2020 MacBook Air Review Roundup
Originally Posted: March 28th, 2020
2020 MacBook Air Review Roundup
I Recently Tested A 2020 MacBook Air
While working on a review, I realized everything I wanted to say was already said better by someone else. That’s the nature of reviewing Apple products in 2020. Here’s some of the best of what I’ve read.
Dana Wollman for Engadget:
Apple MacBook Air (2020) first look: Buy it for the keyboard
Hello from the new MacBook Air. Allow me to answer your first question up front: Yes, the new keyboard is excellent.
Nilay Patel for The Verge:
Apple MacBook Air (2020) Review: The Best Mac For Most People
That brings us to now: the 2020 MacBook Air comes with the new scissor-switch keyboard Apple introduced in the 16-inch MacBook Pro, and the processors have been upgraded to Intel’s new 10th-generation parts. Apple also lowered the price by $100: the MacBook Air now starts at $999.
It’s been a long road back, but this new MacBook Air is right where it needs to be: squarely in the mix of being the best laptop for most people.
USB-C is still some sort of elaborate logic puzzle. The Retina Display is commendably sharp, but it doesn’t have the P3 wide color gamut of the MacBook Pro, and it’s weird that Apple calls it 2560 x 1600 when it runs at an effective 1440 x 900 by default. (You can set it to the equivalent of 1680 x 1050, and you should do that.) The gold model is slightly pinkish, which is very striking. It doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6 because Apple’s using a different Wi-Fi module than the one that’s normally packaged with these Intel chips, but no one has Wi-Fi 6 yet so whatever. It’s nice that it uses a 30-watt charger, which means any number of third-party USB PD devices will charge it just fine. We’re at the point where macOS Catalina comes out of the box with almost every Apple app preloaded in the Dock, including Podcasts and Apple TV, help.
But really, the most important thing is that, for the first time in several years, I feel confident saying that most people in the market for a Mac laptop can just buy a MacBook Air and expect it to competently and reliably do most things for a long time to come. That’s a big win and a solid return to form.
Brian Heater for TechCrunch:
Apple MacBook Air review: It feels good to type again
There are some nice upgrades here. Between the keyboard, processor and the overhaul the model got back in 2018, it’s nice to see Apple keeping the beloved line fresh a dozen years after it was first introduced.
I suspect that, for many, the fact that the laptop was introduced alongside the new iPad Pro (and its new keyboard) drove home how much the lines between the products are continuing to blur. The question comes up a lot when critics talk about Apple, as the company has traditionally taken a relatively minimalistic approach to product lines, versus, say, Samsung’s tendency to provide a wide range of different products.
But as personal computing has become more complex, so have our needs. And so, in turn, has Apple’s lineup. For a while there, it seemed like the MacBook Air was going to fade away, in favor of the standard MacBook. Ultimately, however, the Air won out, and understandably so. The focus on portability is a strong selling point, when coupled with the workflow versatility of MacOS (versus iPadOS). The Air looks like it’s going to be sticking around for a bit, and that’s something for Apple users to be thankful for.
Samuel Axon for ArsTechnica:
MacBook Air 2020 review: The Most Boring Mac Is Among The Best
The Good:
-It’s the perfect size and shape for most people, and it feels sturdy and easy to grip when carrying
-The keyboard will prove a lot less divisive—and likely much more reliable
-Outstanding software; macOS is as stable and nice to use as ever
-The price has dropped to something easier to manage for more people It nails most of the basicsThe Bad:
-It runs loud and hot when you do something demanding for a long stretch of time
-The camera isn’t up to standards in an time of telecommuting
-Performance is just decent for this price
-No Wi-Fi 6The Ugly:
-Two ports is not enough when one of them is needed for power, and the placement of both on one side will not work well for everyone
Jason Snell for Six Colors:
2020 MacBook Air Review: No News Is Good News
Here’s what you need to know about the 2020 MacBook Air: It’s everything that was great about the 2018 MacBook Air, but it’s cheaper and faster, with more customizable specs and—perhaps most importantly—the same Magic Keyboard as the 16-inch MacBook Pro.
If you don’t really need a new Mac laptop, maybe you should wait to see what happens with ARM. But if you’re someone who has been holding out for a new MacBook Air—and ideally one without that infamous keyboard—I wouldn’t recommend that you wait. This is the MacBook Air that you’ve been waiting for.
Taylor Dixon for iFixit:
There’s Something New in the (MacBook) Air
The MacBook Air 2020 earns a 4 out of 10 on our repairability scale (10 is highest).
+ Re-routed trackpad cables mean that trackpad and battery replacements are available from the get-go and easier than ever.
+ Many other components (fan, speakers, ports, etc) are modular and easy to access.
+/– Apart from the pesky pentalobe screws, the MacBook Air opens about as easily as any
– The keyboard, though more reliable, is still integrated into the top case, requiring a full teardown for service.
– Soldered SSD and RAM are a real bummer in a laptop at this price point.
Rene Ritchie for iMore:
MacBook Air (2020) Review: The best Mac for most everyone... is back!
When you combine that starting at $999 price tag with the Air's build quality, macOS, and all the free software that comes with it, it just provides a ton of value — and value that lasts for years. And, if performance is just as valuable as portability for you, you can now spec the new Air out to $2,249, fully loaded, giving a better range of options for a wider range of customers.
If you have an old MacBook Air or 12-inch MacBook, even the old 13-inch MacBook Pro escape, and you've been waiting to upgrade, then wait no more. This is very much the new MacBook Air you've been waiting for.
John Gruber for Daring Fireball:
So what’s left? For what it is meant to be, it’s really hard to complain about anything at all regarding this machine. Now that Apple has extricated itself from its butterfly keyboard thicket, it’s clear that Apple was onto something with this design language, which debuted with the no-adjective 12-inch MacBook in 2015.
Don’t overthink it. The new MacBook Air is what it looks like: nearly perfect.