2023 MacBook Air release date, price and specs

Apple updated the MacBook Air in 2022, giving it a new design, a slightly larger screen, plus the M2 processor. Now, rumors suggest that 2023 won’t just see a refresh of this version (possibly with an updated chip inside), but rather a whole new class of Air being introduced. Here’s everything we know so far about the 2023 MacBook Air.

When will the 2023 MacBook Air be released?

So far, Apple hasn’t made any announcements about when we might see updates to its MacBook Air lineup.

The current 13.6-inch MacBook Air (M2) debuted in July 2022, joining the 13.3-inch MacBook Air (M1) that arrived in November 2020. While the iPhone gets refreshed every year, MacBooks tend to have larger gaps. between iterations in recent years, so it would be surprising if we saw an updated MacBook Air before the end of 2023.

It’s quite possible we’ll see an entirely new Air in the more immediate future, as rumors gather pace that Apple may be set to introduce a 15-inch MacBook Air this year. In February, Ross Young of Display Supply Chain Consultants said the new device’s 15.5-inch panels have entered mass production, suggesting a launch as early as April 2023. We haven’t seen any confirmation of this, but Young is a solid trend reporter. in the market, he is therefore someone whose voice carries a lot of weight.

Apple announced the MacBook Air (M2) at WWDC 2022, so there’s a good chance we’ll see the 15-inch MacBook Air make its full debut at WWDC 2023 in June.

How much will the 2023 MacBook Air cost?

Again, there’s no confirmation from Apple, so we don’t know how much the new MacBook Air will cost. That being said, the company tries to keep its devices within fairly static pricing structures, so new models may slip into the slots of those they replace.

For now, here are the starting prices for the MacBook Air since Apple switched to its own silicon:

• MacBook Air (M1) – $999 / £999
• MacBook Air (M2) – $1,199 / £1,249

As usual, you can configure laptops with more memory or storage at checkout, which you’ll have to do if you want extra power or space because they can’t be upgraded later. .

Assuming Apple puts an upgraded MacBook Air M3 in the lineup, we could see the M2 slip down to $999/£999, while the M3 replaces it at $1,199/£1,249. Alternatively, Apple has a habit of keeping older models so they can keep a price tag. This could see the M2 being discontinued, while the M1 remains in the catalog at the same price.

It seems unlikely that Apple will have three versions of the 13-inch MacBook Air, so there will have to be one.

The introduction of a 15-inch MacBook Air adds to the confusion. On the MacBook Pro side, Apple offers three different sizes — 13-inch, 14-inch, and 16-inch — but these have different specs. Here’s how they’re priced:

• 13-inch MacBook Pro (M2) – $1,299 / £1,349
• 14-inch MacBook Pro (M2 Pro) – $1,999 / £2,149
• 16-inch MacBook Pro (M2 Pro) – $2,499 / £2,699

As you can see, the base 14-inch model features an M2 Pro chipset, not to mention double the memory and storage of the base 13-inch version. So it’s possible the 15-inch MacBook Air will be similarly beefed up, adding a similar price increase.

What features will we see in the 2023 MacBook Air?

With the 13.6-inch MacBook Air getting a new design in 2022, including the slightly larger screen and MagSafe charging, we think it’s unlikely Apple will revamp the model again in 2023.

Before its release, there were lots of rumors that the new Air would get the same kind of color schemes as the 24-inch iMac, with its pastel front and bolder hues on the back, but that didn’t pan out. not produced.

We know that Apple is happy to use liveries as a sales technique, as we saw recently with the introduction of a mid-cycle yellow iPhone, so it’s not impossible that a job of paint could be the major upgrade to a 13-inch MacBook Air in 2023. Jon Prosser and RendersByIan have posted mockups of the potential new colors, as you can see below.

The other main addition to the standard MacBook Air could be the expected M3 chipset. Although the M2 Pro and M2 Max already exist, they seem to be aimed at power users in the market and require more cooling than what you’ll get in a fanless MacBook Air. It would then make sense for Apple to upgrade any new 13-inch MacBook Air to the latest processor. Reports in late 2022 (including from our sister site Macworld) suggested the company was readying several M3 Macs for 2023, and the MacBook Air could be one of them.

As for the rumored 15-inch MacBook Air, there are few specific details we have come across so far. Obviously the larger panel is a thing, it’s now believed to be 15.5 inches, and if it follows suit with the 2022 MacBook Air there will be a notch along the top of screen, although this is offset by the taller nature of the panel.

Ming-Chi Quo, an Apple analyst with a long history of mostly reliable predictions, tweeted in June 2022 that the company had plans for a 15-inch MacBook in 2023. It would reportedly feature two processor options: M2 ( with 35W charging adapter) and M2 Pro (with 67W adapter). Obviously, the M2 would give it parity with its smaller sibling, but the M2 Pro would push it into the MacBook Pro’s orbit in terms of performance.

Whether Apple decides to increase memory and storage remains to be seen, but we’ll continue to update this article as more details are revealed.

To see what the MacBook Air will be up against, check out our guide to the best laptops you can buy.