Apple MacBook Air 2019 13″ 256GB Silver
The MacBook Air continues to be equipped with a Retina display with slimmer, less distracting black bezels that better match the slimmer bezels of the MacBook Pro.
With more than 4 million pixels and a resolution of 2560×1600, the MacBook Air’s display offers 48 percent more color than pre-2018 models for more lifelike images. At the top of the display, there’s a FaceTime HD camera and a three microphone array for better sound. New in 2019 is a True Tone display that matches the white balance of the monitor to the ambient lighting in the room to make for a more natural viewing experience.
Design wise, the MacBook Air features a tapered wedge-shaped body, but the machine is 10 percent thinner, takes up 17 percent less volume, and weighs a quarter pound less at 2.75 poundscompared to the older MacBook Air models. Apple says the MacBook Air’s enclosure is made from an Apple-designed aluminum alloy that uses 100 percent recycled aluminum.
The MacBook Air comes in multiple color options, with Space Gray, Silver, and Gold machines available for purchase. The MacBook Air adopts a few features from the MacBook Pro, including a larger Force Touch trackpad, as well as an upgraded third-generation Butterfly keyboard made from more durable materials that’s new for 2019.
Like the MacBook Pro, the MacBook Air includes a T2 chip and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor to use in lieu of a password. The T2 chip is designed to make the MacBook Air more secure with an SSD controller for on-the-fly data encryption and a Secure Enclave to ensure a secure boot process. Through the T2 chip, always-on “Hey Siri” functionality is available.
The 2019 MacBook Air features no design changes and offers the same look as the 2018 MacBook Air. It’s available in Silver, Space Gray, and Gold. The new MacBook Air is made from an Apple-designed aluminum alloy that uses 100 percent recycled aluminum.
Design wise, the MacBook Air continues to feature its traditional wedge shape, tapering from thick to thin towards the front of the device. The new MacBook Air design introduced in 2018 takes up 17 percent less volume and is 10 percent thinner than the older versions of the MacBook Air.
At its thickest point, the MacBook Air measures in at .61 inches, and at its thinnest point, it measures in at 0.16 inches. It’s 11.97 inches long and 8.36 inches wide, and it weighs in at 2.75 pounds.
As with last year’s model, the new MacBook Air uses a Retina display, a feature that first came to the MacBook Air in 2018. Around the display, there are also slim black bezels, giving the MacBook Air a similar design to the MacBook Pro.
KEYBOARD
Like the MacBook Pro, the 2019 MacBook Air features an upgraded third-generation butterfly keyboard that improves upon the build quality of the previous-generation butterfly keyboard.
According to Apple, the upgraded third-generation butterfly keyboard features “new materials,” but there are no details on what those new materials are. Apple says the new design will significantly cut down on keyboard failures that have impacted prior versions of the butterfly keyboard.
An iFixit teardown of the MacBook Pro suggests Apple has introduced a new membrane that covers the keyboard switches. The new membrane is clearer and smoother to the touch, and appears to be made with polyacetylene. There are also subtle changes to the metal dome over each key switch, perhaps designed to alleviate problems with durability, bounce-back, or other issues.
Apple’s Mac notebooks have been using butterfly keys instead of traditional switch mechanisms since 2015, with butterfly keys optimized for a more responsive feel and a greater sense of keyboard travel for a more satisfying press under the fingers.
In all prior Mac notebooks dating back to 2015, users have occasionally experienced keyboard failures, possibly related to crumbs, dust, and other small particulates getting under the keys.
It’s too early to tell if the updated version of the butterfly keyboard will prevent 2019 machines from experiencing the same issues, but if failures do occur, all new 2019 MacBook Air models are covered by Apple’s Keyboard Service Program for four years from the date of purchase.
TRACKPAD
The 2018 and 2019 MacBook Air include a larger Force Touch trackpad much like the MacBook Pro. The Force Touch trackpad has no traditional buttons and is instead powered by a set of Force Sensors, allowing users to press anywhere on the trackpad to get the same response. A Taptic Engine powered by magnets provides users with tactile feedback when using the trackpad, replacing the feel of a physical button press.
