That's what I did earlyier this year. I went to look at the new 14" and 16" MBPs in person. With all the horrors stories of how "massive" the 16" boat anchor was I honestly though the 14" would win, but all I had to do was pick both up and I immediately bought the 16".
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M1 Pro 14 base vs M2 Air
- Thread starter Booji
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If money is no issue, I agree that 16 incher is all around a universal laptop. It is just the money factor made people to use 13" devices in the Apple world, because 15" Apple tax is very high.
I don't want to cross out niche users that prefer the smaller size due to work/personal needs, but the average user of these laptops may have never connected external screens and went for smaller size because of the budget.
I'm not going to criticize people on a budget, but I don't consider $200USD to be "money no issue" situation. Compared to the 14" MBP, upgrading to the larger 16" screen gets you other nice things like the more powerful CPU & GPU on the base model, better speakers, longer battery life, and the more powerful charging brick.
But my comment was that internet horror stories about laptop weight and size are many times not accurate to what you hold in your hand.
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I'm not sure I agree here. There is plenty more to consider other than cost.
Agreed. The two sizes used to have component differences in CPU/GPU that are no longer there, and that did create a price jump. There really isn't that much of a price difference between the sizes now.
Debatable to a point. Although Mx Pro/Max lines tend to have worse battery life due to the loss of two efficiency cores.
Both sizes last me "all day" but the 16" does not get the advertised time out of a charge due to my work VPN, Cisco software, etc. all running all the time. On the bright side, even with all that stuff running, I can leave the charger at home.
Now, iPads--I wish Apple would stop saying they have all day battery life, because they really don't anymore.
Just went and bought the MBP 14" for AU$ 2690 (US$1,800) over the MBA 2. I'm a casual user, use it for browsing and keep LOTS of tabs open, lots of apps running at the same time.
Choosing the MBP 14 was a no brainer for me.
Price difference was AU$ 40 (US$ 27) (compared to a MBA M2 with 512GB SSD and 16GB RAM). And for $27 more I got a vastly superior machine to the MBA2! I was upgrading from an early 2014 MBA model and the weight difference was less than 250 grams (.54 lbs). I don't travel with the MBP and frankly the weight to me is immaterial.
For those on the fence, if the price difference is little then just go ahead with the MBP 14", you won't regret it.
Choosing the MBP 14 was a no brainer for me.
Price difference was AU$ 40 (US$ 27) (compared to a MBA M2 with 512GB SSD and 16GB RAM). And for $27 more I got a vastly superior machine to the MBA2! I was upgrading from an early 2014 MBA model and the weight difference was less than 250 grams (.54 lbs). I don't travel with the MBP and frankly the weight to me is immaterial.
For those on the fence, if the price difference is little then just go ahead with the MBP 14", you won't regret it.
I mentioned this in a separate thread but thought someone else might be curious about it here as well. I recently bought a 14" MacBook Pro (16 GB/1TB) to replace my aging 2013 MacBook Air. While it has been an excellent computer it is starting to feel its age and really needs to be replaced. However, my question to all you current 14" Pro users are if you can comfortably use the 14" on your bed cover or let it be on the couch without suffocating it? Since the inlets/vents are on the bottom to pull air, I'm concerned that it might be suffocated since I mostly use my current 2013 Air in bed by letting it lie on the bed cover. When traveling, I always prefer to let it lie on the bed when watching Netflix/Youtube and that has never been an issue since the 2013 Air is fairly sealed.
I tried out the new M2 Air and the fanless design would really puts those (absurd) concerns to bed (no pun intended). The 2013 Air has no bottom vents so I've never really been concerned regarding dusting and just the outright accumulation of it.
If anyone else out there is debating this between the M2 Air and the 14" Pro, feel free to let me know. I've pretty much already accounted for all other differences, but this one seems to be flying under the radar and I'm concerned about the dustin/overheating aspect of letting the Pro lie on a surface which can really block the vents.
My usage will primarily be tab-hoarding Safari/Firefox and watching 4K clips on Youtube.
