The most up-to-date MacGuide Air, from late 2020.
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Apple’s is ready to host its “Peek Performance” occasion as we speak (here is how one can watch it dwell), and we’re anticipating the iPhone SE 3, new iPads and Macs to make an look. We obtained two new MacGuide Air fashions in 2020, however 2021 was a dry spell for Apple’s most universally helpful laptops. However, which will change in 2022.
The MacGuide Air has undergone many revisions because the unique 2008 model, and the present bodily design dates from March 2020, when Apple launched what was in all probability the ultimate Intel-powered model of the laptop computer. Later that yr, in November, the MacGuide Air was one in every of three Macs to improve to Apple’s new M1 chips, though there have been no different design or function adjustments.
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November 2021 handed with out a new MacGuide Air, so Apple’s occasion as we speak is as possible a spot as any for a MacGuide replace. It may occur later within the yr as effectively, however listed here are the adjustments we’re principally prone to see.
M2 chip, or possibly 1.5
The late 2020 MacGuide Air, Mac Mini and 13-inch MacGuide Pro all obtained the first-gen M1 Apple Silicon chip. In 2021, new 14- and 16-inch MacGuide Pro laptops obtained upgraded variations, known as the M1 Max and M1 Pro, with higher graphics efficiency. Some Apple watchers, together with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, say new 2022 Macs could have a brand new M2 chip, which may enhance CPU efficiency whereas not altering the M1’s graphics capabilities a lot in any respect. That would permit the Air to develop, however not encroach all that a lot on the more-expensive MacGuide Pro territory.
The late 2021 MacGuide Pro, with an up to date design.
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New Pro-style design
Right now the 13-inch MacGuide Air and the 13-inch MacGuide Pro are a part of one era of MacGuide design, whereas the 14-inch and 16-inch Pro laptops are a part of a more recent one. The extra present model has a chunkier, squared-off look that is nearly retro-feeling. The older fashions nonetheless have gently curved lids that taper to a degree. While there have been durations of design transition the place some Macs look very completely different than others, I anticipate all the newest MacBooks at the very least to adapt to the brand new Pro design language.
Upgraded webcam
It’s been an uphill battle to get higher webcams in laptops. I’ve been speaking this concept up for years, and solely deep into the COVID 19-fueled work-from-home period are we lastly getting higher cameras. The 14- and 16-inch MacGuide Pros, in addition to the 24-inch iMac and 27-inch iMac (which is among the final Intel Macs you should purchase), have 1080p-resolution full HD cameras. The distinction between these and the frankly fairly weak 720p-resolution digital camera within the MacGuide Air is gorgeous. PC makers from Dell to Lenovo to HP are lastly placing full HD cameras in lots of laptops, and if the MacGuide Air adopted, it could get rid of one of many solely knocks in opposition to the product.
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Revised ports
The newest MacGuide Pro laptops did a little bit of an about-face, returning some long-missing ports to service, particularly the HDMI and SD card ports. Does this imply the corporate is conscious that having simply a few USB-C/Thunderbolt ports for all of your charging, enter, output and accent wants is not sufficient? HDMI could be a really useful choice to have once more, particularly for anybody working from residence and connecting to a bigger show.
We’ll even have to attend and see if the MacGuide’s audio jack survives one other spherical. Apple eliminated it from iPhones a number of years in the past, however has saved it in laptops. It was solely in early 2022 that I began seeing some upcoming laptops, just like the Dell XPS 13 Plus, lastly take an opportunity on eradicating the headphone jack. I believe the following MacGuide Air will nonetheless have one, however the headphone jack’s days could also be numbered.