After two years of success with the MacBook Air M1, Apple finally launched the new Air with the M2 chip. Apple MacBook Air has been completely redesigned with a supercharged M2 chip. This version arrived in the market from 8th of July & 15th of July in the worldwide market as decided by MacBook Air M2 release date. But if it is worth buying? Is the MacBook Air M2 price justified? What’s new? And more such questions must be popping in your head. The answer to all of these are given in this in-depth guide on MacBook Air M2 review. Let’s begin!
MacBook Air M2 Specifications
| Processor | Apple M2 8 x 2.4 - 3.5 GHz, 20 W PL2 / Short Burst, 9.5 W PL1 / Sustained |
| Graphic Adaptor | Apple M2 8-Core GPU, Core: 1398 MHz, 10 W TDP |
| Unified Memory | Upto 24GB |
| Display | 13.60 inch, 2560 x 1664 pixel |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Weight | 1.215 kg ( = 42.86 oz / 2.68 pounds) |
| Operating System | Apple macOS 12 Monterey |
| Price | $1199 (US) ($1099 for Education) |
MacBook Air M2 Design
Apple MackBook Air M2 Design is not similar or familiar to the design of other MacBook models. No more similar wedge-shaped Base unit is designed. This new design is extremely thin from every angle with a tightly packed aluminum unibody. Talking about its measurements then it is just 11.3 mm thin with a weight of 2.7 pounds. The chassis height is the same from front and rear ends unlike from the MacBook Pro model before which was uncomfortable and left marks on wrists.
The front hinges are extremely flexible and can be opened with one hand. Similar keyboard and Touch ID scanner has been used in the MacBook Air M2 model. The thinner design does not affect the build and quality of the device. The adjustable hinges are solid and the opening angle is limited to 130 degrees.
MacBook Air M2 Colors
With the availability of familiar colors such as silver and space gray introduced in other MBP models, MacBook Air M2 has been launched in two more colors. These two MacBool Air M2 colors are Midnight and Starlight.
The midnight color that is dark blue looks great when it comes in the box. But soon it gets trapped into fingerprints and dirt which makes it hard for the owner to maintain. Due to dark color the scratches become more noticeable and give it a slightly dirty look.
Another color which is the Starlight model is much better than this midnight color variant. Lastly, how can we forget about familiar colors i.e. Silver and Space Gray which will remain at top priority
Weight
Apple MacBook Air M2 has a larger chassis size but somehow they managed to reduce weight of new Air M2 to 1.215 KG which is 60 grams lighter than the previous MacBook pro model. This difference of weight is so minute that you will hardly notice it. The power adapter of M2 model is 174 grams including the weight of MagSafe cable.
Liquid Retina Display With 13.6-inch
The new Apple MacBook Air M2 features a beautiful 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display which can be expanded to the sidebar leaving a separate camera room on the top. Large display with no border space gives more content viewing and workspace area to the user. The brightness of the M2 model has also been increased to 25 percent as compared to previous models. Addition to this, Apple MacBook Air M2 supports 1 Billions colors as the result of which photos look more vibrant as compared to other models.
Webcam and Audio Quality
MacBook Air M2 includes 1080p Facetime HD Camera with improved resolution and low light performance. Talking about the image processing of M2 then it’s pretty impressive and larger in size as compared to other models. The image quality is top notch, recommended for video calls.
For audio quality, MacBook Air M2 features a four speaker sound system. These speakers are tightly enacted within the keyboard and display due to its thin design.All in all delivering even better sound quality. MacBook Air also supports Spatial Audio for music and movies.
Connectivity
The connectivity is quite similar to previous models such as charging with MagSafe connector and USB-C port (on each side) is still available. This is because the M2 chip is limited to Thunderbolt 3. Only one screen upto 6K can be attached with Air M2 Model.
