Remembering my Story of Owning The M1 MacBook Air — 2021-2023
I bought the MacBook Air because I realized that, even though I’m a big fan of the iPad, the Mac is the best productivity machine for my needs as a blogger and content creator. I needed a portable and more capable device.
When I upgrade one of my Macs (see “Stepping Up to the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air: My Observations”), it’s time to reflect on the story of the Mac being demoted, replaced with something new, refined, and perfected.
JF Martin
What came before the 2020 M1 MacBook Air?
The MacBook Air is an iconic model for Apple. Last summer, I had a chance to buy an old 2011 MacBook Air just for fun and to experiment with the MacBook Air form factor in the 11-inch size. I fell in love almost instantly. I know I'm late to the party. I loved everything about it: the keyboard, the device’s overall size, the weight, the screen. The latter was low-resolution compared to today’s standards, but it didn’t bother me too much. This machine was surprisingly fast even with macOS BigSur. Battery life was miserable, though. I gave this machine to my older son for his school and bought myself a M1 MacBook Air with 8GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD. My complete story here is Coming Out of a Rabbit Hole and Buying Two MacBook Air.
The Air with Apple Silicon is a Mac without compromising performance, autonomy and design. Getting onto the MacBook Air bandwagon at this particular time of its long story was the best timing I could imagine. My experiment with the 11-inch Air was just a small taste of what would come after. The screen size was just right, but the Air was still true to its origins with a much better screen. The Air is a combination of iPad mightiness with the flexibility of the Mac. For a creator like me, it’s a perfect solution. The Air replaced most of my iPad usage. The latter is used in rare edge cases, such as while abroad.
To me, two critical points in the MacBook Air evolution are indeed game changers: the upgrade to the Retina screen and the transition to the Apple Silicon. Without those two evolutionary steps, the Air wouldn’t be the mighty device it has become over the years. Both of these transformations made the Air a perfect machine for the things I like to do the most: writing, editing, photo-processing and publishing. I like to do this at home, in a coffee shop or while travelling. This is what the M1 MacBook Air is all about – a perfect machine for a compulsive creator like me.
Overall, owning the M1 MacBook Air has been a transformative experience. It has enhanced my productivity and allowed me to create content more efficiently. The M1 MacBook Air is a true testament to Apple's commitment to pushing the boundaries of technology and providing users with the best possible experience. I can't wait to see what the future holds for this iconic device. Can it even be perfected? What is missing from the Air today? It’s hard to tell. I’m not sure, at this time, Apple really knows.
JF Martin
