MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

Source

Marques Brownlee (MKBHD)

Key Takeaways

• Reused the ancient 720p FaceTime webcam; video output is noisy, grainy, and washed out in modest indoor lighting.
• Chunky black aluminum display bezels look dated and cramped compared to modern bezel-less ultrabooks.
• Hardware architecture natively supports only a single external monitor, frustrating users wanting dual desktop displays.
• Only two Thunderbolt ports squished on the left flank; plugging in the charger leaves only one free port for peripherals.

✅ Pros

• Pioneering M1 architecture operates in absolute zero-decibel silence
• Classic iconic tapered wedge silhouette feels great in hand
• Marathon 15-hour casual battery life revolutionized laptops

❌ Cons

• Awful noisy 720p FaceTime webcam quality
• Thick dated display bezels
• Strict single external monitor hardware limit
• Port-starved with only two USB-C connectors

📝 Verdict

"M1 MacBook Air was a watershed tech triumph, aged gracefully despite thick bezels, bad webcams, and display limits."

Source

• Video: Apple M1 MacBook Air - Long Term User Review
• Channel: Hardware Canucks | Type: Long-term review | Based on: YouTube transcript

Key points

• Dimitri used the base M1 MacBook Air for half a year and says it completely changed how he works, making it the best computer he's ever owned; his wife also likes that it's light enough to fit in her bag
• Over 200 video calls: the camera is still 720p, but the microphone quality is very good; the speakers' volume and punch put the Windows laptops he's used to shame, and the headphone output is clean with no noise floor
• The keyboard and trackpad are first-rate; two Thunderbolt 3 ports plus a hub are enough for him, but it only supports one external display
• Completely fanless and still quiet in Lightroom, DaVinci and Final Cut; the hinge opens with one hand and doesn't wobble while typing, and the 16:10 screen is the best at the thousand-dollar price point, though not as bright as the Pro's
• There's a clear gap between 8GB and 16GB in heavy multitasking; he thinks the base storage configuration is laughable, and those who want future-proofing should choose 16GB

✅ Pros

• Excellent value
• Fanless and silent
• Excellent speakers and microphones
• Light (1.3kg) and solidly built

❌ Cons

• 720p webcam
• Supports only one external display
• Base RAM/storage on the low side

📝 Verdict

After 6 months of use, he thinks it's the most complete portable computer US$1,000 can buy, with no major compromises.

Source

• Video: I’m impressed so far!! - Apple M1 MacBook Air
• Channel: ShortCircuit | Type: Unboxing first impressions | Based on: YouTube transcript

Key points

• Unboxing a 13.3-inch M1 MacBook Air with an 8-core CPU/8-core GPU, 16GB RAM and 512GB; RAM is only offered in 8 or 16GB because it's integrated in the same package
• The packaging is mostly paper, and a charger is still included; the exterior keeps the old design, and he had hoped Apple's first Apple Silicon machine would be bolder in industrial design
• He expects the most amazing thing about Apple Silicon Macs to be that most of the time "nothing feels different": even OBS, a non-native open-source recording app, just works
• The microphone array and speakers are impressive right out of the box; the screen is about 400 nits and still not HDR
• He complains that True Tone is always on by default and has to be turned off manually every time; full performance testing is left to the main Linus Tech Tips channel

✅ Pros

• Seamless compatibility
• Excellent speakers and microphones
• Eco-friendly packaging, charger included

❌ Cons

• Exterior keeps the old design
• Screen isn't HDR
• Only unboxing first impressions

📝 Verdict

So far everything has been seamless, and his first impressions are very good.

Source

• Video: M1 MacBook Pro and Air review: Apple delivers
• Channel: The Verge | Type: Professional review | Based on: YouTube transcript

Key points

• It looks exactly like the previous generation and still starts at US$999 (8GB); the review unit is the US$1,650 16GB/1TB version; the video also reviews the M1 MacBook Pro 13 and describes the Pro as "an Air with a fan"
• Dieter says this fanless Air is the most impressive laptop he's used in years: no matter how many apps he has open, he has no performance complaints at all
• Through Rosetta 2, apps designed for Intel also run smoothly, completely unlike the emulation experience on Windows on ARM
• Running iPhone/iPad apps on the Mac, however, feels half-baked: the HBO Max window can't be resized or go full screen, Telegram notifications jump to the foreground, and "Touch Alternatives" is absurd
• The only real downside is that Apple still uses a poor webcam; the same price gets a big boost in performance and battery life

✅ Pros

• Huge leap in M1 performance
• Fanless and quiet
• Significantly better battery life
• Good Rosetta 2 compatibility
• Unchanged price

❌ Cons

• Poor webcam
• iOS apps on the Mac feel half-baked

📝 Verdict

Apple exceeded expectations and got almost everything right in this transition except iOS apps; they even say "it could have been a 10."