Video Comparison: M1 MacBook Air vs. M2 MacBook Air

[wbeasley]

Amen. New doesn’t mean better. The wedge was everything to me.

"everything"...
I have two older wedge Airs. 9 year old ones that still work. not great screens but usable. at a pinch. fine for travel as they get thrown in a bag without too much worry or too big a theft risk in a hotel.

This new MBA feels better.
go pick one up and see. the added top screen bit lets menus move up too. so more content area.

 

[russell_314]

I don’t really understand the obsession with MagSafe. Do people dump laptops on the ground frequently from catching the charge cable?

My USB C 2019 MBPro charger has been extremely handy charging a wide range of devices across manufacturers.

You only have to do it once to make it worth it. If you ever worked in IT you would know the answer to this question. I’ll give you a hint it’s yes yes they do 😂😂😂😂

 

[imnotthewalrus]

I don't think students for example will jump to buy the M2 ANY DAY. In terms of budget the best buy at the moment is still M1 Macbook Air. More than enough power and now it has even a better price.
If you have the bucks yea M2 is worth it but not a must buy* at all.

* emphasis mine.

This. At the beginning of June my 2015 15" MBP unexpectedly died. I also have a 2008 15" MBP, though I rarely use it (I keep it around for when I want to run 32bit software). Though I knew the M2 MBA was just a few weeks away, I bought a refurbished base model M1 MBA for $849 (you still can get them at this price) so the price difference for me would have been $350. I, like a few others that have chimed in here, like the iconic wedge design. I was surprised how much Dan was pushing the M2; I am not used to that from him. To each their own I suppose...


Peace out...

 

[ILoveCalvinCool]

I don’t really understand the obsession with MagSafe. Do people dump laptops on the ground frequently from catching the charge cable?

It's just so slick and easy to use. It's a real pleasure to have MagSafe back. I have a 2017 MBP that lacks it, and I miss it every time I have to plug and unplug the charger, which is frequently.

 

[Toratek]

Can you give us a source for that info? Thanks.

Thermal protection sheet (Graphite Sheet (PGS)/PGS applied products/NASBIS) - Panasonic

Product information and news of Thermal protection sheet (Graphite Sheet (PGS)/PGS applied products/NASBIS), Panasonic.

industrial.panasonic.com

Patented by Apple as heat spreader in 2015.

Fresh Apple Patent Shows New Graphene Heat Dissipator, That Could Get Rid of Potential Overheating | GSMDome.com

Fresh Apple Patent Shows New Graphene Heat Dissipator, That Could Get Rid of Potential Overheating - In reltion with: anti overheating Apple patent, anti overheating iPhone, Apple patent, Apple patent graphene heat dissipator, graphene heat dissipator, graphite sheets, overheating prevention

www.gsmdome.com

 

[colt033]

I'm another person who bought an M1 after seeing this. Don't like the chunky design or the notch and don't care about magsafe. Why anyone should care about the power connector is beyond me.

 

[73b]

People seem to forget that in 2010 the cheapest MacBook was $999 and the newest 13-inch Air was $1299. What else from Apple has become exponentially better and also cheaper over time?

 

[bluespark]

Im not really a fan of the notch on the laptops. The M1 MacBook Air is a really solid laptop and can be found discounted to as low as $829.

I love it, but I think of it not as a notch per se, but rather a way to capture the previously unused space on either side of the notch. On any app that uses a menu bar, that middle space was essentially wasted before. On my machine (with the notch) the display's vertical space seems much larger than on prior Mac laptops, and without compromising the camera. You can see that extra vertical space pretty clearly in his side-by-side.

 

[DanVM]

I don’t really understand the obsession with MagSafe. Do people dump laptops on the ground frequently from catching the charge cable?

My USB C 2019 MBPro charger has been extremely handy charging a wide range of devices across manufacturers.

