MacBook Air 2022 leak details remodeled design — expect new colors and no notch

MacBook Air 2022 Concept Image
(Image credit: LeaksApplePro)

After the flurry of Cyber Monday MacBook deals offering killer price cuts on the popular M1 MacBook Air, many Apple fans are now setting their sights on the upcoming MacBook Air 2022. According to a recent leak, we can expect a colorful design revamp.

The new MacBook Air is expected to arrive in mid-2022 with a mini-LED display and a new design, boasting a variety of pastel color options, white borders, and a lack of notch. This is similar to Apple's recent iMac 2021, coming in hues of orange, red, yellow, blue, teal, purple and silver.

Spotted by LeaksApplePro via CAD files, the MacBook Air's chassis looks similar to previous models; most notably with the M1 MacBook Pro. The real redesign comes in the color scheme, with the concept image showing off a white keyboard and display borders. Bezels appear to be noticeably thicker than the recent 2021 MacBook Pro. However, there apparently won't be a notch on this new model.

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The leak also states the next MacBook Air will have an M2 chip, which has been rumored to be in production despite the revel of Apple's M1 Pro and M1 Max chips. Plus, we can expect MagSafe and a Thunderbolt port on the left side of the laptop, along with another Thunderbolt port and an audio jack on the right. While the post doesn't state what kind of Thunderbolt port we can expect, it's likely to be Thunderbolt 4.

Previous rumors indicate the MacBook Air 2022 will get smaller “by shrinking the border around the screen,” and it will retain its 13-inch display. This contradicts what is being shown in the concept image, so take this all in with a pinch of salt. Bloomberg journalist Mack Gurman previously stated it will be both thinner and lighter, and boast USB4 ports instead of Thunderbolt.

This isn't the first time we've seen this color scheme, as leaker Jon Prosser spilled the beans on the next MacBook Air's iMac-like design refresh. Ian Zelbo created a fan-made concept of what the MacBook Air 2022 could look like, detailing the soft pastel blue finish that Prosser mentioned.

The MacBook Air 2022 is rumored to drop sometime in mid-2022, so we still have a while before Apple officially announces its next model. In the meantime, check out the Cupertino tech giant's other rumored device: the iPhone SE 2022

Darragh Murphy
Editor

Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it's connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.