Apple’s MacBook Air, last fully updated in 2015, could be finally getting a refresh. According to a Taiwanese news report translated by MacRumors, the company is readying a new laptop for release before the end of 2018.
A new Intel processor to replace the fifth-generation one in the latest MacBook Air is slated, with a Kaby Lake processor likely to be used due to delays in Intel’s transition to Cannon Lake chips.
That’s the headline news, with other specs and details thinner on the ground at the moment. Nevertheless, we’ve compiled all the current information about the upcoming MacBook Air here. Below you’ll find everything you need to know about the Air, including UK price, release date, specs and looks.
MacBook Air 2018: Everything you need to know
MacBook Air 2018 release date: When is it coming out?
Apple’s September event will likely focus on new iPhones, such as the iPhone 9, iPhone 11 or even an iPhone SE 2. That means that the new MacBook Air could be unveiled at a separate event the following month. The company has, on occasion, announced iPads and Macs in October, the last such announcement coming in 2016.
MacBook Air 2018 price: How much will it cost?
The current 13in MacBook Air with 128GB of storage starts at £949, so we’d expect a similar sub-£1,000 price for the base model of the new Air. With more storage come higher prices – the 256GB model costs £1,099 – so a similar price range should apply to the new laptops.
MacBook Air 2018 specs and design: What does it do and look like?
Well, the processor upgrade is the main piece of information out there at the moment. The Air got a minor upgrade – just the processor – in 2017, but aside from that, the current laptop hasn’t changed since its release three years ago.
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As noted above, Intel’s Kaby Lake processors are rumoured to be coming to the new MacBook Air. The eighth-generation processors are a big step up from the fifth-gen chips currently in use, with the new Air lineup slated to include i5 and i7 models with clock speeds of 1.6GHz and 1.9GHz respectively.
It’s a nice upgrade, but Kaby Lake is a year old this month, and Intel’s newer Whiskey Lake – not released in time to meet the manufacturing needs of an autumn Air release – could be in other computers by the time the new Air is out.
With Kaby Lake comes with integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620, plus support for up to 32GB of RAM. But aside from these details, there aren't many spec details around at the moment.
As for the looks, a radical redesign isn’t exactly likely, but again there isn’t much information to go on here. Apple strives to make their devices thinner and lighter with each iteration, so an improvement on the 17mm thick body and 1.4kg weight is possible.