CNET
Apple MacBook Air M2 vs M1: Which One You Need
The new Apple MacBook Air M2 boasts a better processor and all-new design over its M1 predecessor. Find the M2 and M1 MacBook Airs hereš: Air M2: Air M1: *CNET may get commission for these offers. Dan Ackermanās full Apple MacBook Air M2 Review: Subscribe to CNET: Never miss a deal again! See CNETās browserā¦
Chevy Stingray
July 23, 2022 at 12:14 pm
M2 Issues
Midnight color ā chips and scuffs, fingerprint magnet
SSD Issue ā base model has slower SSD affecting performance during memory swapping
speaker ā M1 has better sounding speakers
keyboard ā shallower than M1, less travel
trackpad ā due to thinner MacBook design, not as good as M1
price ā lower price to performance ratio compared to M1 in real world test (base model M2 VS base model M1)
NOT GONNA BUY IT!!
Urbara Scott
July 23, 2022 at 12:18 pm
Thx ā very succinct
Allen
July 23, 2022 at 12:32 pm
I was initially mad because I bought a base model M1 right before the M2 was released. Now I feel alot better. I saved $200 and the M1 works great for my needs
andyH_England
July 23, 2022 at 7:09 pm
I have seen many reviews that have none of these issues and I get the impression you just take Max Tech word on it as it fits with your agenda. You need to watch some videos from sensible balance reviewers, and even an audiophile said the speakers were better quality (not as loud) than the M1. The chips and scuffs could be just someone treating their machine poorly. The SSD issue is moot on anything other than 256GB and in 90% plus of cases will not be noticeable. The 10% should be using 16GB of RAM. The keyboard is subjective as I prefer shallow feel, miss the old keyboards. Trackpad is forcetrack so no idea how that is worse? $200 more list for the new design and features is fair, the XPS 13 Plus is $400 more than the older XPS 13 design, so if poor value for Apple then Dell are criminal, as at least we get new chip (XPS 13 and XPS 13 Plus have the same chips). With some tests the M2 is 30% plus better than the M1 when 16GB -v- 16GB. Also, the media engines on the M2 makes it 2X faster in some rendering.
Overall given the choice, the M2 is a must buy over the M1 if you can afford it, just get 16GB as that is what you need if you are doing any pro apps or hardcore browsing. I am gonna buy it when they come in stock as already on Amazon there are discounts, but two months delivery times due to massive demand.
Chevy Stingray
July 23, 2022 at 7:45 pm
@andyH_England good luck
Jav C
July 24, 2022 at 12:28 am
@Allen IMO, anybody with the M1 has no reason to upgrade to the M2. That would be like having the iPhone 13 and upgrading to the 14.
If anybody has the MBA from ā15 or ā17 or ā18, then they might be needing to upgrade for all the improvements to the M2 MBA. Am I right?
Listen, the midnight color is fantastic and who cares about smudges. Thatās a non-issue. If you get a smudge wipe it off. Thatās was microfiber towels are for š¤¦š¾āā
Xcellence
July 23, 2022 at 12:25 pm
Neither, get the 14 inch mac pro more power
Fearless Mind
July 23, 2022 at 12:29 pm
None
Kreiger Bailey
July 23, 2022 at 12:38 pm
Portland, JAMAICA in the Building !!
Jeremy DeBose
July 23, 2022 at 12:42 pm
Not sure why I always cringe when reviewers call tech āThis guyā or āThis little guyā when referencing the mini and it was done 3 times by the first minute ššš. Still gonna watch though cause itās Dan š
Singu Larity
July 23, 2022 at 2:21 pm
If itās a cringe at the infantilisation behaviours we find in nerd/geek types ā Iām with you.
Fadi Bshara
July 23, 2022 at 1:20 pm
ssd problem man for the base modell
just mention the hech problem, apple wont be angry with u, all the people doing it
Youssef Emam
July 23, 2022 at 4:22 pm
what problem and in which mac
Nathan Juan
July 23, 2022 at 1:22 pm
That notch is really distracting.
Kiarra Campbell-bernard
July 23, 2022 at 8:58 pm
You can hide it with an app if itās that bad
Nathan Juan
July 24, 2022 at 12:19 am
@Kiarra Campbell-bernard It doesnāt really hide the notch tho. The menu and the clock is still in the black bezel its not like samsung where it really becomes a bezel.
keiji azum
July 23, 2022 at 1:28 pm
its 350 more costco is selling only 850
asdfrozen
July 23, 2022 at 1:35 pm
If the only thing you use the webcam for is Zoom, Teams, and Meet, 720p is already fine. All of these webconferencing apps top out at 720p for webcam feeds anyway. The 1080p webcam is really just for streaming and FaceTime calls.
TimeTime
July 23, 2022 at 1:47 pm
Hmmm not sure if I missed it ā¦ it seems like the processor should be the defining difference between the two. Nice to see some esthetic updates though and minor tweaks. Being able to upgrade the ssd would be the game changer for me for being mobile. Think Iāll stick with my 1tb 2017 MacBook Air for now and keep my M1. Mac mini for home use.
