The entry level model of the 15-inch MacBook Air has slower SSD speeds than the other models

The 15-inch MacBook Air with 256GB of storage is equipped with a single NAND chip, according to YouTube channel Max Tech. As MacRumors notes, this means the 256GB model of the laptop will have slower SSD read and write speeds compared to 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB models.

The 15-inch MacBook Air debuted at last week’s Apple Worldwide Developer Conference. It boasts a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina, the performance of the M2 processor, up to 18 hours of battery life, and a silent, fanless design. What’s more, with an all-new six-speaker sound system, the 15-inch MacBook Air delivers Spatial Audio, along with a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, and MagSafe charging.

The 15-inch MacBook Air with M2, available in midnight, starlight, silver, and space gray, starts at US$1,299 and $1,199 for education.

MacRumors also notes 256GB models of the latest 13-inch MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini also have a single NAND chip, with benchmark results showing a 30% to 50% reduction in SSD speeds compared to previous-generation models. Apple previously used two 128GB chips for 256GB Macs, but it switched to a single 256GB chip for newer models.