The Force Touch trackpad supports a light press, which is used as a regular click, along with a deeper press or “force click” as a separate gesture that does things like offer up definitions for a highlighted word.
PORTS
Two USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports are included in the MacBook Air. With Thunderbolt 3, the MacBook Air can support 4K and 5K displays and connect to eGPUs for faster graphics capabilities when necessary.
Thunderbolt 3 supports transfer speeds of up to 40Gb/s, while in USB-C mode ports support USB 3.1 Gen 2 transfer speeds of up to 10Gb/s.
Along with the two Thunderbolt 3 ports, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack on the other side of the device. Other than that, there are no additional ports on the MacBook Air, with Apple having removed the USB-A ports and SD card slot.
Display
Apple’s 2019 MacBook Air continues to offer a Retina display that’s much sharper, crisper, and clearer than the previous non-Retina displays used in the MacBook Air prior to 2018.
It has a 2560 by 1600 resolution with 227 pixels per inch and more than 4 million pixels in total. The display offers 48 percent more color than the previous generation for more lifelike, true to life colors.
TRUE TONE
New to the 2019 MacBook Air is support for True Tone, which is designed to tweak the color of the display to match the lighting in the room.
True Tone works through a multi-channel ambient light sensor that’s included in the new MacBook Air models, which is able to determine both the brightness of the room and the color temperature.
After detecting the white balance, the MacBook Air is able to adjust both the color and intensity of the display to match the room’s lighting for a more natural, paper-like viewing experience that also cuts down on eyestrain.
Processor and GPU
The MacBook Air is equipped with a 1.6GHz dual-core processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz. It’s a 7W Y-Series Amber Lake chip from Intel, which is a departure from the 15W U-Series chips that were used in previous-generation MacBook Air machines.
There is only one chip option for the MacBook Air, which is a bit unusual as Apple typically offers several chip upgrade options for its machines.
In Geekbench benchmarks, the MacBook Air earned a single-core score of 4248 and a multi-core score of 7828. Performance has improved over the previous-generation MacBook Air and it’s faster than even the fastest 12-inch MacBook
Lightness Strikes Again.
The most loved Mac is about to make you fall in love all over again. Available in silver, space gray, and gold, the new thinner and lighter MacBook Air features a brilliant Retina display with True Tone technology, Touch ID, the latest-generation keyboard, and a Force Touch trackpad. The iconic wedge is created from 100 percent recycled aluminum, making it the greenest Mac ever. And with all-day battery life, MacBook Air is your perfectly portable, do-it-all notebook.
Retina Display
Four million pixels.
One brilliant debut.
With a resolution of 2560-by-1600 for over 4 million pixels, the results are positively jaw dropping. Images take on a new level of detail and realism. Text is sharp and clear. And True Tone technology automatically adjusts the white point of the display to match the color temperature of your environment — making web pages and email look as natural as the printed page. With 48 percent more colors than the previous generation, everything you see is rich and vibrant. The display glass goes right to the edge of the enclosure, making the borders 50 percent thinner than before. So you can focus on what’s on your screen. And you’re going to love what you see.
13.3” high-resolution Retina display
True Tone technology
Razor-sharp text clarity
48% more colors than the non-Retina model
Touch ID Your fingerprint is your password.
The advanced security and convenience of Touch ID are now built right into MacBook Air. Simply place your finger on the Touch ID sensor and — just like that — your Mac unlocks. Use your fingerprint to immediately access locked documents, notes, and system settings, without entering yet another password. Online shopping is even easier — select Apple Pay at checkout, and with just one touch you’re done. No need to enter shipping or billing info, and your card details are never shared. With Touch ID, your private information stays private.
Quickly unlock your Mac without typing a password
Securely make online purchases with Apple Pay
Instantly authenticate password-protected documents
Apple T2 Security Chip
MacBook Air features the Apple T2 Security Chip — second-generation custom Mac silicon designed by Apple to make MacBook Air even more secure. So when you use Touch ID to unlock your Mac, authenticate a document, or pay a merchant online, your information stays safe. With on-the-fly data encryption, all your data stored on the SSD is automatically and fully encrypted. And thanks to the T2 Security Chip, a familiar voice comes to MacBook Air — Hey Siri is always ready to open apps, find documents, play music, and answer your questions.