I tried out the new M2 Air and the fanless design would really puts those (absurd) concerns to bed (no pun intended). The 2013 Air has no bottom vents so I've never really been concerned regarding dusting and just the outright accumulation of it.
If anyone else out there is debating this between the M2 Air and the 14" Pro, feel free to let me know. I've pretty much already accounted for all other differences, but this one seems to be flying under the radar and I'm concerned about the dustin/overheating aspect of letting the Pro lie on a surface which can really block the vents.
My usage will primarily be tab-hoarding Safari/Firefox and watching 4K clips on Youtube.
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The only time I've heard my M1 Pro's fans -- and even then it was only a whisper -- is when I'm running my 3D app and actively manipulating things on screen. Otherwise, the machine is cool and silent. I don't think for basic things it'll generate any more heat than a MacBook Air.
That said, I'd probably avoid putting any computer on a thick blanket, regardless of whether or not it has a fan. The MacBook Air M1 and M2, because they are fanless, can only cool by passively radiating heat away. And insulating the computer in bedding is going to limit that.
That’s a completely fair and valid point. I’m well aware that in theory it’s something that shouldn’t be done. The reason it has never been an issue for me is that I work/consume primarily when being on the bed/couch and it has been no problem for my 2013 Air since it has no bottom vents.
I imagine it won’t be a problem at all for the M2 Air since it’s essentially a sealed design. But I’m not so sure it’s a good idea for the 14" Pro? I like to keep my laptops wherever since the entire idea of them is to be very mobile.
I guess using the Pro on your lap is fine, but the bed might be borderline/pushing it.
I have a 16" M1-Pro and I can get the fans to turn on doing what I consider to be both regular and more demanding work. With light tasks like watching videos, surfing with a bunch of tabs and several applications open, email, office work, etc the fans are off. If I do something which taxes either the cpu or gpu a lot, like games or a lot of quick edits in LR where the image on the screen is being updated quickly the fans are on but at their lowest setting and they are barely audible over ambient noise in my house. I use Lego Bricklink Studio a lot for 3D work and while manipulating big files the fans are off but during rendering they are on at their medium speed. Even at their medium speed they are less high pitched and significantly quieter than my previous 2014 MBP.
TLDR - While its easy enough to get the fans on their low speed, the noise is quiet and hands into the background.
TLDR - While its easy enough to get the fans on their low speed, the noise is quiet and hands into the background.
In my opinion the Air is a better deal if you only need 8GB of RAM and 256 or 512GB SSD and cost is an important factor to you. I think once you spec out the MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD you’re pretty close to the price of a pro (I’m in Canada so it would be specced up Air $2149 vs. 14” MacBook Pro for $2499). $350 is a lot of money sure, but compared to spending over $2000 an extra $350 for better processor, more ports, and a MUCH better screen is worth it I think.
Yep, no issues at all (so glad I went for the MBP 14") - using it comfortably in bed without any heating, hissing and puffing like my poor old MBA 2014 lol
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Does it matter if the vents are blocked when the fans are off when doing regular stuff like watching Netflix?
No, not really. But I wouldn't know since I'm not currently using a 14" MacBook Pro. Hence my question
.Are the fans really completely turned off? Aren't they running at really low RPM like around 1000?
The fans do not spin by default.No, not really. But I wouldn't know since I'm not currently using a 14" MacBook Pro. Hence my question
Are the fans really completely turned off? Aren't they running at really low RPM like around 1000?
I typed that in the same Agent Smith voice as when he asked Neo, "What good is a mouth...".No, not really. But I wouldn't know since I'm not currently using a 14" MacBook Pro. Hence my question
Are the fans really completely turned off? Aren't they running at really low RPM like around 1000?
I think it's important to remember these processors are designed for different things. The M1 Pro / M1 Max chips feature more active GPU and CPU cores, for higher intensity work. The respective MBP's also feature brighter, more resonating displays, also for that graphic work.
