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Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
Apple

MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

The Apple silicon debut that still punches above its age

Laptops
9.0/10What the pros sayOutstandingExpert consensusSee score breakdown ↓
Storage
Buying call

Buy a used or clearance M1 Air if you need a silent, long-battery Mac on a tighter budget. Reviewers still call it a landmark ultraportable. Skip it if you need MagSafe, a notch-free modern design or dual external displays.

Full verdict ↓
Lowest new price · 128GBCheck price0 retailers
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Editor testedHands-on testing and real-world use
Real-world useBased on everyday testing, not a spec sheet
Unbiased reviewIndependent and objective, sources shown
MacBook Air (M1, 2020)Check priceSee price
Key specs
Panel type
13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology
Battery
Up to 15 hours wireless web, Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback
Highlights

Specs that matter

Display
Panel
IPS
Size
13.3" (338 mm)
Brightness
400 nits
Performance
Processor
Apple M1
GPU
7-core GPU, 8-core GPU
RAM
8 GB
Storage
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
At a glance

Product highlights

Verified attributes, grouped for quick scanning.

Display13.3" (338 mm)IPS
ChipsetApple M18 GB RAM · 7-core GPU, 8-core GPU
RAM / storage8 GB · 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
20 attributes · See all specifications
Price & availability

Where to buy

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Available in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB.
Buying decision

Should you buy it?

Buy a used or clearance M1 Air if you need a silent, long-battery Mac on a tighter budget. Reviewers still call it a landmark ultraportable. Skip it if you need MagSafe, a notch-free modern design or dual external displays.

Best for

Budget-conscious macOS buyers and students

Not for

Anyone who needs modern multi-monitor docks

Main strengthSilent fanless design
Main weaknessAging wedge design and thick bezels
Reasons to buy
Silent fanless design
Still-excellent battery efficiency
Rosetta and iOS apps just work
Proven long software support so far
Reasons to avoid
Aging wedge design and thick bezels
720p webcam
Only one external display
8GB base ages poorly
Measured view9.0/10What the pros say.
Head to head

How it stacks up

Open a comparison for the full side-by-side view.

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Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
This deviceMacBook Air (M1, 2020)
VS
AlternativeMacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro / M4 Max, 2024)
Display
13.3"16.2"
Chipset
M1M4 Pro: 14-core CPU (10P+4E) / 20-core GPU, 273GB/s; M4 Max: 14-core CPU / 32-core GPU (410GB/s) or 16-core CPU (12P+4E) / 40-core GPU (546GB/s); 16-core Neural
Full comparison
Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
This deviceMacBook Air (M1, 2020)
VS
AlternativeMacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro / M4 Max, 2024)
Display
13.3"14.2"
Chipset
M1M4 Pro: 12-core CPU (8P+4E) / 16-core GPU or 14-core CPU (10P+4E) / 20-core GPU, 273GB/s; M4 Max: 14-core CPU / 32-core GPU (410GB/s) or 16-core CPU / 40-core G
Full comparison
Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
This deviceMacBook Air (M1, 2020)
VS
AlternativeMacBook Pro 14-inch (M4, 2024)
Display
13.3"14.2"
Chipset
M1M4: 10-core CPU (4P+6E), 10-core GPU, hardware ray tracing, 16-core Neural Engine, 120GB/s
Full comparison
Same category

Alternatives worth a look

Other phones in the database, with their stored scores and prices.

All laptops →
—
AppleMacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro / M4 Max, 2024)16.2" (411 mm) · M4 Pro: 14-core CPU (10P+4E) / 20-core GPU, 273GB/s; M4 Max: 14-core CPU / 32-core GPU (410GB/s) or 16-core CPU (12P+4E) / 40-core GPU (546GB/s); 16-core Neural · 24 GB
—
AppleMacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro / M4 Max, 2024)14.2" (361 mm) · M4 Pro: 12-core CPU (8P+4E) / 16-core GPU or 14-core CPU (10P+4E) / 20-core GPU, 273GB/s; M4 Max: 14-core CPU / 32-core GPU (410GB/s) or 16-core CPU / 40-core G · 24 GB
—
AppleMacBook Pro 14-inch (M4, 2024)14.2" (361 mm) · M4: 10-core CPU (4P+6E), 10-core GPU, hardware ray tracing, 16-core Neural Engine, 120GB/s · 16 GB
—
AppleMacBook Pro 16-inch with PROLED XDR Display16.3" (414 mm) · M5 Pro (18-core CPU/20-core GPU, 307GB/s) or M5 Max (18-core CPU with 32-core GPU at 460GB/s or 40-core GPU at 614GB/s); 16-core Neural Engine; Neural Accelerat · 64 GB
Product data

Full specifications

20 attributes, grouped for quick scanning. Spot a wrong value? Hit the next to it.

Display

Panel type
13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology
Brightness
400

Performance

CPU cores
8-core CPU with 4 perform­ance cores and 4 efficiency cores

Battery

Battery
Up to 15 hours wireless web, Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback

Connectivity

Wireless
Wi-Fi 6 wireless networking; Bluetooth 5.0
Ports
Thunderbolt 3 (up to 40Gb/s), 3.5 mm headphone jack
Webcam
- 720p FaceTime HD camera - Advanced image signal processor with computational video
Vote & discuss

Community says

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MacBook Air (M1, 2020)No store price yetSpecs
Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020) Specs & Price | Gadget Clash