KeyboardA real hands-on experience.
The latest-generation MacBook Air keyboard features our butterfly mechanism — providing four times more key stability than a traditional scissor mechanism, along with greater comfort and responsiveness. And individual LED-backlit keys with an ambient light sensor help you type in low-light environments.
Precise, more stable keys
Force Touch Trackpad
The Force Touch trackpad lets you interact with your Mac in a variety of ways based on subtle differences in pressure. You have precise control and a uniform response — no matter where you click the trackpad — as well as plenty of room for Multi-Touch gestures like pinch and zoom. Your fingers will feel right at home.
20% larger. More room for Multi‑Touch gestures
PerformanceYour all‑purpose, all‑day notebook.
Even though it weighs just 2.75 pounds, the new MacBook Air packs quite a punch. An eighth-generation Intel Core i5 processor helps you power through daily activities, from reading email and browsing the web to creating Keynote presentations and editing in iMovie. Up to 16GB of memory lets you work seamlessly even with multiple apps open, while up to 1TB of SSD storage lets you launch apps in a flash and provides plenty of room for all your documents, photos, and videos.
Up to16GB RAM memory
Up to1TB SSD storage
2.75 lb. light
Eighth-generation Intel Core i5 processor
802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2
15.6 mm thin
Battery Life
With up to 12 hours of battery life, MacBook Air is your day‑in, day‑out dynamo. Check email, browse the web, shop online, write documents, watch videos, manage spreadsheets, and more, all without plugging in. Taking a transatlantic flight? Line up the movies, because MacBook Air is ready to play for up to 13 hours — nonstop.
Thunderbolt 3One for all, all in one.
Thunderbolt 3 combines ultra-high bandwidth with the ultra-versatility of the USB-C industry standard to create one revved-up universal port — and MacBook Air has two of them. Thunderbolt 3 integrates data transfer, charging, and video output in a single connector, delivering up to 40Gb/s of throughput for twice the bandwidth of Thunderbolt 2. Existing devices are easily connected with a cable or adapter. And Thunderbolt 3 is reversible, so no matter how you plug it in, it’s always right side up.
Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C)
Charging
Displays
Storage
Devices
Speakers and Camera Sound that speaks volumes.
With the latest in processing and tuning techniques, MacBook Air sounds better than ever. Stereo speakers deliver twice the bass and 25 percent more volume than the previous generation. And wider stereo sound creates immersive audio when you’re listening to music or watching a movie. The FaceTime camera lets one — or many — of your friends and family members see you in high definition. And three microphones form an array that more accurately captures your voice for FaceTime calls, dictation, and talking to Siri.
2x more bass for fuller sound with greater range
25% more volume than previous generation
Three-microphone array captures your voice more accurately
FaceTime HD camera for one‑to‑one and group calls
MaterialsThe first Mac made with 100% recycled aluminum.
Introducing an aluminum alloy created by Apple that delivers the same strength, durability, and flawless finish — without mining any new aluminum from the earth. It’s designed to use shavings of recaptured aluminum that are re-engineered down to the atomic level. The result is an enclosure as incredibly beautiful and strong as any we have made, and the greenest Mac ever created.
47% lower carbon emissions compared with previous generation
6000 series aluminum for strength and durability
macOS Simply powerful.
macOS is the operating system that powers everything you do on a Mac. It lets you do things you simply can’t with other computers. That’s because it’s designed specifically for the hardware it runs on — and vice versa. And macOS Mojave brings new features inspired by its most powerful users but designed for everyone.
Mac + iPhone
Your Mac works with your iPhone in ways no other computer can.
Messages Send and receive text messages on your Mac. All the messages that appear on your iPhone appear on your Mac too, so all your conversations are always up to date.
Hand off Start a document, email, text, note, and more on your Mac and finish it on your iPhone — or vice versa.
Powerful built-in apps.
Every Mac comes equipped with a collection of powerful creativity and productivity apps. So you can get right to work. Or play.
Safari – Mail – Siri – Reminders – Pages – Calendar
Messages – Photos – GarageBand – iMovie – Numbers – FaceTime
