Apple has finally launched its highly anticipated 2020 Macbook Air. And the company has ensured to fill it with all the good things that we have loved about Macs so far.
Let us start with the keyboard. All Mac lovers cringed when Apple took away the critically and popularly acclaimed scissor mechanism and replaced it with the butterfly stuff for no apparent reason. Well, let us all rejoice, as the scissor keyboard mechanism is making its way back to the Macbook.
MacBook Air now features the new Magic Keyboard, first introduced on the 16-inch MacBook Pro. A redesigned scissor mechanism delivers 1mm of key travel for a comfortable and stable key feel, while the new inverted-“T” arrangement for the arrow keys makes them easier to find without looking down.
In terms of performance, the new Macbook Air gets an obvious bump. Apple says that the 2020 version delivers up to two times faster CPU performance and up to 80 percent faster graphics performance, ideal for both your daily tasks as well as some decent gaming. It is the first time that a Macbook air features a quad core CPU. It comes with the latest 10th-generation Intel Core processors up to 1.2GHz quad-core Core i7 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.8GHz.
For graphics support, the new Macbook Air features Intel Iris Plus graphics, thus delivering up to 80 percent faster graphics performance.
Design is one area, where Apple has reigned the hardware markets for decades. And the legacy goes on with the new Macbook Air as well. This 2020 version features a stunning unibody wedge design made from 100 percent recycled aluminum and comes in three finishes — gold, silver and space gray. The 13-inch Retina display delivers over 4 million pixels. MacBook Air now starts with 256GB of storage, double that of the previous generation. And this can be maxed out to upto a humongous 2TB.
In terms of security, Apple continues to outperform rivals by offering the Apple T2 Security Chip, Apple’s own custom-designed second-generation silicon, which checks that software loaded during the boot process has not been tampered with and provides on-the-fly data encryption for everything stored on the SSD.
Starting at $999, and $899 for education, the new MacBook Air is available to order starting today on apple.com and in the Apple Store app. MacBook Air will be available in stores starting next week. However, considering that all Apple stores outside of Greater China are shut down due to COVID-19 pandemic, availability could be a question.
