Does 8 gigs of RAM feel enough these days? I’d prefer 16, but when upgrading to 16 and a 512 GB SSD it’s such an increase that you might as well go for the 14 inch Pro with M1 Pro
Does it *feel* enough these days? Yes, because of SWAP. It's not uncommon to use at least 1GB of SWAP doing normal tasks. If you want better performance or you're doing something using multiple GB of SWAP, you should get 16GB.
I have a 2020 Intel MacBook Pro with 8GB of RAM and I notice no stutter/constant refreshes or anything that makes me think that more RAM would be helpful
The fact that Apple not only decided to stick with 256GB as the entry storage, but is in fact SLOWER storage than the previous model is absurd. It should at the very least have a note on their website specifying these details.
I've had 128gb of storage before if you just do internet browsing and writing on it then even 128gb is plenty. 90% of people only use these for browsing so 256gb is more than enough.
the fact people are complaining about apple having a base 256GB is absurd when laptops of this range are still coming with 128GB entry storage. now the speed downgrade is ridiculous considering its 200 dollars more for what feels like 150 max in improvements.
I used the M1 air for a year as my main work computer, as a graphic designer. I got absolutely blown away by its performance with photoshop, illustrator and simple animations and video editing in after effects. I just recently switched to the M1 pro, which is far superior, but I still recommend the M1 base model for anyone who's in need of a good all around computer and portability, specially to those who live outside the US/EU, where prices are really an issue. These machines are extremely capable in such a small form factor. of course, the ports are still an issue, specially when you, like me, have to constantly use external hard drives, Wacom tablets etc, but nothing that a dongle won't solve (and it really is no big deal to carry one with you). if the M2 air screen is the same used in the M1 Pro, its so worth the extra price on top of the M1 air. I really don't mind the notch at all and the only program I had "issues" with was cinema 4D, but that's something you probably wouldn't use on an air model.
Im going to be using a program that says it uses 2gb of ram, no video editing or gaming just browsing and youtube with that program in the background. Would you recommend base model 8gb/256?
M1 Speakers sound better and more balanced, though not as loud as the M2 speakers, at least with your microphone configuration. I work as an audio engineer and am listening to this video on studio headphones.
I can only consider the base model. Seems like the faster speed of the M2 over the M1 chip is cancelled out by the slower SSD. Aside from Magsafe, I dont really need any of the new features. I want to upgrade from my 2014 air, so will go M1 air base and save a bunch.
Totally disagree, the Air is perfectly capable for coding. I used the M1 8gb for more than a year. I'm a iOS developer and the codebase I work is huge and the performance is a lot better than the previous i9 32gb I had.
@@undrfined thanks good to know. It's nice to sometimes code on something mobile when stuck with debugging, but definitely needs to cope with it. I think M Chips need another few years before the reasonably priced ones become more reasonable.
Were you paid to write this or something? 8GB of RAM with Xcode lol.. seems like you are just used to the delay while your computer uses swap all the time.
m1 aire already had sucky speakers.... sigh. my 12" macbook have such good speaker thats why i returned the m1 air and probly skp the m2 air.... util they put in speakers as good or better than my 2017 12" macbook.
@@fdsaffff I also just upgraded to the M1 MacBook Air from the 12 inch MacBook and I was shocked at how much worse the speakers were on the M1. The volume is so low that I need to use AirPods when watching media on it. I’m even more surprised that none of these so-called ‘tech reviews’ ever mention these real world issues that can have a massive effect on peoples purchase decisions. It’s always “best in class speakers” like that’s supposed to mean anything.
@@shehryar69 these light laptops the speakers is everything, cause we use it to watch media... good loud sound is more important than anything. 12" mac sound blowns everything away, even the newest most expensive mac. not to mention it's a lb or more lighter than all
I have always loved The Verge and I continue to be happy with all of the reviews you guys put out. Even after Dieter's departure I am glad everything still feels the same even after a legacy member leaving, Keep up the great work guys!
Kudos for a very professional, fast paced (but full of useful info) tech review. You did mention the throttling and slower SSD (on the base model) but without the drama and in context of the intended uses of this machine. Best review out there, Dan. Thanks!
Well if you spec the air to 16gb and 512gb the difference to the 14 is only 200€. And for that you get much more performance. But its also bigger and heavier. Also I need two displays so that’s a whole other reason.
Oof. I am not impressed. Turns out Linus from LTT was right when he said that Apple had a problem with the M1 MacBook Air, that problem being that it’s going to be really hard for Apple to top it. That price hike is really steep for what is still an 8/256 configuration. I can’t see myself recommending this thing to anyone when the M1 MacBook Air and the M1 Pro MacBook Pro still are in the line up.
I'd been waiting for the M2 for nearly a year, but when it did launch the price difference between the 512Gb M2 and the 512GB M1 was nearly ₹40k to ₹50k🥲($600). Realized the upgrades aren't worth that much and just bought the M1 lol.
I am a programmer and mainly my work includes app and web development, some projects and college work . Is 8+256 version of M2 sufficient? Or will i face any problems?
@Vidit Mathur if you are not doing intensive work for longer durations, the m2 air is what u will be looking at; otherwise, the m1 pro is the way to go.
I use two user profiles on my M1. One personal - mainly multiple chrome tabs and other programs, and the other hosts work - VS Code, node server, a lot of chrome tabs, skype meetings, all running at the same time. It honestly breezes through everything no hiccups whatsoever.
