[2025] Macbook Air M2 users, how is your experience so far ?

[thohnb]

Hi!

Next month is my birthday, and I’m planning to upgrade my old MacBook Air (2015). It’s still working fine, but I really need an upgrade.

I’ve decided to go with the MacBook Air M2 (16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) since it seems perfect for my needs.

I’d love to hear from people who are currently using the MacBook Air M2:

How has your experience been so far?
Have you encountered any major issues or concerns?
I plan to use it for at least 7–8 years—do you think it will hold up well over time?

Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts!

 

[Howard2k]

What are the key apps you plan on running?

I have a 16GB M1. It still runs super, and I have no real performance issues at all, but all the same if I was buying today I'd buy 24GB, unless you're doing pretty basic tasks. You want to keep it for many years, and 16GB is the new 8GB since Apple Intelligence, so I think it's worthwhile to consider 24GB. I suspect we'll see more leverage of on-device AI over the next few years and that will continue to benefit from more RAM. Not a show stopper, but something I'd consider.

My son has an M2 16GB and it runs great. Obviously has more horsepower than my M1.

 

[thohnb]

What are the key apps you plan on running?

I have a 16GB M1. It still runs super, and I have no real performance issues at all, but all the same if I was buying today I'd buy 24GB, unless you're doing pretty basic tasks. You want to keep it for many years, and 16GB is the new 8GB since Apple Intelligence, so I think it's worthwhile to consider 24GB. I suspect we'll see more leverage of on-device AI over the next few years and that will continue to benefit from more RAM. Not a show stopper, but something I'd consider.

My son has an M2 16GB and it runs great. Obviously has more horsepower than my M1.

Thanks for feedback. May i ask about your son Macbook, did he encounter any big issue like screen ghosting, or famous sleeping Kernel panic ?

 

[Howard2k]

No, none of that at all. I read about those things here but he's never mentioned any of them and I've never seen him have those issues. Those issues are obviously real but he's not affected.

He uses it for school work, Roblox, and Minecraft, if that helps.

 

[Iwavvns]

... or famous sleeping Kernel panic ?

Is that when the keyboard and trackpad are completely unresponsive after the device goes to sleep? I had an M1 MacBook Air that did that.. completely unusable as it would also just freeze up while the device was actually being used. External mouse and keyboard weren't affected, though.

 

[thohnb]

Is that when the keyboard and trackpad are completely unresponsive after the device goes to sleep? I had an M1 MacBook Air that did that.. completely unusable as it would also become unresponsive while the device was actually being used.

Yes and no. It actually auto restart

 

[Iwavvns]

Yes and no. It actually auto restart

Ugh! This is why I don't trust MacBooks anymore.. too many problems.

 

[Howard2k]

Is that when the keyboard and trackpad are completely unresponsive after the device goes to sleep? I had an M1 MacBook Air that did that.. completely unusable as it would also just freeze up while the device was actually being used. External mouse and keyboard weren't affected, though.

Never seen that on my M1 Air. I actually thought it was M2 and perhaps M3 only.

 

[Iwavvns]

Never seen that on my M1 Air. I actually thought it was M2 and perhaps M3 only.

Mine was definitely an M1. It was happening on the M2 and M3 as well? What is funny was you could connect a BT keyboard and mouse and continue using the device as usual after the in-built trackpad and keyboard froze up.

 

[Barrovian]

I also upgraded from a MBA2015. I went big, MBA 15" 1TB storage, 24GB memory. I'm very happy with it and am sure it will last me for at least as long as the old Air. My only disappointment is that after only 6 months it became apparent that the keyboard has damaged the anti-reflection coating on the screen. Obviously when closed the keys just about make contact and have left small marks. They're not noticeable in normal use but still, I know they're there

 

[Ben Sparrow]

I’d love to hear from people who are currently using the MacBook Air M2:

I bought my M2 Air in 2022 with 16GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD. I figured that it should last at least the next 7 to 8 years, so I paid the expensive apple tax for the upgraded SSD. I use it in clamshell mode with a big 35" Monitor and external keyboard. Not disappointed so far. Works great without any problems.

 

[throAU]

I plan to use it for at least 7–8 years—do you think it will hold up well over time?

Historically (based on my experience over the past 30 years of buying/using computers) - 7-8 years is a long time to expect out of any device.

In the previous decade this was easier due to the lack of advancement in processors due to intel sitting on their hands with no competition.

This decade? That is no longer the case! Hardware development progress is back up to speed! Core counts and efficiency have EXPLODED in the past 5 years and no immediate signs of slowing down.

I'd plan on pushing to 5 years instead of 7-8. If it lasts more than 5 - great. But I'd budget on 5. That's not the fault of the M2 at all - it's a great chip. Its just that the pace of advancement has picked up significantly recently and we're back to the pace where (like in previous decades) 3-5 years will be a HUGE improvement in performance, and software will expect that improvement.

 

[thohnb]

I also upgraded from a MBA2015. I went big, MBA 15" 1TB storage, 24GB memory. I'm very happy with it and am sure it will last me for at least as long as the old Air. My only disappointment is that after only 6 months it became apparent that the keyboard has damaged the anti-reflection coating on the screen. Obviously when closed the keys just about make contact and have left small marks. They're not noticeable in normal use but still, I know they're there

I bought my M2 Air in 2022 with 16GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD. I figured that it should last at least the next 7 to 8 years, so I paid the expensive apple tax for the upgraded SSD. I use it in clamshell mode with a big 35" Monitor and external keyboard. Not disappointed so far. Works great without any problems.

Which Macos version you two using ? If i buy new . Should i go the latest?

