Team that wins changes … little. The classic motto of the re-adapted sports world also applies to the universe of the Apple world and applies to the new MacBook Air 2020 presented a few days ago
This model is in fact a refinement in those details that limited the previous version, the result of an excellent job done at the end of 2018 when the laptop was heavily revised. Compared to the MacBook Air 2018 model this new revision appears aesthetically identical, with all the revisions under the hood and a single novelty that you can see, indeed, touch: the new Magic Keyboard, a keyboard that copes with the worst defect of that machine (and all the others, even in the Pro version) of that generation.
MacBook Air 2020, first contact
Out of the box, the MacBook Air 2020 looks like a kind of twin brother of the previous one (here the careful examination of all the differences), with perhaps the only aesthetic exception given by the arrow keys, returned to the inverted T, a questionable choice for those who he writes but that it will help those who were used to this arrangement
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The machine we had in our hands is the Gold one, one of the three basic colors of the MacBook Air, next to Space Gray and Silver. If an aesthetic comment is allowed, this shade must not be discarded by anyone. The appearance is not at all that of a “female” computer: it is a machine with an appearance that is certainly appreciated by the other half of the sky but also by men who have a keen eye for design and want to stand out.
The technical notes say that the new MacBook, when closed, is slightly thicker than the previous model, but these are details that are not noticed: the screen is well adherent to the body of the laptop and can be opened with only one finger even if you have to be ready to face some “healthy” resistance. This guarantees sufficient stability in the viewing angle we prefer.
Once opened, the Mac turns on by itself: here we had not even finished unwrapping it
The choice of opting for just two Thunderbolt 3 connectors (USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 compatible), on the left side, accompanied by an audio jack on the right side, will surely make someone who is still fond of the USB-A port turn their noses up, however. this is the future and the writer appreciates Apple's courage in opening the way and keeping it that way.
On the other hand, there is no shortage of USB-C adapters (lastly the Sitecom USB-C Multiport Pro Dock, which we had the opportunity to try just before the launch of this MacBook Air) and for those who travel an adapter in a bag on the one hand does not difference, on the other hand it was also substantially needed with the old models because the proliferation of standards in the connections was high even before and some sockets such as the Ethernet one could not adapt to the slim profile of this and similar models.
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Very good trackpad whose generous size (12 × 8 cm) will help when you find yourself working in tight spaces and the use of the mouse would be uncomfortable.
Applause, as always, goes to Apple for the choice of materials: the aluminum that surrounds the Mac in all its parts is velvety, pleasant to the touch and does not give the sensation of slipping from the grip, which is always firm (thanks also to the weight , 1.29 Kg, also here, as in the case of the thickness, imperceptibly higher than the previous model).
More with less
Once opened, the MacBook Pro can be accessed by itself (but how much we miss the “bong” …). The macOS configuration takes about fifteen minutes, after which there are only the obligatory updates and the installation of the Apps necessary to work.
From a technical point of view, the processor of the new MacBook Pro Air 2020 is nominally a class lower than its predecessor, yet the speed is higher: the model we tested is the basic one, with an Intel Core processor i3 dual ‑ core at 1.1GHz ( Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz ) with 4MB of L3 cache of tenth generation and, on balance it is more about 25% faster than the previous model (which was an 8th Gen Intel Core i5) in single core and 12% in multicore. The choice of dual core was probably made for reasons of cost and market sector, because despite the good general performance, this MacBook Air is not suitable for intensive computing uses or for video and image editing for which it is appropriate to think to Pro models.
Even the graphics card, a newer model of integrated Intel Iris, is now more capable and allows the little one to support displays up to 6K (like the Apple Pro Display XDR, probably not a coincidence) which is also good news. for the youngest who maybe want to try some games between one lesson and another, but also for all those applications that use the GPU for many other tasks (from Photos to iMovie, from browsers to Luminar, up to iTunes).
Here are the three colors available: Gold, Space Gray and Silver
The keyboard
It is useless to hide; the Magic Keyboard was the element that more than any other aroused our curiosity and our expectation. This review was written on the MacBook Air 2020 with Word 2019 also to specifically test this important novelty
The new scissor mechanism with 1 mm excursion should allow you to write more precisely and relaxed and in fact we can confirm that the keyboard offers a much smaller margin of error and is also quieter. The only note is that typing appears softer and less “dry” than the previous one, a bit like typing on a keyboard resting on velvet instead of metal.
