In July 2022, the M2 MacBook Air was released. It is a complete redesign of the M1 MacBook Air, which was launched in November 2020. The 2022 MacBook Air is equipped with a faster chip, a larger display, and a completely new design. However, if the Apple Store is open, you’ll see that you can still purchase its predecessor. Is it worth paying more for the new model? We compare the M2 MacBook Air to the M1 MacBook Air in 2020. We also examine how powerful the new model is and whether the extra power is worth it. Check out our complete reviews of the M2 MacBook Air. M1 MacBook Air M2 MacBook Air.
Update 11/26 Black Friday deals include:
M2 MacBook Air Vs M1 Design
The new MacBook Air stands out from its predecessor and is definitely an eye-catcher. The new MacBook Air is similar to the MacBook Pro’s updated design, but has a larger screen and new color options. It still retains the same footprint as the M1 model.
M2 MacBook Air dimensions
- 0.44inx11.97inx8.46in
- 1.13cm x 30,.41cm. x 21.5cm
- 2.7 pounds (1.24 kg)
M1 MacBook Air dimensions
- 0.16–0.63in x 11.97in x 8.36in
- 0.41–1.61cm x 30.41cm x 21.24cm
- 2.8 pounds (1.29 kg)
The laptops have the same width which makes sense as it can accommodate a full-sized keyboard. The M2 model is a few millimeters deeper to allow for a larger screen and on average, this model is narrower than before – although it’s not tapered so the smallest edge isn’t as slim as it was.
The tapered design allowed Apple the ability to create a lightweight laptop. However, it also meant that there was less space for ports and heat dispersion. Both models have fanless designs, which can be disadvantageous for power users, despite the differences in design.
Rumours that the new MacBook Air’s tapered design was being lost were confirmed, but there are no plans to add more ports. The M2 MacBook Air has the same two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports as its predecessor and doesn’t have an HDMI port like the 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro. MagSafe is added to the new model for charging, freeing up a Thunderbolt slot. However, both models have Touch ID, two Thunderbolt/USB4 port ports and Bluetooth 5.0.
The color options are another big difference. The M2 models come in Midnight (bluishblack) and Starlight, as well as space grey and silver. This shade is slightly darker than the previous. The 2020 MacBook Air can be ordered in space gray or silver as well as gold.
The M1 and M2 models also have a notch that houses the camera. Like the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, the M2 MacBook Air has very slim bezels that can’t quite fit the camera. When the notch arrived on the larger MacBook Pro models in 2021 there was some criticism, but if you consider that Apple has added screen space on either side of the notch and made the display taller, you’re not actually losing any space.
The M2 MacBook Air is very similar to the MacBook Pro.
IDG
Display: M2 MacBook Air vs. M1
The M1 model has a 13.6-inch display, while the M2 MacBook Air has a 13.6-inch display. The display size of the 2022 model is 13.6 inches, while the display size on the M1 model is 13.3. The new model is also brighter.
- MacBook Air M2: 13.6 inch, 2560×1664, 500 nits brightness
- MacBook Air M1 13.3 inch, 2560×1700, 400 nits Brightness
Although it’s brighter than the 13 inch MacBook Pro, it still falls far short of the 16-inch MacBook Pro models that have 1,000 nits max brightness. It lacks ProMotion technology, which is also found in the other models.
IDG
The M2 MacBook Air has a Liquid Retina display, rather than the Retina display of the M1 model (and the M2 MacBook Pro). The Liquid Retina screen has better contract ratios and supports more colors (a billion rather than millions) as well as more pixels per inch. The superior Liquid Retina XDR LCD display is available on the 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Thanks to these changes the display of the M2 MacBook Air isn’t only better than its predecessor—it’s also better than the 13-inch MacBook Pro. These differences won’t be noticed in everyday life but the brightness increase is an advantage. Professional design will benefit from better color representation.
M2 MacBook Air Vs M1: Processors, RAM, and Battery
Apple currently offers three MacBook Air models: one, two and three M1Model and two M2 models. You also have a variety of options for building-to-order.
- MacBook Air M1 with 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage: $1,199/£1,249
Upgrade options include 16GB RAM, 512GB storage (200), 1TB storage (400), and 2TB storage (800). This model no longer offers the 8-core GPU option.
- MacBook Air M2 with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 8GB memory, 256GB storage: $1,199/£1,249
Upgrade options include 16GB RAM, 24GB RAM, 512GB storage (400), 1TB storage (400), and 2TB storage (800).
- MacBook Air M2 with 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 8GB memory, 512GB storage: $1,499/£1,549
You have several options for upgrading: 16GB RAM can be added for $200; 24GB storage costs $400; 1TB storage costs 200 and 2TB storage costs 600.
We’ll look into those components in more detail below:
CPU
The M2 shares four efficiency cores with four performance cores. It has 8 CPU cores. However, the M2’s efficiency cores are more powerful and have a larger cache (16MB instead of 12MB). The M2 can run faster than the M1 and multithreaded performance can be improved. In our tests, the M2 had an 18% faster CPU than M1.
The new chip doesn’t just mean that the new Macs can accomplish more though, they use less power doing so: Apple promises an increased CPU performance of 18 percent with the same energy consumption thanks to various optimizations.
Geekbench 5 was used to test the performance of the new CPU. The M2 MacBook Air performed better than the M1 and had a similar performance to the M2 MacBook Pro. It’s not going to beat the Higher-end M1 Pro, Max processors though.
Cinebench R23 also was run. This benchmark showed that even though the M2 chip is still being used, the MacBook Pro’s active cooling makes a big difference. However, the new MacBook Air was 15% faster than the M1 version.
