Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015)

Apple · MacBook Air

MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015)

Released March 2015

A 13-inch Intel MacBook Air with an aluminium wedge enclosure, USB-A ports, an SDXC reader and Thunderbolt 2.

Model history · 9 models, 2008–2015
  1. 2008MacBook Air (Original)Compare
  2. 2008MacBook Air (Late 2008)Compare
  3. 2009MacBook Air (Mid 2009)Compare
  4. 2010MacBook Air (13-inch, Late 2010)Compare
  5. 2011MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2011)Compare
  6. 2012MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2012)Compare
  7. 2013MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2013)Compare
  8. 2014MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2014)Compare
  9. 2015MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015)
Size
13.3″
Display
TN LCD
Processor
Intel Core i5 or i7
Memory
4 GB – 8 GB
Weight
1.35 kg
Battery
12 h

What reviewers say

Reviewers praise the faster storage, build quality, input devices and battery endurance, while criticising the low-resolution TN display and ageing design. Macworld and Ars find little battery improvement; Notebookcheck's higher-spec test unit lasts longer than its predecessor. Graphics gains vary by workload, and serious gaming remains limited.

From macworld.com, arstechnica.com and notebookcheck.net

Display

Screen size
13.3″
Resolution
1440 × 900
Panel
TN LCD
Touchscreen
No
Display type
LED-backlit widescreen LCD; TN panel confirmed by Macworld and Ars; millions of colours
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
CPU cores
2
CPU threads
4
Graphics
Intel HD Graphics 6000
Memory
4 GB or 8 GB
Storage
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.
GPU
Intel HD Graphics 6000 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.
Storage type
128 GB or 256 GB PCIe-based flash storage; configurable to 512 GB

Battery and size

Battery life (maker's claim)
Up to 12 hours
Battery capacity
54 Wh
Weight
1.35 kg
Thickness
17 mm
Width × depth
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.
Charger
45 W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter with cable management
Materials
Aluminium enclosure; tapered thickness from 3 to 17 mm
Colours
Silver

Connections

Ports
2 × USB-A, Thunderbolt 2, MagSafe 2, headphone jack, SD card slot
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 5
Bluetooth
4.0
Webcam
720p FaceTime HD
Operating system
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.
External displays
Built-in screen plus one external display up to 3840 × 2160, both with millions of colours; dual display and video mirroring
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
Trackpad
Multi-Touch trackpad with inertial scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, tap, double-tap and drag; no Force Touch
Speakers
Stereo speakers
Microphones
Dual microphones
In the box
MacBook Air; power adaptor; AC wall plug; power cord

Configurations

ProcessorMemoryStorage
Intel Core i5-5250U4 GB128 GB
Intel Core i5-5250U4 GB256 GB
Intel Core i5-5250U4 GB512 GB
Intel Core i5-5250U8 GB128 GB
Intel Core i5-5250U8 GB256 GB
Intel Core i5-5250U8 GB512 GB
Intel Core i7-5650U4 GB128 GB
Intel Core i7-5650U4 GB256 GB
Intel Core i7-5650U4 GB512 GB
Intel Core i7-5650U8 GB128 GB
Intel Core i7-5650U8 GB256 GB
Intel Core i7-5650U8 GB512 GB

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Up to 12 hours wireless web use
  • Two USB-A ports and MagSafe 2 charging
  • Up to 8 GB memory and 512 GB storage

Cons

  • 1440 × 900 display
  • 720p webcam
  • Onboard memory

Closest rivals

Model
SizeDisplayProcessorMemoryWeightBatteryReleased
13.3″TN LCDIntel Core i5 or i78 GB1.35 kg12 hJun 2017
13.3″TN LCDIntel Core i5 or i74 GB – 8 GB1.35 kg12 hApr 2014
13.3″TN LCDIntel Core i5 or i74 GB1.35 kg7 hJul 2011

Previous model: MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2014). Newer model: MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017).

Sources

  1. support.apple.com/en-gb/111956
  2. apple.com/uk/newsroom/2015/03/09Apple-Updates-13-inch-MacBook-Pro-with-Retina-D…
  3. macworld.com/article/667329/13-inch-macbook-air-early-2015-review.html
  4. arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/03/review-the-2015-macbook-airs-once-trailblazing-…
  5. intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/sku/84984/intel-core-i55250u-processor-3m-…
  6. intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/sku/84995/intel-core-i75650u-processor-4m-…

Photo: cdsassets.apple.com

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