Aesthetically identical, the new keyboard offers a very different feel from the previous one, with fewer errors and softer typing
As for the other models, also in this case the keys are backlit (with the classic ambient light sensor). The Touch Bar is missing as in the Pro models as regards the function keys, although the Touch ID is still present in the upper right part, which is used for fingerprint recognition but also for switching off and on in case of need.
The display
The display remained identical to its predecessor, a 13.3-inch diagonal LED-backlit 16:10 with IPS technology at a native resolution of 2560 × 1600 pixels (227 pixels per inch) and millions of colors, although Apple says that this model is brighter. We no longer have the previous model available and therefore we cannot bear witness to the difference, but the impression is that we are faced with variations that can be perceived essentially with specific measurements.
Also in this version the TrueTone function is active, which optimizes the colors shown according to the detected light conditions, and the Night Shift function, which varies the temperature of the white point to less tire the eye (Apple says that a white point warmer in the evening makes sleep better). Both functions must be disabled for those who work in the graphic world and need uniformity in colors.
Performance
In everyday use we can say that the Mac works well, we have tried some software such as Office, Luminar and web browsing without any problem: macOS (here in version 10.15) has always supported its performance on the speed of the internal disk and here we need a closer examination.
The SSD mounted by default on the new MacBook Air 2020 is larger (double) than the previous model, and this is great news (because to date on a Mac 256 GB are the minimum wage for those who work and travel) but the speed is lower, in an irrelevant way in writing but by a good 20-25% in reading, a margin that is felt during the installation and copying of important documents, but which in the management of everyday files is not a problem, and the writer prefers this situation to having half the space.
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Here are the speed tests, made with the free Geekbench App 
Obviously the values are not comparable to the Pro models, much more expensive and capable, but they are quite in line with those of the same market segment (considering that the presence of the SSD in the internal disk is now mandatory for all computers, even for those cheaper): during the purchase it is possible to change the size of the disk (from 256 to 512 GB or 1 TB, up to 2 TB) but Apple does not say anything about the difference in speed between one cut and another; we hope it will be higher for an investment that, passing from one disc to another, increases the price not just a little.
SSD speed shows slower reads, almost identical writes
Finally the graphics: having said that it seems unlikely that a computer like this is combined with a display like the Apple Pro Display XDR, the upgrade of the graphics card is an important plus, because today there are more and more websites or Online apps that use the computer's video card for many tasks, consequently a good quality video card is now as important as a powerful processor.
A second speed reading, made with Safari open on the AppleStore online page, shows a decrease in the 30% of the reading speed, a sign that browser activities are not to be underestimated at all
Conclusions
If a friend had asked us if it is worth buying this new MacBook Air 2020 compared to the old model (which is now probably with more aggressive discounts), we would have no doubts: this model is the only Air possible, because it offers a improvement over the past, from faster speed to more storage space, up to a tangibly better keyboard while maintaining the same size, design, display, ports, trackpad and charm compared to the past.
The MacBook Air 2020 is light, as powerful as the market segment requires it, it is beautiful (and the Gold model is very beautiful, even if this is a completely personal and practical opinion.
It can be easily transported even without a case and offers really important functions inside.
The comparison with the competition is more difficult, because the presence of macOS is a unique factor that alone justifies (or advises against) the purchase, but if we look at the “premium” range (over a thousand euros) there are not many competitors who can compare with the MacBook Air 2020; the new Mac seems to have the cards (and the look) to be second to none, with a price that, given in hand, appears completely proportionate (even if the model with i5 appears more attractive): a MacBook Air at a price minor would mean dealing with compromises that are not in Apple's DNA.
Pro:
• Better and more affordable than its predecessor • Improved keyboard • Lightweight and sleek, it's the best Mac to keep in your bag
Versus:
• Price matters • We wish we had a faster SSD model
Price:
• 1,229.00 Euros (with Core i3 and 8G Ram and 256 GB SSD) • 1,279.00 Euros (with Core i5 and 8G Ram and 256 GB SSD) • 1,779.00 Euros (with Core i5 and 16G Ram and 512 GB SSD) • 1,859.00 Euros (with Core i7 and 16G Ram and 512 GB SSD) • 2,109.00 Euros (with Core i7 and 16G Ram and 1 TB SSD) • 2,609.00 Euro (with Core i7 and 16G Ram and 2 TB SSD)
The new MacBook Air 2020 can be ordered from this page of the Apple Store online or even on Amazon It is also available from authorized resellers.
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