Apple Update: Apple MacBook Air 2020 announced with twice the facility and a replacement lower cost

Everything we all know thus far about the MacBook Air 2020

MacBook Air 2020

Apple has just announced the MacBook Air 2020, its latest thin and lightweight laptop that gives the facility, design and builds quality we've come to expect from Apple's laptops, but during a far more affordable package compared to the MacBook Pro.

While the launch of the MacBook Air 2020 has begun of the blue, many folks were hoping for an updated version of the laptop this year given how impressive the MacBook Air (2019) model was.

The new MacBook Air 2020 offers twice the performance and twice the storage of its predecessor, plus a replacement magic keyboard, addressing a few of the issues we had with the previous model.

Best of all, it comes with a replacement lower cost of $999 (£999, AU$1,599) for the bottom model, making it the most cost-effective MacBook Air released.

MacBook Air 2020 release date

The MacBook Air 2020 is out there to order immediately from the Apple Store. Apple says it'll even be available in stores from March 23, although we're unsure if that'll be the case, as Apple Stores around the world are currently closed.

We also do not know if the pandemic will cause shipping delays, so while the MacBook Air 2020 is currently available to shop for, we're unsure when you will get it in your hands. We've asked Apple for clarification on this issue, and we'll update this text once we get a response.

MacBook Air 2020 price

Perhaps the most important surprise with the MacBook Air 2020 announcement is its new lower starting price of $999 / £999 / AU$1,599.

This continues Apple's recent commendable practice of launching more powerful MacBooks that start at lower prices than their predecessors; the MacBook Air 2019, for instance, launched with an entry-level price of $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,699.

The new entry-level MacBook Air comes with a dual-core 10th-generation Intel Core i3 processor, 256GB storage (up from 128GB within the previous model) and 8GB of RAM.

There's also a higher-end MacBook Air, priced at $1,299 / £1,299 / AU$1,999, which comes with a 10th-generation quad-core Intel Core i5 processor – the primary time a quad-core CPU has been included during a MacBook Air – 512GB SSD storage and 8GB of RAM.

You can upgrade the processor, RAM, and storage on both models at additional cost. Apple has also announced that students are going to be ready to get a reduction on the new MacBook Air.

MacBook Air 2020 specs

Display: 13-inch Retina display with True Tone
CPU: 10th-generation Intel Core i3/i5/i7
GPU: Intel Iris Plus integrated graphics
RAM: 8GB/16GB LPDDR4X (3,733MHz)
Storage: 256GB–2TB SSD storage
Ports: 2 x Thunderbolt 3 ports

According to Apple, the MacBook Air 2020 is going to be up to twice as fast as last year's model because of the new 10th-generation processors on board.

While Apple isn't divulging the precise sorts of processors used, our guess is that the i3 processor is that the Intel Core i3-1000G4, and therefore the i5 chip is that the Intel Core i5-1030G7. MacBook Airs usually have fanless designs, which leads us to believe these are Intel Ice Lake chips.

Interestingly, this might mean the MacBook Air 2020 has off-the-shelf processors from Intel, instead of specially-made CPUs with higher clocks, which older MacBook Airs had.

Graphics are provided by the integrated GPUs – Intel Iris Plus – which Apple claims will deliver 80% faster graphics performance. While this would possibly not compete with MacBook Pros rocking discrete graphics cards, it should mean the new MacBook Air can better handle tasks like video editing.

MacBook Air 2020 features

While the planning of the new MacBook Air 2020 remains largely unchanged from the previous model, it now comes with a replacement and improved Magic keyboard, which first debuted on last year's MacBook Pro 16-inch.

With a redesigned scissor mechanism, this keyboard should avoid the problems that plagued previous MacBooks with the older Butterfly keyboard.

This new keyboard offers 1mm key travel for a responsive feel when typing, and therefore the arrow keys are now in an inverted 'T' shape, as on PC keyboards, which makes them more intuitive to use.

The MacBook Air 2020 features a unibody design made up of 100% recycled aluminum and comes in three color options: gold, silver and space gray.

The Thunderbolt 3 ports also an approach to a 6K external display, which may be a first for a MacBook Air.