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MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) vs MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)

MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)1MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)2

Quick look

Quick look: MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) against MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)
FigureMacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)1MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)2
Price£9993launch price£9494launch price
ChipCore i31.1GHz dual-core IntelCore i51.8GHz dual-core Intel
CPU2-coreCPU2-coreCPU
Memory8GBmemory, base8GBmemory, base
Storage256GBstorage, base128GBstorage, base
Battery lifeUp to12 hrsvideo playback, claimedUp to12 hrsvideo playback, claimed
Released18 March 20205Available online; Apple gave no in-store day7 June 20176ReleasedIn Apple Stores; orderable online from 5 June 2017.
Security updatesNot available7Security updates16 September 20248Security updates ended
Price
The MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) is £999 at launch, per Apple Newsroom (UK); the MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017) is £949 at launch, per Apple UK Store (archived 27 June 2017).

True to scale

MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) · 304.1 × 212.4 mm footprintMacBook Air (13-inch, 2017) · 325 × 227 mm footprint

Footprints from above, from Apple’s published dimensions, drawn to one scale and superposed. Corner rounding is our drawing convention, not a measurement.

Specifications

Each figure is from the source marked by its Mac’s name unless it carries its own small number, which links to where that figure was read.

Body

Body: Apple MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) against Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)
SpecificationMacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)1MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)2
Dimensions4.1–16.1 x 304.1 x 212.4 mm3–17 x 325 x 227 mm
Weight1.29 kg1.35 kg
ColoursGold, Space Gray, SilverSilver
PortsTwo Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, 3.5 mm headphone jackTwo USB 3 ports (up to 5 Gbps), Thunderbolt 2 port (up to 20 Gbps), MagSafe 2 power port, SDXC card slot, 3.5 mm headphone jack
Thunderbolt ports921
Thunderbolt versionThunderbolt 3Thunderbolt 2
USB-A portsNo USB-A ports.102
HDMINo HDMI port.11No HDMI port.12
SD card slotNo SD card slot.11Yes
Headphone jackYesYes
MagSafeNo MagSafe port.11Yes
KeyboardBacklit Magic KeyboardFull-size backlit keyboard
Touch IDYesNo Touch ID.12

Display

Display: Apple MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) against Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)
SpecificationMacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)1MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)2
Display size13.3 in13.3 in
Resolution2560 x 16001440 x 900
Pixel density227 ppiNot available13
Display typeRetina displayLED-backlit glossy widescreen display

Chip and memory

Chip and memory: Apple MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) against Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)
SpecificationMacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)1MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)2
Chip1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i31.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
Apple siliconIntel processor, not Apple silicon.10Intel processor, not Apple silicon.14
CPU cores22
GraphicsIntel Iris Plus GraphicsIntel HD Graphics 6000
Chip options1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i3; 1.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i5; 1.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i71.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 or 2.2GHz dual-core Intel Core i7
Memory (base)8GB8GB
Memory (maximum)16GB8GB
Memory options8GB or 16GB8GB
Memory upgradeable by userNo, as Apple documents15No, as Apple documents15
Storage (base)256GB128GB
Storage (maximum)2TB512GB
Storage options256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB128GB, 256GB or 512GB

Battery and power

Battery and power: Apple MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) against Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)
SpecificationMacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)1MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)2
Battery capacity49.9 Wh54 Wh
Rated charge cycles1,000 cycles161,000 cycles16
Video playback (claimed)1712 h12 h
Wireless web (claimed)11 h12 h
Included power adapter30 W45 W
Fast chargingNo fast charging.11No fast charging.12

Connectivity

Connectivity: Apple MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) against Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)
SpecificationMacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)1MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)2
Wi-Fi802.11ac Wi-Fi802.11ac Wi-Fi
Bluetooth5.04.0
EthernetNo Ethernet port.11No Ethernet port.12
External displays (base)21

Camera and audio

Camera and audio: Apple MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) against Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)
SpecificationMacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)1MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)2
Camera720p FaceTime HD camera720p FaceTime HD camera
SpeakersStereo speakersStereo speakers
MicrophonesThree-mic array with directional beamformingDual microphones

