M2 MacBook Air vs 14" MacBook Pro - Prepare to be SHOCKED!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 มิ.ย. 2024
- How much Faster is the 14" M1 Pro MacBook Pro? Sometimes 2x Faster but other times the same, see for your own use case:
Buy the 14" MacBook Pro for only $1800 on sale on Amazon! ➡ geni.us/sn7vz
TG Fan Pro Software: a.paddle.com/v2/click/114/297...
NEW M2 Chip Shirt (20% OFF with M2CHIP Code): max-tech-store.creator-spring...
Like our wallpapers? Download them here ➡ bit.ly/2WNc6Qw
Best deals on M1 Macs on Amazon ⬇️
NEW M2 MacBook Air ➡ geni.us/UlLRm5
14" MacBook Pro 2021 ➡ geni.us/qYardlV
M1 MacBook Air ($850 SALE) ➡ geni.us/1mJ41T
If you enjoyed this video, please subscribe to help us reach 1 million subscribers before the end of the year! We would greatly appreciate it!
In this video, we compare EVERYTHING between the M2 MacBook Air and the 14" M1 Pro MacBook Pro to find out what you sacrifice by going with the cheaper Pro, including the specs, design, speakers, microphones, cameras, displays, SSDs, benchmarks and real-world performance tests.
Timestamps ⬇️
M2 MacBook Air vs 14" MacBook Pro - 00:00
Design Differences - 01:06
Speaker Comparison - 02:30
Webcam & Mic Comparison - 03:27
Display Comparison - 03:51
Geekbench 5 CPU Test - 05:11
Web Browsing Performance - 06:27
Blackmagic SSD Speed Test - 06:40
Logic Pro Music Production - 07:27
Xcode Programming Test - 07:56
Cinebench R23 & Thermals - 08:51
Geekbench 5 Metal Graphics - 13:00
Blender 3D Rendering - 15:49
Photoshop HDR Editing - 16:37
Lightroom Classic Photo Editing - 17:13
4K HEVC Video Editing - 17:58
4K ProRes Raw Video Editing - 19:15
Canon C200 RAW Editing - 21:48
Battery Life Difference - 22:59
Is the 14" Worth the Upgrade? - 23:54
Xcode Benchmark built for Max Tech by Maxim Eremenko ➡ github.com/devMEremenko/Xcode...
WeTest PerfDog is what we use to test FPS. Full mobile platform performance test and analysis tool: www.wetest.net/?...
Max Tech Wallpapers ➡ bit.ly/2WNc6Qw
Buy one of our NEW T-Shirts to help support us! ➡ max-tech-store.creator-spring...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shop on Amazon ➡ geni.us/wB2mWqd
Shop on B&H ➡ bhpho.to/2kfoI34
Shop on Adorama ➡ bit.ly/2R7qezq
10% off unlimited yearly music licensing on Soundstripe (what I use for all my videos) use coupon code "Max" here: soundstripe.grsm.io/e/6lv
Shot with (Amazon) ➡ geni.us/XE0r
Lens (B&H) ➡ bhpho.to/2DZerxL
Mic (Amazon)➡ geni.us/83CN3V5
If you enjoy our content please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $2 a month helps us make more and better content for you!
/ maxyuryev
~-~~-~~~-~~-~
PRIVACY POLICY and FULL DISCLOSURE:
°Max Tech is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com
°Max Tech is a participant in the B&H Photo Video affiliate program that provides an advertising commission if you purchase through our links.
°If you purchase something from our affiliate links will get a small commission with no extra cost to you. This makes it possible for us to make more videos. Thank you!
°We DO NOT collect, store, use, or share any data about you.
~-~~-~~~-~~-~ - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
I’m torn… For the difference in price the 14” seems like a no brainer considering the much better screen, speakers, ports, performance and longevity…YET… I still somehow find myself contemplating the Air due to its light weight, portability, still really good performance, better battery life etc. This is a classic case of making a decision with either your head (14” Pro) or your heart (M2 MBA)… Arrrghhh!!!!
Had the 14 since November. If you never touch an Air, you would never know the difference. The performance is going to be MUCH better…and while it may weigh more, it’s a quality product satisfying weight…. It really is a no brainer. The only reason someone would buy the air is for a “thin” laptop. Any real user, even just a hardcore multitasker (which most non-pros are these days anyway), 14 is the way to go….
