While Apple’s WWDC focuses primarily on the new software for the Cupertino, California company’s large product catalog, it came as no surprise when Apple introduced its M2-powered MacBook Air.
Several notable filters said they expect Apple to launch a new MacBook Air with new colors before the end of the year and, well, that came true.
The new M2-equipped MacBook Air has some notable changes on the outside and inside. The device won’t be available until next month, so you still have some time to determine if you need the new M2-equipped Air or the 2020 M1 Air.
Let’s dive in and see how the 2020 MacBook Air compares to the 2022 MacBook Air.
Visualization and design
If you’re a fan of the wedge-shaped look of the Air launched in 2020, you’re out of luck. The 2022 Air resembles the square design used in the MacBook Pro with rounded edges and loses the thin look that old air was synonymous with.
The screen of the M2 Air has also been slightly downgraded from 13.3 inches to older models to 13.6 inches, while the bezels of the M2 Air have been reduced. In addition, along with the larger screen, the M2 Air also has a slightly higher resolution, going from the resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 pixels of the old Air to 2,560 x 1664 in the new model.
MacBook Air 2022 MacBook Air 2020 MacBook Air 2022 MacBook Air 2020
In addition, the M2 Air also includes a notch, similar to the Pro models, while the M1 Air does not. Both screens support True Tone and Wide Color (P3), although the M2 Air can reach a maximum brightness of 500 nights, while the M1 Air is limited to 400 nights.
In terms of weight, the two machines are not very different. The new MacBook Air weighs 2.7 pounds (about 1.2 kg), which only puts it at 0.1 pounds more than its predecessor.
Interns
While the subtle changes on the outside make all the difference, the changes made on the inside make the M2 Air a worthwhile laptop. Although we have not yet been able to get our hands on the new Air, MobileSyrup staff reporter Bradley Bennett was able to put it into practice with the M2 variant at WWDC 2022. According to Bennett and the specifications provided by Apple, The M2 Air’s The CPU is about 18 percent faster than the M1 and its neural engine is 40 percent faster.
In addition, two additional GPU cores (10 in total versus 8 in the 2020 version) provide a 35 percent improved graphics performance. Both the MacBook Air M1 and M2 do not have an internal fan, and according to Apple, the M2 chip is up to 1.4 times faster than the M1 model.
The M1 variant has a maximum of 16 GB of RAM, while the new M2 model has up to 24 GB of RAM. “I haven’t been able to really test the new chip in Apple’s practice area, but the laptop felt fast during my short time with it. Because the M1 series of chips has performed so well, I’d expect that this was an excellent computer, “Bennett writes in his hands.
The M2 Air also supports MagSafe charging, which its predecessor did not, releasing one of the two USB-C ports for accessories. The M2 Air also outperforms the M1 Air in terms of battery life. The new model has a 52.6 Wh lithium polymer battery, which is larger than the M1 Air’s 49.9 Wh lithium polymer battery, although according to Apple, both models offer 15 hours of battery life. web and similar 18-hour video runtime.
Both models include Touch ID, an array of three microphones with directional beam formation, a headphone jack, Dolby Atmos support with spatial audio, and two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports.
Models released in 2020 and 2022 have 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB storage models.
Colors and prices
The MacBook Air 2020 starts at $ 1,299 in Canada and is available in space gray, gold, and silver, while the MacBook Air 2022 with an 8-core GPU and a 10-core GPU will start at $ 1,499 and $ 1,899, respectively. In addition to Space Gray and Silver, the M2 Air will also be available in Starlight and Midnight colors.
MacBook Air 2022 MacBook Air 2021
If you are an existing M1 Air user, upgrading to the M2 variant is not necessarily a must. While the new Air offers faster computing, an updated design and an improved camera, it doesn’t explicitly include anything that the M1 variant doesn’t have, apart from the MagSafe load, of course.
If you have an older Apple laptop or don’t have a MacBook, getting started with the M2 Air would seem like a solid upgrade, especially if you’re using it for video editing work. Plus, it’s priced at $ 200 more than the M1, so it’s not a big difference when you consider what the M2 chipset has to offer.
For all the WWDC 2022 Apple news, follow this link.