My MBP 2016 died after 5 years when the USB-C ports stopped working / charging. And after doing some research, many users had the same experience. I suppose (and hope) MagSafe is far more reliable than USB-C for charging.

 

[CarAnalogy]

I would like to see a comparison of the similarly spec’d M2 Air vs the base model 14” M1 Pro.

Maybe I’m being ridiculous but the price is so close.

 

[switz]

Go to Apple's store website:

MBAir M2 16GB/512GB SSD 8 core CPU 10 Core GPU 16 core Neural - $1,699 before tax

14" MBPro M1 Pro 16GB/512GB SSD 8 core CPU 14 core GPU 16 core Neural - $1,999 before tax

So a ProMotion screen with higher resolution, additional USB-C port, HDMI port, & SD card slot more graphics power, more speakers is not worth $300?

 

[IllinoisCorn]

Dan, when writing scripts, there is no need to say, "I personally...."

Redundant and a waste of words.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Go to Apple's store website:

MBAir M2 16GB/512GB SSD 8 core CPU 10 Core GPU 16 core Neural - $1,699 before tax

14" MBPro M1 Pro 16GB/512GB SSD 8 core CPU 14 core GPU 16 core Neural - $1,999 before tax

So a ProMotion screen with higher resolution, additional USB-C port, HDMI port, & SD card slot more graphics power, more speakers is not worth $300?

It might be worth the extra money to someone who needs those additional ports on a regular basis, as well as wanting a little better sound from a laptop. I am not sure the ProMotion would really come into play for a lot of people, outside of faster scrolling being smoother. I don't doubt the higher resolution might be an extra for some people.

I looked at the 14 when I was first thinking about upgrading my M1 MBA. I don't need those extra ports and I am not expecting theater quality sound from my laptop. The M2 sounds good for what it is, in my opinion. If I need or want better sound, I will listen through my HomePod minis. As to the screen, if I want to watch t.v. shows or movies, I use my 85" 4K t.v. The M2, and for that matter my M1 work just fine when I don't have access to my t.v. The only Apple product I have that has ProMotion is my 11" iPad Pro which is very nice. When I am using my other Apple gear, I notice the scrolling on the forum is not smooth. Outside of forum use, the lack of ProMotion hasn't been really noticed, much less something I suddenly feel I have to have all the time.

I don't see the point in paying more for features that I am not really going to need or inclined to use on a regular basis if I had such on the laptop, just so I can confirm to the forum that I have the 14" which has some better specs than someone else who has the M2.

Your across the board argument doesn't work. It may work for a much smaller niche group of users who actually need all the extras the 14" provides.

In my opinion, money should not be the single deciding factor when comparing the M2 with the 14". There are many other factors involved.

 

[SFjohn]

The base M1 Air should drop to $699.

I’m sure you can find a used one for less than that… 😉

 

[darngooddesign]

I'm another person who bought an M1 after seeing this. Don't like the chunky design or the notch and don't care about magsafe. Why anyone should care about the power connector is beyond me.

Because I have big dogs running around the house; dogs who have the uncanny ability to catch on any cable hanging from the desk. I also like fast charging.

 

[Karma*Police]

What a thin argument to try to prove your point with. A new chipset and complete redesign means pretty much the opposite of ‘essentially the same machine’ - I mean aside the name it’s clearly a completely different machine by most normal peoples metrics.

On the contrary… If Apple swapped out the M2 for the M1 in the new chassis, most people wouldn’t notice the difference.

It’s like a magic trick… Look here at this cool new color and 20 yr old design, just thinner, and ignore the fact that it’s much slower in many cases… all for only 20% more than the 2 yr old M1 Air!

And that’s the MAIN difference… the HUGE bump in price for minimal to negative gains in weight, screen size, and performance… objective metrics that most normal people care about.

 

[switz]

To the crowd that think the M2 MBAir is awful, then buy last year's M1 and be happy if you need a new to you computer. There is no one pointing a gun at anyone's head forcing them to buy any Apple product let alone the M2 MBAir. Vote with your wallet.