If you don't need to run 30+ min demanding tasks all the time and like to move around carrying your laptop with one hand then M2 MBA 16MB/512MB is good choice I think. I have 14" and M1 MBA base model and I usually pick up the MBA. I have ordered M2 MBA 16/512 to spec up the MBA and make it even more compelling!
I was aiming for the M2 Air over the M1 Pro 14'' because I'm not a power user. But the better screen and especially way better sound has made me flip to the M1 14''. In this case I will loose a little on web browsing, but that's about it.
Whichever model I choose, it's for daily use at home, not for toting around unless I travel somewhere so I won't feel the weight diference.
Okay, the 14'' costs a little more, but for that I get more screen real estate, better contrast, more light, more ppi, very good sound, and no throttling. I can live with that. :0)
However, I have had and will have som crazy expenses this summer, so "Operation Air or Pro" is postponed. Still working from my (almost) indestructable 13'' MBP Mid 2010. Just gave "Old Faithfull" a replacement fan for his 12th birthday.
The answer is simple: do you need regularly the extra power? Do you notice the 120 Hz? If you answer is yes to both: the 14 MBP.
I have a 120 Hz S22 Ultra and a 120 Hz SP8 and for me it's impossible to go back to 60 Hz screens...
I've been thinking the same thing lately. Once you upgrade the ram and SSD to match the base model 14" Pro there's not a lot of difference in price, but the 14" has better screen, sound and ports. It does make more logical sense to go for the 14". However, the most demanding work I do on my current 15" 2015 MBP is Indesign, Illustrator, occasional photoshop and RemotePC sessions if I work from home with a single external monitor (although, I can't see that I'll be doing that again for a long time). Otherwise, it's Lightroom Classic for my personal work, and I don't care about raw export times, only how responsive it is. If the M2 Air had an SD card slot, I'd be quite happy using that instead (for photos and my iTunes library lives on an SD card. Although, using a USBC hub with SD card slot and other ports isn't exactly the end of the world!
I do believe this is the best way to approach these two lines. The Air should be significantly lighter and thinner, whereas the Pro should be significantly more powerful. For the last generation Apple homogenised the product line where they thought the Pro needed to be as thin as an Air, and while this was cool from a design point of view it meant you couldn't really get a truly powerful machine. It also made the Air feel redundant outside of being cheaper because the Pro was already so thin. But now, we're back to that clear distinction between product lines - and I think that's better as it gives consumer's a better choice for what they need exactly.
13 inch Macbook Pro: I'm a joke to You?
exactly
One important thing missing from your comment. Apple still markets the Air as some sort of jack of all trades laptop, without fully disclosing that the M1 or M2 chip in the Air will provide less performance than the Pro versions. Consumers see the same chip, rightfully assume the same performance. They can't have product differentiation if they refuse to acknowledge what seperates these products in the first place. They're heavily marketing the "performance" features of the MacBook Air rather than the overall thin and light nature. Don't believe me? Check their official website. Granted the marketing for the M2 has dropped the performance priority a notch or two compared to the M1 and focuses more on battery life, screen quality, color options etc.
@@ufukpolat3480 you can always go to an apple store and ask for advice. Also if you do a quick google search or if you really need a powerfull machine, big chances are that you are able to understand the differences when you see the cpu and gpu core differences. However, some sort of line up from least powerfull to most powerfull M-series chips would be helpfull for those who are confused by the M2 vs M1 pro/max naming
@@framedthunder6436 yes
This is the comparison I’ve been waiting for! Thank you!
Thank you so much boys! I literally commented to do this one on all your previous videos since launch and you've finally done it! Go boys and advance *_CONGRATS_* for the *1 MILLION* mark 💙! 🔥🔥🔥
I have to say that I really saw a difference in resolution between my 14 inch MacBook Pro and the 13 inch MacBook Pro. It’s not massive but if you look at them at the same time it’s noticeable
I'd probably be happy with either, but opted for the 14" MacBook Pro as I figure at these prices I will be holding onto this laptop for a long time. In 5+ years, after several macOS updates, the extra performance of the MBPro (especially the SSDs) will become more important.
This is just what I needed at this moment. Thank you🙏🏻 Helps me with my decision.
Love the choices... But better to see you guys explaining it!! , Would love one!
I was definitely expecting a more notable performance gap stepping up to the 14” pro! Thx for the review. Though now I’m even more unsure which is the better buy for me lol.
