MacBook Air 15-inch teardown reveals a bigger battery and additional speakers, but nothing else

Apple unveiled a new MacBook Air 15-inch with the M2 chip earlier this month at the World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC). With a larger screen, it is essentially identical to the previous 13-inch model. The internal design of the 15-inch MacBook Air has been revealed in a new iFixit teardown, which also shows whether the same is true on the outside.

Furthermore, it is not intended for those who want to repair their electronics through DIY, according to iFixit. However, expect significant changes, such as a larger battery and a new six-speaker sound system.

Meanwhile, its thickness has increased by 0.2 millimeters, while its bulk has increased by 22% compared to the Air-13 inch.

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MacBook Air 15-inch features a new sound system and a bigger battery

According to the new iFixit video, a few significant differences exist between the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models. There is a modified speaker layout to accommodate the upgraded six-speaker sound system. On the other hand, the 13-inch model has four speakers.

It sports a new six-speaker audio system with two tweeters and two force-canceling woofers. The new speakers are expected to deliver twice as much bass depth for fuller sound and spatial audio with Dolby Atmos support.

In the iFixit video, teardown tech Shahram Mokhtari reveals that the battery in the Air 15-inch is around 25% larger than the Air 13-inch. However, it provides the same estimated runtime of around 15 to 18 hours.

More importantly, it now supports fast charging with a 65-watt adapter. According to the video, Apple has increased the number of cells in the new battery. It will allow faster charging because more cells can be charged simultaneously than the previous 13-inch Air battery.

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MacBook Air 15-inch teardown process is miserable and a maze

In the YouTube video, iFixit disassembles Apple's first-ever MacBook Air 15-inch, and the process is described in numerous ways, from "miserable" to "maze." It is immediately apparent that Apple has not made any efforts to make the new MacBook Air design more repairable than the 13-inch model. Shahram Mokhtari asserted:

"Where the Air used to be, the lightweight chromebook of the Mac lineup, this year's feels very out of place. Yes, it's got that big screen and trackpad, but it's a heavy, unrepairable beast under that skin deep beauty."

As the new MacBook Air 15-inch sports a fanless design, it may throttle under load when it warms up. On the brighter side, since no fan exists, it cannot malfunction or will not require repair.