The mysterious 2022 MacBook Air may drop the ‘Air’ name altogether

By David Matthews Published October 21, 2021

Though Apple’s new MacBook Pro lineup is here, the rumor mill continues to churn in regard to the next evolution of the entry-level MacBook Air.

The updated model will allegedly sport the same MagSafe connector Apple brought back to the MacBook Pro, as well as introduce Apple’s next-gen M2 custom silicon. Did we also mention it may not be called the MacBook Air?

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This rumor comes courtesy of Twitter leaker, Dylandkt, who’s been fairly reliable when it comes to Apple leaks. The new leaks seem to confirm earlier rumors of a 2022 release and a bevy of color options similar to the M1 iMac 24-inch. The overall design will reportedly be similar to the new MacBook Pro, yet thinner, lighter, and fanless.

Jon Prosser's render of the new MacBook Air. — Jon Prosser

Unlike the MacBook Pro, the new MacBook Air may not have the 120Hz Pro Motion display, SD card slot, or HDMI port. It will include MagSafe, a 1080p webcam, and USB-C ports. While the lack of Pro Motion is disappointing, it may at least still have the mini-LED display.

One of the more interesting bits of news is that this new MacBook will usher in Apple’s M2 processors. That’s not completely surprising considering the current MacBook Air was one of the first Apple devices to receive the M1 chip. Judging by the jumps in performance Apple has had in its A-series chips, it’s safe to say that the M2 will likely be a healthy boost over the current M1.

How will the base M2 compare to the more powerful, newly announced M1 Pro and M1 Max in the MacBook Pro line? That, we don’t know, but it’ll likely hold its own. The fact that this rumored MacBook Air will still be fanless means that total system power will probably be around what it is now while still bringing boosts in performance.

Dylandkt also confirmed that the pricing will be slightly higher and that the new Air will lose its trademark tapered design. Interestingly, Apple may also choose to drop the “Air” off of the name entirely and just name it MacBook. This harks back to the 2015 12-inch MacBook which famously only had one USB-C port (and was subsequently discontinued).

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

David is a freelance journalist based just outside of Washington D.C. specializing in consumer technology and gaming. He has…

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