Had the same decision and ultimately went for 14 inch. Better screen, more ports, better speakers, much more powerful chips. Don’t regret my choice at all, the 14 is a beast
I got the 16 😁
Key thing is you can use more than 1 external monitor with the Pro
fully agreed, wise choice - I love my 16“ M1 Pro, its a fcking BEAST 🐲
@@ZahirSayed-vz1hd can you tell me, didn't the portability of 14 bother you. what made you take the decision to get 16 over 14 considering portability is worse with 16 comparitively
@@youarecorrectiamwrongbecau1338 portability will be a issue for a female with small hands i think but for a man its no problem. I upgraded from a old lenovo laptop which was bulky af so i am very happy with this machine. I used a 14” for a week before it but didn’t like the battery so i returned it and got the 16”. The speakers and battery are much better on 16”.
So glad you made this comparison. I’ve been thinking about upgrading to either one and this video helps a lot.
By far, the bessssst comp. video ever!! Congrats Max!! And thanks for this video!
Another great video, tempting me with the 14 MBP. I need to get over my FOMO and enjoy my new M2 MBA. It's more than enough machine for my occasional photo and video editing, and I love the size and weight.
As usual, a good comparison review. I really don’t need the power of either of these computers, but if I had to choose for long term, I would go with the M1 Pro because of a better display and better/more output ports (assuming I could afford the extra $250+ price difference).
Hey, thanks a lot! You are helping a lot of people with this.
Thanks for this! Was wondering how these two compare.
Wow thank you for all the comparison vids insane work!!
I'm in awe of your work dedication. You guys are working so hard with all these videos you're making. It's really commendable. Respect.
i was waiting for this. thanks
What a comparison! Thanks for sharing this ! Love it!
Wow, great video! I really don't like how the M2 MacBook Air jumps to 108⁰C so quickly. But I do like how it's fanless and very portable. I'll have to compare it to the 14" M1 MacBook Pro in the store.
I am making the decision about these two machines right now. One of the things you didn’t test is driving a high resolution monitor. My base spec M1 is choking a bit when also doing other tasks and charging. I’m guessing the charging is what’s putting it over the edge so MagSafe should help but it would be nice to do tests when driving at least a 4k monitor as, I’d guess many have as the basic work setup. Still, very helpful comparison. (BTW, what thermal camera do you use?)
Thanks for Xcode programming testing, It was really useful.
Thank you, this help so much I'm sure to share this with my friends about this video I'm so happy
For the battery usage you have to take into account that the pro has a bigger battery so 10% usage on both means that the pro used more power over the same amount of time under the same conditions. Which makes sense
Weight and battery life are most important to me. I’m deeply rooted in the pc world and my heavy duty tasks will be run on my Falcon Northwest desktop 64 ram high end everything. The Air will be for story writing, light music editing and hold my iTunes library. Great review!
These reviews are SO useful! Thanks!
Thanks for throwing in the Logic Pro test in. I needed to se this.
So I had the M2 Air specced up close to the 14 Pro, but eventually exchanged it for the 14 pro. I edit a lot of videos and the Air worked fine, but the screen was too small imo. I found myself leaning in towards the screen more so I could see what I was doing on the timeline, as opposed to the 14 Pro where I'm just comfortably sitting. And of course the 120hz and better sound. M2 Air is a beast for sure though. Just needed that extra screen realestate.
Got MBP 14" M1Pro for the same price of a MBA M2 512 Gb upgraded to 16 Gb RAM. No brainer. Very happy with the MBP 14". Made right decision. Thank you your test comparisons. They helped very much!
New one, right? from Best buy. Or did you get the refurbished one?
But, you are getting only the base model MBP
Hope there maybe M2 pro 14” gets
Released in September/October. Waiting for it. M1 Pro 14” is good choice if you can’t wait 👍🏼
@@yapchenpo95 Which is still better than an upgraded M2, so what's your point?
@@ShubhamGupta-qs7mp New one from Best Buy
The information you give is amazing
Definitely something to think about! Thanks for the videos! :)
Both are great machines. It really comes down to your needs and usage. I went with a 14" MBP for various reasons. One being all the ports. The SD card reader is so nice to have back and not needing some sort of dongle. I just needed more connectivity. Also, bigger/heavier is NOT an issue. I mean, we're talking about 1 pound? It's worth it to have all those ports. I do audio & video production and have yet to hear the fans come on. The MBA would be perfect for my wife.