Just got to say that I have had the M1 Macbook Pro for about a year now and have been absolutely blown away by the performance. It has never struggled to do anything. Future of computers is Apple.
if this was an intel MacBook, it would likely be on fire at this point. the fact that apple can put an m2 in a laptop without a proper heatsink or fan is just mind-blowing and its crazy to think that it can be more powerful than the m1 air even when it is throttled. I also don't understand how something so thin can last so long on battery. sure it drawing almost no power on basic tasks but this type of performance and battery life combination with a silent design was undreamt of before the m series of chips, even over in windows land you cant get this performance, battery life and quietness that you can with the m2 air.
For what you get, in term of price tag, I would definitely go with the 2020 model and add 16gb + 512gb storage (if not 1tb) directly through the official Apple Refurb Store I can’t believe how my 2yo MBA is still so performant after all this time for my mid-heavy professional usage.
I actually feel 8gb ram is limiting with my m1 mba and I feel great need to upgrade it to 16gb . Even on work laptop which is M1 pro MBP , 16gb ram feels insufficient sometimes but I can understand that is due to apps like excel which are not tuned properly for macs
Mini LED, pay a lot for it? If you spec the M2 Air with 16Gb and 512GB of storage then difference, especially considering you can find the base 14" on sale at many retailers, is very minimal considering you get more ports, faster ports, and SD card slot, more GPU cores, better speakers (as you note) then the larger pro-motion mini LED screen. I LOVE the look and size of this laptop but considering 16/512 is really the minimum needed if you plan to keep it for more than a year the 14" Base makes much more sense.
I was skeptical that Apple could justify a $200 price bump when they announced the M2 Air and I'm still skeptical now that reviews are out. For instance, the review only measured 434 nits of peak brightness and that's a very poor showing from the spec sheet which says it has a 500 nit display. It also only has 64 more vertical pixels that typically only shows menu bar information. Does that matter? It's hard to say the additional speakers matter when Apple already has the best laptop speakers on the market. A 1080p webcam is a nice value add, but nobody else is going to care about your webcam quality when zoom and teams compress it to hell anyway. Once again, Magsafe is a nice addition as it opens up a usb c port, but you'll still need a dongle to connect all your other peripherals and it's a cable with only a single purpose, Charging. No data transfer can occur over Magsafe. Then there's the M2 chip which seems to have most of its improvement in the GPU. I guess it makes sense that combining all the above would incur a price increase, it just doesn't add up for me.
The price of a product is however not determined by its amount of new features or even their perceived worthiness directly. It's widely known that, broadly, market prices are dependent on the interaction between demand and supply in the market. As its predecessor, the MacBook Air M1, proved to be wildly popular (demand ↗) and as most tech companies are still dealing with the effects of large shortages of electronics chips (supply ↘︎), I don't really find it that surprising myself why Apple now has decided that these circumstances warrant a price increase.
14 pro has faster processor (more performance cores), better screen, better speakers, faster storage. I was holding out for the m2 air but the price difference between the 16/512 air to the baseline 14 (on sale) was too small. I got the 14 pro and I’m glad I did
@@LastForeverUno yes… but it is also a significantly better computer for the price when you consider how weakened the base model storage is with 8gb of RAM
I thought I could buy 16 gig model of the air- but if I have to get 16 gig with 512 gig, might as well get the M2 pro when it comes out. I guess I’ll keep using my 2016 intel MacBook Pro till we get M2 Pros.
Depending what you do, 16GB is overkill on M chips vs Intel. I have 8GB base M1 Air I got after selling a 24gb Thinkpad while waiting for the M1Pro to come out, and found I didn't need to upgrade as it's been doing everything I need without any hiccup - 4K drone video editing, photo editing and typical work.
Really tempted to get this but….. 60Hz. I don’t need the power of the 14” as I only occasionally do video edits for fun and not for work or anything but the one thing that I really don’t like about this design is the 60Hz screen. I am so used to high refresh rate screens that every time I use a 60Hz screen it just looks terrible to me. I don’t think I want to spend $3000+ NZD on a laptop that has a 60Hz screen. It’s a bummer. I don’t want to upgrade to the 14” either because it’s more expensive and bigger/heavier. I just don’t need it and I would prefer the lightweight design of the Air. Oh well, no new laptop for me.
Sneaking towards the 3:2 surface laptop ratio, thankfully. A little more square is wonderful for a laptop form factor. As an aside, I appreciate the total black background on the talking head shots. Really sharp looking
Eh, I’m a software engineer. My employer gave me a base model M1 Air. It’s fantastic for coding. I’d imagine the M2 Air is great, too. Only draw back is that I can only use 1 external monitor. If you’re a mobile dev and you’re running several mobile simulators or you’re compiling a toooooooon of code, then maybe an M1 Max is justified
@@pranjalrajput2886 I don’t run more than 2: iPhone 8 and iPhone 12 Pro. Chrome dev tools gives me an accurate profile of how my web app works on mobile chrome. I’m not making mobile native apps. I just check to see if it works on a mobile browser. People making native mobile would probably fair better with a Pro or Max model MacBook
I guess for Americans is not a concern but Apple used to have the same price policy in the US, UK and EU. Now the M1 Air is above 1200€ and the new M2 is on 1500€ in the EU which is huge bummer.
Another BIG FAIL from Apple.. But obviously, we won't see reviewers talking about it apart from a few honest ones. A 1300$ laptop with a ridiculous notch and a super slow SSD... 🤮
WOW You are good! I am going to get Mac Mac Air, but am confused about ports. Currently have a MacBook Pro 13. My auxiliary hard drive has a regular USB cable. And I have one regular flash drive. How do I handle this , when there is two Thunderbolts. And the new Mac Air charger has the two USB-c ports. Boy, I sure hope you answer this because I am really confused.
Nothing pleases you guys! If you have the Bessel on the top you’ll complain it’s too big and if the notch is there you’ll complain you don’t like the notch lol f😅
None of the videos I've watched show the MBA M1 and M2 side by side - I mean touching each other. That way we could really see the if the increased screen size is much better.
