Over a year and a half after the release of its M1-based predecessor, Apple’s MacBook Air features an M2 processor. The new gadget includes a complete redesign in addition to a number of significant internal upgrades that might make it a significant upgrade worth considering for many users, even though it might not be worthwhile for some.
The MacBook Air offers a lightweight design at a price significantly below the high-end MacBook Pro versions, making it a popular choice for individuals looking for a portable, more cheap Apple laptop. The M1 MacBook Air remains on sale at the same $999 pricing it launched with in November 2020, while the M2 MacBook Air joins the Mac portfolio at a $1,199 price point.
Whether you are weighing up the upgrade from the M1 MacBook Air to the M2 MacBook Air, or are in the market for a new MacBook Air and are mulling whether it’s worth saving $200 by buying the M1 model, our buyer’s guide helps you to work out which of the two MacBook Air models currently on sale is best for you.
With the same Magic Keyboard and Force Touch trackpad, two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, passive cooling, and 18-hour battery life, the M2 MacBook Air resembles its predecessor in certain ways. The devices are identical in size, and include a 13-inch Retina display, up to 2TB of storage, hardware acceleration of H.264 and HEVC video, and a 30W charger as standard.
Having said that, there is no denying that the M2 MacBook Air features a significant overhaul. It will undoubtedly have a more contemporary appearance because of its consistent thickness, decreased volume and weight, larger display with narrower borders, and full-height function row. However, there are also useful enhancements that significantly enhance the user experience in many ways, including the MagSafe port, quick charging, brighter display, 1080p FaceTime HD camera, and four-speaker sound system.
For these reasons, it is worthwhile to invest an extra $200 to get the M2 MacBook Air because it has a new design, improved performance, and all-around enhancements as opposed to the M1 model. However, if cost is a concern, the M1 MacBook Air is still a very powerful device that bears many similarities to the most recent design.
The M2 MacBook Air won’t be worthwhile for all people upgrading directly from the M1 model because it has just been 18 months since Apple released the M1 MacBook Air and the M1 chip is still available in the iPad Air, iPad Pro, Mac mini, and iMac. For even more significant improvements, some MacBook Air users may want to wait longer between upgrades.
Users should assess how much they would use particular features before upgrading from the M1 MacBook Air to the M2 model. For regular users, the M2 chip is unlikely to surpass the M1, but for some operations, it might provide significant improvements. For instance, the M2 may be a far more potent tool for pros thanks to its ProRes encode and decode engine, 100GB/s memory bandwidth, and 24GB memory option.
Users of M1 MacBook Airs who require more memory than 16GB, frequently engage in video chats, or even those who are prone to inadvertently yanking on their charging cord should think about upgrading. Switching from the M1 MacBook Air to the M2 model is more beneficial than making many other generation-over-generation upgrades due to the innovations of the new design, M2 chip, four-speaker system, larger display, and faster charging.
Instead of 2020’s M1 model, the M2 MacBook Air would be more appropriate for people who are upgrading from a prior device or are first-time MacBook Air purchasers. However, the M2 MacBook Air is a far more alluring overall package and has major upgrades in almost every area, making it a justifiable purchase for almost everyone.
