MacBook Air Updated With True Tone Display and Lower $1,099 Starting Price - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

MacBook Air Updated With True Tone Display and Lower $1,099 Starting Price

Apple today announced that it has updated the MacBook Air with a True Tone display and lowered its starting price from $1,199 to $1,099 in the United States, or $999 for qualifying students through Apple's education store.

macbook air 2018 roundup header
True Tone automatically adjusts the white balance of the ‌MacBook Air‌'s display to match the color temperature of the light around you to provide a more natural viewing experience. The feature is similar to Night Shift, but more dynamic, continuously adapting to the surrounding environment.

This is the first update to the ‌MacBook Air‌ since it was radically redesigned in October 2018 with a Retina display, faster 8th-generation Intel Core processors, butterfly keyboard, larger trackpad, Touch ID, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, Apple T2 chip with Hey Siri support, louder speakers, and more.

$1,099 continues to get you a 1.6GHz dual-core Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD, and Intel UHD Graphics 617.

Alongside today's update and price drop, Apple has also discontinued the 2017 ‌MacBook Air‌, which it had continued to sell for $999 following the introduction of the revamped ‌MacBook Air‌ last October.

The entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro was also refreshed today with the latest 8th-generation Intel Core quad-core processors for up to two times faster performance. The notebook now also features the Touch Bar, ‌Touch ID‌, True Tone, and the Apple T2 chip. Pricing starts at $1,299, or $1,199 for qualifying students.

The 2019 ‌MacBook Air‌ is available to order now.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Air (Neutral)
Related Forum: MacBook Air

Popular Stories

apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple

Apple to Overhaul Mac Lineup With 11 New Models

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:13 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to refresh every Mac it sells over the next two years, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The plans come amid a Mac resurgence, with sales projected to climb for a third consecutive year, partly thanks to a growing following among users who lean on the machines for demanding, agent-based AI workloads. The wave of new Macs will begin this fall with a refreshed...
macbook air prime day 2

5 Reasons to Buy a MacBook Air Now Instead of Waiting

Tuesday July 28, 2026 7:53 am PDT by
Apple's next MacBook Air is several months away, but if you've been holding off on an upgrade, here's why now could actually be a good time to buy. The Current Air is the Best Value Mid-Tier Mac The M5 MacBook Air starts at $1,299 following Apple's recent $200 price hike, but Amazon is already knocking $100 off, bringing it down to $1,199. The base model's 16GB of RAM means it's no longer...
Apple Event Logo

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:39 am PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a report this week, he said the operating system will feature a grid of icons, widgets, and apps, along with customizable clock faces. The new software platform is intended for Apple's long-rumored smart home hub. With built-in facial recognition,...

Top Rated Comments

Kajje Avatar
92 months ago
Can I pay extra for not having that Touch Bar?
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pepe4life Avatar
92 months ago
Missing a key feature: removal of butterfly keyboards!
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
92 months ago
I still don't get the hate for the Touch Bar. I like it. Especially with Better Touch Tool. To each their own I guess.
I despise it. It is awful for me. I am glad my 2018 MBA doesn’t have it. Glad you like it though — some people do. More power to them.

I thought it had some potential, but as a coder, who puts his fingers on top of the function keys (especially for stepping through code), the fact I cannot rest on the F keys any more just makes me very upset. I use an external keyboard on my 2018 MBP for this reason.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BWhaler Avatar
92 months ago
Still has the junk keyboards.

Still can’t buy a high-quality laptop from APple at any price.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
oldmacs Avatar
92 months ago
Well theres the old MacBook Air gone. Glad I got my Mum one last month. Rest in piece good keyboard and MagSafe.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mudflap Avatar
92 months ago
I still don't get the hate for the Touch Bar. I like it. Especially with Better Touch Tool. To each their own I guess.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors