July 19, 2022, 1:58 pm | Read time: 6 minutes
At the 2008 premiere of the MacBook Air, the name promised a lightness that had never been seen in the laptop world. Now Apple is changing the design–fundamentally and uncompromisingly.
Even people who are not particularly interested in notebooks could recognize Apple’s MacBook Air at first glance. The wedge-shaped case, which measures less than half a centimeter at its thinnest point, has been considered a design icon since its debut in 2008. But the new MacBook Air M2 puts an end to that. Here’s an initial test.
Overview
Steve Jobs’ presentation was legendary. The Apple co-founder casually pulled the ultra-portable laptop out of an envelope on stage. But nearly a decade and a half ago, this lightness came with painful compromises: no DVD drive, no Ethernet port, and only room for one USB plug.
With the new MacBook Air M2, Apple is saying goodbye to the wedge design and packing the latest technology into a super-slim and flat aluminum case–without having to make any compromises. Apple has adopted design elements from the new MacBook Pro models: with rounded edges and a notch for the webcam.
Balanced for Mobile Use
The device is 11.3 millimeters thick and weighs 1.24 kilograms. That’s only 50 grams less than the wedge-shaped predecessor with the M1 chip. In practical tests, however, the MacBook Air M2 proved to be significantly better balanced and easier to hold on the lap. The new MacBook Air is available in four colors: in addition to the usual gray and silver tones, there is now a light gold (“Starlight”) and a very dark blue (“Midnight”).
While the original from 2008 was stingy with external connections, the MacBook Air now has all essential ports. On the right side, there’s one for a headphone jack, and on the left side, there are two USB-C ports (Thunderbolt, USB 4). Apple also corrects a mistake from 2017 with the Magsafe charging port. Back then, Apple’s design chief Jony Ive abruptly removed the popular magnetic connection from the MacBook Air. Now users can once again rely on the charger disconnecting if people or pets accidentally pull on the cable.
There are several options for Magsafe–and unfortunately, Apple has made the selection unnecessarily complicated. The base version comes with a relatively weak 30-watt power adapter. For an additional 20 euros, you can get either a 35-watt charger with two charging ports, allowing you to charge an iPhone or iPad simultaneously.
Or you can get a 67-watt power adapter with a fast-charging function. It only has one port but can charge an empty battery to 50 percent in 28 minutes. For the better model variants of the MacBook Air M2, the 20-euro surcharge is waived. The fast-charging power adapter is recommended. If you want to charge an iPhone or iPad on the go, you can connect these devices directly to the MacBook Air M2–and benefit from the faster charging times of the fast charger.
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Slightly Larger Display, Webcam Now in Full HD
The display of the MacBook Air M2 measures 13.6 inches diagonally, compared to 13.3 inches for the M1 variant, because the frame has become slightly slimmer. However, a black notch now appears at the top edge of the display, housing the camera and a brightness sensor. You won’t notice it after a few hours.
Compared to the M1, you immediately notice the improved brightness of the MacBook Air M2’s display, which makes working outdoors easier. It reaches up to 500 nits, instead of 400 nits with the M1. Unlike the new MacBook Pro models, the M2 does not offer HDR or dynamic refresh rates up to 120 Hz (“ProMotion”). That’s the difference between a very good and an excellent screen.
The webcam upgrade was overdue. The camera now offers a resolution of 1080p, replacing the M1’s 720p camera. The image is sharper and more natural, though the colors still appear somewhat washed out.
The improved integrated audio system of the MacBook Air M2 not only provides good sound in video conferences but can also reproduce sound as 3D spatial audio (Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos) in suitable applications like the TV app. It doesn’t sound as rich as over headphones like the AirPods Max, but the four speakers sound very good for a laptop.
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Processor Lacks a Fan
The second generation of Apple’s main chips now works on the circuit board inside the MacBook Air M2. The difference from the previous Intel architecture is enormous. Video editing on an M2 device runs up to 15 times faster than on a MacBook Air with an Intel chip. The difference from the M1 is much smaller. The base model of the MacBook Air M2 is equipped with eight graphics cores, while the more expensive models have ten such cores.
In practice, this means you can have 50 or more tabs open in your browser without sacrificing performance. The MacBook Air M2 can also process hours of 4K videos smoothly. However, with continuous loads like exporting a complex 8K project in Final Cut, you can push the MacBook Air M2 to its limits. Since the device operates without a fan, the system throttles performance significantly when needed to prevent overheating.
MacBook Air M2–An Initial Conclusion
With the MacBook Air M2, Apple has launched an exceptionally successful laptop. The design feels fresh, and you no longer miss any ports. The screen and sound are impressive. And a battery life of around twelve hours is enough for even the longest mobile workday.
The only concern comes when looking at the price list. The simplest model with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of SSD storage starts at just under 1,500 euros. The model from our test with twice the SSD storage costs buyers nearly 1,730 euros. Fully equipped with 24 GB RAM, ten graphics cores, and a 2-terabyte (2,048 GB) SSD, it costs nearly 3,000 euros.
To appeal to buyers with smaller budgets, Apple has kept the previous model with the M1 chip in the lineup. It’s available starting at just under 1,200 euros. For many users, this will be more than sufficient, as the M1 model benefits from the fundamental advantages of Apple chips. However, the MacBook Air M2’s screen and webcam are noticeably better. Additionally, the M2 offers two USB ports with Thunderbolt and the Magsafe connection.