The MBP with M2 is around to give an option that doesn’t throttle for heavier workloads, because it has active cooling/fans. The MBA always lacked that option. As to why they did stick to the old design, I have no idea. A 15” MBA would have been nice or a “thinner” 15” MBP with M2 option and both could have had fans. They blew that chance.
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M2 Macbook AIR and PRO the same price?
- Thread starter NJRonbo
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At least you're not dealing with the crazy european price increases. M1 Macbook Air (the old one, not the new one), just got a 270€ price increase today.
You should blame the central banks that printed too much money. (especially the ecb). They caused all this inflation. It's not Apple's fault.
It's crazy, right?
M1 Macbook air went from €949 -> 1219€. Old tech should decrease in price, not increase.
M1 MBP started at €1249, M2 MBP starts at €1619
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Demand pull-inflation. 🤷♂️
Give it time, it will change.
Came to the exact same conclusion seconds ago. My guess is that it'll come down to how much the fan actually matters, just like with the M1 versions.
Honestly, it'll boil down to (a) how much the fan being there actually matters, (b) how much you hate or love the Touch Bar, and (c) whether you trust a brand new hardware design or one that has a couple of years under its belt with nary an Apple repair extension program in sight.
Frankly, my answer to (c) directs me towards the MacBook Pro. Having worked in computer repair and IT with regards to Apple devices for the past 20 years, I know better than to be the first using a new design.
If all you're caring about is performance you won't need, then sure. Otherwise, the 14" has the worst battery life out of all of the Apple Silicon Mac notebooks and the worst thermal performance. Would take literally any other Apple Silicon Mac notebook over a 14" at this point for those reasons alone.
Trying to figure that statement out.
If I am looking for an entry-level M2 with 16GB of ram why would I pay $300 for the 14-inch?
If this were for me, I would do it. I already own a loaded 16-inch M1 with 64GB of ram.
However, I'm not looking to go overboard for my girlfriend who is only going to use the device for browsing and Word applications.
So, the biggest decision I have is an M2 AIR and an M2 PRO at the same price for the same configuration. Not a bad choice to have before you.
Inflation sucks. If your GF isn't a hard core user, get her the super light, super cool, totally amazing MacBook Air with M2. No brainer, this is the best all-round Mac right now.
I'm in the same boat for my wife and I'm leaning towards the M2 Air. None of the benefits of the 14 Pro is really that relevant for what she'll be using it for, so might as well pocket the $300 difference. If anything, the fanless Air might be more reliable long term since that's one less thing to break.
I agree. However, if weight isn't an issue, wouldn't it be better to upgrade her to the new M2 Macbook Pro if it's the same exact price? That's the issue here. The prices are exactly identical and the MBP has thermal cooling which she probably won't need, but still, an uptick of a machine.
A few things the M2 Air has over the 13 Pro:
- Magsafe charger
- Slightly bigger and better display
- 1080p vs 720p webcam
- Better speakers (I think)
- No touchbar
We've already had this discussion for the past 18 months, haven't we?
M1 throttles after a minute in MBA. It needs a fan to sustain performance, which is called MBP 13. M2 is even hotter. It's going to need a fan even more if you want sustained performance.
Yes, you're effectively paying for the fan and brighter display in MBP.
I mean we are discussing as power users, get access to 200gb/s memory bandwidth and you get 120hz, 3 external displays.. and etc..
Just saying for 300 more you get more bang for you buck, if you are already configuring It’s because you are a power user
Thanks for that comparison.
Okay, thought they upgraded the M2 Pro with Magsafe. Guess not.
So, it does make sense to go with the AIR
And perhaps the reason why the prices are the same is that you get more improved features with the AIR but potentially more power efficiency with the PRO
I am a power user. For me, you would be making perfect sense.
Considering it for a significant other makes no sense to spend $300 more when all she does is browse the Internet and do Word applications.
Oh, and she wants to buy it for herself. She won't allow me to buy it for her. So, her money and it's going to be hard to talk her into spending $300 more for something she doesn't need.
Believe me you, I totally understand your reasoning as a power user.
I'm halfway convinced that the only reason the 13" M2 Pro exists is as a decoy pricing exercise. It's raison d'etre appears to be to give people the perception of choice, when it's really just funneling people to either the M2 Air or the 14" Pro. Power users are going to find value in upgrading to the 14" Pro for a scant $300, and regular users are probably going to find the M2 Air's featureset more compelling.
Ah, I’ve been following this and was going to say how great it was you were buying it for her, but if it’s her $, then save her the $300. She’ll hopefully love you more for it.
She won't let me buy it for her. I wanted to. So, yeah, money is the ultimate consideration here.
Another difference not stated here is the fast-charging capability on the new MBA, 50% in 30 minutes, depending on your gf's lifestyle this might be relevant, a former gf used to be permanently on the run, always having to pack the adapter, which was messy, the magsafe cord ended broken etc.
With the great battery-life of AS Macs and the flexibility of usb c as a fallback charging option, she might be able to fast-charge and run without having to bring the adapter along for the day, etc. Like charging your Apple Watch before going out.
With the great battery-life of AS Macs and the flexibility of usb c as a fallback charging option, she might be able to fast-charge and run without having to bring the adapter along for the day, etc. Like charging your Apple Watch before going out.
Keep in mind that the base 14" MBP has been going for as low as $1749 US periodically. I was able to get mine at that price in mid-March on Amazon and I know it was at that price about a month or so prior to that too.
Here’s a good comparison page.
You can see that the AIR has the better specs between the two, higher res screen and higher res camera.
Mac - Compare Models
See what makes each Mac laptop and desktop different. And find the one that’s perfect for your life, your work, and your budget.
www.apple.com
Here’s a good comparison page.
You can see that the AIR has the better specs between the two, higher res screen and higher res camera.Mac - Compare Models
See what makes each Mac laptop and desktop different. And find the one that’s perfect for your life, your work, and your budget.www.apple.com
It’s also lighter, and has much more modern design and, personally, better available colors as well…
the 1080p webcam is even more crappy if u wanna know lol
the point is : faster burst speeds