 

[Squiggles Chitter]

I think you should definitely get the mba m2! I love it! As a high school student it does everything quickly and easily. And it is super light and quiet as it is totally solid state as far as i know. I use it for 2 hours every day and only charge it about once a week! I love this laptop. Highly recommend!

 

[Ben Sparrow]

Which Macos version you two using ? If i buy new . Should i go the latest?

15.3.1 (Sequoia). I always keep up with the latest release.

 

[lambertjohn]

I have an M2 air with 512gb hard drive and 8 gb ram. Runs flawlessly, fast, quiet, awesome keyboard, beautiful screen. I haven't found one single thing that won't run on it and run well. It's an amazing little machine. If you can get one cheap enough, buy it! I also have a 16" M1 MBP and rarely touch the thing. My M2 Air gets all the use in this house.

 

[nburwell]

I have a M2 with 256gb HD and 8GB of RAM. Still runs great for me, but I don’t do a ton of stuff on it. The most I do is edit RAW files from my Fuji camera in LR and PS—in which the computer still runs great. Otherwise, I’m doing web browsing, email, and messaging.

 

[doogm]

I've had mine since July 2022 and I absolutely love this machine (16 GB/1TB). 196 charge cycles, battery health 97%, I'm hoping to use it as my primary Mac until summer 2027-ish.

 

[sw1tcher]

I’ve decided to go with the MacBook Air M2 (16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) since it seems perfect for my needs.

I plan to use it for at least 7–8 years—do you think it will hold up well over time?

Why an M2 and not an M3, especially if you plan to use it for the next 7 to 8 years? The M2 MacBook Air is almost 3 years old while the M3 MacBook Air is just 1 year old.

And with the M4 MacBook Air release right around the corner, M3 MacBook Air prices should come down.

You also avoid the slower SSD read and write speeds (though in real world use, you probably won't notice a difference) of the 256GB SSD on the M2 MacBook Air vs the 256GB SSD on the M3 MacBook Air.

 

[Martius]

I use mine for web development and photography (photoshop, lightroom) and it's usually faster than my mid-tier 2020 iMac. I have 16gb / 512gb in my MBA. The only thing that disappoints me (and I feel nobody talks about it) are the speakers. They sound worse than my iPad Air M1 speakers. I don't know if it's a specific issue of my device, but on higher volume, it sounds like the keyboard is rattling.

But I don't use the speakers at all, so I don't really care.

I would go with M3 or wait a bit for M4. The price is gonna just a bit higher, but you get newer device.

 

[taliz]

The M4 is out soon. I'd buy that when it gets discounted, which should occur rather fast.
The M2 is already 3 years old, so expecting to use that for another 7 years is not reasonable IMO.

Or buy a used M2 and use if for 2-3-4 years and then replace it with a used M5, M6 or whatever... probably more economical.

 

[rampancy]

I've got a refurb base model (8 GB RAM/256 GB SSD) starlight M2 Air, which I got in early 2024, shortly before the M3 Air came out. I upgraded from a 2017 Air.

First off, as a proud denizen of the Early Intel Mac forum, I think it's absolutely reasonable to expect to get at least 7-8 years' worth of use out of your computer. I daily drive an upgraded and repaired Late-2013 21.5" iMac as my desktop computer, and it's fantastic, even for light gaming. Before that I daily drove a resurrected and upgraded 2009 A1181 MacBook, and it too worked like a champ. I was prepared to keep on going with my 2017 Air (which just got a new battery from iFixit) but a welcome boost to my finances last year meant that I had a good opportunity to upgrade while I could.

That all being said, My M2 Air has worked fantastically well. It's handled everything I can throw at it, from heavy Chrome and Firefox usage with multiple tabbed windows and background apps open, to light/medium gaming with both Intel-based games and games played through CrossOver and WINE. Which for a MacBook Air is faily appropriate workload.

My only significant issue with it is the "revised" design of the SSD (one chip vs. two on the M1 Air), which led to lower performance - but I also understand that to mean a *potentially* lower life span due to the potential for increased wear. Because of that I've been trying to keep more drive space free, and have offloaded more files to an external Samsung SSD. But I also realize I'm being overcautious; the drive is likely to be fine well after you end up upgrading to a newer Mac.

I would also say, if you haven't already, opt to get yourself an official Apple Refurb unit to save yourself a couple hundred dollars.

 

[thohnb]

Thanks for everyone feedback and recommend.
After some hours thinking, reading reviews on internet. I decide to pick Macbook Air M2 16gb and 256SSD and 8cpu-gpu. Also i need to pick color.
I think i will get Midnight. But heard get fingerprint problem so switch to Starlight is better ?

 

[Tunster]

Thanks for everyone feedback and recommend.
After some hours thinking, reading reviews on internet. I decide to pick Macbook Air M2 16gb and 256SSD and 8cpu-gpu. Also i need to pick color.
I think i will get Midnight. But heard get fingerprint problem so switch to Starlight is better ?

Midnight is a lovely colour. I have it with my Macbook Air M2 (8GB RAM). The fingerprint issue is non-existent. As long as you're happy to keep it clean, it keeps the smudges off. I barely see fingerprints. I do regret getting the 8GB RAM model, but it works well.

 

[thohnb]

Midnight is a lovely colour. I have it with my Macbook Air M2 (8GB RAM). The fingerprint issue is non-existent. As long as you're happy to keep it clean, it keeps the smudges off. I barely see fingerprints. I do regret getting the 8GB RAM model, but it works well.

Can you take a screenshot your current macbook color? I really love to see in-real life