Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MacBook Air (Base M1, 2020) -> MacBook Air (Base M2, 2022) - Worth $300 to Upgrade?

Do I pay $300 to go from a base M1 MBA to a base M2 MBA?

  • Total voters
    26
H

HappySadMonkey

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 16, 2022
1
1
I currently own a base model MacBook Air (M1, 2020) and have the option to pay $300 to trade it in for a new MacBook Air (M2, 2022).

I'm considering going for it based on the slightly larger screen, MagSafe, camera, and M2, but have also heard that the base model M2 is slower at SSD swap than the base model M1. I suppose I'd also be getting a new battery at max health so that might factor in?

I'm a masters student who mostly browses the web, does fairly light work in affinity designer, and will be using GIS programs.

Would you go for this? Any thoughts or comments would be really helpful! Thanks
 
  • Like
Reactions: VaruLV
I probably would. As you say, there's Magsafe which frees up a USBC port and you'll be getting a new machine. I think the slower SSD is largely overblown for general users though everyone has an opinion on this!
 
  • Like
Reactions: macsound1 and VaruLV
Sounds like you know about the SSD nonsense - you'll want to pay extra and get the 512 gig storage. I got an M2 with 512 and 16 gigs of RAM, and this thing flies. Pretty amazing laptop. The Darth Vader look is pretty sweet too!
 
RichP74 said:
Sounds like you know about the SSD nonsense - you'll want to pay extra and get the 512 gig storage. I got an M2 with 512 and 16 gigs of RAM, and this thing flies. Pretty amazing laptop. The Darth Vader look is pretty sweet too!
Click to expand...

This is my same set up. 512/16. Returned base and 8/512. I don't buy laptops that often. Last lap top buy was 7-8 years ago (Dell). This M2 air should last me a couple of years.
 
HappySadMonkey said:
I currently own a base model MacBook Air (M1, 2020) and have the option to pay $300 to trade it in for a new MacBook Air (M2, 2022).

I'm considering going for it based on the slightly larger screen, MagSafe, camera, and M2, but have also heard that the base model M2 is slower at SSD swap than the base model M1. I suppose I'd also be getting a new battery at max health so that might factor in?

I'm a masters student who mostly browses the web, does fairly light work in affinity designer, and will be using GIS programs.

Would you go for this? Any thoughts or comments would be really helpful! Thanks
Click to expand...
As far as I know, no one has actually tested if the swap is slower with the M2 and 256 GB. There are some YouTube videos but they are suspect since they weren't really testing swap but instead just testing performance with different applications. On top of that, it has been reported that the 256 GB SSD was nearly full which will impact any speed test greatly. A fairer test would be to start with just the OS, write some software that allocates a large amount of RAM and then test speeds of the actual swap compared to a 512 GB or 1 TB SSD. No one has done anything close that I'm aware of.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sjperformance and fisherking
I own a m1 air and a base m2 air. I am giving the M1 air to my daughter for school. The ssd does show up slower on a black magic test, however I notice zero difference in real world usage. In fact the m2 may be a bit snappier. This is insanely overblown IMO. That being said, I think the M2 air is the best design apple has ever done and I would upgrade.
 
  • Like
Reactions: macsound1
If you upgrade you really should get 512GB SSD, and not repeat the "mistake" ;) of 8GB RAM. Going to 16GB RAM will be of more benefit than anything else, IMO. In which case, the price increase is much more than $300.
I think stick with what you have, if it is working for you.
 
How old is your M1 Air?
If youve had it for, say, prolonged period of time, a year(just an example) and bought it at a good price, then it looks like a good upgrade to get new M2 Air for 300$.
However, if you got it only recently, paid good $$$ for it then, imho, it would be important to know how expensive or cheap your M1 was and whats the total price that you paid for your M1 Air when you bought it together with those 300$ that you might be paying for an upgrade to M2.
 
I'd wait for the M3 model personally. Let them work any kinks out of the new chassis.
 
HappySadMonkey said:
I currently own a base model MacBook Air (M1, 2020) and have the option to pay $300 to trade it in for a new MacBook Air (M2, 2022).

I'm considering going for it based on the slightly larger screen, MagSafe, camera, and M2, but have also heard that the base model M2 is slower at SSD swap than the base model M1. I suppose I'd also be getting a new battery at max health so that might factor in?

I'm a masters student who mostly browses the web, does fairly light work in affinity designer, and will be using GIS programs.

Would you go for this? Any thoughts or comments would be really helpful! Thanks
Click to expand...
Sounds like you don’t have any issue with the current 2020. I would suggest to stay longer, possibly next year, to get more significant upgrade. Your use case is also light.
 
I would only upgrade if you need something you don’t have on the M1. Like maybe you need a larger SSD or more RAM, then I think you go ahead and make the move. But just to get an M2 and the design change not unless the money really doesn’t matter to you.

If you had no MacBook, I would say either would be a great computer but the $300 extra would be worth it for the MagSafe, better screen, and newer tech supported longer.
 
  • Love
  • Like
Reactions: Chateaunole-du-Pape and Love-hate 🍏 relationship
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back