All articles tagged with #macbook air
Bradley Chambers argues the M1 MacBook Air, launched in 2020, remains highly capable in 2026, with a fanless design, minimal dust buildup, and strong battery life enough to serve as loaners or even primary devices. IT teams now keep 30–40 M1 Airs in active inventory for spares, challenging the traditional 3–4 year laptop lifecycle and suggesting longer, cost-effective device lifecycles as Apple Silicon ages.
Apple’s fanless MacBook Air stays cool using a thick aluminum heat spreader and the metal chassis to passively dissipate heat from the M-series chip, delivering near‑Pro performance for most tasks; sustained heavy workloads will throttle as cooling becomes less efficient. Benchmarks show the M5 Air approaching the base M5 Pro in single-core, multi-core, and GPU tests, though the Pro can still pull ahead in long, demanding sessions. The design traces back to the M1 era, with iFixit noting the removal of a fan, and reviewers acknowledging cooling tweaks exist but don’t remove throttling under peak load.
Best Buy’s annual Fourth of July sale runs through July 5 with broad discounts on Apple devices (including 11-inch M3 iPad Air models and M5 MacBook Air configurations), AirTag bundles, Beats accessories, and a wide lineup of TVs, monitors, and audio gear. No membership is required to view the deals; highlights include AirTag 4‑pack for $89, 11-inch M3 iPad Air and 13-inch/15-inch MacBook Air discounts, and significant savings on Samsung The Frame TVs and LG OLED/LED displays.
Mashable highlights Prime Day laptop deals, including the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch with the M5 at $949 (save $150), multiple MacBook Air/Pro discounts, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15-inch for $1,229.99 (save up to $970 off its $2,099.99 price), and budget/gaming options like the Acer Nitro V 16S AI for $1,099.99 (save $300). The guide covers additional Windows and gaming laptops, notes RAM shortages driving prices higher, and reminds readers that Amazon offers a smaller laptop selection than Best Buy, with updates to the deals hub through June 26.
Rumors suggest Apple will launch a four-model MacBook lineup this fall, led by the new MacBook Ultra, joining Neo, Air, and Pro. The Ultra is said to feature a thinner and lighter design, M6 chips, a touchscreen, an OLED display with Dynamic Island, and possibly a cellular modem, expanding Apple's range and price points.
CNET notes early Prime Day deals are live ahead of the June 23 kickoff, with discounts across Apple gear on Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart. Highlights include AirPods Pro 3 at $180, MacBook Air M5 13-inch from $950, AirPods 4 at $99, and Apple Pencil Pro $99, plus deals on iPad Pro/Air and various accessories. Apple rarely discounts its stores, so these offers come from retailers, and CNET vets deals by price history, reviews and stock duration. To stay updated, bookmark CNET Deals, subscribe to the Cheapskate newsletter, or sign up for text alerts for the latest savings.
Both MacBook Pro and MacBook Air are portrayed as durable choices with lifespans around seven to ten years, depending on usage; Apple Silicon helps maintain software support longer, and even after Intel-era updates end, security patches can extend usefulness for years; in practice, longevity comes down to what you do with the laptop, so pick based on budget and needs rather than just durability.
Dell unveils the XPS 13 (2026), a thinner, lighter budget option starting at $699 to compete with the MacBook Air, featuring a 13.4-inch 2560×1600 touchscreen, a backlit keyboard, aluminum chassis, and two USB‑C ports (Thunderbolt on Panther Lake; USB‑C 3.2 on Wildcat Lake) with no headphone jack; entry models start with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD, with higher-end configurations up to 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD and a future 256GB option.
Amazon is slashing $199 off nearly every M5 MacBook Air, with 13-inch models starting at $899.99 for the 512GB configuration and $1,099.99 (16GB/1TB) or $1,299.99 (24GB/1TB); 15-inch M5 Air discounts follow, starting at $1,099.99 for 512GB and up to $1,499.99 for 24GB/1TB, with delivery around early June. MacRumors notes affiliate links, and there are no reported discounts yet on the 16GB/1TB 15-inch model as of writing.
Amazon lists the 13-inch MacBook Air M5 with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD at $899.99, an 18% discount and its first drop below $900 during Memorial Day, hailed for strong performance and storage; for new buyers it's a compelling value, while existing M4/M3 users may see only a modest upgrade.
Mashable highlights Memorial Day Apple deals, led by a record-low $899 M5 MacBook Air at Amazon, plus $199 AirPods Pro 3, $299 iPad Air 11" deals, and other discounts on Apple gear across Amazon and Best Buy as the sale winds down.
Yahoo Tech highlights Memorial Day discounts on Apple gear, including AirPods 4 for $99, AirPods Pro 3 for $199, Apple Watch Series 11 for $299, iPad Air 11‑inch (M4) for about $520, MacBook Air 15‑inch (M5) for $1,100, MacBook Pro 14‑inch (M5 Pro) for $1,999, MacBook Pro 16‑inch (M5 Pro) for $2,449, Pencil Pro for $99, and Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro 13‑inch for $262.50, with select items discounted up to 25%.
Amazon has slashed the 512GB 15-inch M5 MacBook Air to $1,099.99, a new record-low price, with delivery options available by week’s end and three color choices; 1TB models are also discounted by $150, while no major discounts are currently listed for the 13-inch models.
B&H is offering a limited-time flash deal on the M4 13-inch MacBook Air with 8-core GPU, 16GB unified memory, and 256GB storage in Sky Blue for $829, ending May 15 at 5:05 p.m. PT or sooner if sold out; it's the lowest price currently available for the closeout M4 model, with other refreshed M5 MacBook Airs starting at $998 and additional MacBook Pro and M5 deals also featured in the coverage.
A refurbished 2020 MacBook Air is on sale for $289.99 (regular $999), packing a 10th-gen Intel Core i3, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, a 13.3" Retina display, backlit keyboard, and Touch ID; Grade B refurb with minimal wear, aimed at everyday use rather than top-tier performance.