Tested: 5 things you want to know about the new 15-inch MacBook Air M2

Apple first launched a 15-inch MacBook Air during WWDC23. WANT editor Jeroen took care of it for two weeks and tells you the five points that stand out to him most.

Apple ignored the 15-inch market for the cheaper computer for years. If you wanted a MacBook with that size, you automatically ended up with the Pro. In fact, the latest version of it is still an Intel. Now the company is back with a 15-inch model, but the Air.

5 things that stand out about the 15-inch MacBook Air

But what exactly stands out about the 15-inch MacBook Air? I’ll take you through it.

#1 Many similarities with the 13-inch MacBook Air

The 15-inch M2 MacBook Air can best be seen as the bigger brother of the 13-inch model. So much is the same. In addition to the chip, it also has a Liquid Retina screen and the sleek design. In addition, it is available in the same colors: silver, midnight, space gray and starlight.

There is something to choose from. The entry-level model (1,599 euros) has an 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD. If you demand more, you can upgrade to 24GB RAM and 2TB SSD. I myself was able to test the version with 16 GB RAM and 512 TB (2,059 euros).

#2 The screen

Well, the biggest difference with the other M2 MacBook Air is of course the size of the screen. You can certainly say that the 15-inch (actually 15.3 inches) is a nice addition to the line-up. As mentioned, it almost corresponds to the 13-inch model in terms of performance. It also has a maximum brightness of 15 inches and the same pixel density.

This model also has True Tone, so that the colors are automatically adjusted to the environment. You quickly get used to the notch at the top.

#3 Ideal to take with you

The 15-inch MacBook Air seems more difficult to carry than the 13-inch due to its larger size, but nothing could be further from the truth. With a weight of 1.51 kilos, you can take it with you everywhere. In addition, it is only 3.5 centimeters wider and 2.2 centimeters longer than the 13-inch model.

The battery also ensures that you can work well on location. Personally, I can last almost 15 hours with the 15-inch MacBook Air. Apple even claims that you can watch movies for up to 18 hours through the Apple TV app.

Yet the 15-inch MacBook Air has the same ailment as several other MacBooks. In total you only have two Thunderbolt/USB-4 ports, both of which are on the left side, next to the MagSafe connection. There could have been quite a gate or two extra on the right side, especially since this model is also larger. There is now only a connection for headphones.

The Magic Keyboard of the 15-inch MacBook Air also works properly. He taps away nicely. Moreover, the larger touchpad ensures that I hardly ever use a mouse. Especially handy on the road, of course. The only thing that stands out is the considerable space that is left next to the keyboard.

#4 Loudspeakers

One of the big differences from the 13-inch MacBook Air model is the speakers. There are six in the 15-inch instead of the usual four. This allows you to compare it more with the latest MacBook Pros.

The sound of the machine therefore sounds fine. So if you want to play music without headphones or stream a movie with good sound, this MacBook Air is your best friend. Even the bass sounds good and is certainly not too soft.

#5 Performance

Well, a laptop is of course mainly about performance. The 15-inch certainly does not disappoint in this respect either. Of course, the device is not as powerful as the Pro models, but it still performs its tasks well.

If you use Photoshop or occasionally edit a video in Premiere, it’s fine to use. I haven’t had a single crash myself and everything runs smoothly, and the computer itself never got warm.

The machine can handle quite a lot, making it an ideal work laptop for most people. Only when you really need the utmost is it better to switch to the Pro.