Image: Apple · source
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
A Retina screen and Touch ID finally reached the Air.
Overview
Eight years after the Air changed the notebook line, a thorough rethink arrived in October 2018. The wedge was thinner and lighter at 2.75 pounds, and the 13.3-inch Retina display offered four times the pixels of the old panel with slim borders.
It introduced Touch ID to the Air, along with the T2 security chip and the third-generation butterfly keyboard. A Force Touch trackpad larger than its predecessors, stereo speakers with more bass and two Thunderbolt 3 ports completed the update, and the case used recycled aluminum.
A 1.6 GHz dual-core Core i5, 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage came in the base model, with a 2019 refresh adding True Tone and a lower price.
Why it mattered
Gave the Air its Retina display and Touch ID, closing the gap with the MacBook Pro.
At a glance
- Announced
- October 30, 2018
- Released
- November 7, 2018
- Discontinued
- July 9, 2019
- Launch price
- $1,199
- Chip / processor
- Intel Core i5, 1.6 GHz
- Display
- 13.3"
- Storage
- 128 GB to 1.5 TB
- Status
- Vintage
Highlights
- 13.3-inch Retina display
- Touch ID
- Two Thunderbolt 3 ports
- Recycled aluminum body
- Available in Gold, Silver and Space Gray
Tech specs
Specifications as published at launch. Some values (like battery life) are manufacturer estimates.
Display
- Size
- 13.3-inch
- Type
- Retina IPS LED-backlit
- Resolution
- 2560 x 1600
Chip
- Chip
- Intel Core i5 (Amber Lake), 1.6 GHz
- CPU cores
- 2
Memory
- RAM
- 8 GB, up to 16 GB
- Storage options
- 128 GB to 1.5 TB SSD
Battery
- Battery life
- Up to 13 hours
Ports
- Ports
- 2 Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C), headphone jack
Connectivity
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11ac
Camera
- Camera
- 720p FaceTime HD
Design
- Weight
- 1.25 kg (2.75 lb)
Software
- Launch OS
- macOS Mojave 10.14.1
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 (Mid 2013)
Haswell brought all-day battery life to 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.