MacBook Air 2022: Everything you need to know

Rumours suggest that the next MacBook Air may launch late this year, with many suggesting it will come with a complete redesign as well as a performance boost.

The next MacBook has been tipped to feature the upcoming?M2 chip, which will be the successor to the?M1 chipset, with improvements to the architecture providing a performance increase.

We could also be seeing a whole new design for the next laptops, with many suggesting it will be thinner and lighter than its predecessors since the M2 processor won’t need a fan. Other upgrades possibly on the cards include a?Mini-LED?screen, a 1080p webcam and?MagSafe?charging.

Keep reading to find out everything we know about the MacBook Air, and make sure to bookmark this page as we will be consistently updating as new news comes out.

Release date

The MacBook Air 2022 is expected to launch this year, although there’s been conflicting reports of which month it could become available.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via?MacRumors) says that the MacBook Air will launch in the late second quarter or the early third quarter, which seemingly puts the date between August and September.

However, renowned Apple leaker Mark Gurman, in his?Power On?newsletter, mentioned that the next MacBook Air won’t launch until late this year, meaning that we may be waiting a little later than September. Major Mac announcements have often taken place in October, so this seems the most likely launch window right now.

Price

There has been little information on the pricing of the MacBook Air, so it’s hard to gauge how much the new machine will cost. However, Apple does typically retain a similar price point when moving on to new laptop generations, which could mean the MacBook Air 2022 will see a starting price of ￡999.

We also expect that there to be more expensive configurations, with variables like storage and chipsets likely to change the price.

Specs?

The MacBook Air 2022 is expected to be upgraded with a new Apple M2 chip, which will act as a replacement to the existing M1 chip. The M2 is expected to pack the same number as CPU cores (8) as its predecessor, but the the move from 5nm to 4nm architecture should still result in faster processing speeds.

By adopting a smaller 4nm transistor node, Apple should be able to stuff the chip with more transistors, therefore resulting in a more efficient performance.

We may also see a higher maximum GPU count, increasing from 8 to 10. This would provide a faster graphics performance, making the laptop more equipped to handles the likes of video editing.

However, Ming-Chi (via?MacRumors) has suggested that Apple won’t configure the new MacBook Air with an M2 chip after all, and will save it for the?13-inch MacBook Pro 2022?instead. This means that it’s possible the next MacBook Air won’t see a performance upgrade and will stick with the M1 chip, with the design refresh acting as the sole incentive to upgrade.

There haven’t been many reports on whether Apple will alter its storage and memory offerings, so it’s likely that Apple won’t change these specs for the next MacBook Air. The base model currently sports 256GB storage and 8GB memory.?

And since the latest?MacBook Pro 2021?set a precedent with the inclusion of?Mini LED?displays, the 2022 machine could adopt the same technology. The 12.9-inch?iPad Pro?also benefits from a Mini LED panel, so it would make sense for Apple to move it over onto its latest laptop release.

Apple leaker?Mark Gurman?has backed up reports indicating that MacBook Air 2022 could feature Mini LED technology, although suggests it will miss out on?ProMotion?technology, which sees screen’s refresh rate boosted beyond 60Hz.

It’s also possible that Apple will upgrade the webcam. For its most recent iterations of the MacBook Pro, Apple upgraded the 720p resolution up to 1080p, resulting in sharper capture. It would make a lot of sense for Apple to adopt this feature for the next iteration of the MacBook Air.

Design?

The MacBook Air’s design could see a major overhaul in 2022, with reports suggesting the laptop could become lighter and thinner to make it even more portable.

The existing?MacBook Air M1?hits the scales at 1.29kg, but there are plenty of rival laptops that weigh as little as 1kg. Since the MacBook Air doesn’t require a fan to operate, it’s very possible that Apple could cut the laptop’s weight to hit that figure.

Many have suggested that the next MacBook Air won’t have the same wedge-shaped design, opting out for a uniform look, in the same vein as the?MacBook Pro.

MacRumors?also reported on the idea that the laptop could come with thinner off-white bezels, which would make sense if Apple leaker?Jon Prosser’s?suggestions are true.

Prosser has mentioned that the MacBook Air will be available in multiple colours, just like the iMac. Prosser has published some renders of the potential colour options, which you can check out below.

Credit: Jon Prosser (via?Front Page Tech)

Credit: Jon Prosser (via?Front Page Tech)

MagSafe charging could also make a comeback, following its inclusion on the latest MacBook Pro. MagSafe is a magnetic connection for charging the laptop, which automatically releases when somebody trips over the wire to prevent damage to the laptop.

Apple is also set to stick with the USB-C port, with rectangular-shaped USB-A connections unlikely to return.

Make sure you keep checking back here with Trusted Reviews, as we’ll be updating this page whenever new leaks or rumours are announced.