Sorry Monica is sick, but she wasn't missed. Dieter, however, was. Seeing Apple products reviewed on The Verge by anyone but Dieter or Nilay is just wrong.
Thanks for a great review! I have a MacBook Pro from 2017! I really want a new MacBook Air. I don't use it for heavy stuff, just a bit a of photo and video editing every now and then. Also editing podcast. But other than that just using Word and surfing the net. And Netflix. My biggest concern is it getting warm! Do you think this will be a problem for me? :)
I’m coming from a 2016 13inch MBP 256GB so this is a huge upgrade for me. I got the upgraded processor and 16GB ram with the 256GB SSD. I rarely read or write large files or store excessive amounts of data on device. After 5 years I’m only using about 60GB of my 256GB SSD, with all critical files saved locally and to OneDrive. I don’t mind that the 256GB SSD is slower than the M1 (probably) or slower than the M2’s 512, because it’s still a good upgrade for me coming from an older device.
You should change it to the 8GB Ram and 512GB ssd, it'll be faster overall. You need about 1/2 RAM on M vs Intel, plus the new OSX architecture will use swap no matter how much Ram you have, so the SSD speed will always be the bottleneck.
@@MihneaStoian that’s not how I work. Again it’s a major upgrade overall for me. My current late 2016 13inch MBP read/write is 2000mbs/1350mbs. It isn’t that big of a difference based on what I’m upgrading from. And like I said I don’t work with large files, videos, photos, or programs that need the fastest possible SSD speeds.
I too am coming from a 2016 MB Pro. I went for 16gb RAM and the 512 SSD. I do use Lightroom but I guess I have 14days to decide if this is right or not 😅. If not I'll just get the 14" MB Pro
@@mistahozzy oh? That cant be said abt mine :'' My 2017 base is super laggy and keeps crashing (when i try to download stuff, connect to external display etc). Doesn't help tt the external speakers is not working anymore too :(
I think the real competitor currently is the 14-inch MacBook Pro M1. Configured with 16GB/512GB, the price difference in Germany is only 170€. If you need more than 1 display > 14-inch MBP. If you need more than 24GB RAM > 14-inch MBP. If you need a fan, because export videos frequently > 14-inch MBP.
If you upgrade from a Mac older than M1, better to jump to this machine than MBA M1. It's hard to resist the return of MagSafe, new color options, better camera and audio, and new design. Not to mention the longevity issue as we still don't know when MBA M1 will not be supported by Apple. In the case of 2013 MBA (like mine), it didn't have the latest OS since last year, that means 8 years. Based on this scenario, if you get 2022 MBA you would have 2 additional years than the M1. But, if your concern is budget or you're a classic design lover, the M1 version is still a very good choice.
I think the 1 NAND chip base model was a poor choice by Apple. If they really really want, they could make this a running change. Other than that, I love the new design!
i would not recommend 8GB of RAM to a single person besides perhaps my 70 year old grandma who would almost never use the computer and would only have one tab open at a time. it is way too easy and frequent for macOS to dip into memory swap which will age your SSD at a significantly faster rate and dip performance. That’s with TODAYS OS and applications. It only going to get worse as time goes on. Do not buy 8GB of RAM base recommended config for anyone would be 16GB RAM 512GB SSD. lower config is only for people who simply cannot afford the above recommendation
434 nits. Then how can Apple say it's 500 nits? As someone who paid I think $5,600 for a Mac IIfx. An extra 200-400 dollars doesn't seem like much. (Edit: 5,600 translates to about in $9,600 2022)
Really love the video. I have a question still - given I am editing a video in 4k, how long of a project do you think would the macbook air be able to sustain consistent speeds before the CPU or GPU throttles? (I do not plan on editing anything over 10 minutes long)
Thanks The Verge for assuring us M1 Air 2020 owners that ours is still A GREAT MACHINE. And that upgrading is not necessary unless you have the extra cash for a purchase. M1 Air 2020 is great still!
9:16 not true, you just said that you hated the notch XD maybe the money you paid on extra is worth it, for you to have an interruption-free menu bar user experience.
Late 2015 MB Air...Same look as the M1 air...SD card slot, external monitor slot, 2 USB ports,...Magsafe...13" screen why would I pay $1200 for a backwards M1 or M2? Speed...does fine for me in everything. Sharper screen...yes, only reason I would purchase an M2 but I won't until Apple makes a better laptop like the Pro for under a grand. My 2015 also outputs to 4K...LOL.
My 2014 MBA really is still trucking along quite well it’s remarkable. I finally got a new one with an incoming M2 upgraded to a 1tb drive but yeah this old one has been incredibly reliable.
You might want to update your benchmark slides. There is no “M2 Pro” chip out yet. I assume that is meant to be the “M2 MBP 13”. That will likely just confuse general consumers. Cheers.
Hi I am going to study computer science in University and will be coding alot, Do you think an M2 air with 8gb RAM 512gb storage will be good for coding for all 4 years of my University? And will I run into software limitations coding on m2? Thank you
it's horrible that you offer people to use third party chargers. do NOT use third party chargers if you love your devices and want it to be durable. ANY device, not just apple. don't know about these licenced ones, only used original adapters for all my apple devices and I have an ipad still in very good condition for 9 years, first iphone with silver and black back, iphone 5s, iphone X which still works just fine, only slowed down after all these years, understandably. briefly, 30w single port adapter is as good as 35w dual and 67w single adapter. do not waste the money you invested in the computer and use original. you do not need dual anyway, it's divided performance and buy 30w standard. charge your phone with another charger if you're home, use your macbook as power bank if you need to charge outside and not carrying your charger around.
