The MacBook Air has become a strange love affair of mine. In many ways, it was a turning point in my life because it was my very first MacBook. Before I gave it to my son as his school computer during the lockdown, it was the device I used for most of my work for many years. After providing excellent service for almost nine years, it packed up a few months ago. The device finally succumbed to the stress of a preteen for two years, not the numerous falls it took while serving me before my son. Also, this is the very sort of lengthy life and shifted use cases yearning MacBook Air purchasers will be looking towards, particularly with the 15-size which is making its presentation in the reach.
The 15-inch MacBook Air is a one-of-a-kind item, primarily due to the fact that it is a brand-new size for the well-known range. This M2-powered device has a lot more real estate, but Apple has also added a larger battery and more graphics power. However, while the 13-inch MacBook Air's compactness stood out among the bulky and bulky laptops of the time, it may be the larger screen size that piques interest in this year's model. This one is better for content consumption and a lot of work, like coding and video editing, because of its larger screen size.
Interestingly, the additional size of the MacBook Air does not make it unwieldy in any way, as I discovered during a hectic week of travel across two continents. In fact, for a 15-inch laptop, it is almost unnaturally thin—thin enough to fit in the magazine pocket of a domestic Indigo flight. An impressive feat.
However, despite its size, I was able to use the tray to write a portion of this review on the same flight, praying that the front-row passenger would not recline. The free Wi-Fi on the German ICE bullet train between Bonn and Frankfurt prompted me to use my MacBook Air for some work. Fortunately, there was more room between the seats to check some Google sheets as the lush European landscape whizzed by the extra-large windows, sweltering from the new summer heat.
I was able to use the same laptop to clear a lot of mail on an international flight back from Germany because it was charging with a USB-C cable from a power port under the seat. There is also a MagSafe charger, but that becomes an unnecessary burden when you travel with other chargers that work just as well to charge this MacBook Air.
The point I'm trying to make is that, despite having a larger chassis, this MacBook Air is still thin enough to offer all the conveniences of previous models. This is an actual air, merely more air.
However, it stands to reason that users of larger laptops would expect more power from it. Thanks to the M2 Apple silicon, this MacBook Air does an excellent job of managing this issue. Even though this laptop doesn't have a fan, there isn't much you can do on it to make you aware that it doesn't have blades to cool the laptop when needed. In point of fact, when I tried to edit some of the cinematic videos that I had taken with my iPhone during an event in Bonn, the iMovie software let me change the AF lock and even stabilize grainy low-light video in a split second. I was able to instantly select multiple 4K clips and apply the same color scheme to each one.
For larger clips, I might need a MacBook Pro, but the majority of regular users don't need to edit larger clips. However, it appears that the MacBook Air is better suited to meet the requirements of the new and booming creator economy, which involves all of us in many ways. And to be honest, what other device gives you the freedom to shut down the computer while working on a video edit while the flight you're working on encounters severe turbulence due to monsoon clouds?
I also tried the Photomator app, which uses artificial intelligence to really change your photos in seconds. It can use AI to clean up the background, suggest ML croppings of your shots, and change the color of specific subjects in the frame. The only drawback is that you can't save the results without a paid subscription; however, the app works flawlessly even with extremely large RAW files.
Additionally, it goes beyond editing. The MacBook Air is a great device for consumption no matter where you are because it has a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display and a six-speaker sound system with Dolby Atmos. In fact, if you stay in hotels with thin walls outside of India, you won't be able to use the laptop at full volume. However, this isn't just about being loud; when I watched the Foundation series, I noticed that a lot of the Dolby Atmos sense of depth was now clearly present in this setting as well.
This 15-inch MacBook Air has a well-organized keyboard with soft keys that are ideal for typing. They're also almost silent, which is especially helpful if you like to type naturally and didn't learn how to use the old Remingtons. The large trackpad is ideal for navigating the additional screen space for creative tasks. One feature I'm accustomed to from my MacBook Pro is the TouchID fingerprint scanner in the right-hand corner key, which allows you to quickly unlock the MacBook Air. The review unit arrived in space grey, which enhances the sleek design's sexiness. On the left, in addition to the MagSafe charger dock, you'll find two USB-C ports; on the right, you'll only find the 3.5mm audio port. Yes, it has a Full HD camera and three microphones, so you can be seen and heard clearly during video calls—a feature that most of us now require.
Despite having a larger battery, this MacBook Air's battery life is the same as that of the 13-inch model because the larger 15.3-inch display uses more power. The 10-core GPU also does.
Even though the 15-inch MacBook Air costs Rs 1,34,900, don't be surprised if it overtakes the MacBook Pro as the most popular Mac in the market. This machine has everything: style, power, and the extra screen size that many of us still want. However, the fact that this additional space does not affect how a MacBook Air is used is the innovation here.