphone jack. It supports one external display (6K at 60Hz). Users find it sufficient but note M2 adds MagSafe.

• Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
• 2x Thunderbolt 3
• Headphone jack
• One 6K display

Pricing and Availability

The M1 MacBook Air 13-inch was released in November 2020 and was priced at $999 for the 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD model, while the most expensive configurations (up to 16GB RAM and 2TB storage) cost $1,999. Although the product was officially discontinued in 2024, the M1 MacBook Air still holds the top spot in the hearts of frugal buyers and can be found in the refurbished market at prices starting from $699. Its dependable performance and low power consumption are the reasons why the M1 MacBook Air still represents good value in 2025.