Did apple confirm that just the base 256gb of storage 1199 model has the 1 nand chip, or are they saying that all versions with 256GB has the slow SSD? If you buy the upgraded GPU one with 256GB of storage, will it also only have 1 nand chip?
the review on color of laptop and finger prints is just bizzare. very low class comment. OF COURSE WHEN YOU HAVE A SILVER CASING FINGER PRINT IS BARELY NOTICEABLE. THE COLOR SHADE OF FINGER OIL AND ALLLUMINUM SIMPLY BLEND!
Is the 256GB base mode safe for a student using this for base apps (like excel or word) and browsing the web, productivity etc? The upgrade in Europe is 256€ more expensive…
I'm a student as well and i got the 256gb. I figured i dont need the extra space since i only download the necessary apps (chrome, zoom, office, ) dont use my laptop to store pics/vids and most of my notes or sch materials are online/online drives. I did get the 16gb ram tho since i multitask and open 40+ apps when dg research /writing papers
Do we miss the wedge-shape? Or is the squared off design a winner?
the wedge was kinda iconic but we are open to change 🤠
I kinda like them both!
Can u please start using kg too?
The squared off design ISSA winner 🏆🏆🏆
If it allows the M2 Air to have a larger battery and not be as stabby when holding certain ways.. than yes it's better 🥰
Does 8 gigs of RAM feel enough these days? I’d prefer 16, but when upgrading to 16 and a 512 GB SSD it’s such an increase that you might as well go for the 14 inch Pro with M1 Pro
in windows probably not but in mac os probably good enough for most
In macOS 8GB is plenty for 99% of people.
Does it *feel* enough these days? Yes, because of SWAP. It's not uncommon to use at least 1GB of SWAP doing normal tasks. If you want better performance or you're doing something using multiple GB of SWAP, you should get 16GB.
I have a 2020 Intel MacBook Pro with 8GB of RAM and I notice no stutter/constant refreshes or anything that makes me think that more RAM would be helpful
@@thor.mukbang but isn't the SSD slower if u get 256 GB of storage? That would degrade swap performance
The Apple M1 MacBook Air sounded remarkably better comparatively to the M2 MacBook Air in the sound test in my opinion.
agreed and the new macbook pro models have grossly exaggerated bass
definitely some cost cutting done right there
The fact that Apple not only decided to stick with 256GB as the entry storage, but is in fact SLOWER storage than the previous model is absurd. It should at the very least have a note on their website specifying these details.
I've had 128gb of storage before if you just do internet browsing and writing on it then even 128gb is plenty. 90% of people only use these for browsing so 256gb is more than enough.
It DOES say that on the site.
@@MB-jz3uu If 90% are using it for browsing, why bother get a laptop. Just get a tablet.
@@thanhclips some people still prefer the clamshell form factor. (Personally I love the Surface Pro 8 form factor for just casual things)
the fact people are complaining about apple having a base 256GB is absurd when laptops of this range are still coming with 128GB entry storage. now the speed downgrade is ridiculous considering its 200 dollars more for what feels like 150 max in improvements.
Dan: “The notch is crowding out all my menu bar apps!”
Also Dan: “I seem to get less battery life than my colleagues for some reason”
🤔🤔🤔
Also Chrome.
I used the M1 air for a year as my main work computer, as a graphic designer. I got absolutely blown away by its performance with photoshop, illustrator and simple animations and video editing in after effects. I just recently switched to the M1 pro, which is far superior, but I still recommend the M1 base model for anyone who's in need of a good all around computer and portability, specially to those who live outside the US/EU, where prices are really an issue. These machines are extremely capable in such a small form factor. of course, the ports are still an issue, specially when you, like me, have to constantly use external hard drives, Wacom tablets etc, but nothing that a dongle won't solve (and it really is no big deal to carry one with you). if the M2 air screen is the same used in the M1 Pro, its so worth the extra price on top of the M1 air. I really don't mind the notch at all and the only program I had "issues" with was cinema 4D, but that's something you probably wouldn't use on an air model.
PS my experience was with a base model M1 air (8gb ram, 256gb ssd)
The M2 Air doesn't have the same display as the 14 and 16 inch laptops, it's not MiniLED. However it IS brighter and bigger than the M1 Air
@@menjivarTv And it's not Pro Motion (no 120Hz), basically, it's barely better than its predecessor, you only gain the extra space around the notch.
Im going to be using a program that says it uses 2gb of ram, no video editing or gaming just browsing and youtube with that program in the background. Would you recommend base model 8gb/256?
@@oozehag2790 Sure any base model, M1 MBA or M2 MBA will be far more than enough for this kind of usage.
One NAND… I was on the trajectory to buy the base model of all the airs… I am out. Sticking to my M1 … Apple see you at M3 …
1 NAND Again 🤔 yeah I'm out
How do they know if they only received a 512gb model
@@MB-jz3uu Its in the video. they asked apple and the response was it was only one nand.
@@MB-jz3uu They asked Apple as stated in the video and the MBP with M2 has the same single NAND setup in the base model.
M1 Speakers sound better and more balanced, though not as loud as the M2 speakers, at least with your microphone configuration. I work as an audio engineer and am listening to this video on studio headphones.
I would agree. although i listened to this video through some basic speakers. The M1 sounds alot nicer.
I can only consider the base model. Seems like the faster speed of the M2 over the M1 chip is cancelled out by the slower SSD. Aside from Magsafe, I dont really need any of the new features. I want to upgrade from my 2014 air, so will go M1 air base and save a bunch.
The M1 seemes to have better sounding speakers than M2? I have an M1 Air and its incredible.