John Miranda
July 23, 2022 at 1:56 pm
NO Apple product is āreasonably priced.ā
Kiarra Campbell-bernard
July 23, 2022 at 8:57 pm
Apple products last almost 10 years while windows start bugging after 1
Bzake
July 23, 2022 at 1:58 pm
If youāre buying a base model, buy the M1. If youāre going to buy an upgraded version, buy M2.
David Harrison
July 23, 2022 at 3:57 pm
Terrific advice.
Gwen Tan
July 23, 2022 at 6:46 pm
If you check the apple online store, the default base is 512 gb, the 256 gb is no longer available
Kestine Omorodion
July 23, 2022 at 8:39 pm
@Gwen Tan same price ? $1200?
1badmanvan
July 24, 2022 at 7:16 am
@PCC R the ssd performs better on any storage above the 256gb. I have a 10core/16gb/1tb on order currently
Oti el
July 24, 2022 at 3:24 pm
šÆšÆ
Oti el
July 24, 2022 at 3:25 pm
@1badmanvan are you sure M2 and M1 have same thermals if 512gb and above.
1badmanvan
July 24, 2022 at 5:38 pm
@Oti el nothing internally was changed based on their storage side. Been a few tear downs, they thermal throttle quicker because they use a higher wattage chip
Kestine Omorodion
July 24, 2022 at 7:35 pm
@PCC R yes it does. just make sure the ssd is at least 512 then you should be fine
PlaybyRaine
July 23, 2022 at 2:30 pm
totally legit 02:50 š š enjoyed your video š
Paulo LF
July 23, 2022 at 2:35 pm
Incredible how this guy has not mention the criminal SSD speed different in the base model. Terrible review.
Kestine Omorodion
July 23, 2022 at 8:44 pm
Tech reviewers that are now biased for no just reason . Call a spade a spade mate.
Jav C
July 24, 2022 at 12:29 am
Who cares about the SSD rumors? When will a casual MBA user be using Final Cut Pro or doing heavy video editing or having 4K and 8K downloads simultaneously? That is fantasy-world!
Kestine Omorodion
July 24, 2022 at 1:01 am
@Jav C not everyone will be casual. Call a spade a spade and let people make their choices.
Kestine Omorodion
July 24, 2022 at 1:05 am
@Jav C and yes there are people that do all those things you mentioned on their MacBook Airā¦. I help tens of People in making decision on what pc/Mac systems they should getā¦ I get my information from these tech YouTube reviewers. Imagine hiding this information from meā¦ I tend to make not well informed recommendations.
Roldan Rodriguez
July 23, 2022 at 3:09 pm
I will wait for M5 by that time M2 might cost 450 which means M1 will cost 350. Thatās the one Iām buying
PupSicle
July 23, 2022 at 3:48 pm
Yes, thatās the best strategy.
HumNYC
July 23, 2022 at 3:38 pm
I watch a lot of these vids to make an informed decision, but every single one of your videos about the M2 MBA brings up price increase. Get over it. Itās not like an iPhone that comes out every year where they drop the price of the previous model. This gives the opportunity to expand price range and amount of customers getting a MacBook Air since the M1 MBA is still a great machine.
Bogdan
July 23, 2022 at 3:59 pm
Iāve just bought my first ever macbook, itās an air m1 8gbs ram and 256 gbs storage. Itās 1 year old, 98 % baterry health with 65 cycles. Got it with 710 euros, what do you think?
zoruaboy
July 23, 2022 at 4:06 pm
Pretty good!
Schindler Jahudisi
July 23, 2022 at 6:49 pm
Good job you are genius!
Alan Gill
July 23, 2022 at 5:48 pm
Plus side, itās a Dan video. That said I donāt see why they made this. Just repeating information Cnet and others have already communicated about the two devices, no original slant to it IMO.
PUNGI-BOO
July 23, 2022 at 5:58 pm
What do you think is better? Base model m2 air or an m1 air with 16gb ram instead of 8gb ram?
Jav C
July 24, 2022 at 12:24 am
Just buy the base model and you will be just fine. The M2 MBA is perfect for the casual user. Any heavy user is going to have the MBP. Why purchase the base model only to spend a minimum of $400 for upgrades. You might as well get the MPB, right?
Scott Scottsdale
July 23, 2022 at 6:40 pm
Seriously. The camera is the decider for you? Who the heck cares? But the speakers are not important. This is a horrible review
Gwen Tan
July 23, 2022 at 6:45 pm
Apparently, the 256 gb ssd is no longer available for the m2 Macbook air in the apple online store
andyH_England
July 23, 2022 at 6:48 pm
Here in the UK it is, but 3-4 weeks wait and sold out in store, though I suspect deliveries come during the week for through traffic.
Jav C
July 24, 2022 at 12:26 am
That is completely false. Of course the base model is available.
andyH_England
July 23, 2022 at 7:24 pm
I saw all the anti-Apple trolls ganging up on the M2 MB Pro 13 saying how it is an olde design and why does it exist!! Absolute nonsense of course. Now the same people are hating the MB Air M2 and saying we should buy the even older MB Air M1 design! You could not make it up? So much trash talk on YT these days.