Magic Keyboard and Trackpad
Apple MacBook Air M2 review about its keyboard and trackpad is largely positive. M2 chip MacBook features full-height function key row including Touch ID design of power button. The typing experience is good, more firm and precise as compared to the previous model. However, the difference is very little and unnoticeable. Apple Magic Keyboard light is present with excellent illumination. If we talk about Trackpad, then it’s still amongst the industry’s leading trackpad.
Storage Devices
The storage of MacBook Air M2 is the same as the storage of MacBook Pro 13 storage which is a 256 GB SSD. Due to this, the transfer rates are much lower as compared to 512 GB. Again, this is a very minute difference and mostly unnoticeable while transferring daily stuff
If you are planning to use Apple MacBook Air M2 for long term or for heavy data export then we recommend you to upgrade it to 512 GB SSD, for which you need to bear an additional cost of $200
Processor and Performance
The processor Architecture of MacBook Air M2 is similar to the M1 model with 8 cores. The M2 models i.e. MacBook Pro 13 M2 and the new MacBook Air M2 are extremely fast and responsive. The MacBook wakeup time is fast as the operating system runs smoothly. While doing complex tasks, its performance is completely satisfactory.
Battery Runtime
Users will get an increase in battery runtime in the all newer model of Apple MacBook Air M2. Even with a brighter, larger display and increased efficiency, MacBook delivers all day long battery life and 18 hours long video playback.
Macbook Air M2 Price
Undoubtedly, MacBook Air M2 is a high performing, fast and strong laptop, but despite resolving so many issues, the price is a bit more. The base model of MacBook Air M2 starts from $1199 (US) and $1099 (US) for educational purposes. It is available in 4 finishes including Midnight, Starlight, Silver, and Space Gray.
Macbook Air M2 VS Macbook Pro M1 VS MacBook Air M1
| Specifications | MacBook Air M2 | MacBook Pro M1 | MacBook Air M1 |
| display | 13.6” Liquid Retina display | 13.3” Retina display1 | 13.3” Retina display1 |
| chip | M2 | M1 | M1 |
| CPU | 8 Core | 8 Core | 8 Core |
| GPU | 8 Core | 8 Core | 7 Core |
| Unified Memory(Upto) | 24GB | 16GB | 16GB |
| Storage(Upto) | 2TB | 2TB | 2TB |
| Battery Life | Touch ID | Touch Bar and Touch ID | Touch ID |
| Colors | 4 (Midnight, Starlight, Silver, Space Gray) | 2 (Space Gray, Silver) | 3 (Space Gray, Silver, Gold) |
| Storage | 256GB SSD 512GB SSD 1TB SSD 2TB SSD | 256GB SSD 512GB SSD 1TB SSD 2TB SSD | 256GB SSD 512GB SSD 1TB SSD 2TB SSD |
| Camera | 1080p FaceTime HD camera | 720p FaceTime HD camera | 720p FaceTime HD camera |
| Power and Battery | Up to 15 hours wireless web Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback | Up to 17 hours wireless web Up to 20 hours Apple TV app movie playback | Up to 15 hours wireless web Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback |
| Weight | 2.7 pounds (1.24 kg) | 3.0 pounds (1.4 kg) | 2.8 pounds (1.29 kg) |
| Height | 0.44 inch (1.13 cm) | 0.61 inch (1.56 cm) | 0.16–0.63 inch (0.41–1.61 cm) |
Final Verdict
This was all about the MacBook Air M2 review. Now you know about its salient specifications that make it even more powerful than other Apple models as shown in the comparison chart. The battery life, processing speed, performance, image, sound quality, everything is just top-notch. It’s brighter, thinner and stronger.
The only thing that will raise a doubt to go for this model is its price. If you are willing to spend $1099 US on this powerful piece then go ahead. But if your budget is stringent and is not willing to pay this much amount for a 256GB SSD MacBook Air M1 still remains at the top. We, at Techmonk Labs, strive hard to make these pieces available at unbeatable prices. Check out now!