21 January 2021, Kathmandu
MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13’’ powered by Apple M1 chip
Apple announced the release of the Apple M1 silicon back in November last year. This very first ARM-based system on a chip (SoC) is designed as a central processing unit (CPU). Along with it, Apple announced the launch of the M1-powered MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13’’. Now, the two new Apple products are finally in Nepal. Let’s take a look at the specifications, availability, and price in Nepal for MacBook Air and Pro 13’’.
Apple M1
Before talking about the two devices, let’s take a look at the Apple M1. The prior models of Mac were powered by Intel’s processor, but not anymore. Unlike the previous years, Apple now has its devices powered by the M1 silicon. The M1 is a 5nm processor specifically designed by Apple for the new generation MacBook. Apple claims the M1 to be the most powerful chip and the world’s fastest CPU core “in low power silicon”.
The Apple M1 is an octa-core processor with four-high performance and four high-efficiency cores, which Apple says offers the world’s best performance per watt of a CPU. The 8 core GPU is capable of running 25,000 threads simultaneously. Apple claims it to be the world’s fasted integrated graphics.
All of Apple’s apps and macOS Big Sur has been optimized for the new processor as well. The newly released MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13’’ show just how power efficient the new chip is.
MacBook Air
The design of the MacBook Air resembles its predecessor, everything from the dimension to the weight remains the same. But the biggest difference is that the MacBook Air 2020 uses the M1 silicon. With this Apple claims the performance is up to 3.5x times faster, the graphics are up to 5x times faster and the Machine learning tasks are up to 9x times faster. Similarly, the M1 results in 2x SSD performance due to the storage controller and the latest flash technology.
The MacBook Air has a fan-less design and hence remains silent even through heavy tasks. The 13.3’’ Retina display of the Mac Air supports wide P3 color and offers up to 400 nits of brightness. As far as memory goes, the Mac Air offers up to 16 GB RAM and 2 TB SSD. It supports USB Type C ports and includes a 3.5 mm headphone jack. As for connectivity, it supports Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 6. Additionally, the latest generation Secure Enclave included in M1 powers the Touch ID to unlock the device and for online payment using Apple pay. The battery life is improved up to 18 hours.
MacBook Pro 13’’
The second device to be powered by the M1 silicon is MacBook Pro 13’’. Apple claims the Pro 13’’ to be up to 3x faster than the best-selling Windows laptop. The device exceeds its predecessor’s speed by 2.8x times and the graphics by 5x times.
The 13.3’’ Retina display of the Pro 13’’ supports P3 wide color. Unlike the Mac Air, this device still uses an active cooling system. It supports USB Type C ports and includes a 3.5 mm headphone jack. As for connectivity, it supports Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 6. The studio-quality mics of this device also differ from Mac Air. It offers up to 16 GB RAM and 2 TB SSD. As for battery life, according to Apple, the Pro 13’’ has the “longest battery life ever in a Mac” that lasts up to 20 hours.
Specs for MacBook Air and Pro 13’’
Comparison specs sheet for MacBook Air and Pro 13’’:
| MacBook Air | MacBook Pro 13’’ | |
| Compute | System on Chip (SOC) | |
| Apple M1 Chip | ||
| 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores | ||
| Up to 8-core GPU 16-core Neural Engine | ||
| RAM | 8 GB / 16 GB | |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD / 512 GB SSD / 1 TB SSD / 2 TB SSD | |
| Display | 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology | |
| Retina Display | ||
| 2560 * 1600 pixels resolution | ||
| 400nits brightness | 500nits brightness | |
| The wide color (P3) | ||
| True Tone Technology | ||
| Size and Weight | ||
| Height | 0.16 – 0.63 inch (0.41 – 1.61 cm) | 0.61 inch (1.56 cm) |
| Width | 11.97 inches (30.41 cm) | |
| Depth | 8.36 inches (21.24 cm) | |
| Weight | 2.8 pounds (1.29 kg) | 3.0 pounds (1.4 kg) |
| Camera | 720p FaceTime HD camera | |
| Audio | Stereo Speakers | Stereo Speakers with high dynamic range |
| Wide stereo sound | ||
| Support for Dolby Atmos playback | ||
| Three-mic array with directional beamforming | Studio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming | |
| 3.5 mm headphone jack | ||
| Keyboard and Trackpad | Backlit Magic Keyboard with: | |
| 78 (U.S.) or 79 (IOS) keys including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys in an inverted-T arrangement | 65 (U.S.) or 66 (IOS) keys including 4 arrow keys in an inverted-T arrangement | |
| Touch ID sensor | Touch ID sensor & Touch Bar | |
| Ambient light sensor | ||
| Force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and pressure-sensing capabilities; enable Force clicks, accelerators, pressure-sensitive, drawing, and Multi-Touch gestures | ||
| Wireless | 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 | |
| Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology | ||
| Ports | Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports | |
| Secure Authentication | Touch ID sensor | Touch Bar and Touch ID sensor |
| Apple Pay | Pay with your Mac on the web | |
| Video Calling | FaceTime video | |
| Initiate video calls over Wi-Fi to any FaceTime-enabled device | ||
| Audio Calling | FaceTime audio | |
| Initiate audio calls over Wi-Fi to any FaceTime-enabled device | ||
| Wi-Fi calling | ||
| Siri | Use your voice to send messages, set reminders and more | |
| Activate hands-free with only your voice using “Hey Siri” | ||
| Power and Battery | Up to 15 hours wireless web | Up to 17 hours wireless web |
| Up to 18 hours of Apple TV app movie playback | Up to 20 hours of Apple TV app movie playback | |
| Integrated 49.9 WH Li-Po battery | Integrated 58.2 WH Li-Po battery | |
| 30 W USB – C Power Adapter | 61 W USB – C Power Adapter | |
| Color | Silver, Space Gray, Gold | Silver, Space Gray |
MacBook Air and Pro 13’’ price in Nepal
Apple MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13’’ are now available for purchase in Nepal at Oliz Store. Some models are still in the pre-order phase.
| Model | Variant | Price |
| MacBook Air M1 | 8 GB + 256 GB | NRP 159,500 |
| 8 GB + 512 GB | NRP 203,000 | |
| MacBook Pro 13’’ M1 | 8 GB + 256 GB | NRP 205,000 |
| 8 GB + 512 GB | NRP 240,000 | |
| 16 GB + 512 GB | NRP 275,000 |
For further information about the current and upcoming variants of MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13’’, check out the official website of Apple.