Unveiling the Next Generation: The Apple MacBook Air M2
The MacBook Air M2 is a great choice for those who can spend a bit more on a top-quality laptop. It offers excellent performance, over 14 hours of battery life, and a vibrant display in a very portable design. Compared to the MacBook Air M1, the Air M2 is thinner, lighter, faster, and has a better webcam. It features a more powerful M2 chip from Apple. In the UAE, Air M2 starts at AED 4,225.
MacBook Air M2: Specifications
- CPU 8-core CPU 8-core CPU
- GPU 8-core GPU 10-core GPU
- Display 13.6 inches (2560 x 1664) 13.6 inches (2560 x 1664)
- Memory 8GB 16GB
- Storage 256GB 1TB
- Ports Two Thunderbolt / USB-4, mic Two Thunderbolt / USB-4, mic
- Webcam 1080p 1080p
- Charging 30W USB-C 35W Dual USB-C
- Size 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches
- Weight 2.7 pounds 2.7 pounds
MacBook Air M2: Design and Colors
The MacBook Air M2 is exceptionally thin, almost like an iPad when closed, measuring just 0.44 inches thick when open. It's 20% smaller than its predecessor, yet it has a larger 13.6-inch display. While some may dislike the notch at the top of the screen, it didn't bother users during daily use.
Constructed from a 2.7-pound all-aluminum body, it strikes a balance between durability and lightweight. The rounded corners and pronounced lip make it easy to grip and open with one hand.
The MacBook Air M2 comes in Starlight (pale gold) or Midnight (dark blue), while more conservative options include Silver or Space Gray.
MacBook Air M2: Ports
On the left side, there are two Thunderbolt 4/USB 4 ports along with a MagSafe power adapter. The MagSafe connection lets you attach the power cable magnetically, which helps prevent accidents if the cable gets pulled too hard.
On the right side, there's a headphone jack for those who still use wired headphones. It's handy to have in case your wireless earbuds or headphones run out of battery.
MacBook Air M2: Display and Audio
The MacBook Air M2 has caught up with the MacBook Pro M2 in terms of display quality, which is a significant achievement. It offers a bright and colorful 13.6-inch screen (2560 x 1664 pixels) that's great for watching videos, editing photos, and other tasks without any compromises.
The MacBook Air M2 also features a four-speaker sound system, which delivers clear audio. However, compared to the six-speaker system on the MacBook Pro 14, the sound is less rounded with a thinner bass.
MacBook Air M2: Performance
The MacBook Air M2 can handle numerous tasks simultaneously, such as browsing multiple tabs in Google Chrome, using Slack, and editing photos in Photoshop while uploading files. The MacBook Air M2 outperforms some top Windows laptops like the Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED and Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 7 but falls short compared to the new Dell XPS 13 Plus with a 12th gen Intel Core i7.
The MacBook Air M2 showed significant improvement over the Air M1 in video editing tests but was slightly slower than the MacBook Pro M2 due to different cooling systems. Both the Air M2 and Pro M2 performed similarly in Adobe CC Photoshop, but the Pro model outperformed in Premiere Pro video editing. While the Air M2's SSD speeds were slightly slower than the Pro M2, the Dell XPS 13 Plus had considerably faster SSD speeds.
Despite its performance, the MacBook Air M2 supports only one external monitor, which may be a limitation for some users.
MacBook Air M2: Battery and Charging
The MacBook Air M2 offers impressive battery life. It lasts an average of 14 hours. While this falls slightly short of the previous Air M1, it's still considered excellent.
Their MacBook Air M2 came with a 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter, which is included with configurations featuring a 10-core GPU and 512GB storage. This adapter allows users to charge another device simultaneously, such as an iPhone. The standard Air M2 includes a 30W USB-C Power Adapter, but users can opt for the dual charger for an additional money.
For faster charging, there's a 67W USB-C power adapter available, although it does not support MagSafe.
MacBook Air M2: Webcam
The MacBook Air M2's 1080p webcam is decent but not outstanding. It doesn't match up to dedicated Logitech C920 for video calls. While the overall picture quality is sharp enough, however, we noticed less detail in hair and skin compared to our usual webcam during a Google Meet call.
MacBook Air M2: Keyboard and Touchpad
The MacBook Air M2's Magic Keyboard is quick and responsive. The keys respond well, and the key travel is satisfactory, allowing them to write and edit documents comfortably during their long bus commute.
The Air's large touchpad works well and accurately recognizes various gestures, such as pinch-to-zoom and showing all open apps.
Final Thoughts
Based on our testing, we believe that the MacBook Air M2 is the top choice for its value. It offers excellent performance, a vibrant display, and outstanding battery life in a portable design.
Many users criticize MacBook Air M2 for its inability to connect more than one external monitor and the notch on the display, overall, they highly recommend the MacBook Air M2 as the leading laptop choice.