The
@@ibrokhim13 Th
Totally disagree, the Air is perfectly capable for coding. I used the M1 8gb for more than a year. I'm a iOS developer and the codebase I work is huge and the performance is a lot better than the previous i9 32gb I had.
What about for developing outside of apple code? Honest question from embedded cpp engineer.
@@sparkequinox currently using M1 Air for some web dev, 8gb is definitely not enough (webpack alone eats a hefty 4gb)
@@undrfined thanks good to know. It's nice to sometimes code on something mobile when stuck with debugging, but definitely needs to cope with it. I think M Chips need another few years before the reasonably priced ones become more reasonable.
Were you paid to write this or something? 8GB of RAM with Xcode lol.. seems like you are just used to the delay while your computer uses swap all the time.
@@sparkequinox I use it for front-end work. If you use Vite and don't use Docker in your machine it should be fine.
4:10 M1 Air's speakers sound better to me in this comparison, slightly more bass than the M2 Air.
Yes, the M2 sounded tinny to me. Better when he showed the webcam clip.
m1 aire already had sucky speakers.... sigh. my 12" macbook have such good speaker thats why i returned the m1 air and probly skp the m2 air.... util they put in speakers as good or better than my 2017 12" macbook.
yea i found them completely tinny sounding, not quite sure what they were talking about when saying it sounded better.
@@fdsaffff I also just upgraded to the M1 MacBook Air from the 12 inch MacBook and I was shocked at how much worse the speakers were on the M1. The volume is so low that I need to use AirPods when watching media on it. I’m even more surprised that none of these so-called ‘tech reviews’ ever mention these real world issues that can have a massive effect on peoples purchase decisions. It’s always “best in class speakers” like that’s supposed to mean anything.
@@shehryar69 these light laptops the speakers is everything, cause we use it to watch media... good loud sound is more important than anything. 12" mac sound blowns everything away, even the newest most expensive mac.
not to mention it's a lb or more lighter than all
I have always loved The Verge and I continue to be happy with all of the reviews you guys put out. Even after Dieter's departure I am glad everything still feels the same even after a legacy member leaving, Keep up the great work guys!
DIETER LEFT???!!!!?
Ik i haven’t watched verge’s reviews in some time but this is shocking
@@akshitsharma474 yeah, he made like a going away video it was sad but they found some good people to replace him
Kudos for a very professional, fast paced (but full of useful info) tech review. You did mention the throttling and slower SSD (on the base model) but without the drama and in context of the intended uses of this machine. Best review out there, Dan. Thanks!
Well if you spec the air to 16gb and 512gb the difference to the 14 is only 200€. And for that you get much more performance. But its also bigger and heavier. Also I need two displays so that’s a whole other reason.
Nice to see Dan doing mainline reviews again. Do more please!
Starts at €1500 for the 256GB model here in Germany. What a joke
In Brazil is way way worse! 60% taxes plus the Apple profit margin! It’s ridiculous
Schon mal den derzeitigen €/$ Kurs beobachtet? Dann weißt du warum der Preis so hoch ist
Oof. I am not impressed. Turns out Linus from LTT was right when he said that Apple had a problem with the M1 MacBook Air, that problem being that it’s going to be really hard for Apple to top it.
That price hike is really steep for what is still an 8/256 configuration. I can’t see myself recommending this thing to anyone when the M1 MacBook Air and the M1 Pro MacBook Pro still are in the line up.
I just love the new rounded corners of the screen that match the rounded corners of the chassis, it is a much needed detail
I'd been waiting for the M2 for nearly a year, but when it did launch the price difference between the 512Gb M2 and the 512GB M1 was nearly ₹40k to ₹50k🥲($600). Realized the upgrades aren't worth that much and just bought the M1 lol.
I am a programmer and mainly my work includes app and web development, some projects and college work . Is 8+256 version of M2 sufficient? Or will i face any problems?
@Vidit Mathur same dilemma as you tbh. Pple usually assured me tt the base model (8Gb/256) is good and sufficient enough...
@Vidit Mathur if you are not doing intensive work for longer durations, the m2 air is what u will be looking at; otherwise, the m1 pro is the way to go.
@@sourav7162 It’s my working laptop. I usually work on Google Sheets & other web based tools
I use two user profiles on my M1. One personal - mainly multiple chrome tabs and other programs, and the other hosts work - VS Code, node server, a lot of chrome tabs, skype meetings, all running at the same time. It honestly breezes through everything no hiccups whatsoever.
Just got to say that I have had the M1 Macbook Pro for about a year now and have been absolutely blown away by the performance. It has never struggled to do anything. Future of computers is Apple.
Is it the 13 or 14” that you’ve ?
I have m1 macbook air, and I feel like the sound quality has definitely dropped on the m2 mac air.
You sound like someone who can't afford the M2 macbook air.
@@dnajournal4321 there’s literally no need for the M2 if you have the M1. stop projecting your poverty broke ah 🤣
@@LastForeverUno yep what a clown!
have you use M2 air,then how you know sound quality is drop.don't spread rumours
That speaker comparison was mind blowing for an edit!
A 1200 computer is good for writing term papers.... Good to know 😂
if this was an intel MacBook, it would likely be on fire at this point. the fact that apple can put an m2 in a laptop without a proper heatsink or fan is just mind-blowing and its crazy to think that it can be more powerful than the m1 air even when it is throttled. I also don't understand how something so thin can last so long on battery. sure it drawing almost no power on basic tasks but this type of performance and battery life combination with a silent design was undreamt of before the m series of chips, even over in windows land you cant get this performance, battery life and quietness that you can with the m2 air.
Just shut up. Everything is hard for you to believe.
4:19 m1 air sounds better
QUESTION - MacBook vs iPad for video editing and notes taking for study.
