Apple Silicon M1 MacBook Air SSD Really Is Twice as Fast as Previous Model - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Silicon M1 MacBook Air SSD Really Is Twice as Fast as Previous Model

As customers are receiving their new Apple Silicon Macs, we're starting to see more benchmarks and testing being posted in our Apple Silicon forum. One forum user (abbotsford1980) shared SSD Benchmarks for their new M1 MacBook Air with 256GB storage:

apple silicon macbook air ssd benchmarks

The benchmarks confirm that the new ‌MacBook Air‌ SSD is approximately twice as fast as the previous model with 2190 MB/s writes and 2675 MB/s reads. Apple did announce this performance boost when launching the new machine, and attributed the improved speed to the ‌M1‌'s storage controller as well as new flash technology:

The M1 chip’s storage controller and latest flash technology deliver up to 2x faster SSD performance, so previewing massive images or importing large files is faster than ever.

The 2019/2020 Intel ‌MacBook Air‌ was criticized for actually offering a slower SSD than the 2018 model. The 2019/2020 ‌MacBook Air‌ SSD speeds were 1319 MB/s reads and 1007 MB/s writes.

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

Popular Stories

iPad mini 7 Review Thumb 1 sans text

Apple Raises iPad and Mac Trade-In Values

Monday October 26, 2026 8:17 am PDT by
Apple today updated its U.S. trade-in estimates, raising maximum values across the iPad lineup and for most Macs following today's announcement of the new iPad mini. Every iPad category has gained value, although the increases are relatively modest. The iPad mini and standard iPad both rise by $20, while the iPad Air gains $15 and the iPad Pro increases by $10. The revised maximum estimates...
imac holiday

OLED MacBook Air and iMac Remain in Testing

Sunday October 25, 2026 8:40 pm PDT by
Apple is testing OLED displays for future MacBook Air and iMac models, though both upgrades remain some way off, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in his latest "Power On" newsletter. The next refreshes of the devices are expected to retain LCD displays. Gurman anticipates a new iMac to arrive this week and a MacBook Air refresh in early 2027, but offered no time frame for either model's...
skyrim

Skyrim Comes to Apple Silicon Macs With New Unofficial Installer

Tuesday October 20, 2026 7:56 pm PDT by
Bethesda's beloved role-playing game "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" has reached multiple generations of consoles since its 2011 debut, but it never officially came to the Mac. A new unofficial project called SkyrimMT now aims to make playing and modding it on Apple silicon Macs easier than ever. Mac owners have found ways to play Skyrim over the years, including installing Windows through...

Top Rated Comments

78 months ago
The switch to Apple silicon has been a home run, and this is just the beginning.
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
78 months ago
Apple really undersold this thing, imo.
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
78 months ago
Apple has proven to be unusually honest with claims like this.

