How long a laptop chip generation stays useful

Useful is "still getting updates and still does the work". It is not a round number of years we made up.

TechWorth editorial · Last reviewed 6 September 2026

MacBook Air 13-inch (M1, 2020) and MacBook Pro 14-inch (M1 Pro, 2021) share a silicon generation and not a workload. The Pro’s remaining support is modelled from the same vintage and obsolete rule as the Air, because Apple’s page covers all Apple hardware.

We do not publish a "chips stay useful for N years" constant. If a figure is not on a manufacturer page we can cite, it is not in the engine. Capability gates — does it still receive updates, does it still run the current macOS — belong on the product page as sourced specs and support estimates.

Use the laptop questionnaire rather than this article if you want a ranked outcome for the machine on your desk.