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The MacBook Air vs. the competition: The M1 hits the ground running
It's got stiff competition from Intel-powered machines.
We’ve known for a while that Apple was working on its own processor for Mac. Today we finally got a look at the new chip, M1, and the computers it will live in. However, while Apple boasts about the new Air’s fanless design and long battery life, how does this thin and light machine compare to some of the more popular portables powered by Intel chips? We’ve lined up the MacBook Air up against this year’s Dell XPS 13 and HP Envy 13, two machines that are also slim and powerful. Check out the specs below, and be sure to check back here at Engadget for our full review of the new MacBook Air later this year.
MacBook Air | Dell XPS 13 | HP Envy 13 | |
|---|---|---|---|
Price | |||
Dimensions | 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.16-0.63 inches (304.1 x 212.4 x 0.4-16.1 mm) | 11.64 x 7.82 x 0.58 inches (295.7 x 198.7 x 14.8 mm) | 12.07 x 7.66 x 0.67 inches (306.58 x 194.56 x 17 mm) |
Weight | 2.8 pounds (1.29 kg) | 2.64 pounds (1.2 kg) / | 2.88 pounds (1.31 kg) |
OS | macOS Big Sur | Windows 10 Home | Windows 10 Home / |
Display | 13.3-inch Retina IPS LCD | 13.4-inch InfinityEdge LCD | 13.3-inch BrightView LCD |
Resolution | 2,560 x 1,600 | 1,920 x 1,200 / | 1,920 x 1,080 / |
Processor | Apple M1 * | Intel Core i3-1115G4 (3 GHz, up to 4.1 GHz) / | Intel Core i7-1065G7 (1.3 GHz, up to 3.9 GHz) |
Memory | 8 / 16 GB | 8 / 16 / 32 GB | 8 GB |
Graphics | Apple M1 * | Intel UHD Graphics | Intel Iris Plus Graphics |
Storage | 256 / 512 GB | 256 / 512 GB | 256 / 512 GB |
Ports | USB-C (x2, Thunderbolt) | USB-C (x2, Thunderbolt), microSD | USB-C, USB-A (x2), microSD |
Wireless | 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.0 | 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.1 | 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.0 |
Battery | 49.9 WHr | 52 WHr | 51 WHr |
Specs listed are limited to base configurations and may not include all options available at checkout.
* We don’t have precise processing power for the M1 at this time, but it’s an 8-core CPU with a 7-core GPU and a 16-core “Neural Engine.”
