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Updated January 12, 2024·
Choosing the MacBook Air from 2022 gives you a slightly larger and better display, better webcam quality, and higher performance, which is especially noticeable in more intense computing tasks like editing videos or running demanding software. Despite being lighter, it also has slightly better battery life and benefits from being a more recent model, which typically means longer support for software updates. On the other hand, the MacBook Air from 2020 will save you some money while still providing good performance for everyday tasks like browsing, streaming, and office work, and it's still a very light and portable device with silent, fanless operation. If your priority is savings and your usage is generally light, the 2020 version could serve you well, but if you work with more demanding applications or appreciate the latest features and small improvements in display and battery, the 2022 model would be the better choice despite its higher price. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
- The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2022).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2022)
- Very good for software development
- Excellent portability
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.5
7.6
13.3in
SIZE
13.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air for general use, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air models have high-resolution displays with bright and color-accurate panels, making them excellent for general use and tasks like engineering and design that rely on precise colors. The 2022 model has improved color fidelity with wider color gamuts, enhancing the visual experience for applications that demand true-to-life colors. However, both lack high refresh rates, which are crucial for 3D applications and gaming, leading to a less optimal experience in those areas.
Cost
$1,000
$799
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the Apple MacBook Air (2022) costs $799.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
15.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.4/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) sets a high standard for general use with its efficient M1 CPU, ample RAM, high-quality IPS display, light weight, and solid battery life that complements its portability, also being praised for having the best keyboard quality and operating silently without a fan.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.4
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) with an Apple M1 7-core GPU offers fair 3D performance due to its entry-level integrated graphics, which may not smoothly handle more demanding 3D tasks, and a standard 60Hz display refresh rate that doesn't cater to high-frame-rate content. The Apple MacBook Air (2022) sees a slight improvement with its Apple M2 8-core GPU providing better GPU performance, which is essential for 3D work, but maintains the same screen refresh rate, thus not significantly enhancing the experience for high-speed 3D visuals.
Engineering and Design
7.3
7.5
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) with its Apple M1 chip and integrated GPU performs well for engineering and design due to its quality CPU and GPU, efficient RAM usage, and high-resolution IPS screen, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) offers improvements with the Apple M2 chip, a slightly better GPU, brighter screen, and increased performance, making it suitable for more demanding engineering and design applications. Both models score highly in portability, keyboard, and speaker quality, and operate quietly, but the 2022 model's enhanced screen and processing power give it a slight edge for professional use.
Content Creation
7.8
7.9
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.7
8.0
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air (2022) to be very good for software development, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Battery
15.0 Hours
15.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
13.3in
SIZE
13.6in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.4in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air (2022) to have excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
10.0
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Apple MacBook Air (2022) both have best in class build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the Apple MacBook Air (2022) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2020) | Apple MacBook Air (2022) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $799 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2020 | July 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.44'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.8 lbs | 2.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 8.46" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | Apple M2 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 15 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49.9 Wh | 52.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 13.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1664 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 395 nits | 486 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 9.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | 3 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Air (2020)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
Apple MacBook Air (2022)
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the Apple MacBook Air (2022)
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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Recommendations made
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About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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