GPU
Based on benchmarks the M2 offers a 35 percent faster GPU than M1. The M2 Air’s base model has a slightly lower GPU, with just 8 cores. Therefore, we expect that the gains will be smaller with the $1199 model.
Another factor aiding the M2’s graphics prowess is the addition of engines specifically for video editing in the M2. Apple claims that the Neural engine is 40 percent faster than the M1.
Geekbench 5 Compute was run on the 10-core GPU MacBookAir. This model was nearly 60 percent faster than the older 7-core M1 MacBook Air (which should not be surprising), but they were also 40 percent faster the 8 GPU cores in M1 MacBook Pro, and comparable with the M2 chips in MacBook Pro.
Our tests showed that the M2 MacBook Air with a full 10 core GPU was about 40% faster than the M1 Air and 7 GPU cores in Rise of the Tomb Raider. Civilization VI was 20-50 percent faster, depending on the setting.
Memory and Storage
The standard memory of the M1 MacBook Pro and M2 MacBook Pro are the same, 8GB Unified Memory. However, performance is different. Apple claims that the M2 has 50 percent more memory bandwidth than M1 (100GB/s memory bandwidth), so there should be noticeable improvements.
The most important difference is the amount memory. The M1 MacBook Air has 16GB of memory. The M2 MacBook Air can hold 24GB. That’s still less than the 32GB of the M1 Pro models, but it’s an improvement and will no doubt please those who were concerned that 16GB wasn’t enough.
The M1 and the M2 MacBook Air come standard with 256GB of storage. You can upgrade to 2TB for as much as $800.
Webcams and speakers
The M2’s webcam can support a resolution of 1080p. This is significantly higher than the lower-quality, 720p FaceTime HD cam in the M1 MacBook Air. This leaves only the M1 MacBook Air or M2 MacBook Pro with the older camera.
The M2 MacBook Air has also received an update to the speakers. The 2022 MacBook Air is not a stereo system and instead features four speakers that support 3D audio (also known as Spatial Audio). Additionally, the 3.5mm jack for headphones offers advanced support to high-impedance headphones.
Apple
Power and battery
A new 67W power source (sold separately at $20 for the 8 core GPU model or a complimentary option with the 10 core GPU model) can quickly charge the M2 MacBookAir to 50% within 30 minutes. The M2 MacBook Air charges via a magnetically attached MagSafe port. You don’t need to worry about dragging your MacBook from its desk if you accidentally drop the cable. There’s a 30W USB-C Power Adapter (included with the 8-core GPU M2 and the choice of a more compact 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter (with the 10-core GPU M2).
The M2 MacBook Air’s battery is larger than its predecessor, a 52.6-watt hour lithium-polymer cell battery. This is in contrast to the 49.9-watt per hour lithium-polymer batteries of the previous generation. Coupled with Apple’s claims that the M2 means the 2022 MacBook Air is more power efficient might lead you to suppose that the new MacBook Air would have better battery life, but Apple states that battery life is the same 18 hours.
In our own battery tests the battery lasted 17.5 hours, which was very close enough to Apple’s 18-hour claim. Our tests showed that the M2 MacBook Air’s battery was almost half an hour longer than the M1 MacBook Air or M2 MacBook Pro.
Check out our roundup of the The best chargers to charge your MacBook Air.
M2 MacBook Air vs. M1: Prices
There are three MacBook Air models available right now if you’re thinking of buying one: the M1 MacBook Air with 7-core GPU, and the M2 MacBook Air. $999/£999The new M2 MacBook AirWith an 8-core GPU $1,199/£1,249, and a high-end M2 MacBook Air featuring a 10-core GPU. $1,499/£1,549. Read about why if you can spend more the $1,499/£1,549 MacBook Air is a better choice in the $1,199 M2 MacBook Air isn’t as good as it looks.
This new model comes with a M2 processor that has more GPU cores and a bigger screen. The price is $200 less than the M1 version. This is a great deal. But, this view is dependent on where you’re located in the world. Outside the US the price comparisons aren’t quite so favourable (in the UK there’s a £250 difference, in Europe a €300 difference, and in Australia a AU$400 difference).
The US model looks great in comparison to its predecessor: it is $1,199 and replaces an M1 MacBook Air model which previously cost $1.249. The M2 model’s price is different around the globe. It may be the same or higher than before. In the UK the price remains at £1,249, in Europe the price is €100 more at €1,499, while in Australia it’s now up AU$50 at AU$1,899. Although currency-based price fluctuations should be expected during uncertain economic times, they do mean that the decision about whether something is worth buying or not is dependent on where you live.
It should also be noted that where this M1 MacBook Air with 8-core GPU had a 512GB SSD, the M2 MacBook Air that has taken its place only offers a 256GB SSD, which may be reflected in Apple’s price reduction, at least in the US.
Our recommendation: M1 vs. M2 MacBook Air
The MacBook Air M2 is in many ways a major improvement over its predecessor. It delivers better performance, is more modern in design, has a larger display and some other smaller, but still significant improvements.
If you are one of those users who use the MacBook primarily for everyday tasks, such as surfing the web, reading emails or watching videos, you should consider whether the new design is worth it compared to the cheaper $999/£999 M1 MacBook Air. All these tasks will be handled by the M1 Macbook Air.
If you are able to do more with your MacBook, or use it for professional purposes such as video editing or image editing, the M2 MacBook Air may be worth the extra cost. If your budget permits, we recommend upgrading to the more expensive model with a 10-core GPU for better graphics and storage. As always, it is important to buy as much memory possible.
The M1 MacBook Air is definitely a good machine even at more than a year and a half old, but you’ll be much happier with the newer MacBook Air in a year or two.
The best prices for the MacBook Air M1, usually $999/£999 are below. Get a great deal on any of the MacBook Air models. Check out our Here’s a roundup of MacBook Air deals.
