The MacBook Air M1 changed the laptop industry when it was first introduced—and even today in 2025, it continues to remain a favorite for students, creators, and professionals. Despite newer models like the M2 and M3 versions, the MacBook Air M1 remains one of the most value-packed Apple laptops ever released.
In this SEO-optimized, human-written review, we’ll explore what makes the MacBook Air M1 still relevant in 2025. We'll dive into performance, design, battery life, display quality, pricing, and comparisons, helping you decide if it's still the best budget MacBook to buy today.
Table of Contents
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MacBook Air M1: A Quick Overview
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Design and Build Quality
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The Apple M1 Chip: Performance That Still Impresses
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Display Quality: Sharp, Bright, and Color-Accurate
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Battery Life: The Silent Hero
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Keyboard, Trackpad, and Ports
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Software: macOS + Apple Silicon Optimization
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MacBook Air M1 vs M2/M3 Models
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MacBook Air M1 for Students and Creators
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Pricing in 2025: Is It Still Worth the Money?
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Final Verdict: Should You Buy the MacBook Air M1 Today?
1. MacBook Air M1: A Quick Overview
The MacBook Air M1 is the first Apple laptop to be powered by Apple’s own M1 chip, replacing Intel processors. Released in late 2020, it still outperforms many modern laptops in both speed and efficiency.
Key Specs:
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Processor: Apple M1 (8-core CPU, 7-core or 8-core GPU)
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RAM: 8GB or 16GB Unified Memory
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Storage: 256GB to 2TB SSD
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Display: 13.3-inch Retina, 2560x1600 resolution
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Battery: Up to 18 hours
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Weight: Just 2.8 lbs (1.29 kg)
2. Design and Build Quality
Apple didn't reinvent the wheel with the MacBook Air M1’s design—and that’s a good thing. It retains the iconic wedge shape and solid aluminum unibody, offering a premium and minimalist look that still feels modern in 2025.
🖤 Key Design Features:
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Slim and lightweight (perfect for travel)
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Available in Space Gray, Silver, and Gold
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Fanless design = completely silent
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Excellent build durability
Even years later, its design holds up beautifully compared to today's more expensive laptops.
3. The Apple M1 Chip: Performance That Still Impresses
The M1 chip inside the MacBook Air is still a beast. It delivers blazing-fast speed, whether you’re editing 4K videos, coding, working in Photoshop, or just multitasking with dozens of tabs open.
Performance Highlights:
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Launches apps instantly
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Seamless multitasking with 8GB/16GB RAM
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Handles pro software like Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Blender, and Xcode
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Outperforms many Intel Core i5 and i7 laptops
Thanks to its unified memory architecture, even 8GB RAM feels like more, thanks to macOS’s memory efficiency with Apple Silicon.
4. Display Quality: Sharp, Bright, and Color-Accurate
The 13.3-inch Retina Display on the MacBook Air M1 still feels incredibly sharp in 2025. With True Tone and P3 wide color gamut, everything from movies to spreadsheets looks beautiful.
Display Specs:
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2560x1600 resolution
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400 nits brightness
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P3 wide color support
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True Tone technology
Whether you’re watching Netflix, editing photos, or writing documents, the display is comfortable on the eyes and delivers superb clarity.
5. Battery Life: The Silent Hero
One of the biggest advantages of the MacBook Air M1 is its phenomenal battery life. Apple promised up to 18 hours, and in real-world use, it delivers between 14–17 hours, depending on workload.
Battery Use Cases:
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Up to 15 hours of web browsing
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10–12 hours of video editing on battery
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Days of use for light productivity tasks
Compared to most Windows laptops, the battery efficiency of the M1 chip is still unmatched at this price point.
6. Keyboard, Trackpad, and Ports
Apple's Magic Keyboard offers a comfortable, tactile typing experience—a huge improvement over the older butterfly switches.
Trackpad & Port Highlights:
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Large Force Touch trackpad (responsive and precise)
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2x Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports
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1x 3.5mm headphone jack
While it doesn’t have many ports, Thunderbolt support allows expansion through USB-C hubs, making it versatile enough for most workflows.
7. Software: macOS + Apple Silicon Optimization
With macOS Sonoma (and beyond) fully optimized for Apple Silicon, the MacBook Air M1 runs incredibly smoothly.
Software Perks:
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Fast boot and wake times
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Seamless app compatibility with Rosetta 2
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Runs iOS apps natively
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Built-in privacy and security features
Apple continues to support the M1 chip with updates, ensuring longevity even in 2025 and likely beyond.
8. MacBook Air M1 vs M2/M3 Models
Here’s how the MacBook Air M1 compares to newer Apple models in 2025:
| Feature | MacBook Air M1 | MacBook Air M2 | MacBook Air M3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chip | M1 | M2 (18% faster) | M3 (30% faster) |
| RAM | 8/16GB | 8/16/24GB | 8/16/24GB |
| Display | 13.3" Retina | 13.6" Liquid Retina | 13.6" Liquid Retina |
| Battery Life | ~18 hrs | ~18 hrs | ~18 hrs |
| Price (Base) | $699 (2025) | $999 | $1,099 |
9. MacBook Air M1 for Students and Creators
Students love it for its lightweight build, long battery life, and durability. Creators enjoy its editing performance, especially those working with Final Cut Pro, Lightroom, and GarageBand.
🎓 Best Use Cases:
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Online classes and note-taking
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Programming (Xcode, Python, Java, etc.)
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YouTube video editing
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Blogging and content creation
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Business presentations and Office Suite
It’s powerful enough for 90% of users, unless you’re into advanced 3D rendering or machine learning projects.
10. Pricing in 2025: Is It Still Worth the Money?
As of 2025, the MacBook Air M1 is available at major retailers like Walmart for as low as $699 for the base 8GB RAM + 256GB storage model. Some certified refurbished models go even lower.
Why it's still a steal:
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Flagship performance
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Premium build
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macOS ecosystem
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Long battery life
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Apple Silicon future-proofing
At this price, it's better value than most Windows laptops in the same range.
11. Final Verdict: Should You Buy the MacBook Air M1 Today?
Yes—absolutely.
Despite being a few years old, the MacBook Air M1 remains one of the most reliable, high-performing, and budget-friendly Apple laptops on the market in 2025. Unless you need the absolute latest specs or more ports, the M1 version delivers 80–90% of the performance of the latest models at 60% of the cost.
Bottom Line: If you're shopping for a laptop that’s fast, portable, long-lasting, and future-ready, the MacBook Air M1 is still a brilliant buy in 2025
