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Apple MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)
Apple

MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)

The last Intel Air, rescued by a better keyboard.

Laptops
8.0/10What the pros sayExcellentExpert consensusSee score breakdown ↓
Storage
Buying call

The early-2020 MacBook Air swapped the butterfly keyboard for a scissor-switch Magic Keyboard and moved to 10th-gen Core i3, i5 or i7 chips. Its 13.3-inch 2560x1600 Retina display, Touch ID and 1.29kg build make it a pleasant daily machine. But colors look muted next to the Pro, battery life is average, the 720p webcam is poor, and its single fan struggles: heavy loads bring throttling and noise.

Full verdict ↓
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Real-world useBased on everyday testing, not a spec sheet
Unbiased reviewIndependent and objective, sources shown
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)Check priceSee price
Key specs
Panel type
13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology
Battery
Up to 11 hours wireless web · Up to 12 hours Apple TV app movie playback · Up to 30 days of standby time
Highlights

Specs that matter

Display
Panel
IPS
Size
13.3" (338 mm)
Performance
RAM
8 GB
Storage
256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
Body
Weight
2.84 lb (1.29 kg)
Dimensions
height: 0.16-0.63 inch (0.41-1.61 cm); width: 11.97 inches (30.41 cm); depth: 8.36 inches (21.24 cm)
At a glance

Product highlights

Verified attributes, grouped for quick scanning.

Display13.3" (338 mm)IPS
RAM / storage8 GB · 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
Weight2.84 lb (1.29 kg)height: 0.16-0.63 inch (0.41-1.61 cm); width: 11.97 inches (30.41 cm); depth: 8.36 inches (21.24 cm)
15 attributes · See all specifications
Price & availability

Where to buy

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

Should you buy it?

The early-2020 MacBook Air swapped the butterfly keyboard for a scissor-switch Magic Keyboard and moved to 10th-gen Core i3, i5 or i7 chips. Its 13.3-inch 2560x1600 Retina display, Touch ID and 1.29kg build make it a pleasant daily machine. But colors look muted next to the Pro, battery life is average, the 720p webcam is poor, and its single fan struggles: heavy loads bring throttling and noise.

Best for

Light users who want a Touch ID ultraportable with a reliable keyboard

Not for

Anyone doing sustained creative work or video calls all day

Main strengthScissor-switch Magic Keyboard
Main weaknessWeak cooling leads to throttling and fan noise
Reasons to buy
Scissor-switch Magic Keyboard
Sharp 13.3-inch 2560x1600 Retina display
Touch ID
Light 1.29kg build
Reasons to avoid
Weak cooling leads to throttling and fan noise
Muted colors and average battery life
Poor 720p webcam
Measured view8.0/10What 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 (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)
This deviceMacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)
VS
AlternativeMacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro / M4 Max, 2024)
Display
13.3"16.2"
Full comparison
Apple MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)
This deviceMacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)
VS
AlternativeMacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro / M4 Max, 2024)
Display
13.3"14.2"
Full comparison
Apple MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)
This deviceMacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)
VS
AlternativeMacBook Pro 14-inch (M4, 2024)
Display
13.3"14.2"
Full comparison
Same category

Alternatives worth a look

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

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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

15 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

Battery

Battery
  • Up to 11 hours wireless web
  • Up to 12 hours Apple TV app movie playback
  • Up to 30 days of standby time

Connectivity

Wireless
Bluetooth 5.0
Ports
Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports with support for:, USB-C) ports with support for:
Webcam
- 720p FaceTime HD camera

Body

Dimensions
  • height: 0.16-0.63 inch (0.41-1.61 cm)
  • width: 11.97 inches (30.41 cm)
  • depth: 8.36 inches (21.24 cm)
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Community says

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Apple MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) | Gadget Clash