Our review of Apple’s new MacBook Airs is out, and our esteemed reviewer, Devindra Hardavar gave equal 90 points to both. This is a very good score! But I think Devindra is drunk 15-inch MacBook Air, the best laptop I’ve used in years. It deserves at least an extra point or two in my humble opinion. To me, it’s a Goldilocks laptop, and I think a lot of people would feel the same if they realized that a 13-inch laptop isn’t quite the form factor that Apple has. make it look like it’s been in the last decade.
For years now, the 13-inch Air has arguably been Apple’s best laptop for most people, with an excellent combination of power and portability. then a Completely redesigned in 2022, although there isn’t much to distinguish this year’s Weather. This is not a bad thing in itself, as it is a sign of a product that has been near perfection over the years; this year’s model has a new chip to keep performance as fresh as possible.
At some point, largely due to the decade-long dominance of the MacBook Air, the 13-inch form factor became the de facto laptop size for most people. Especially those who want a Mac, because over the last decade the 16-inch Macbook Pro (and the 15-inch model before it) has become too expensive for many. So the big screen became a “professional” feature that most people couldn’t afford.
Fortunately, Apple addressed this last summer With the 15-inch MacBook Air, a computer that retains everything we love about the 13-inch model in a slightly larger and heavier package. For a little more money and a slightly bulkier device, I got a bigger screen, which I really liked when using the Air as my main computer without a monitor. For me, 15 inches is the ideal laptop size. If you’ve ever felt the same way, but it’s been discounted by Apple, you should definitely check out the 15-inch MacBook Air.
The 13-inch model will almost certainly remain the default choice for most people – partly because it’s cheaper. If you travel a lot, you’ll probably be happier with a smaller and lighter car. But I believe many people will be happier with a larger screen, as the 15-inch Air is still very thin and light. Devindra disagrees, noting that the larger laptop is half a kilogram heavier, “more awkward” and a bit “annoying to carry around.” That’s fair – I didn’t have the same experience as I didn’t use the 15 inch as well as the 13 inch. Instead, I compared it to Apple’s two MacBook Pro models, and the Air is lighter than both. In fact, it’s over a pound lighter than the 16-inch MacBook Pro.
While I already believe most people will be just as happy, if not happier, with the 15-inch Air, it’s worth mentioning a few use cases to highlight the main point. Devindra said that Air played quite well in some of the new games available to him P’s lies and Death Stranding. If you’re into games, whether they’re titles like these from Apple Arcade or more casual options, there’s no doubt they’re more fun on a bigger screen.
The 15-inch MacBook Air is also a great choice for older users or people with visual impairments (or, frankly, anyone who prefers larger elements on their screen). When using the 15-inch Air, I enjoy having more pixels to display more of the apps I use. However, you can easily zoom in on screen elements so you have the same canvas as the 13-inch Air, just on a larger scale. Of course, the screens on the Air series aren’t as pixel-dense and sharp as the MacBook Pros, but they’re still lovely and won’t look overly pixelated if you decide to stretch the UI.
However, forget about specific use cases. Simply put, I’m a 15-inch Air fan. Simply it feels right — It has the right to be more portable than a computer with a 15-inch display. I don’t feel like I’m giving up screen size for something that’s easier to carry around; instead, it’s a computer that I can take anywhere and feel no restrictions on using. Maybe I’m overestimating the appeal – you are be able connect the 13-inch Air to a monitor at home to get a bigger screen, and have a smaller computer when you’re on the go. But for someone who likes the idea of a single computer that can work in any context, the 15-inch Air fits my bill.
