MacBook Air OLED tipped for 2024 — here’s what we know

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This is not the first time this MacBook Air rumor has surfaced

MacBook Air M2 2022
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

We declared the MacBook Air M2, “the best MacBook for most people” when we stacked it up against the MacBook Pro. Now, it may be getting an upgrade in 2024.

As reported by MacRumors, analyst Ross Young has tipped a MacBook Air 13-inch model to arrive in 2024 with an OLED screen, something Young has suggested in the past. This information came in a tweet restricted to his subscribers on Twitter.

Again, this is not the first time Young has suggested an OLED MacBook is coming, though this is the first time he’s declared a MacBook Air OLED specifically is on the way. In his previous comment, again a restricted tweet to subscribers (at the time “Super Followers”) he had suggested that an OLED display panel would be heading to a 13.3-inch MacBook and both the 11-inch iPad Pro and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. 

According to Young, these OLED displays would use what he has coined a “tandem stack.” This novel technology stacks two red, green and blue (RGB) light-emission layers on top of each other for increased brightness and improved power consumption.  

However, there was one interesting piece of news that came after the initial tweet from Young. We had previously reported that these OLED panels would include Apple’s ProMotion variable refresh rate technology. This technology has already been featured on the iPhone 14 Pro, the 11-inch iPad Pro, 12.9-inch iPad Pro and both the MacBook Pro 14-inch and the MacBook Pro 16-inch, but it would be brand new to the MacBook Air.

Young, however, took care in a subsequent tweet to highlight that he, “actually never said ProMotion on the 13.3” MacBook Air.” So while we may see an OLED upgrade on the MacBook Air 13-inch in 2024, it may not bring ProMotion technology with it. 

MacBook Air display: Why OLED? 

MacBook Air M2 vs Dell XPS 13 Plus

(Image credit: Future)

While some competitors use OLED displays in their laptops, Apple currently uses mini-LEDs in its high-end laptop and tablet displays. Apple does currently use OLED displays in its iPhones and Apple Watches, but it seems Apple has yet to achieve the results they want in a larger OLED panel.

Not that mini-LEDs are bad. In fact, in some ways, they can be better than OLED displays, as they can achieve higher brightness levels and do not suffer from burn-in. But OLEDs do provide a couple of key advantages, particularly when it comes to power efficiency and richer blacks. This is because with an OLED display each pixel produces its own light.

It does seem that OLED is Apple’s ultimate goal, but don’t let a mini-LED display put you off buying a MacBook Air in the near future. The MacBook Air M2 (2022) is currently the best laptop we’ve tested and there are some deals out there this holiday season. If you want to save some money, the MacBook Air M1 is still a great value, especially if you can get it at a discount. 

Malcolm McMillan
Malcolm McMillan
Senior Streaming Writer

Malcolm McMillan is a senior writer for Tom's Guide, covering all the latest in streaming TV shows and movies. That means news, analysis, recommendations, reviews and more for just about anything you can watch, including sports! If it can be seen on a screen, he can write about it. Previously, Malcolm had been a staff writer for Tom's Guide for over a year, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI), A/V tech and VR headsets.

Before writing for Tom's Guide, Malcolm worked as a fantasy football analyst writing for several sites and also had a brief stint working for Microsoft selling laptops, Xbox products and even the ill-fated Windows phone. He is passionate about video games and sports, though both cause him to yell at the TV frequently. He proudly sports many tattoos, including an Arsenal tattoo, in honor of the team that causes him to yell at the TV the most.