What color MacBook Air should you get?
The MacBook Air with M1 is a speedy and ultra-light laptop available in three different colors: space gray, silver, and gold.
Since there's no difference in price between any of the colors, which one you pick will ultimately come down to personal preference. Some people like the standard Apple silver. Some want to stand out a little with the gold. Or, you could get space gray, which, as we all know, is the most professional and "business-y" color Apple offers.
The best Mac is the one that gives you everything you need, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't love the color of the device. Here are some things you should take into account when deciding what color MacBook Air to buy.
Three to pick from
The MacBook Air has the perfect balance of features and affordability with the new M1 SoC, Retina display, and great software. Plus, it comes in three great colors.
Light, dark, or gold
I think that the space gray Apple offers on its laptops is pretty cool. For one thing, it's consistent, unlike the iPhones, where the meaning of 'space gray' can change from year to year. It's also more in line with other electronics, which tend to be darker in color while still retaining their specific identity.
Silver has been the kind of 'Apple standard' color for a while. There was a time when Silver was the only color available for the MacBook Air. Also, if you prefer brighter colors but don't like Gold, silver is your real option.
Speaking of Gold, the MacBook Air is currently the only member of Apple's current Mac lineup that features any sort of gold color option. If you want a Mac that will stand out, or you just love gold, pick this one.
Discoloration
I've been using a Late-2013 MacBook Pro for almost as long as it's been out, over six years now, and I've never noticed any discoloration in its aluminum. The same goes for multiple older iPhones and iPads that I still own. The color holds up, year in and year out.
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Apple does a great job with its colors, and no matter which one you get, you should be satisfied with its look years down the road.
Wear and tear
Silver Macs do a pretty good job standing up to the stresses of everyday computing life in my experience. When I look at my MacBook Pro, I have to look carefully to see the small dings and scratches dotting its chassis. There's some light scratching around the ports from years of use.
Scratches and scuff marks are going to show up on anodized aluminum. It's just that the Silver, being closest in color to the actual aluminum, will hide scratches better than Space Gray or Gold.
Having said that, unless durability is a big concern for you, get the color you want most, not the one that you think will hold up against scratches best.
Joseph Keller is the former Editor in Chief of iMore. An Apple user for almost 20 years, he spends his time learning the ins and outs of iOS and macOS, always finding ways of getting the most out of his iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac.