It seems more and more that Apple will soon release a new 15-inch MacBook Air. Some things have been leaked lately, but there is still a lot unclear. Here's what we already know and what we expect from the new 15-inch MacBook Air. 
Benjamin Kuijten | iCulture.nl – 23 February 2023, 18:30 whatsappfacebooktwittertelegramlinkedinmailprint
The MacBook Air has been one of the most loved MacBook models, especially since the completely renewed M2 model from summer 2022. But for several years now, Apple has only had the MacBook Air in one size , namely the 13-inch variant. While Apple used to have an 11- and 13-inch version. Everything now seems that Apple will soon release a second MacBook Air model, because the rumors about a 15-inch MacBook Air are piling up. But what do we already know about this model? What will the 15-inch MacBook Air look like and what specs will it have?
- Name
- Screen
- Design
- Chip
- Specs and other features
- Release
- Price
#1 The name: will it be a MacBook Air?
In the rumor mill, this model is called the new larger MacBook Air, but it is not yet certain whether it will also receive the Air designation from Apple. Another option is that this model will just be called MacBook, as a separate line within the line-up. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said earlier in 2022 that this model may not get the Air designation. It is not yet known which name Apple will choose. For convenience, we will in any case refer to this model as the new larger MacBook Air, to make it clear that it is not a MacBook Pro.
#2 Screen: a bit bigger
It is therefore a larger version of the 13-inch MacBook Air, which is probably referred to as a 15-inch laptop. But to be precise, it is a 15.5-inch display. That's slightly larger than the earlier 15-inch MacBook Pro, which had a 15.4-inch display. Looking at the current MacBook Air, we expect the new model to have a regular LED display (and not a mini-LED), but with a notch at the top of the screen. The screen edges are probably thin, so the housing is not too big. This new model is not expected to get a ProMotion screen, but it will include True Tone, P3 color reproduction and more.
#3 Design: many similarities with the latest Air
We don't yet know exactly what the new MacBook Air will look like, because no images have been leaked yet. But if we look at the current MacBooks, it's not difficult to imagine what this model could look like. The model is likely to have the more angular design that we already see on the MacBook Pro and the 13-inch MacBook Air, with the edge in a tighter curve towards the bottom and the top of the lid is completely flat.
If the new 15-inch MacBook is really just going to be a larger version of the 13-inch MacBook Air, it will probably look identical, with the same colors. In terms of colors you can certainly count on silver and space gray, but midnight and starlight are also certainly options.
#4 Chip: Apple Silicon, with M2 chip
The current MacBook Air has an M2 chip, where you can choose from an 8 or 10-core CPU. We expect that the same possibility can also be found with the 15-inch MacBook Air. Sources at the production chain also say that the new 15-inch MacBook will get the same M2 chip. Apple has now also released the M2 Pro chip, but it will probably be reserved for the MacBook Pro (along with the M2 Max chip).
The chance that a newer M3 chip will come in is not that great. Apple would not release the M3 chip until the end of this year at the earliest. Moreover, it is still time for the M2 Ultra chip, which will also be released halfway through this year. Only then is it the turn of the third generation M chip in the form of the M3.
#5 Specs and other features
But what about the other specs of this new MacBook? There are few rumors about that at the moment. There are indications that Apple will upgrade the Bluetooth version. A report has appeared in the Bluetooth database of new Apple devices with Bluetooth 5.3. Presumably this is for the new 15-inch MacBook and/or the new Mac Pro. The most recent Mac mini and MacBook Pro already have Bluetooth 5.3, which is more reliable and energy efficient.
In addition, we also expect support for WiFi 6E, the latest WiFi standard. We also find this in the current Mac mini and MacBook Pro, but not yet in the current 13-inch MacBook Air. It therefore seems only logical that this will be added to the new larger MacBook.
These are the other expected specifications of the new 15-inch MacBook Air:
- Media Engine
- Up to 24GB memory
- Up to 2TB storage
- 1080p FaceTime HD camera
- Four-speaker hi-fi system with spatial audio support
- Backlit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID sensor
- Force Touch trackpad
- Multiple Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports
- MagSafe port for charging
- 15 hours minimum wireless internet
#6 Release: when will the new 15-inch MacBook Air come?
The biggest mystery surrounding this MacBook is when Apple is going to announce it. Earlier rumors predicted that this model would be released in the first half of 2023. And according to display expert Ross Young, production of the screen panels has already started. He expects Apple to be able to release this model in April 2023, although the question is whether that will actually happen. Apple can announce the 15-inch MacBook with a press release (as they did with the recent MacBook Pro and Mac mini), but Apple can also hold the model for a later date, such as around WWDC next summer. This can certainly not be ruled out, because the latest MacBook Pros were originally also planned for the end of last year, while Apple waited until January with the announcement.
Either way, we think that the 15 -inch MacBook Air will be announced sometime in the first half of this year.
#7 Price: a bit more expensive than the current MacBook Air
The current 13-inch MacBook Air has a suggested retail price of €1,519 at Apple. The new 15-inch version will probably be a bit more expensive. We think the new MacBook is priced between the 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro ($1,619) and the 14-inch M2 Pro MacBook Pro ($2,449). There is a gap of more than €800 between these models, so that a 15-inch MacBook Air fits perfectly. We therefore expect a price between €1,700 and €2,000.
Want to know more about which new Macs we expect in 2023? Then read our preview of the Macs of 2023, in which we also look at the new Mac Pro or perhaps a new iMac. ” />
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