I noticed the weight difference in the specs too. 0.8lb difference. Pretty negligible. Especially considering the 14" is considerably lighter than my 2015 15" MPB and my previous 2008 13" unibody Macbook, both of which rarely leave (or left) the house. Only my little 12" MacBook travels occasionally when I need to take something for things an iPad can't do.
@@gregedwards69 Thanks. I currently have a constantly-used 2015 MBP (13"), and prior to that the 2008 13". Mostly at-home machines. My 2015 speakers are shot, and battery is weak, so I am going to consider the 14" MBP M1.
@@gregedwards69 If you're travelling all day with it in your backpack, it makes a difference...
Don't you think, that it is most impressive, that such a small and fanless machine is able to provide such burst performance at all, despite the fact, that it is definitely not the way it is meant to be used as most portable machine? ... Most of the comparisons covers not real life usage for most of the use cases for an Air. - Aaaand the design is outstanding in this fancy, dark blue 😎
Huge help! Thanks man!
We asked and you delivered! You guys are the best! Almost a million subscribers now, I think you guys will reach that this week, congrats!
It’s the reason I got the 14” Pro. I know I could run logic and final cut on the M2…but at that price it makes more sense to upgrade.
Hey, how many tracks can you run in the 14” in logic?
I’m definitely going to go for the 14” MacBook Pro for the better speakers and display!
Thank you! I was patiently waiting for this ahah
Top video! Helped me decide to go with a refurbished M1 Pro 14".
I opted for the base 14". It's awesome. Was $1749 at best buy. Traded my 2018 ipad pro, an old ps4 pro 1tb, and an old nikon 3400 and got another $540 off! $1300 after taxes. Not a bad deal! No brainer at that point.
Why do you guys call it the 14 inch as a differentiator when both laptops are 14 inch
Won't it be easier and just plain smarter to refer to one as the Pro with the other as the Air
It's just so dumb and annoying to me tbh
Both are great. The biggest weakness in the M2 air is the display. Anything HDR related and/or photo editing / video editing or watching movies, no way around the 14 pro. If apple upgrades the display in the air, it will be a killer machine.
Very well done! This has made me change my decision on the M2 Mac Book Air and go for the 14" MBP.
Great comparison! Thank you
I haven't seen anyone test it yet with the M2 MBA, but I have the M1 MBA and when I'm using an external 4k monitor while plugged on the charger, it gets pretty hot, especially on the thunderbolt ports area, and usually throttles easier than when using only the built-in display. So I think it's something to keep in mind, if you use external monitors often the 14'' may be a better choice because it's cooler, supports more than one screen, and has an HDMI port.
That would be an interesting test, and add it using clamshell mode.
Id like to see this test, same happened for me on the mba m1….it also annihilates the battery with an external
I went with a 14” pro and I’m not disappointed! Sure it’s a little bit heavier, but the overall quality and performance is worth it imo, and it’s still super small and portable. They should have done a small fan and a better screen on the air especially for the increased price.
Hi, Max!! Very good comparison. Excellent work! Thank you very much!
This is the video ive been waiting for
Damn wow, it shows the performance gap between the two macs. i would say if you were to get 16GB 512GB MBA if best to consider taking base MBP...
Going for the 14” is definitely worth it if you don’t mind the extra size / weight. Even new, it’s only like $250 more when on sale which isn’t a whole lot more for a far more powerful laptop.
I got my map 14 yesterday and its the best decision ever.
@@itskayeds That’s real nice! I’m waiting to see how the M2 Pro chips perform, and how efficient they are. I hear some conflicting reports on whether it’ll be 5nm, or 3nm so I may end up waiting for the M3 Pro if the M2 Pro / Max are 5nm.
Yep. I love my 14 M1 Pro
I literally canceled my MBA order and got the MBP 14” since it’s only $1749 at Best Buy right now. Which is an insanely good value
Edit: it’s now even cheaper at $1699! Best Buy did a post-purchase price match for me and credited me the $50 difference :)
Should i wait for maybe an m2 Pro? (if They are going to make such thing that is)Im scared of buying a new laptop, only for a better model later Down the Line at the same Price.
Congrats, finally a very concise comparison.
This is the one I was waiting for!!
