That’s why the new Macbook Air also lures Windows users from behind their “oven”.

Just last week, Apple introduced its newest member of the MacBook family: the MacBook Air 15″. Is this the same device as last year’s 13-inch MacBook Air, just a little bigger? Not quite.

The Macbook Air has always been the small, compact device. Those who needed it bigger had to resort to the considerably more expensive Pro versions. The lightweight entry-level model is now available in a larger size for the first time – at the same time, Apple is also lowering prices. With this model trick, the group was able to tap into new target groups – and especially poaching in the Windows segment.

Today, Tuesday, June 13, 2023, the new MacBook Air goes on sale. We were able to test it in advance and assess whether the large Macbook Air is also a big hit or ultimately a minor disappointment.

«Look and Feel» – and the connections

If you compare the new Macbook Air 15″ (inch) with the smaller model, it quickly becomes clear: the similarities are much greater than the differences. In essence, it is a larger version of the Macbook Air, which was completely renewed in 2022.

That’s good news, because Apple did a lot here last year. You can read an extensive overview of what has changed compared to the previous Macbook Air in the T-Online review of the new Macbook Air 13″.

The same goes for the 15-inch model: the aluminum body comes in four colours: midnight (deep dark blue), Polarstern (a silvery champagne colour), space gray and silver – and, as always, is immaculately finished.

In addition users have to make do with two USB4/Thunderbolt ports – a limitation that comes with the M1 and M2 chips.

In addition, there is also a connection for Apple’s MagSafe magnetic power connector integrated – the textile-covered cable is included in the packaging in the same color as the housing. The plug easily detaches from the device if you trip over the cable – and also keeps the two USB-C ports free. If you want, you can also charge via USB-C.

The trackpad has also grown noticeably, which now effortlessly captures swiping finger gestures. Only the trackpad of the 16-inch MacBook Pro is a bit larger. Controls are also very nice with four-finger gestures.

When folded, it already feels considerably larger in the hand than a 13-inch notebook. With a weight of 1.51 kilograms and a height of just over 1 centimeter (11.5 millimeters), it is still easy to carry and does not really stand out in a backpack or pocket.

And although many 13-inchers on the desk look more like a mobile emergency solution than a full-fledged workplace, the large Macbook Air also cuts a good figure here.

Runtime and performance: still excellent

Battery life should match that of the 13-inch model. That should be the case as far as we are concerned. Whether you actually get 15 to 18 hours, as Apple claims, depends a lot on screen brightness and usage. With typical mixed use, you can easily get through the entire workday and even the end of the day – and then usually have “juice” left over the next morning.

The raw performance data is also the same: Inside is Apple’s M2 chip. Intel and AMD are still unable to deliver anything that is comparably powerful and efficient.

The strongest mobile chips in the Windows world may surpass the simple M2 – but at the cost of enormous heat generation and high energy consumption. In battery mode, the chips usually slow down considerably – and yet they don’t last nearly as long as Apple’s own chips under high load.

The performance data is comparable to the 13-inch model. In principle, however, the following applies: only those who rely on compute-intensive special applications reach their limits with the M2. Thanks to the 10-core GPU, it can even be played adequately – but the number of available games is significantly lower than in the Windows world.

Apple managed to keep the thickness of the device almost unchanged. With a height of 1.15 centimeters, it is only 0.2 millimeters thicker than its 13-inch counterpart. It’s still enough for the title of “the thinnest 15-inch notebook in the world,” says Apple.

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In all these respects, “the new one” resembles its smaller version. But there are also differences. Let’s start with the smaller one: So instead of the 30-watt USB-C charger (the MagSafe cable ends in a USB-C connector on the other end), here’s the 35-watt model with an extra USB-C connection included. For example, you can charge iPhone and Macbook at the same time.

A slightly more powerful charger is also useful, as the battery in the large model can hold 66.5 watt-hours – 13.9 more watt-hours than in the smaller device. Fast charging only works here with the optionally available 70 watt power supply (65 francs).

sound and image

There is a big difference in the sound: the Macbook Air 13″ is excellent for its size, but still lacks bass. In the larger model, Apple has built in a pair of woofers instead of two tweeters and two woofers.

The six speakers are housed in the area of ​​the hinges and not only provide a considerable volume, but also an audibly better and, above all, richer sound than with the 13-inch model.

In a direct comparison, the new Macbook Air 15 inch comes close to the sound of the Macbook Pro 14 inch, but is still significantly louder. There shouldn’t be a notebook in this slim format that sounds anything like this. That’s enough to listen to music at your desk or watch a movie on the couch.

The main and obvious difference is that 15.3-inch screen (38.1 centimeters). The fact that the screen diagonal is 1.7 inches larger than the smaller 13.6-inch MacBook Air may sound like a rather marginal difference, but that’s not true. The Macbook Air 15″ looks gigantic when unfolded, even compared to the 14.2-inch screen of the smaller Macbook Pro.

It becomes clearer when you solution compares: Apple has kept the pixel density here and filled the extra space with extra pixels. The smaller MacBook Air displays 2560 by 1664 pixels, for a total of 4.25 million pixels. The new 15-inch model offers 2880 by 1864 pixelswhich together account for 5.36 million pixels, more than a million pixels more.

Accordingly, the display also offers a larger work surface and therefore feels much more like a device that can also be used sensibly as a stationary work device at the desk, without external monitors. The 500 nits brightness are noticeably higher than what you’re used to from typical Windows notebooks – and are also suitable for outdoor use in the shade.

price and conclusion

The Macbook Air 15 inch is also a strategically important device. With the introduction, Apple closes a gap in its offering:

At the same time, Apple lowered prices for the 13-inch model: with the M1 chip (2022) it is available from 1099 francs, with the M2 chip (2023) you browse through 1199 francs.

This also makes the Mac platform interesting for Windows users. Apple emphasized this time and time again when presenting its new device: the MacBook Air 15″ is faster, has a brighter screen with a higher resolution and a significantly longer battery life than most comparable Windows notebooks. However, the price is also higher.

Yet it is precisely this device that could persuade Windows users to switch. When setting up the new Mac, you will also be given the option to choose whether to transfer your data from a Mac or a PC to the new device.

Apple will also find a lot of fans with the new 15-inch device: it has a high-quality finish, is surprisingly compact and light for the large screen size – and with a price starting at CHF 1,399 still quite affordable. Working on the “big” Air was a lot of fun for us – once you’ve worked on the 15.3-inch screen for a while, you won’t want to go back to the 13-inch device.

The SSD storage in particular is very tight in the base model: 256 gigabytes (GB) should not be enough for all users, the surcharge of 220 francs for 512 GB of SSD memory is high as usual.

The 8 GB integrated memory (RAM) are better to use with Apple silicon than with comparable Windows computers. We found no limitations in our review of the 13-inch MacBook Air last year.

Our 15-inch test model was equipped with 16 GB of RAM, which should be sufficient for any application. The theoretically possible 24 GB of RAM is not only expensive (440 francs more than the base model), it should only make sense in individual cases.

Neither the SSD nor the working memory can be upgraded afterwards – External SSD storage can be connected later via the ultra-fast Thunderbolt connections, which are close to the internal ones and yet significantly cheaper.

Currently, the following applies: Customers in the lower price segment of Macbooks have probably never had so much choice – and received so much performance at the same time. Finally there is also an affordable offer in the important 15-inch laptop segment.

What do other reviewers say about the 15-incher?

Sources

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(t-online/dsc)