The M2 MacBook Air goes on sale next Friday

The first MacBook to sport Apple’s new M2 arrived in dated fashion. The 13-inch Pro is a fine computer, but it’s hard to get excited about last year’s hardware with the largest redesign to an old favorite waiting in the wings.

Today Apple pinpointed the broad July arrival date for the new MacBook Air, noting that he second device with the company’s latest chip will arrive July 15 – that’s next Friday.

Image Credits: Brian Heater

I spent a bit of time with the new Air in person back at WWDC. You can read that hands-on here. Or just read the review of the 13-inch I wrote up recently, where I spent entirely too much time talking about this other M2 MacBook. Meantime, here are the key things to know:

• It’s a fundamental redesign to the product’s shell, ditching the iconic beveled profile for what effectively looks like a more compact version of the 14-inch Pro’s square case.
• MagSafe is back, baby
• 1080p camera
• 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display
• 18 hours of battery

Image Credits: Brian Heater

That comes in a 2.7 pound design, devoid of the fan you’ll find on the Pro. There are also two new finishes, midnight and starlight, with matching Magsafe plugs.

Pre-orders, meanwhile, start this Friday – July 8 – at precisely 5AM PT. The latest version of the perennial favorite thin and light starts at $1,199 – and $100 less if you’ve got access to an education discount.