Apple’s long-awaited 15-inch MacBook Air is reportedly set for a debut at WWDC subsequent month. Forward of that launch, I’ve been pondering how this big-screen MacBook Air may slot in Apple’s present Mac lineup, and I spotted there’s one potential (if unlikely) limitation that might be a dealbreaker for a lot of patrons…
That one limitation is: the power to make use of a number of exterior shows. That’s, the power to dock your MacBook Air and use it to energy two exterior shows at your desk. It is a identified limitation of the present 13-inch MacBook Air, and it’s a limitation that frustrates lots of these customers.
As a refresher, the present M2 MacBook Air helps one exterior show with as much as 6K decision at 60hHz. This, in fact, is along with the built-in show. There are some workarounds on the market to allow multi-display help, however these workarounds aren’t practically as dependable as Apple’s native help can be.
That is truly one of many few regressions from the final Intel-powered MacBook Air that was launched in 2018. That model of the MacBook Air supported as much as two exterior shows with 4K decision.
Will the 15-inch MacBook Air resolve this downside?
Whether or not or not Apple goals to repair this limitation when it releases the 15-inch MacBook Air might rely upon which Apple Silicon chip it makes use of. Rumors listed below are conflicted, with some sources suggesting it will likely be powered by the identical M2 chip that the current-generation MacBook Air makes use of. Alternatively, 9to5Mac has heard from a previously-reliable supply that the 15-inch MacBook Air will use the M3 chip, however newer reporting has stated Apple was pressured to scrap this plan.
If the 15-inch MacBook Air occurs to be powered by the M3 chip, help for 2 exterior shows would ideally be one thing towards the highest of Apple’s to-do listing. As of proper now, nevertheless, we haven’t heard something about that simply but. It’s additionally wanting extra seemingly daily that the 15-inch MacBook Professional will use the M2 chip, with Apple not planning on M3 Macs till later this yr.
If the 15-inch MacBook Air is powered by an M2 chip and is ready to help two exterior shows, present M2 MacBook Air homeowners may really feel slighted. This consequence, nevertheless, appears unlikely if it’s a authentic technical limitation of the M2 chip that stops Apple from supporting two exterior shows.
And naturally, there’s additionally the chance that Apple will indefinitely restrict the MacBook Air to supporting only one exterior show, whatever the chip inside. In spite of everything, this does create an extra cause for customers to spring for the dearer MacBook Professional. There are already questions on how the 15-inch MacBook Air could eat into some 16-inch MacBook Air gross sales.
Even in case you don’t use two exterior shows along with your Mac, it’s a setup that’s extra widespread than you may assume. It’s particularly widespread in enterprise environments, the place employers will oftentimes present workers with two lower-resolution shows reasonably than one high-resolution show.
The 15-inch MacBook Air is predicted to be launched at WWDC in June, so we’re lower than a month away from the official announcement. Are you planning to purchase it? Tell us within the feedback.
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