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Karen Haslam
by
Managing Editor, Macworld

15-inch MacBook Air: Everything you need to know about Apple’s new laptop

Feature
Jun 5, 2023

Apple has launched a new MacBook Air with a larger screen.

2023 15in MacBook Air
Credit: Apple

After launching a redesigned MacBook Air with a 13.6-inch display and M2 processor in July 2022, Apple has now launched a new, larger, model. The 15-inch MacBook Air is available to buy now through Amazon, B&H Photo, and Apple. Read our 15-inch MacBook Air review for a full rundown of the new features, performances, and our impressions.

Curious about the M3 MacBook Air? Read: M3 MacBook Air: Everything you need to know

15-inch MacBook Air release date

The new 15-inch MacBook Air was announced on Monday, June 5, 2023, and went on sale on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.

15-inch MacBook Air price

There are two iterations of the 15-inch MacBook Air being sold as standard configurations:

  • 15-inch M2 MacBook Air: 8-core CPU/10-core GPU with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD: $1,299/£1,399
  • 15-inch M2 MacBook Air: 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD: $1,499/£1,599
Retailer
Price
Walmart
$714.89
Amazon
$1,299
Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide

Apple has also reduced the price of the 13-inch MacBook Air with an M2 processor by $100/£100:

  • 13-inch M2 MacBook Air with 8-core CPU/8-core GPU with 8GB RAM/256GB SSD: $1,099/£1,149. (Was $1,199/£1,249)
  • 13-inch M2 MacBook Air with 8-core CPU/10-core GPU with 8GB RAM/512GB SSD: $1,399/£1,449. (Was $1,499/£1,549)

And the M1 MacBook Air remains on sale:

  • 13-inch M1 MacBook Air with 8-core CPU/7-core GPU with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD: $999/£999.

15-inch MacBook Air: Design

Image
The 15-inch MacBook Air is still thin and light.

Apple

The new 15-inch MacBook Air is essentially a larger version of the 13.6-inch model. It’s built around a 15.3-inch display and surrounded by a thin 5mm bezel. It comes in three colors: Midnight, Starlight, Space Gray, and Silver.

The larger MacBook Air is only slightly thicker than the 13-inch model at .45 inches (versus .44 inches for the 13.-inch model. Apple says it is the world’s thinnest 15-inch laptop. It is also very light, weighing in at 3.3 lbs, about a half-pound heavier than the 2.7-lb. 13-inch model. However, Apple says that it is still “40 percent thinner and half a pound lighter than a comparable PC laptop”.

15-inch MacBook Air Spec

Apple

15-inch MacBook Air: Display and specs

The 15-inch MacBook Air has a very similar display to the 13-inch model. The size is obviously bigger (2880×1864 pixels), but otherwise the specs are the same, with a Liquid Retina LED, 500 nits of brightness. Apple claims the display is also twice the resolution and 25 percent brighter than a comparable PC laptop.

Inside you’ll get the same M2 processor 18-hour batter life and 1080p FaceTime camera as the 13-inch model. The sound system is a bit better, with six speakers and force-canceling woofers versus 13-inch MacBook Air’s four speakers. If you don’t hook up external speakers, expect better sound from the 15-inch MacBook Air.

The ports for the new laptop is also the same as the 13-inch model, with MagSafe charging, two USB-C/Thunderbolt ports, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Karen Haslam
by
Managing Editor, Macworld

Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld more than two decades ago. Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Having edited the U.K. print and online editions of Macworld for many years, more recently her focus has been on SEO and evergreen content as well as product recommendations and buying advice.

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