Macbook Air M1 chip

The Apple MacBook Air M1 is a 13.3-inch Mac with the Apple M1 chip, a Retina display with True Tone, a backlit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and up to 18 hours of Apple TV app movie playback. It weighs 2.8 lb (1.29 kg) and tapers from 0.63 in (1.61 cm) at the back to 0.16 in (0.41 cm) at the front. It has no fan, and Apple lists its noise level at idle as 1.3 B (sound power).

FancyTech offers it two ways, so you can choose by budget:

Both versions share the specifications below. Confirm memory, storage, colour and keyboard layout against the specific unit you choose.

MacBook Air M1 highlights

• Apple M1 chip: 8-core CPU (4 performance, 4 efficiency), 7-core or 8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine.
• 13.3-inch Retina display: 2560 × 1600, 400 nits, P3 wide colour, True Tone.
• 8GB unified memory, configurable to 16GB.
• 128GB SSD, configurable up to 2TB.
• Up to 15 hours wireless web and up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback.
• Touch ID and a backlit Magic Keyboard.
• Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
• Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0.
• Three colours: Gold, Silver and Space Gray.

Brand new vs ex-UK: what to know before you buy

Brand new

• Unused, with the original box and accessories.
• Apple’s published battery claims were measured on new units.
• Best if you want maximum battery life from day one.

Ex-UK

• Imported from the UK second-hand market, so the price is lower.
• Check the following with FancyTech before buying: condition grade, battery health or cycle count, included charger, warranty period, and macOS version installed.
• Kenya uses the same Type G plug and 240V supply as the UK, so a UK charger fits Kenyan sockets. Confirm this for the exact unit.
• UK units normally use the ISO keyboard layout (79 keys), which Apple lists as an option alongside the US layout (78 keys). Confirm the layout if it matters to you.
• Battery capacity on a used unit can be lower than Apple’s published figures, which describe new systems.

Performance: Apple M1 chip

• 8-core CPU: 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
• GPU: 7-core or 8-core, depending on configuration
• 16-core Neural Engine

What you can do with it

• Email, documents, spreadsheets, browsing and video calls
• Photo editing and light video editing
• Study, coding and creative work with built-in Apple apps
• Streaming and everyday entertainment

Memory and storage

Apple notes that 1GB equals 1 billion bytes and 1TB equals 1 trillion bytes, and that actual formatted capacity is less. Check the exact memory and storage of the unit you buy, since ex-UK stock varies.

Retina display

• 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology
• 2560 × 1600 native resolution at 227 pixels per inch
• 400 nits brightness
• Wide colour (P3) and True Tone technology
• Support for millions of colours
• Scaled resolutions: 1680 × 1050, 1440 × 900 and 1024 × 640

External display support

• One external display up to 6K at 60Hz, with the built-in display at full native resolution
• Thunderbolt 3 digital video output and native DisplayPort output over USB-C
• VGA, HDMI, DVI and Thunderbolt 2 output using adapters (sold separately)

Battery and charging

• Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback
• Up to 15 hours wireless web
• 49.9Wh built-in lithium-polymer battery
• 30W USB-C Power Adapter and a USB-C Charge Cable (2 m) in the box

Apple tested these figures in October 2020 on pre-production units with 8GB memory and a 512GB SSD. Battery life varies with use, configuration and, for used units, battery condition.

Ports and connectivity

• Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports with charging, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 3 (up to 40Gb/s), USB 4 (up to 40Gb/s) and USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10Gb/s)
• 3.5 mm headphone jack
• Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
• Bluetooth 5.0

Keyboard, trackpad and Touch ID

• Backlit Magic Keyboard with 78 (US) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys in an inverted-T arrangement
• Touch ID sensor for unlocking your Mac and signing in
• Ambient light sensor
• Force Touch trackpad with pressure sensing, Force clicks, accelerators, pressure-sensitive drawing and Multi-Touch gestures

Camera, audio and microphones

• 720p FaceTime HD camera with an advanced image signal processor and computational video
• Stereo speakers with wide stereo sound and Dolby Atmos playback support
• Three-mic array with directional beamforming
• 3.5 mm headphone jack

macOS and Apple Intelligence

Apple’s page lists macOS Sequoia, with Apple Intelligence (beta), iPhone Mirroring and window tiling. Apple says Apple Intelligence is available in beta on all Macs with M1 and later, with language and feature limits. The macOS version on a given unit may differ. Check the installed version and what updates it can run.

Built-in apps

App Store, Books, Calendar, Contacts, FaceTime, Find My, Freeform, GarageBand, Home, iMovie, Keynote, Mail, Maps, Messages, Music, News, Notes, Numbers, Pages, Photo Booth, Photos, Podcasts, Preview, QuickTime Player, Reminders, Safari, Shortcuts, Siri, Stocks, Time Machine, TV and Voice Memos.

Apple notes that iMovie, GarageBand, Pages, Numbers and Keynote are available from the Mac App Store, and downloading apps requires an Apple ID.

Accessibility

Voice Control, VoiceOver, Zoom, Increase Contrast, Reduce Motion, Siri and Dictation, Switch Control and Live Captions.

What’s in the box

Brand new, per Apple:

• MacBook Air
• 30W USB-C Power Adapter
• USB-C Charge Cable (2 m)

Ex-UK: 

• MacBook Air
• 30W USB-C Power Adapter
• USB-C Charge Cable (2 m)

Operating requirements

• Line voltage: 100V to 240V AC, 50Hz to 60Hz
• Operating temperature: 10° to 35° C (50° to 95° F)
• Storage temperature: –25° to 45° C (–13° to 113° F)
• Relative humidity: 0% to 90% non-condensing
• Operating altitude: tested up to 10,000 feet
• Acoustics: sound power level of 1.3 B at idle and during wireless web browsing

Environmental credentials

• 100% recycled aluminium in the enclosure
• 100% recycled tin in the solder of the main logic board
• 35% or more recycled plastic in multiple components
• ENERGY STAR® certified
• Arsenic-free display glass
• Mercury-, BFR-, PVC- and beryllium-free
• Recyclable, majority-fibre packaging

Buying an ex-UK unit also extends the life of an existing device.

Full specification summary

Frequently asked questions

What chip does the MacBook Air M1 have?
The Apple M1, with an 8-core CPU (4 performance, 4 efficiency), a 7-core or 8-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine.

How much memory and storage does it have?
8GB memory as standard, configurable to 16GB, and storage from 128GB to 2TB.

What is the screen size and resolution?
A 13.3-inch Retina display at 2560 × 1600 and 227 pixels per inch.

How long does the battery last?
Up to 18 hours of Apple TV app movie playback or 15 hours of wireless web on new units, based on Apple’s tests.

What is the difference between brand new and ex-UK?
Brand new is unused. Ex-UK is previously owned in the UK and imported, with a lower price. Specifications are the same, but condition, battery health and accessories can differ.

Does an ex-UK MacBook Air M1 work in Kenya?
Yes. Kenya uses the same Type G plug and 240V supply as the UK. Confirm this on the exact unit.

Does it have Touch ID?
Yes, on the backlit Magic Keyboard.

What ports does it have?
Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.

Can I connect an external monitor?
Yes, one external display up to 6K at 60Hz.

Does it support Apple Intelligence?
Apple says Apple Intelligence is available in beta on Macs with M1 and later. Features and languages vary.

What is the MacBook Air M1 price in Kenya?
Add your FancyTech prices for brand new and ex-UK, per configuration.