Platform

Platform: Apple MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) against Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)
SpecificationMacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)1MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)2
Shipped withmacOS Catalina18Not available13
Newest macOSmacOS Sequoia19macOS Monterey19
Model identifierMacBookAir9,119MacBookAir7,219
Model year20202017

Benchmarks

Benchmarks: Apple MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) against Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)
SpecificationMacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)1MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)2
Geekbench 7 (CPU, single-core)9722081320
Geekbench 7 (CPU, multi-core)1,647201,54220

Sources

  1. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) - Technical Specifications · Default for MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  2. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017) - Technical Specifications · Default for MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017) · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  3. Apple Newsroom (UK) — New MacBook Air has more to love and is now just £999 · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  4. Apple UK Store (archived 27 June 2017) — MacBook Air 13-inch, 1.8GHz dual-core Core i5, 8GB, 128GB, £949.00 · third-party figure · read 11 Oct 2026

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  5. Apple Newsroom (UK) — New MacBook Air has more to love and is now just £999 · Apple’s figure · read 22 Sep 2026

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  6. Apple Newsroom (UK) — iMac receives major update featuring more powerful graphics, faster processors, Thunderbolt 3 and brighter displays · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  7. Security updates: no end date published. Checked: endoflife.date. Read 22 Sep 2026

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  8. endoflife.date — Apple macOS · third-party figure · read 2 Oct 2026

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  9. Different Thunderbolt generations. MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020): Thunderbolt 3. MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017): Thunderbolt 2.

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  10. MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020): No USB-A ports. Intel processor, not Apple silicon. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) - Technical Specifications. Read 15 Sep 2026

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  11. MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020): No HDMI port. No SD card slot. No MagSafe port. No fast charging. No Ethernet port. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) - Technical Specifications. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  12. MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017): No HDMI port. No Touch ID. No fast charging. No Ethernet port. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017) - Technical Specifications. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  13. Not published by Apple. Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017) - Technical Specifications; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Air model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — iMac receives major update featuring more powerful graphics, faster processors, Thunderbolt 3 and brighter displays. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  14. MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017): Intel processor, not Apple silicon. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017) - Technical Specifications. Read 15 Sep 2026

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  15. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro: how to remove or install memory · Apple’s figure · read 18 Oct 2026

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  16. Apple Support (UK) — Determine battery cycle count for Mac laptops · Apple’s figure · read 15 Oct 2026

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  17. Two different Apple tests. MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020): Apple TV app movie playback. MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017): iTunes movie playback.

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  18. Apple Newsroom (UK) — New MacBook Air has more to love and is now just £999 · Apple’s figure · read 9 Oct 2026

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  19. Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Air model · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  20. Geekbench Browser (Primate Labs) · third-party figure · read 11 Oct 2026

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Not published by Apple

MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020). Apple doesn’t publish for this Mac: brightness, refresh rate, wide colour (P3), nano-texture option, GPU cores, storage upgradeable by user. Geekbench 7 Metal: the Mac chart has no Metal score for this Mac (chart read 10 Oct 2026). Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) - Technical Specifications; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Air model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — New MacBook Air has more to love and is now just £999, read 9 Oct 2026.

MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017). Apple doesn’t publish for this Mac: brightness, refresh rate, wide colour (P3), nano-texture option, GPU cores, storage upgradeable by user. Geekbench 7 Metal: the Mac chart has no Metal score for this Mac (chart read 10 Oct 2026). Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017) - Technical Specifications; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Air model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — iMac receives major update featuring more powerful graphics, faster processors, Thunderbolt 3 and brighter displays, read 9 Oct 2026.

If you own one of them

Whether to move is a different question from which is better. Each Mac has a page on it: what its successor changes (the newest Mac in its line where Apple sells one, otherwise the Mac this site treats as its replacement, which can be in another line), what it fetches and whether it still gets updates. Should I upgrade my MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)? · Should I upgrade my MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)?

The pairs a buyer of either Mac would also weigh. Any two Macs in the catalogue can be compared from the chooser.