MacBook Air (Mid 2013)
Haswell brought all-day battery life to the Air.
Overview
The 2013 MacBook Air kept the familiar wedge body while changing nearly everything inside. Intel Haswell chips at 1.3 GHz, a new Intel HD Graphics 5000 chip and a faster PCIe-based flash drive made it much quicker, and Apple claimed 9 hours of battery on the 11-inch and 12 hours on the 13-inch.
It was the first Mac with 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and two microphones improved the sound of calls. Prices started at 999 dollars for the 11-inch model and 1,099 dollars for the 13-inch.
The design stayed on sale in essentially the same form until 2017, with only small speed bumps in 2014 and 2015, making it one of the longest-running Apple laptop shapes.
Why it mattered
Set a new standard for laptop battery life and anchored the Air line for years.
At a glance
- Announced
- June 10, 2013
- Released
- June 10, 2013
- Discontinued
- April 29, 2014
- Launch price
- $999
- Chip / processor
- Intel Core i5, 1.3 GHz
- Display
- 11.6" or 13.3"
- Storage
- 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB
- Status
- Vintage
Highlights
- Up to 12 hours of battery on the 13-inch
- First Mac with 802.11ac Wi-Fi
- PCIe flash storage
- Intel Haswell processor
- Starts at $999
Tech specs
Specifications as published at launch. Some values (like battery life) are manufacturer estimates.
Display
- Size
- 11.6-inch or 13.3-inch
- Type
- LED-backlit widescreen
- Resolution
- 1366 x 768 (11-inch), 1440 x 900 (13-inch)
Chip
- Chip
- Intel Core i5, 1.3 GHz
- CPU cores
- 2
Memory
- RAM
- 4 GB, up to 8 GB
- Storage options
- 128 GB to 512 GB flash
Battery
- Battery life
- Up to 9 hours (11-inch), 12 hours (13-inch)
Connectivity
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11ac
Camera
- Camera
- 720p FaceTime HD
Design
- Weight
- 1.08 kg (11-inch), 1.35 kg (13-inch)
How it compares
More in the MacBook Air family
MacBook Air (Original, 2008)
The laptop that came out of an envelope.
MacBook Air (11-inch, Late 2010)
A wedge-shaped 11-inch laptop with instant-on flash storage.
MacBook Air (13-inch, Late 2010)
The 13-inch Air gained a higher-resolution display and an SD slot.
MacBook Air (11-inch and 13-inch, Mid 2011)
Sandy Bridge power, a backlit keyboard and Thunderbolt for the Air.
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
A Retina screen and Touch ID finally reached the Air.
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)
The last Intel MacBook Air brought the Magic Keyboard to the entry level.
MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
The first Apple silicon MacBook Air, fast and fanless.
MacBook Air (13-inch, M2, 2022)
A flat redesign with a bigger display, MagSafe and a 1080p camera.
MacBook Air (15-inch, M2, 2023)
The first 15-inch Air: a big screen with a thin body.
MacBook Air (13-inch, M3, 2024)
M3 speeds and dual-display support for the 13-inch Air.
MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024)
The big Air gets M3 and a faster wireless chip.
MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)
16 GB of memory as standard and a new Sky Blue color.
MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 2025)
The bigger Air got M4, 16 GB and a better camera.
MacBook Air (13-inch, M5, 2026)
M5 and 512 GB of storage arrive on the 13-inch Air.
MacBook Air (15-inch, M5, 2026)
The large Air gets the M5 chip, 512 GB and Wi-Fi 7.