I’m glad to see this comparison! Hopefully this makes it clear to everyone that if you need a Pro machine, get a Pro machine. Thermal, SSD, whatever. It doesn’t matter. Nothing is going to make the Air perform like a Pro. If you want thin, light, and portable, especially for home tasks, get the Air. If you need heavy video editing, development, or other tasks that will *make you money* then you should get the Pro 14 or 16.
Well said. I'm tryna make money!
so you say as "basic user" you should get a overpriced M2 Air and for "more professional" stuff the M1 Pro which is at least partially worth its money?
If the M2 Air would be more affordable, sure it would be a nice computer "for anyone", but the ridicilous price tag just make the "old" M1 Air the better choice!
@@harrison00xXx I never said anything about "basic users". I said if you want "thin and light", the Air is your machine. I should probably add "quiet, long battery life, highly portable, etc." It's a great option for a home user or light professional use. The Pro machines are massive beasts of machines that are heavier, larger, and (relatively) louder. All of which is nothing if you're used to professional machines instead.
@@tears2040 in europe even 100$/€ (at least!) more overpriced than in US
@@harrison00xXx I would just say that it seems like it’s not worth it to upgrade the air to 16gb, if you are doing things that will take advantage of the extra ram and you need the extra storage just go with the pro at that point. But drop down to a base m2 air and all things considered it makes more sense at its base price rather than knocking on the pros door. Faster gpu, ssd, higher hz/resolution screen, more ports(including more external displays) all make the pro a no brainer at that price point.
Thx! This is what I wanted to see. The MBP 14 & 16 are the best piece of hardware i have ever seen! The display, speakers and extra ports plus additional performance at 10% more cost make it a really easy choice between them two. Now the upgraded M2 MBA is no slouch but I will def wait for the M2 MBP 14 and get that! Do you know when its coming out?
Same question
@@michaelstewart3315 yeah me too
Can’t wait
@Roberto Porcaro Noooo only March 23 WTF.... ;( That seems too long away you sure? I was thinking maybe around Sept/Oct 22. I dont care about the M2 Pro as much as I look forward to a refresh of everything else.
Thank, great review again. Was waiting for it.
This video helped me decide on the 14", and it's 3.5 lbs and small size still beats my 16" i9 MBP that i bought in March 2020, as far as portability goes. My 14" battery lasted almost 9 hours of normal use over the 1st two days that I owned it (allowed to sleep when not used, not plugged in), vs 5-6 hours I might see on my 16" i9 MBP. Having the fast SSD, mini-LED HDR display, and extra ports is just icing on the cake. Thanks!
I’m sure the M2A would have met my less-intense needs, but I don’t regret going for the 14” Pro. Thanks for this comparison!
Just for the extra ports, screen real estate, and extra 8GB RAM in the base model made the 14-inch M1 Pro worth it for me.
I feel.the same way
The Screen and Speakers are worth it alone.
@red pill, those were a huge factor for me, too.
thats why i was against in upgrading the m2 air. The more you upgrade it from the new price point the less value it has; which is what apple wanted. For only 250 more bucks you get a more capable machine by far.
If the cooling situation was feasible, they should have just put the M1 Pro in the new Air and 13" Pro models and done something different with M2.
Thanks for the review
You just proved what i thought! Thanks
As I suspected the 14" in my opinion is the one to go for. I chose that one as my upgrade from my late 2008 Unibody Macbook. It meets all my needs and then some. That's not to say the M2 Air is not a great option but given the Pro has better cooling and includes many more useful ports, I would suggest given the price difference that the Pro is the more practical option. If money were no object and I had a spare £1400 (hahahahahaha!!!) Then of course the Air would be great for college and small away journeys, due to its diminutive size and weight.
Great video and absolutely proved to me that my original choice of the 14" Pro was spot on! Thank you again for all your vids guys!
Too much money $2500 cad
I'm nearby. Need to choose the model as upgrade from MBP mid 2009. My first wish was the Air M2, but after I've seen an good Amazon Deal (130 Euro more) for MBP M1 Pro 16GB/1TB it was easy to decide.
THIS was the exact comparison I was waiting for! Thank you guys for always delivering the absolute best content, I love what you guys do. I don’t have a lot of money so I kind of rely on what you have to offer from your tests. I’m looking to transition in the next year from my Late 2011 13” MBP, and want to get the most out of my money so that this new machine can also last over 10 years, but on steroids.