The M2 on the other hand, is designed for everyday use and functionality. The M2 makes this new MBA a solid device, probably best in the market, for college students. It's going to be durable, it's going to be fast for the school work most would be doing, and it's going to look brilliant watching a movie or something in your dorm. It's also a great computer for standard business use.
I have the 14" MBP myself, and I don't even use a fraction of what this processor can do... so the new MBA would likely be the perfect laptop for most people like myself.
The M2 on the other hand, is designed for everyday use and functionality. The M2 makes this new MBA a solid device, probably best in the market, for college students. It's going to be durable, it's going to be fast for the school work most would be doing, and it's going to look brilliant watching a movie or something in your dorm. It's also a great computer for standard business use.
I have the 14" MBP myself, and I don't even use a fraction of what this processor can do... so the new MBA would likely be the perfect laptop for most people like myself.
Only two applications have ever spun up the fans for me: Civ VI and Psychonauts 2, both running at max settings. On my heaviest workload days (non gaming days) I don’t hear a peep out of the fans even with a zillion apps and tabs open, multiple Spaces, video conferencing etc.
Agree with you on your analysis. If i may add, for normal folks who are not doing intensive works. Getting the MBP 14 would mainly benefit from the XDR Pro motion screen and the awesome speakers. I have both the MBA M2 and the MBP 14 now thats what appeal to me right off the bat. And then the USB thunderbolt on both left and right and the headphone jack on the left are convenient.
The only thing i didn't like about the MBP 14 is the weight and probably the higher power consumption which leads to shorter battery life due to more performance focus chipset.
Really surprised everyone discounts the size difference. Saying it's a "loaf of bread" and stuff like that is beyond silly. It will be very notable, full-stop.
I had my 14" for a week before I traded in a 13" Pro and was stunned how much lighter and more maneuverable the 13" was. Much more than you would expect for only 1/2 lb.
Yes the pro will be a bit more performant, esp. under load... but that will hardly apply to the vast majority of users. But honestly I barely register the screen quality upgrade from my 16" i9 work machine that I toggle back and forth with on a daily basis. Pro motion doesn't seem nearly as impactful as it does on my iPad pro.
I would most likely swap my 14" for an air if the Air had a higher nits level. I've gotten too used to using an external utility to pump the brightness up to 1000 nits for outdoor use, it really makes the machine usable in many other situations, so much so that I use my 14" for work duties in a pinch.
I had my 14" for a week before I traded in a 13" Pro and was stunned how much lighter and more maneuverable the 13" was. Much more than you would expect for only 1/2 lb.
Yes the pro will be a bit more performant, esp. under load... but that will hardly apply to the vast majority of users. But honestly I barely register the screen quality upgrade from my 16" i9 work machine that I toggle back and forth with on a daily basis. Pro motion doesn't seem nearly as impactful as it does on my iPad pro.
I would most likely swap my 14" for an air if the Air had a higher nits level. I've gotten too used to using an external utility to pump the brightness up to 1000 nits for outdoor use, it really makes the machine usable in many other situations, so much so that I use my 14" for work duties in a pinch.
I did the same too. I bought the base model M1 Pro Apple certified refurbished set. It was $250 more than a brand new M2 Air with comparable specs (16GB RAM and 512GB). For $250 more I got a better display, and performance which I can hope would future proof my M1 Pro for 5 years or more.
As soon as you add any extras to the base M2 Air the expense outweighs the benefits and, as others have said, you quickly get to the point where another modest jump in prices gets a much better computer, even if it is a little heavier.
For me, knowing:
1. That the M2 Air has a slower base SSD than the M1 Air
2. That M2 upgrades push me towards buying a 14" MBP that I really don‘t need
...the logic is to either:
3. Give Apple less money by buying an M1 Air
4. Give Apple no money at all by buying something else from another supplier
For me, knowing:
1. That the M2 Air has a slower base SSD than the M1 Air
2. That M2 upgrades push me towards buying a 14" MBP that I really don‘t need
...the logic is to either:
3. Give Apple less money by buying an M1 Air
4. Give Apple no money at all by buying something else from another supplier