 

[steve09090]

To the crowd that think the M2 MBAir is awful, then buy last year's M1 and be happy if you need a new to you computer. There is no one pointing a gun at anyone's head forcing them to buy any Apple product let alone the M2 MBAir. Vote with your wallet.

What can I say. People like to hate. The M2 MacBook Air is better in every way, unless you prefer the wedge shape. And ALL of the reviews suggest that it’s at least as good to type on. Just because someone can max out the CPU, people want to talk it down. Well duh….

 

[Trouble1]

I was waiting excitedly for the M2 MBA and I was going to buy it until I saw the Max Tech video about the hobbling single NAND chip. Apple blew it doing that and turned the potential of a huge best seller into a flop by being greedy. So, I’m keeping my base M1 MBA that I bought in November 2021. that money will go towards a new iPad hopefully they don’t hobble that. Disappointing.

 

[wbeasley]

Amen. New doesn’t mean better. The wedge was everything to me.

"everything"...
I have two older wedge Airs. 9 year old ones that still work. not great screens but usable. at a pinch. fine for travel as they get thrown in a bag without too much worry or too big a theft risk in a hotel.

This new MBA feels better.
go pick one up and see. the added top screen bit lets menus move up too. so more content area.

 

[wbeasley]

I was waiting excitedly for the M2 MBA and I was going to buy it until I saw the Max Tech video about the hobbling single NAND chip. Apple blew it doing that and turned the potential of a huge best seller into a flop by being greedy. So, I’m keeping my base M1 MBA that I bought in November 2021. that money will go towards a new iPad hopefully they don’t hobble that. Disappointing.

Surely if you bought a M1 MBA only in November 2021 then it still has years of useful life ahead of it. Years.
These things really only need an update 3 to 4 years and sometimes you can drag them along for longer than that. Family and friends always happy to receive hand-me-down tech from Apple when you do upgrade.

 

[mrochester]

I was waiting excitedly for the M2 MBA and I was going to buy it until I saw the Max Tech video about the hobbling single NAND chip. Apple blew it doing that and turned the potential of a huge best seller into a flop by being greedy. So, I’m keeping my base M1 MBA that I bought in November 2021. that money will go towards a new iPad hopefully they don’t hobble that. Disappointing.

slow that consumerism, you won’t need a new computer for years!

 

[cupcakes2000]

On the contrary… If Apple swapped out the M2 for the M1 in the new chassis, most people wouldn’t notice the difference.

It’s like a magic trick… Look here at this cool new color and 20 yr old design, just thinner, and ignore the fact that it’s much slower in many cases… all for only 20% more than the 2 yr old M1 Air!

And that’s the MAIN difference… the HUGE bump in price for minimal to negative gains in weight, screen size, and performance… objective metrics that most normal people care about.

That’s quite some ability you have there, twisting all of the obvious truths around just enough to validate your argument! True internet warrior. Alas, you haven’t either seen or used one though have you.

 

[steve09090]

On the contrary… If Apple swapped out the M2 for the M1 in the new chassis, most people wouldn’t notice the difference.

It’s like a magic trick… Look here at this cool new color and 20 yr old design, just thinner, and ignore the fact that it’s much slower in many cases… all for only 20% more than the 2 yr old M1 Air!

And that’s the MAIN difference… the HUGE bump in price for minimal to negative gains in weight, screen size, and performance… objective metrics that most normal people care about.

That’s not true though is it? 20% faster in almost all cases, so much faster in others (media rendering) and the Nand Flash issue effects the base model only and 99% of people wouldn’t notice it.

 

[switz]

Apple offered only $450 for my M1MBAir 16Gb / 1Tb SSD purchased in August 2021 to buy a new M2 MBAir 24Gb / 2Tb SSD. That is a lot of depreciation for a viable computer in just one year.