If that is really what you want, I would go for a 14 inch in stead of a M2 air.
@@tjadejoh exactly, 100% for the 14” :)
I may also wait - hoping (and praying) that apple may release (as per the rumours) a new Pro 14” (alongside 16”) later this year/spring 2023. If so, it might be on 3nm chip process. If it’s not, and still built on the 2nd gen 5nm process, that’ll still be incredible in the Pros. I’m thinking my dream specs could be:
2nd gen. 14” Pro
10c/12c CPU (binned/un-binned)
16c/18c GPU (binned/un-binned)
24GB Unified Memory/“RAM”
1TB SSD
Thanks for the comparison!
Thanks for this comparison, Is good to get honest review
Prices are always different in Europe. That M2 Air costs almost 2000 EURO, exactly the same as the MBP 14" base model (brand new at a discount, NOT refurbished!). For me it was a no brainer, I'm writing this comment on the Pro :)
Where I'm from, the 14" MBP is €2200 from Apple, but I've seen it as low as €2009 in other stores
@@AzVfL yep. It’s actually 2350€ here, but it’s discounted at some major electronics department stores, down to 1996€
Considering it’s fanless and significantly thinner, less cores etc, the air did amazing in these tests.
For those that want the ultra portability with plenty of power, I think the air is a great choice
I agree with you, the M2 MacBook Air did a great job during those tests without having a fan to cool it a bit during long run. It is a very good general usage machine and can handle some short heavy workloads on demand.
and its 1100$ not 1600$, these videos try and make it seem like they are the same price one is 500$ cheaper, pretty damn similar performance wise, and like you said smaller
@@zach4hoff You're right, I've checked and the M1 Pro MacBook Pro 14" with 8-core CPU and 14-core GPU, 16Gb RAM and 512Gb SSD cost about 2253.8€. The M2 MacBook Air with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU, 16Gb RAM and 512Gb SSD cost about 1979€. So the difference in term of price is about 274.8€. I'm from Belgium so the delta between the two machine can be more or less depending on your country 😉Now, I still believe that people who wants to have lighter and finless machine will buy a M2 MacBook Air or even the M1 version.
Finally. The most interesting comparison. Thanks!
thanks for this one
I’d still question coding performance. I wish your benchmarks used other ides like vscode, pycharm, etc. I’d wager these are used more frequently than Xcode. Given I do zero coding in Xcode it’s useful though leaves me questioning how would my experience really vary.
Well, from my experience, IDEs and text editors are pretty much the same when coding if you have a powerful enough CPU and enough RAM. You wouldn't notice a difference unless compiling, that is why the xcode compilation test was used.
I have done coding in an Intel N4000 with 4GB of RAM, both Intellij Idea and VSCode. The limiting factor was the size of the project because of the RAM and compilation time because of the weak CPU. Other than that, while coding, not much of a difference to a modern computer for the most part (more ram really would help, as I couldn't open more than 2 or 3 browser tabs while coding java).
My point is: coding is not heavy for the most part. Except when you are compiling or running a job locally
@@rflsms or running an emulator all the time
An interesting observation would be about the SSD. While it does not make a huge difference for light usage and coding itself, if you're using a lot of swap memory the faster ssd on the 14''pro would be an advantage.
Let say you're debugging a project, have over 10 tabs open on chrome and have Docker running with some local databases, message brokers or other apps, if you run out of the 16GB the swap with a faster ssd will probably offer a better experience. But of course, you can always go for the 24GB of RAM MBA...
exactly
Exactly all these youtubers are doing the same audiovisual benchmarks... I been waiting for coding benchmarks o real use performance in databases, containers, compiling projects, working with virtual machines, etc. I guess the main issue will be compatibility
I can appreciate both of these machines for what they are. That said it’s wildly impressive a fanless laptop came out with more battery in the end after running these processes for longer. If it comes down to a situation where you don’t have a power source, do you want a machine that can do it fast or a machine that can do more but takes more time? Obviously each person will have different needs but it’s interesting to think about.
The consumer grade machines have always had better battery life than the Pros. It comes down to Apple’s Pro machines being more power hungry in order to offer greater performance and graphics capabilities. The fact that the current models are as close as they are is nothing short of a miracle. I’ve almost never been able to get more than 2-3 hours out of my 2017 MacBook Pro 15. Which really sucked when there were so many tasks I could have done on my wife’s 2013 MacBook Air and have gotten 5-6 hours of battery life. Now the minimum is around 8-9 hours, which covers a full workday. More than that is just gravy.