I rather opt to drop the camera completely in exchange for a complete display without notch.
This guy asking for USB A on a very thin laptop and he is called a tech expert....
To this day I still only own like two products that are USB-C and one of them is a macbook. USB-A is still very relevant.
@@hacob2004 just buy a usb c to usb a
Excellent review, you hit it right on the nail, no hype, no doomsday, just the facts to help people making up their minds if they are on the fence
The performance graphs says M2 pro, but that's not released yet?
For what you get, in term of price tag, I would definitely go with the 2020 model and add 16gb + 512gb storage (if not 1tb) directly through the official Apple Refurb Store
I can’t believe how my 2yo MBA is still so performant after all this time for my mid-heavy professional usage.
I actually feel 8gb ram is limiting with my m1 mba and I feel great need to upgrade it to 16gb . Even on work laptop which is M1 pro MBP , 16gb ram feels insufficient sometimes but I can understand that is due to apps like excel which are not tuned properly for macs
im really confused macbook m2 air (10 core gpu )or macbook pro m1 2021 (base model)
Mini LED, pay a lot for it? If you spec the M2 Air with 16Gb and 512GB of storage then difference, especially considering you can find the base 14" on sale at many retailers, is very minimal considering you get more ports, faster ports, and SD card slot, more GPU cores, better speakers (as you note) then the larger pro-motion mini LED screen. I LOVE the look and size of this laptop but considering 16/512 is really the minimum needed if you plan to keep it for more than a year the 14" Base makes much more sense.
I was skeptical that Apple could justify a $200 price bump when they announced the M2 Air and I'm still skeptical now that reviews are out. For instance, the review only measured 434 nits of peak brightness and that's a very poor showing from the spec sheet which says it has a 500 nit display. It also only has 64 more vertical pixels that typically only shows menu bar information. Does that matter? It's hard to say the additional speakers matter when Apple already has the best laptop speakers on the market. A 1080p webcam is a nice value add, but nobody else is going to care about your webcam quality when zoom and teams compress it to hell anyway. Once again, Magsafe is a nice addition as it opens up a usb c port, but you'll still need a dongle to connect all your other peripherals and it's a cable with only a single purpose, Charging. No data transfer can occur over Magsafe. Then there's the M2 chip which seems to have most of its improvement in the GPU. I guess it makes sense that combining all the above would incur a price increase, it just doesn't add up for me.
The price of a product is however not determined by its amount of new features or even their perceived worthiness directly. It's widely known that, broadly, market prices are dependent on the interaction between demand and supply in the market. As its predecessor, the MacBook Air M1, proved to be wildly popular (demand ↗) and as most tech companies are still dealing with the effects of large shortages of electronics chips (supply ↘︎), I don't really find it that surprising myself why Apple now has decided that these circumstances warrant a price increase.
@@pieterdepauw6599 THIS
@@pieterdepauw6599 interesting point!🤔
400 euros more and I can get 14” Pro with much better screen and faster CPU. Yes, it’s not as thin and light but that HDR screen worth it.
Plus you have hdmi and sd card support!
That's all subjective. It's still 400. The screen, port and power aren't worth it unless you absolutely need it and most don't.
@@jamesloll3230 The screen on the 14" definitely costs more than an extra 400 euro.
14 pro has faster processor (more performance cores), better screen, better speakers, faster storage.
I was holding out for the m2 air but the price difference between the 16/512 air to the baseline 14 (on sale) was too small. I got the 14 pro and I’m glad I did
@@LastForeverUno yes… but it is also a significantly better computer for the price when you consider how weakened the base model storage is with 8gb of RAM
omg the speakers are really bad
6:20 you can choose to make the notch invisible on macOs now on macOS vantura.
I thought I could buy 16 gig model of the air- but if I have to get 16 gig with 512 gig, might as well get the M2 pro when it comes out. I guess I’ll keep using my 2016 intel MacBook Pro till we get M2 Pros.
M2 Pro might also increase in price from M1 Pro. If that is the case, maybe just buying the M1 Pro now might be a better choice :P
Depending what you do, 16GB is overkill on M chips vs Intel. I have 8GB base M1 Air I got after selling a 24gb Thinkpad while waiting for the M1Pro to come out, and found I didn't need to upgrade as it's been doing everything I need without any hiccup - 4K drone video editing, photo editing and typical work.
Really tempted to get this but….. 60Hz. I don’t need the power of the 14” as I only occasionally do video edits for fun and not for work or anything but the one thing that I really don’t like about this design is the 60Hz screen. I am so used to high refresh rate screens that every time I use a 60Hz screen it just looks terrible to me. I don’t think I want to spend $3000+ NZD on a laptop that has a 60Hz screen. It’s a bummer. I don’t want to upgrade to the 14” either because it’s more expensive and bigger/heavier. I just don’t need it and I would prefer the lightweight design of the Air. Oh well, no new laptop for me.
Such a nice explaination.. really enjoyed
PLEASE tell me what the calendar app you have on your menu bar is
Sneaking towards the 3:2 surface laptop ratio, thankfully. A little more square is wonderful for a laptop form factor.
As an aside, I appreciate the total black background on the talking head shots. Really sharp looking
Eh, I’m a software engineer. My employer gave me a base model M1 Air. It’s fantastic for coding. I’d imagine the M2 Air is great, too. Only draw back is that I can only use 1 external monitor.
If you’re a mobile dev and you’re running several mobile simulators or you’re compiling a toooooooon of code, then maybe an M1 Max is justified
How many emulators M1 can run at the same time ??
