According to many reliable sources and rumours, we can say loud and clear that  Apple is on its way to launching the most anticipated Macbook Air 15-Inch model of 2023. The rumoured 15-inch Macbook Air will be an upgrade to its previous model Macbook Air 13-inch with a larger and higher quality display, and possibly an M3 chip. We will take a deep dive into all of these rumours and try to narrow down all the newest features, performance and whether or not it’s of an upgrade; all in this article.

Design & Display

The design of the 15-inch notebook will remain similar to the 13-inch Macbook Air with slight changes. The newest model will have a bigger 15.2-inch screen than its sibling and it will be also a quarter inch smaller than 15 inch macbook pro.

It has kept the base design quite similar to its previous model; so don’t take your expectations high in terms of design. However, there will be smaller bezels compared to M2 Macbook Air which means the screen gets bigger than ever. The new Macbook Air 15-Inch is expected to have a bigger chassis, flat edges like the 13 inch Air model, and a 1080p webcam. It will also have upgraded speakers right by the side of the keyboard to provide better audio. Magsafe charger and few ports. Though we don’t expect HDMI  ports or SD card slots on this model as it is strictly a Macbook Pro feature.

Speaking about the display, 13-inch Macbook Air has a display size of 13.2 inches and a resolution of 2560 by 1664 and 224 pixels per inch; changing the display size might bring a slight change to these features but as per rumours Apple is not really going for a better quality this time for Macbook Air 15 inch.

Ross Young has already turned down the rumours that this model will get a mini-LED display. Adding a mini-LED display to this model will make it even pricier and ruin the market for Macbook pro models. So for the time being you only can expect to get min-LED displays and 120Hz on higher-end models.

Macbook Air 15 inch is expected to come in the same colours as 13-inch models- Gray, Midnight, Silver and Starlight. Though there are rumours that new colours like ‘Green’, and ‘Cosmic purple’ are going to join the club; people expected the same for the 13 inch model which really didn’t become a reality.

Macbook Air 15 Inch: Specs

Display	15.2-inch display with smaller bezels
Processor	Apple M2 or M2 Pro, 10 GPU
RAM	8GB to up to 16GB
Storage	512GB to 1TB
Battery life	Approx. 18-20 hours
Weight	2.2-2.4 pounds
Ports & Connectivity	USB-C, Thunderbolt-4, headphone jack, dual port 35W adapter; Bluetooth 5.3
Keyboard & Touchbar	Backlit magic keyboard, touch bar absent
Features & Warranty	1080p facetime camera, voice control, increase contrast; Up to 1 year’s warranty
Release Date	Rumoured date is April 2023

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has already claimed that this new model will come with two chips- M2 and M2 Pro. Existing Macbook Air ships with M2 chip which give almost 20% more efficiency and increased battery life compared to the M1 model. That being said, the newer M2 pro will be exciting for professionals who seek a better battery life and better performance without paying a hefty price for it.

A 15.2 inch display and a larger chassis allows Apple to improve the cooling system and provide an edge over the 13 inch models and pro models as well. M2 and M2 pro will more likely go for the same as 13-inch model; offering 8 CPU cores and 10 GPU cores at entry level.

For other features, you can expect the Macbook Air 15 inch to offer 256GB STORAGE AND 8GB RAM at base model and it can go up to 512GB and 1TB. Besides, this notebook weighs 2.2-2.4 pounds making it portable and travel friendly compared to pro models.

Performance

A larger screen and chassis puts an opportunity for Apple to improve the cooling system. MacBook Air 15 inch could come with M2 Pro most possibly, but also a chance to come with the m3 chip. The M2 pro chip will definitely increase the working capability of the notebook. Also due to having a larger chassis, it will be easier to increase the battery life.

Battery Life

The battery life will increase to a greater level compared to its previous models. The Macbook 13 inch model can run up to 15 hours on web surfing, 20 hours watching videos etc. With a larger battery we can expect it to go up to 18-22 hours depending on how it is being used. Macbook pro 16 can run till 21-25 hours which means the newer model might have a lesser battery life compared to it; creating more options for Apple users at different price points.

Even if a 15 inch Macbook can run for 20 hours; it will be a better option for business professionals who travel a lot and often find charging their laptops a boring chore. If the rumours are true, you might need to charge this notebook only once in a business week, making it even more appealing to a set of professionals.

Ports

Macbook Air 15 inch will come with USB-C port, Thunderbolt-4 and a headphone jack on the right side. We don’t expect it to have HDMI ports or SD card slots on it as Apple has only kept these features exclusively for Macbook pro models.

Macbook Air 15 vs Macbook Air 13

Macbook Air 13 sports M2 chip which launched in 2022 and having a M2 pro chip on this newer model makes more sense. Which creates an edge over its competitors also over Pro models.

Beyond having a larger screen ; Macbook Air 15 inch will also have an increased battery life which can go up to 20 hours on a single charge and a better audio system.

They have kept it lighter and more portable while increasing the size; which can be considered an advantage if you travel a lot with your gadgets.

Is it Worth the upgrade?

Though Macbook Air 15 will have many improved and better features, for example, new chip and larger size; but if it is not something you are excited for you may need to take a look at the Pro models.

If you are a business professional who travels a lot and will not compromise with the quality then this is the model for you. The Macbook Air 15 is light and portable. Besides, graphic designers, video editors and gamers will also enjoy the larger screen real estate along with better performance.

As the newer M2 pro chip and other features can give Macbook Air 15 an edge over its competitors; we can not confirm these rumours just yet. Though according to the reports, the increased battery life, audio system, storage and processor is quite a great combination which sits right in the middle between M2 Macbook Air and Macbook 16 pro. Only time can tell how better the performance of the Macbook Air 15 inch will be but we promise to keep you updated as any new information rolls out.

Macbook Air 15 Inch Release Date and Estimated Price

The newsletter of Bloombarg’s Mark Gurman on March 5th indicated a mass production of displays for the 15-inch Macbook model. Whereas, on February 13, Ross Young, a display supply chain analyst tweeted that 15.5-inch display panels have entered production.

It is quite common for Apple to do announcements of new releases between March and April before opening their pre-orders. Looking at that record, we can assume a Macbook Air 15-inch notebook to enter the market in April 2023. Again, all of these are rumours and we only assume depending on different sources until Apple officially announces it.

Another interesting thing is that the new Macbook Air 15-inch might sport M3 chips; which bumps down the timeframe to June 2023, as M3 chips are supposed to launch during that time; which makes more sense from the time perspective.

The exact pricing of the laptop is not disclosed yet but you can assume it will be pricier than the Macbook Air 13 inch.

To put the price into perspective, the M1 Macbook Air starts at $999; whereas the 13 inch Macbook Air ranges between $1199 to $1499 for the 512GB model. If you fancy an upgrade, a Macbook pro which is 16 inches will cost you a whooping $2500.

This creates a price gap between $1500 to $2400 for the MacBook Air 15 Inch to fit into. We can expect the price range to be around $1400 to $1600; which is a fair upgrade considering the higher screen real estate, M3 chip and overall better performance.

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