Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo tweeted that the 2022 MacBook Air will get a design refresh but will still pack an M1 chip. This means the M2 Apple silicon is not coming anytime soon to the entry-level MacBook. However, the good news is that we might get the ports back, along with new colors.
The M1 chip is a gift that keeps on giving. Apple started its range of laptop silicon with the M1 chip and just kept stacking them to add more horsepower to different Mac models. Now, two of Apple’s most popular iPad offerings, the iPad Pro and the iPad Air, are packing the M1 chip. This already pegs them neck and neck with the MacBook Air.
However, the cheapest MacBook has stood its ground because you don’t need a stylus, a separate keyboard, or a case to make full of this machine. The MacBook Air also has an impressive battery backup that puts most notebooks to shame.
Redesigned MacBook Air in 2022
According to Kuo’s tweet, Apple will start mass production of the new MacBook Air in Q2 or Q3 2022. The notebook will come in a new design, which probably means Apple will add some ports back to the MacBook Air. Kuo also says there’ll be more color options, which makes sense because Apple has introduced multiple five color options for the iMac and iPad lineup as well.
Going further, the 2022 MacBook Air will skip out on the mini-LED display and will still carry the M1 chip. No mini-LED display on the entry-level MacBook makes sense because Apple has to cut costs here. However, I’m not convinced that the M1 chip will make it to the 2022 Mac lineup completely unchanged.
There’s hope that Apple could either tweak the chip to create the rumored ‘M1X’ that didn’t make it last year. There’s also room for increased RAM on the base model to make up for the performance front.
Nonetheless, the MacBook Air has been a great value for money and continues to be the same. After seeing the Apple Peek Performance event, we can safely say that Apple won’t be fixing what’s not broken so that the same chip might make it into 2022 too.