The all around performance of these new models is surprising, but to find out that Apple’s claims weren’t bogus is not surprising—not to me anyway.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
78 months ago
The new iMac can't come soon enough.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dragoon2745 Avatar
78 months ago
So it's twice as fast today because the cut the speed in half in the previous models? Why did they have to move to slower SSDs in the MacBook Air to begin with?
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
UndefinedxJoker Avatar
78 months ago
First time in a long time that an Apple product gets nothing but positive news.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Apple Explains How HomeView Keeps Camera Data Private
Apple Explains How HomeView Keeps Camera Data Private
8 minutes ago
Apple Releases Updated HomeView Software 27.2 Before Launch
Apple Releases Updated HomeView Software 27.2 Before Launch
51 minutes ago
Apple Adds Samsung Foldables to Trade-In Program
Apple Adds Samsung Foldables to Trade-In Program
3 hours ago
Apple Sports App Now Features UFC
Apple Sports App Now Features UFC
3 hours ago
Trump Says Tim Cook Should Be Nvidia CEO as Jensen Huang Resigns
Trump Says Tim Cook Should Be Nvidia CEO as Jensen Huang Resigns
4 hours ago
Apple Releases Emotional 2026 Holiday Ad Featuring MacBook Neo
Apple Releases Emotional 2026 Holiday Ad Featuring MacBook Neo
4 hours ago
Apple's Official iPhone 18 Pro Cases and Watch Bands Get Big Discounts on Amazon
Apple's Official iPhone 18 Pro Cases and Watch Bands Get Big Discounts on Amazon
4 hours ago
Nintendo to End 'Sign in With Apple' Support in January
Nintendo to End 'Sign in With Apple' Support in January
4 hours ago
Walmart Black Friday Sale Begins With Early Deals on TVs, Laptops, and More
Walmart Black Friday Sale Begins With Early Deals on TVs, Laptops, and More
5 hours ago
Apple Says HomeView Software Update Coming Next Month With Siri Fix
Apple Says HomeView Software Update Coming Next Month With Siri Fix
6 hours ago
Review: Is Apple's All-New HomeView Smart Home Hub Worth $299?
Review: Is Apple's All-New HomeView Smart Home Hub Worth $299?
6 hours ago
Apple Home Collection: Select Accessories Available to Order This Friday
Apple Home Collection: Select Accessories Available to Order This Friday
6 hours ago
'Ratchet & Clank: Ranger Rumble' to Leave App Store This Month
'Ratchet & Clank: Ranger Rumble' to Leave App Store This Month
7 hours ago
Apple's Johny Srouji Eyed to Replace Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang
Apple's Johny Srouji Eyed to Replace Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang
7 hours ago
Apple Support Community Deserved a Proper Goodbye
Apple Support Community Deserved a Proper Goodbye
15 hours ago
Apple on Fatal Vehicle Crash Near Apple Park: 'Our Hearts Are Broken'
Apple on Fatal Vehicle Crash Near Apple Park: 'Our Hearts Are Broken'
22 hours ago
Apple Invites App Updated With Two New Features
Apple Invites App Updated With Two New Features
23 hours ago
Google Says Gemini App Rolling Out on Apple CarPlay Starting Today
Google Says Gemini App Rolling Out on Apple CarPlay Starting Today
1 day ago
Is It Worth Buying a Ceramic Apple Watch?
Is It Worth Buying a Ceramic Apple Watch?
1 day ago
Samsung Early Black Friday Event Brings Major Sales to Frame TVs and More
Samsung Early Black Friday Event Brings Major Sales to Frame TVs and More
1 day ago
iPhone 18 Pro Max Wins Battery Test Involving 32 Smartphones
iPhone 18 Pro Max Wins Battery Test Involving 32 Smartphones
1 day ago
AirTag 2 4-Pack Hits Record Low $69.99 Price Ahead of Black Friday
AirTag 2 4-Pack Hits Record Low $69.99 Price Ahead of Black Friday
1 day ago
Rumored Apple Smart Glasses Mentioned in Supplier's Earnings Briefing
Rumored Apple Smart Glasses Mentioned in Supplier's Earnings Briefing
1 day ago
Make Apple Watch Listen for Sounds Like the Doorbell
Make Apple Watch Listen for Sounds Like the Doorbell
1 day ago
Apple Chip Supplier TSMC Approves $1 Billion AI Investment
Apple Chip Supplier TSMC Approves $1 Billion AI Investment
1 day ago
'Apple Support Community' Permanently Closing on November 20
'Apple Support Community' Permanently Closing on November 20
2 days ago
Apple's Holiday Gift Guide Highlights iPhone Duo and More
Apple's Holiday Gift Guide Highlights iPhone Duo and More
2 days ago
Three Workers Die at Tata iPhone Parts Plant in India
Three Workers Die at Tata iPhone Parts Plant in India
2 days ago
iCloud Mail, Calendar, Contacts and More Experiencing Outage [Updated]
iCloud Mail, Calendar, Contacts and More Experiencing Outage [Updated]
2 days ago
Apple's Claris Testing 'Harbor' App for Local AI on Macs
Apple's Claris Testing 'Harbor' App for Local AI on Macs
2 days ago