15-inch MacBook Air: Everything we know before WWDC

Apple is rumored to have several new Macs in store for WWDC 2023 next week. One of those new Macs is expected to be the 15-inch MacBook Air, the largest MacBook Air Apple has ever released. Scroll down as we wrap up everything we know so far about the 15-inch MacBook Air…

15-inch MacBook Air specs

The 15-inch MacBook Air is rumored to be powered by Apple’s M2 chip. While there were plans within Apple to use an M3 chip, it was reportedly dropped due to supply chain issues. Apple is expected to release the first M3 Macs later this year.

According to Bloomberg, the M2 chip in the 15-inch MacBook Air will deliver performance comparable to the current 13-inch MacBook Air. It was initially rumored that Apple planned to offer the 15-inch MacBook Air with an optional M2 Pro chip configuration, but this too was dropped.

The larger design of the 15-inch MacBook Air compared to the 13-inch model could allow Apple to improve things like battery life. The bigger the form factor, the more space Apple has inside for batteries. As it stands, the 13-inch MacBook Air offers up to 18 hours of battery life while watching video and 15 hours while browsing the web.

Other specs to consider are storage and memory. The entry-level 15-inch MacBook Air will likely feature 8GB of unified memory, with configuration options up to 24GB. Storage will likely start at 256GB, with storage upgrades up to 2TB available.

Display

The main feature of the new MacBook Air will of course be the new 15-inch display. Bloomberg has reported that the machine will have the same resolution as the current 14-inch MacBook Pro, which is 3024 x 1964.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro has a screen density of 254 pixels per inch. The 15-inch MacBook Air runs at the same resolution, but with slightly less sharpness due to the larger screen. It will probably have a pixel density of about 240 pixels per inch.

Design

Apple just revised the design language of the MacBook Air last year. With the introduction of the M2 13-inch MacBook Air, he switched from the iconic wedge-shaped design to a flat-edge design similar to other products such as the MacBook Pro, iPad and iPhone 14.

The 15-inch MacBook Air will likely use the same design language, just in a larger form factor to account for the larger screen. We also expect the new machine to be available in the same four color options: silver, starlight, space gray and midnight.

As for ports, the 15-inch MacBook Air will likely have two USB-C ports, as well as a MagSafe connector for charging. There’s no indication that Apple will increase the number of ports over the 13-inch MacBook Air. If you want extra connectivity options, you’ll have to spring for the 14-inch MacBook Air.

15-inch MacBook Air prices and release date

Following the expected announcement at WWDC 2023 on June 5, the 15-inch MacBook Air will likely be available to order fairly soon after. The latest supply chain reporting has suggested that Apple’s partners have already built up quite a bit of inventory and are ready to start shipping soon.

As for the price, there have been no concrete rumors. That said, we can gain some insight by looking at the MacBook Pro lineup. The 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,999, while the 16-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,499. That’s a $500 price difference for the larger screen size.

If Apple applies the same approach to the MacBook Air, we’d expect the 15-inch model to start at $1,699. That’s $500 more than the current M2-powered 13-inch model.

Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference keynote address will be held Monday, June 5 at 10am PT/1pm ET. Keep it locked 9to5Mac for extensive coverage leading up to the event. We will also be on site all week for WWDC 2023.

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