One day I wanted to see what it would take to overwhelm 8GB of RAM, so I left every app, window, and tab open all day. However, the excellent performance of the 4GB iPad Pro gave me the confidence to buy the 8GB MacBook Air. No regrets with 8GB memoryĪpple charges an exorbitant $25/GB for RAM. I do miss Face ID, but thanks to the Air's Touch ID and Watch unlocking, not much. None of these are deal killers for me, but they might be for you. No snapping off the tablet from the keyboard. Excellent I/O options with Thunderbolt 3 and USB 4.īut depending on how you prefer to work there are some real deficits. Performance and battery life was great, no fan noise, and it ran almost every app I needed.īut the MacBook Air does all that and more, in a lighter and less costly package. I had a 64GB 12.9' iPad Pro with Magic keyboard as my mobile workstation for over a year. If you spend hours daily banging away at a keyboard, you'll want to consider these favored models. Most ZDNet writers prefer this notebook above all others Before you buy the new M1 MacBook Air, here's what I would have wanted to know. The price/performance of Apple Silicon is excellent, but it's not all unicorns and rainbows. M1 MacBook Air review: After a year of use, here's what I wish I'd known If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. ZDNet's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers. Neither ZDNet nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay.

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