Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015) vs Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2013)
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| AppleMacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015) | AppleMacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2013) | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | March 2015 | June 2013 |
| Display | ||
| Screen size | 13.3″ | 13.3″ |
| Resolution | 1440 × 900 | 1440 × 900 |
| Panel | TN LCD | TN LCD |
| Touchscreen | No | No |
| Display type | LED-backlit widescreen LCD; TN panel confirmed by Macworld and Ars; millions of colours | Glossy LED-backlit widescreen LCD, millions of colours; TN panel confirmed by Notebookcheck's exact-model review. Refresh rate and brightness unpublished by Apple. |
| Screen finish | Glossy | – |
| Display features | Native 1440 × 900; other supported modes include 1280 × 800, 1152 × 720 and 1024 × 640 at 16:10, or 1024 × 768 and 800 × 600 at 4:3 | – |
| Performance | ||
| Processor | Intel Core i5-5250U or Intel Core i7-5650U | Intel Core i5-4250U or Intel Core i7-4650U |
| CPU cores | 2 | 2 |
| CPU threads | 4 | 4 |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 6000 | Intel HD Graphics 5000 |
| Memory | 4 GB or 8 GB | 4 GB or 8 GB |
| Storage | 128 GB to 512 GB | 128 GB to 512 GB |
| CPU | Dual-core Intel Core i5 at 1.6 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 2.7 GHz and 3 MB shared L3 cache, configurable to Core i7 at 2.2 GHz with 4 MB cache. Apple UK specifies up to 3.2 GHz for the i7; Intel's current ARK title also says 3.2 GHz but its turbo table says 3.1 GHz. Macworld confirms the i5-5250U and i7-5650U identifiers. | Dual-core Intel Core i5-4250U at 1.3 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 2.6 GHz and 3 MB shared L3 cache; configurable to Core i7-4650U at 1.7 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 3.3 GHz and 4 MB shared L3 cache. Exact identities confirmed by Notebookcheck. |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 6000 integrated graphics | Intel HD Graphics 5000 integrated graphics |
| Memory type | 4 GB or 8 GB of 1600 MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory; 8 GB maximum. The launch configuration had 4 GB with an 8 GB option; Macworld records the move to 8 GB as standard in spring 2016. | 4 GB of 1600 MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory, configurable to 8 GB |
| Storage type | 128 GB or 256 GB PCIe-based flash storage; configurable to 512 GB | 128 GB or 256 GB PCIe-based flash storage; the 256 GB base is configurable to 512 GB. Processor and memory upgrades apply to either base. |
| Battery and size | ||
| Battery life (maker's claim) | Up to 12 hours | Up to 12 hours |
| Battery capacity | 54 Wh | 54 Wh |
| Weight | 1.35 kg | 1.35 kg |
| Thickness | 17 mm | 17 mm |
| Width × depth | 325 × 227 mm | 325 × 227 mm |
| Battery life detail | Lithium-polymer battery; up to 12 hours wireless web or iTunes movie playback, or 30 days standby. Apple's February 2015 tests used preproduction 1.6 GHz Core i5 systems. Weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process. | Built-in 54 Wh lithium-polymer battery; up to 12 hours wireless web, 10 hours iTunes movie playback or 30 days standby under Apple's test conditions. Reference weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process. |
| Charger | 45 W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter with cable management | 45 W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter with cable management |
| Materials | Aluminium enclosure; tapered thickness from 3 to 17 mm | Aluminium enclosure; tapered thickness from 3 to 17 mm |
| Colours | Silver | Silver |
| Connections | ||
| Ports | 2 × USB-A, Thunderbolt 2, MagSafe 2, headphone jack, SD card slot | 2 × USB-A, Thunderbolt, MagSafe 2, headphone jack, SD card slot |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 | 802.11ac AirPort Extreme (draft specification); compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Webcam | 720p FaceTime HD | 720p FaceTime HD |
| Operating system | macOS | macOS |
| Port detail | Two USB 3 ports up to 5 Gb/s; Thunderbolt 2 up to 20 Gb/s with native Mini DisplayPort output; MagSafe 2 power port; SDXC card slot; 3.5 mm headphone jack supporting Apple iPhone headset remote and microphone. DVI, VGA, dual-link DVI and HDMI need separate adaptors. | Two USB 3 ports up to 5 Gb/s, Thunderbolt up to 10 Gb/s with native Mini DisplayPort output, MagSafe 2 SDXC card slot and headphone jack supporting the Apple iPhone headset remote and microphone. DVI, VGA, dual-link DVI and HDMI require separate adapters. |
| External displays | Built-in screen plus one external display up to 3840 × 2160, both with millions of colours; dual display and video mirroring | Built-in screen plus one external display up to 2560 × 1600, both with millions of colours; dual display and video mirroring, HDMI audio and video through a compatible adapter |
| Keyboard | Full-size backlit keyboard with 78 US or 79 ISO keys, 12 function keys and four arrow keys in an inverted T layout; ambient light sensor | Full-size backlit keyboard with 78 US or 79 ISO keys, 12 function keys, four arrow keys and ambient light sensor |
| Trackpad | Multi-Touch trackpad with inertial scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, tap, double-tap and drag; no Force Touch | Multi-Touch trackpad with inertial scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, three-finger swipe, four-finger swipe, tap, double-tap and drag |
| Speakers | Stereo speakers | Stereo speakers |
| Microphones | Dual microphones | Dual microphones |
| In the box | MacBook Air; power adaptor; AC wall plug; power cord | MacBook Air, power adapter, AC wall plug and power cord; OS X Mountain Lion and iLife |
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