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On Tuesday, Apple released all new versions of the MacBook Air, 13” MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. Although the physical design of all of these computers remains the same,  Apple-made “M1” processors are now tucked inside aimed to  increase speed, battery life, and overall performance. 

Apple is transitioning from using Intel processors in their computers, to homegrown Apple processors, just like inside the iPhone, iPad,AppleTV, and Apple Watch. They are begin with their consumer-level computer products and will be updating the higher-end machines over the next couple years. Let's explore if one of these new laptops or Mini might fit your needs.

Macbook Air

The 13" MacBook Air, which still starts at $999 continues to be a great value. The new Apple M1 chip has nearly doubled the battery life (18 hours!) and tripled the overall speed. They even managed to remove the internal fan because the new M1 chip runs so efficiently, so no more noise! These improvements are a little hard to believe, but Apple wouldn’t have undertaken such a major transition if it didn’t result in significant benefits. The MacBook Air is usually a good choice for students, teachers, travelers, and anyone else who uses their computer for most normal every-day needs.

It weighs just under 3 pounds and comes with up to 2TB of storage.

13" Macbook Pro

The 13” MacBook Pro also was updated with the new Apple M1 chip. The benefits to performance and battery life are very similar to that of the MacBook Air, but the MacBook Pro has the edge in terms of higher-end processing power. Apple opted to keep the fan inside this model, in the event that the processors need to run hot to deliver peak performance. This Mac will be a great entry point for anyone who will be doing graphic design, photo or video editing, music production or 3D modeling. It's also a great choice for those who are using many applications at once. The new 13” MacBook Pro starts at $1,299, weights 3 pounds, and comes with up to 2TB storage.

Mac mini

Even the Mighty Mac mini got itself a brand new M1 chip! This small-footprint Mac is now able to deliver better-then-ever performance in a small package. Although this computer isn’t for everyone, the Mac mini has a devoted fan base. It's great for conference rooms, living room TV connections, and those with space needs. Anyone who is looking to get into a desktop Mac for less than $1,000 should start here. A brand new blazing fast Mac mini with M1 starts at $699 and comes with up to 2TB storage. 

Apple has started this transition away from Intel with the consumer end of its computer product line. The 15" MacBook Pro and iMacs will still use the high-end Intel processors for the next couple years. Most importantly, Apple will be supporting all Macs for many years to come, so one doesn't need to feel like they need to wait if an iMac or 15" MacBook Pro is a better fit for you.

In the meantime though, this initial offering should be a giant leap for the vast majority of Apple computer users who are looking for the best possible machine for browsing the web, checking email, managing photos, working with documents, and keeping up with the news.