Apple's M1 Chip Brings Massive Battery Life Improvements for MacBook Air and MacBook Pro

Apple's new 13-inch MacBook Pro and 13-inch MacBook Air models are equipped with the M1, which is the first Apple Silicon chip. In addition to bringing impressive performance improvements, the ‌M1‌ chip also significantly increases battery life.

apple macbook pro m1 battery life
The battery in the ‌MacBook Air‌ (49.9WHr) lasts for up to 15 hours with wireless web browsing and up to 18 hours when watching movies using the Apple TV app. The prior-generation model lasted for up to 11 hours when browsing the web, or up to 12 hours when watching movies.

Battery life is even better in the new ‌MacBook Pro‌, which has a 58.2 WHr battery. The battery lasts for up to 17 hours when browsing the web and up to 20 hours when watching a movie using the ‌Apple TV‌ app. The prior-generation ‌MacBook Pro‌ lasted for up to 10 hours when browsing the web and up to 10 hours when watching movies.

Long battery life is enabled through the four high-efficiency cores that are included in the ‌M1‌. Apple says that alone, the four cores offer similar performance as the dual-core ‌MacBook Air‌ but at much lower power, providing an efficient way to run simple tasks like checking email or browsing the web.

When needed, the new machines also engage the four high-performance cores of the ‌M1‌ chip for more demanding tasks and better CPU performance. Apple promises that the ‌M1‌ chip brings up to 3.5x faster CPU performance, 6x faster GPU performance, and up to 15x faster machine learning.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Related Forums: MacBook Pro, MacBook Air

Popular Stories

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
duolingo ad live activity

Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines

Friday January 2, 2026 1:36 pm PST by
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines. According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option. Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
Clicks Communicator Feature

'Clicks Communicator' Unveiled — Will You Carry This With Your iPhone?

Friday January 2, 2026 6:35 am PST by
The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator. The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging...
Low Cost MacBook Feature A18 Pro

Low-Price 12.9-Inch MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Reportedly Launching Early This Year

Friday January 2, 2026 9:08 am PST by
Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, according to TrendForce. In a press release this week, the Taiwanese research firm said this MacBook will be aimed at the entry-level to mid-range market, with "competitive pricing." TrendForce did not share any further details about this MacBook, but the information that it shared lines up with several rumors about a more...
Apple Fitness Plus hero

Apple Announces New Fitness+ Workout Programs, Strava Challenge, and More

Friday January 2, 2026 6:43 am PST by
Apple today announced a number of updates to Apple Fitness+ and activity with the Apple Watch. The key announcements include: New Year limited-edition award: Users can win the award by closing all three Activity Rings for seven days in a row in January. "Quit Quitting" Strava challenge: Available in Strava throughout January, users who log 12 workouts anytime in the month will win an ...
Low Cost A18 Pro MacBook Feature Pink

Apple's 2026 Low-Cost A18 Pro MacBook: What We Know So Far

Friday January 2, 2026 4:33 pm PST by
Apple is planning to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, which will apparently compete with more affordable Chromebooks and Windows PCs. Apple's most affordable Mac right now is the $999 MacBook Air, and the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be cheaper. Here's what we know about the low-cost MacBook so far. Size Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 ...
Mac Pro Feature Blue

What's Happening With the Mac Pro?

Wednesday December 31, 2025 9:59 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Mac Pro since 2023, and according to recent rumors, there's no update coming in the near future. In fact, Apple might be finished with the Mac Pro. Bloomberg recently said that the Mac Pro is "on the back burner" and has been "largely written off" by Apple. Apple apparently views the more compact Mac Studio as the ideal high-end pro-level desktop, and it has almost...

Top Rated Comments

WestonHarvey1 Avatar
67 months ago
Someone tell me why this is bad.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Return Zero Avatar
67 months ago
Several multiples faster and almost twice the battery life at the same price, yet it seems like all I see are complaints about longevity and upgradability... some people will literally never be happy, and it's 100% by their own choice.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
citysnaps Avatar
67 months ago

Looks like very limited RAM options with the unified memory if I read it correctly as part of the SOC.

Excellent for compute workloads but lacking the choice, particularly at the moment, to expand it ourselves.

It will be really interesting to see how they approach the more user upgradeable market i.e. the 27" iMac (probably will go) and the Mac Pro.
How do you expand RAM yourself in current MBAs and MBPs?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Return Zero Avatar
67 months ago

So, the only things that make the Pro a Pro are the touchbar and more weight? I can't imagine someone saying, yeah I really want a touchbar and I'm willing to pay $300 for it... and I really prefer a heavier laptop.:rolleyes:
No. Why do people keep saying this? The M1 may be the same chip but it will be able to operate much faster for longer periods of time with the fan in the Pro. Also, the screen, battery, speakers, mic, and charger are much better on the Pro as well. It takes all of 15 seconds to figure this our for yourself.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
applicious84 Avatar
67 months ago

Someone tell me why this is bad.
Never! It's glorious. The best! The fastest! The most efficient! The super duperest...most amazingest mac ever made. It's even better than macs made last year! And it's better than everything else in the world, including 98% of pcs!
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mdracer Avatar
67 months ago
These specs that you are all complaining about are all the lower end MacBook Pros, keep that in mind, before you lose your mind.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)