Apple MacBook Air 13″ (M1) vs Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2013)

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

MacBook Air 13″ (M1) compared with MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2013)
AppleMacBook Air 13″ (M1)AppleMacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2013)
Overview
ReleasedNovember 2020June 2013
Display
Screen size13.3″13.3″
Resolution2560 × 1600 (better)1440 × 900
PanelIPS LCDTN LCD
Refresh rate60 Hz–
Brightness400 nits–
TouchscreenNoNo
Display typeRetina display; LED-backlit with IPS technologyGlossy LED-backlit widescreen LCD, millions of colours; TN panel confirmed by Notebookcheck's exact-model review. Refresh rate and brightness unpublished by Apple.
Pixel density227 ppi–
Colour rangeWide colour (P3); millions of colours–
Screen finishGlossy (Notebookcheck)–
Display featuresTrue Tone; 60 Hz refresh rate (Notebookcheck)–
Performance
ProcessorApple M1Intel Core i5-4250U or Intel Core i7-4650U
CPU cores82
CPU threads–4
Graphics7-core GPU or 8-core GPUIntel HD Graphics 5000
Memory8 GB or 16 GB (better)4 GB or 8 GB
Storage128 GB to 2 TB (better)128 GB to 512 GB
CPU8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency coresDual-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.
GPU7-core or 8-core GPUIntel HD Graphics 5000 integrated graphics
AI engine16-core Neural Engine–
Memory typeUnified memory, configurable to 16 GB4 GB of 1600 MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory, configurable to 8 GB
Storage typeSSD; consumer models started at 256 GB, configurable to 512 GB, 1 TB or 2 TB. Apple's US education price list also lists an 8 GB / 128 GB model with a 7-core GPU.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.
CoolingFanless–
Battery and size
Battery life (maker's claim)Up to 18 hoursUp to 12 hours
Battery capacity49.9 Wh54 Wh (better)
Weight1.29 kg (better)1.35 kg
Thickness16.1 mm (better)17 mm
Width × depth304.1 × 212.4 mm325 × 227 mm
Battery life detailUp to 15 hours wireless web; lithium-polymer batteryBuilt-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.
Charger30 W USB-C Power Adapter45 W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter with cable management
Materials100% recycled aluminium enclosureAluminium enclosure; tapered thickness from 3 to 17 mm
ColoursGold, Silver, Space GreySilver
Connections
Ports2 × Thunderbolt 3, headphone jack2 × USB-A, Thunderbolt, MagSafe 2, headphone jack, SD card slot
Wi-FiWi-Fi 6802.11ac AirPort Extreme (draft specification); compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n
Bluetooth5.04.0
Webcam720p FaceTime HD720p FaceTime HD
Operating systemmacOSmacOS
Port detailTwo Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports with charging, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 3 and USB 4 up to 40 Gb/s, and USB 3.1 Gen 2 up to 10 Gb/s; 3.5 mm headphone jackTwo 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 displaysOne external display at up to 6K 60 Hz alongside the built-in displayBuilt-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
KeyboardBacklit Magic Keyboard; 78 (US) or 79 (ISO) keys with 12 function keys and inverted-T arrow keys; ambient light sensorFull-size backlit keyboard with 78 US or 79 ISO keys, 12 function keys, four arrow keys and ambient light sensor
TrackpadForce Touch trackpadMulti-Touch trackpad with inertial scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, three-finger swipe, four-finger swipe, tap, double-tap and drag
SpeakersStereo speakers; wide stereo sound; Dolby Atmos playbackStereo speakers
MicrophonesThree-mic array with directional beamformingDual microphones
BiometricsTouch ID–
In the boxMacBook Air, 30 W USB-C Power Adapter, USB-C Charge Cable (2 m)MacBook Air, power adapter, AC wall plug and power cord; OS X Mountain Lion and iLife

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