Apple is the troll capital of tech.
Anyway, this is a simple answer, if you can afford it pay the extra Ā£200 in the UK for the M2 (Amazon) if all you need is the base model. Usually in tech an older chip, 18 months in this case would have a much bigger discount, closer to half price, so only Ā£200 less is poor value, even though it is solid. The M2 chip is def much better and once optimised and with app updates and macOS Ventura, the M2 will get further and further ahead of the M1. Those recommending the M1 it may be false economy in the longer term.
Dominic Toretto
July 23, 2022 at 7:36 pm
Okay, most likely they prefer Macbook Air M1, but itās already 2 years old. buying it now there is no risk of āburningā two years of future updates by buying a product that is already a few years old?
Ryan X
July 24, 2022 at 12:17 am
The notch is inexcusable. Wake Up Sheeple!
GOAT OF DUTY
July 24, 2022 at 12:42 am
M1 Air or full nuts with M1 Pro 14/16ā³!
Luke Parsons
July 24, 2022 at 2:40 am
Where I live Apple has removed the MBA M1 512gb SSD upgrade option as a standard product (it is now a ācustomā build with a 4 week wait). That forces us into the MBA M2 world where it is essential to buy 512gb SSD to ensure materially better performance than the M1. The price difference is huge. It also moves us within striking distance of the MBP 14 (the MBP 13 is best discarded: there are plenty of reviews explaining why). The performance to value creep led me to buy a MBP M1 14 base with 512GB at twice the price of the base MBA M1 with 256GB. They got me: hook line and sinker! But wow it is an amazing machine.
Gustavo Masis
July 24, 2022 at 3:58 am
Who works outside at a cafƩ in the sunlight?
PCC R
July 24, 2022 at 4:05 am
If I want 1tb ssd and 16g RAM, which would be a better choice m1 or m2 mba??! I love the air and the light weight so pro is not an option for me but I always need more storage and i hate having something hanging off my laptop.
I hear some concerns of heating up on M2 and Iām just not sure if its worth getting m2 vs m1 mba for the specs i want
Is the performance difference worth $200 difference?
B K
July 24, 2022 at 12:14 pm
Performance definitely not. Cause it averagely 10% step up. In terms of life improvement, such as the magsafe, the bigger screen, better webcam, new sleek design, new speaker, then it might worth the 200 $ difference
MarioPL
July 25, 2022 at 6:01 am
@B K New speaker are not better on the M2 vs M1
Tjade Petri
July 25, 2022 at 12:10 pm
@B K there is a huge 40% gpu difference tho. And the M2 will receive longer support in updates
Dave the Taswegian
July 24, 2022 at 8:55 am
The M2 Air is a brilliant design from what I have seen in the tear downs. It is quite possibly cheaper to build than the M1 Air with a $200 higher price. Genius on Apples part, or perhaps I am just being overly cynical.
VIBE
July 24, 2022 at 11:07 am
7:10
FuJhen
July 24, 2022 at 12:06 pm
Please clean devices before close ups. That USB ports have disgusting grime when zoomed in that much
alfin kurnia ashari
July 24, 2022 at 1:38 pm
REGENERATIVE CHARGING: plug your type-c and MagSafe at same cable
Goobfilm cast
July 24, 2022 at 5:57 pm
Hey, CNETā¦.. NO Windows laptop at a similar Price Point, NONE, can touch the M1 or M2 MBAs for performance, both plugged and (especially) unpluggedā¦.NONE can touch its battery life and NONE offers the build quality and fit and finish of Apple laptops. Apple wins on the Price/Performance ratio against comparably specād Windows offerings from AMD and Intel and likely will for the foreseeable future. If there is a better value for dollarā¦Please demonstrate it.
Daniel Rice
July 24, 2022 at 6:36 pm
Good no nonsense review. I like the M1 without that screen camera cut at the top. Rest of the differences donāt seem worth any extra money. Both look like awesome fan-less machines.
Daniel Gonzalez
July 24, 2022 at 11:22 pm
The M1 is nevertheless useful for a socially awkward and depressed student. Any task can be effectively handled by it.
Shah Bahram
July 25, 2022 at 4:39 pm
Weird take
ponce
July 25, 2022 at 12:00 pm
i use like 8 tabs of safari and 2 excel tablesā¦ā¦the m2 air base model can handle it regulary?
Jay White
July 25, 2022 at 1:11 pm
Iāve got M1 MacBook Air š»
Jay White
July 25, 2022 at 1:13 pm
Iām really happy with my M1 MacBook Air š» I wonāt be upgrading
AppleBoy '
July 25, 2022 at 7:48 pm
Personal advice: If you buy a MacBook Air, Go with the M2. But if you already have the M1, you can skip the M2.
Tolga A
July 25, 2022 at 9:47 pm
M2 16GB 512 FOR ME
Chuy
July 26, 2022 at 3:39 pm
Iāll stick with my 2012 13ā MacBook Pro till it explodes. Itās about to, to be honestā¦
Toxir Abdumalikov
July 26, 2022 at 7:09 pm
Thank you for basically nothing, just stop reviews