@@pranjalrajput2886 I don’t run more than 2: iPhone 8 and iPhone 12 Pro. Chrome dev tools gives me an accurate profile of how my web app works on mobile chrome. I’m not making mobile native apps. I just check to see if it works on a mobile browser. People making native mobile would probably fair better with a Pro or Max model MacBook
Do you think the m2 air 16/512 would be good for a comp sci major for all of college? Thxs
I guess for Americans is not a concern but Apple used to have the same price policy in the US, UK and EU. Now the M1 Air is above 1200€ and the new M2 is on 1500€ in the EU which is huge bummer.
I forgot about the notch and the apps that live in the menu bar. I can fill up the menu bar on my 13" MacBook Air.
Once again Macbooks look good and are desirable! Makes Windows laptop again feel old, bulky and slow.
All Windows laptops are bulky and slow 🤣
I am switching from windows to Mac. What should I buy M1 air or M2 air. Considering, my budget is low
they missed the oppurtunity to put in a FACE ID
Another BIG FAIL from Apple.. But obviously, we won't see reviewers talking about it apart from a few honest ones. A 1300$ laptop with a ridiculous notch and a super slow SSD... 🤮
WOW You are good! I am going to get Mac Mac Air, but am confused about ports. Currently have a MacBook Pro 13. My auxiliary hard drive has a regular USB cable. And I have one regular flash drive. How do I handle this , when there is two Thunderbolts. And the new Mac Air charger has the two USB-c ports. Boy, I sure hope you answer this because I am really confused.
M1 all the way.
Nothing pleases you guys! If you have the Bessel on the top you’ll complain it’s too big and if the notch is there you’ll complain you don’t like the notch lol f😅
I love the design.
You should be giving MaxTech credit for discovery of the nand chip issue before reporting on it.
Who cares?
@@moriyokiri3229 Who cares about the issue, or who cares about them not giving credit to the source who discovered it?
But, but, but…. It doesn’t say MacBook Air anywhere on it… that’s a deal breaker… 🤣 (just kidding)….🤣
Does it support two displays in clamshell mode at least?
it always grind my gears when reviewers didn't mention that M2 Air have 10bit display vs M2 MBPro's 8bit
i did not know it had 10 bit display. is there a noticeable difference?
it is not a 10-bit display. it's not even mini-led like the 14 and 16-inch models. It's just a SLIGHTLY better screen than the M1 Air.
@@zainscooby it has support for 1 billion colors vs 16,777,216 colors on 8bit
None of the videos I've watched show the MBA M1 and M2 side by side - I mean touching each other. That way we could really see the if the increased screen size is much better.
Did Chesa Boudin get a new job???
Nice review and conclusion. Thanks!
Sorry Monica is sick, but she wasn't missed. Dieter, however, was. Seeing Apple products reviewed on The Verge by anyone but Dieter or Nilay is just wrong.
Pls, don't bring Monica back
Thanks for a great review! I have a MacBook Pro from 2017! I really want a new MacBook Air. I don't use it for heavy stuff, just a bit a of photo and video editing every now and then. Also editing podcast. But other than that just using Word and surfing the net. And Netflix. My biggest concern is it getting warm! Do you think this will be a problem for me? :)
Would love 8 vs 16 GB and 256 vs 512 GB comparisons ! Is the upgrade worth it :?
get 8gb ram and 512gb storage for light tasks, but if you are going to do some heavy work then 16gb ram might be the way to go
I miss @backlon
I’m coming from a 2016 13inch MBP 256GB so this is a huge upgrade for me. I got the upgraded processor and 16GB ram with the 256GB SSD. I rarely read or write large files or store excessive amounts of data on device. After 5 years I’m only using about 60GB of my 256GB SSD, with all critical files saved locally and to OneDrive.
I don’t mind that the 256GB SSD is slower than the M1 (probably) or slower than the M2’s 512, because it’s still a good upgrade for me coming from an older device.
You should change it to the 8GB Ram and 512GB ssd, it'll be faster overall. You need about 1/2 RAM on M vs Intel, plus the new OSX architecture will use swap no matter how much Ram you have, so the SSD speed will always be the bottleneck.
@@MihneaStoian that’s not how I work. Again it’s a major upgrade overall for me. My current late 2016 13inch MBP read/write is 2000mbs/1350mbs. It isn’t that big of a difference based on what I’m upgrading from. And like I said I don’t work with large files, videos, photos, or programs that need the fastest possible SSD speeds.
I too am coming from a 2016 MB Pro. I went for 16gb RAM and the 512 SSD. I do use Lightroom but I guess I have 14days to decide if this is right or not 😅. If not I'll just get the 14" MB Pro
2017 base still works fine for me
@@mistahozzy oh? That cant be said abt mine :'' My 2017 base is super laggy and keeps crashing (when i try to download stuff, connect to external display etc). Doesn't help tt the external speakers is not working anymore too :(
@Verge
I want to know, how many NAND chips will be there in a 10 Core GPU model with 256 GiG Storage ??
I think the real competitor currently is the 14-inch MacBook Pro M1. Configured with 16GB/512GB, the price difference in Germany is only 170€.
If you need more than 1 display > 14-inch MBP.
If you need more than 24GB RAM > 14-inch MBP.
If you need a fan, because export videos frequently > 14-inch MBP.
wow, that's pretty close - here it's $350, almost $400 after tax (Canada)
@@MihneaStoian no, it's 500, right?
great job Dan, don't be shy reviewing another video as good as Monica's
If you upgrade from a Mac older than M1, better to jump to this machine than MBA M1. It's hard to resist the return of MagSafe, new color options, better camera and audio, and new design. Not to mention the longevity issue as we still don't know when MBA M1 will not be supported by Apple. In the case of 2013 MBA (like mine), it didn't have the latest OS since last year, that means 8 years. Based on this scenario, if you get 2022 MBA you would have 2 additional years than the M1. But, if your concern is budget or you're a classic design lover, the M1 version is still a very good choice.
