WSJ: "If you’re in search of a new Mac, the Air is the best choice. I’ve ordered one already. If you need more power, go on up to a higher-level Pro."
Engadget: "Since I've begun my work week, I've noticed the machine has stayed quiet and reasonably cool even when I take long Google Hangouts calls from a Chrome browser tab, a task that regularly sends my older Air into a noisy, overheated tizzy."
CNET: "To demystify the issue as much as possible, the new MacBook Air is a tad faster than the still-available previous model ... It's also faster than the current 12-inch MacBook, which is still running 2017 Intel chips, but it's slower than some comparable Windows laptops in its price class and the base 13-inch MacBook Pro.
Do you get better performance than before? Yes. Should you expect more CPU power from a $1,199 laptop that weighs 2.7 pounds and has some serious fans? Also yes."
The Verge: "This new MacBook Air is faster than the old MacBook Air, but not by the kind of margin you’d expect after three years (or even one, if you happened to buy the 2017 model). You can do all of the same stuff you can do on your current Air. I have been running a half-dozen apps at a time along with more than a dozen tabs in Chrome, and everything is pretty okay. I think for what most people will do with this laptop, it’s fine."
Wired: "If you're someone who builds graphics, edits 4K videos, or processes large photos for a living, the Air isn't going to cut it. It will, however, handle 15 to 20 browser tabs at once, let you edit photos in Lightroom without any hiccups, and keep ten apps running smoothly at once."