Mac · Apple Silicon · 2020
MacBook Air (M1)
The third great architecture leap, and the most decisive. The M1 delivered laptop performance and battery life that shocked the industry, all without a fan. "Intel inside" stopped being the Mac’s story.
MacBook Air (M1): key facts
When was the MacBook Air (M1) released?
The MacBook Air (M1) was released in November 2020. Apple discontinued it in March 2024.
How much did the MacBook Air (M1) cost?
The MacBook Air (M1) launched at $999 in 2020 — about $1,209 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What are the MacBook Air (M1)’s specs?
The MacBook Air (M1) used a Apple M1 (8-core) running at 3.20 GHz, with 8 GB of memory and 256 GB of storage. It ran macOS 11 Big Sur.
Why does the MacBook Air (M1) matter?
First Mac with Apple Silicon — and the first fanless Mac that could outrun machines with fans.
Full specifications
| CPU | Apple M1 (8-core) · 3.20 GHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 8 |
| Memory (RAM) | 8 GB (up to 16 GB) |
| Storage | 256 GB |
| Display | 13.3" Retina, 2560×1600 |
| GPU | Apple 7/8-core GPU |
| Ports | 2× Thunderbolt / USB 4 |
| Weight | 1.29 kg |
| Dimensions | Tapered wedge, fanless |
| Operating system | macOS 11 Big Sur |
| Released | November 2020 |
| Discontinued | March 2024 |
| Launch price | $999 |
How the MacBook Air (M1) compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 2.0× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 3.20 GHz, the clock is roughly 1.0× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro — and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
This held about 65,500 modern phone photos — a respectable library even today.
Launched at $999 in 2020 — about $1,209 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Cross-architecture speed figures are clock-only and approximate; inflation figures use US CPI.
Did you know?
A silent, fanless laptop beating Apple’s high-end Intel machines made the whole industry recalculate.
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Open the MacBook Air (M1) in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-06-25