Great video! The person in the video made me think of the super dad from Incredibles 😁
I think the 1 NAND chip base model was a poor choice by Apple. If they really really want, they could make this a running change. Other than that, I love the new design!
Verge aint same without Dieter.
I wish you don't force what you don't like on a product to audience.
Air is a consumer product. If you want to do "pro" work, please use the pro line up. Easy.
i would not recommend 8GB of RAM to a single person besides perhaps my 70 year old grandma who would almost never use the computer and would only have one tab open at a time.
it is way too easy and frequent for macOS to dip into memory swap which will age your SSD at a significantly faster rate and dip performance. That’s with TODAYS OS and applications. It only going to get worse as time goes on.
Do not buy 8GB of RAM
base recommended config for anyone would be 16GB RAM 512GB SSD.
lower config is only for people who simply cannot afford the above recommendation
Did anyone else think the M1 speakers sounded better?
6 years after the introduction of USB-C still wanting some USB-A? Really? What about a VGA port?
something wrong with this video .... it has tone od noise on the picture and the color is far away from correct
434 nits. Then how can Apple say it's 500 nits?
As someone who paid I think $5,600 for a Mac IIfx. An extra 200-400 dollars doesn't seem like much. (Edit: 5,600 translates to about in $9,600 2022)
Another reviewer got 452 nits. Can you round up to 500 :)
Really love the video. I have a question still - given I am editing a video in 4k, how long of a project do you think would the macbook air be able to sustain consistent speeds before the CPU or GPU throttles? (I do not plan on editing anything over 10 minutes long)
Thanks The Verge for assuring us M1 Air 2020 owners that ours is still A GREAT MACHINE. And that upgrading is not necessary unless you have the extra cash for a purchase. M1 Air 2020 is great still!
If you could only choose 1 what would be better to upgrade? Get the 16bg Ram or 512 ssd?
Upgrade the Ram‼️It will be more beneficial in the long run, and you do not have the option of upgrading it later as you do with the ssd.
You can get a base-model 14" MacBook Pro w/ M1 Pro for $50-100 more than an equivalently-specced (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) M2 MacBook Air.
its odd pricing this year
No usb-a please 🙁 that thing should’ve been killed off far too long ago, somehow manufacturers wouldn’t let that happen.
9:16 not true, you just said that you hated the notch XD maybe the money you paid on extra is worth it, for you to have an interruption-free menu bar user experience.
So I suggest you wear a glove everytime you're using it.
Late 2015 MB Air...Same look as the M1 air...SD card slot, external monitor slot, 2 USB ports,...Magsafe...13" screen why would I pay $1200 for a backwards M1 or M2? Speed...does fine for me in everything. Sharper screen...yes, only reason I would purchase an M2 but I won't until Apple makes a better laptop like the Pro for under a grand. My 2015 also outputs to 4K...LOL.
My 2014 MBA really is still trucking along quite well it’s remarkable. I finally got a new one with an incoming M2 upgraded to a 1tb drive but yeah this old one has been incredibly reliable.
pff it's what a negative review. M1 review was more well done.
why does this video has this much noise?
Not worth upgrading from my loaded M1 MBA… I’ll go 14” MBP if I upgrade, but realistically not for a year or two.
You might want to update your benchmark slides. There is no “M2 Pro” chip out yet. I assume that is meant to be the “M2 MBP 13”. That will likely just confuse general consumers. Cheers.
Does anyone know what track plays at around 7mins?
The M1/M2 Air is completely fine for coding.
Hi I am going to study computer science in University and will be coding alot,
Do you think an M2 air with 8gb RAM 512gb storage will be good for coding for all 4 years of my University?
And will I run into software limitations coding on m2?
Thank you
@@areebsuhailjunaid if you're planning to use it for another 4 yrs, just get the 16gb RAM
16gb and 512gb makes it futureproof
The only issues you'll find are when building and running device simulators. 16gb ram usually solves that.
thank you for advising,
Will aim for the 16gb model then🤩
it's horrible that you offer people to use third party chargers. do NOT use third party chargers if you love your devices and want it to be durable. ANY device, not just apple. don't know about these licenced ones, only used original adapters for all my apple devices and I have an ipad still in very good condition for 9 years, first iphone with silver and black back, iphone 5s, iphone X which still works just fine, only slowed down after all these years, understandably. briefly, 30w single port adapter is as good as 35w dual and 67w single adapter. do not waste the money you invested in the computer and use original. you do not need dual anyway, it's divided performance and buy 30w standard. charge your phone with another charger if you're home, use your macbook as power bank if you need to charge outside and not carrying your charger around.
Did apple confirm that just the base 256gb of storage 1199 model has the 1 nand chip, or are they saying that all versions with 256GB has the slow SSD? If you buy the upgraded GPU one with 256GB of storage, will it also only have 1 nand chip?
Yea only 1 nand on base model
Only 512gb and up have 2 nand chips
the review on color of laptop and finger prints is just bizzare. very low class comment. OF COURSE WHEN YOU HAVE A SILVER CASING FINGER PRINT IS BARELY NOTICEABLE. THE COLOR SHADE OF FINGER OIL AND ALLLUMINUM SIMPLY BLEND!
Is the 256GB base mode safe for a student using this for base apps (like excel or word) and browsing the web, productivity etc?
The upgrade in Europe is 256€ more expensive…
I'm a student as well and i got the 256gb. I figured i dont need the extra space since i only download the necessary apps (chrome, zoom, office, ) dont use my laptop to store pics/vids and most of my notes or sch materials are online/online drives.
I did get the 16gb ram tho since i multitask and open 40+ apps when dg research /writing papers