Wow you hit 1 million subs! Congrats! I've been here since the beginning, even starting before that with Max's channel (which got me to buy my iMac in 2015).
Thank you for making the video
Thank you for this side-by-side test. Once you give the M2 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD to work with, it turns into a very capable premium laptop with plenty of performance headroom for consumers and prosumers. The entry-level M1Pro MBP is great if your work requires two external monitors and/or entails a lot of sustained coding or rendering/game development projects. Professionals earning de facto high houry rates prefer the 14" with the full-fat SoC and 1TB of internal SSD. Then, even a $900 premium amortizes in months rather than years, especially if you can catch a tax break for the purchase as well.
In Canada, the price between the M2 Air and 14” is like 500 bucks, big difference compared to other countries.
I´ve just checked in Europe (both Air and 14" Pro in versions with less graphic cores). The difference between specced up Air and 14" Pro is exactly 300 Euro - 1950 vs 2250. Just to clarify - in Europe all displayed prices has to be final - including all taxes and fees. Both are standard priced, no discount.
Thank you so much guys for this test. This is THE test needed on the whole internet regarding this new M2.
This is what I’ve been longing for. You are the man.
I’ve had my M1 MacBook Air (256g/16 g ram) for 16 months now. It was my first MacBook and it blew my HP laptop away in terms of speed, portability, battery life, etc. I think the 14 inch Pro is better value imo, as you have all of that power/sustained performance at your disposal. It’s chunkier than the M2 Air, but that won’t really be an issue once it’s placed on a desk or table. Think I’ll update to the 14” Pro.
I feel like the options for MacBooks are pretty clear after watching this video. For users who want a portable and powerful MacBook for both everyday and a bit more demanding tasks, the M1 MacBook Air is the obvious choice at such an incredible value even almost 2 years later. For users who have similar needs but want the newest design, they should get the base M2 Air unless they are planning on doing anything intense then they should jump up to the 512GB model to eliminate the slow SSD. People who feel like they need more than that should either find a renewed/discounted model with 16GB of RAM. For users who want to constantly do more demanding tasks/pro work and are making money off the power of the laptop should immediately jump to the 14 inch MacBook Pro and should not try to cut corners with the Air.
Why everyone is saying the 14 and 16" models only for people which make money with?
We just talk about 150-350$ difference, but you get A LOT MORE with 14" M1 Pro! (and with 16" base model even more than 14"!)
You guys act as if the M2 Air is that affordable! Here in Europe we pay 1399€ for the BASE MODEL M2 Air, 1750€+ for a M1 Pro 14"! Refurbished you get even 1TB SSDs at 14" M1 Pro sometimes for LESS THAN 2000$!
I got a 16" M1 Pro base model and im not earning money with it. I just enjoy good, versatile high quality notebooks. I cant stand adapters/hubs (the USB C to A is already enough needed still!) and M2 Air doesnt even deliver SD Card slot which i need nearly daily!
Considering im using about 2500$ worth of camera gear im not earning money with, just for a hobby, i guess the MacBook Pro is for sure an expensive decision to go, but at least i get something for the price i paid, the M2 Air especially upgraded to 16/512 is just targeted to Apple Fanboys and rich kids which dont care much about money. Probably for the ones looking for ultimate slim and light "powerhorse" too, thats it!
@@harrison00xXx I totally see your perspective on that. I’m basing it off of what a normal person would be happy with, which is the M1 or M2 Air. People who can afford expensive devices and prefer to have luxury technology even at the expense of their money can upgrade to the highest tier even if they do not fit the type of person it was intended for. The 14 and 16 inch MacBook Pros were built with one of the main goals being to satisfy those who use their laptops for creative work and for those who do demanding tasks. The ports like the SD card slot are there because many professionals will use SD cards. The miniLED display is to satisfy those who use HDR work. The M1 Pro/Max chip satisfy the needs of those who do demanding tasks that require more than just the base M1. See what I’m saying? But if a general user can afford these expensive machines and enjoys purchasing the newest technology, he or she will still be able to. It’s just that most general users would be happy with the M1 or M2 Air.
@@xeon3081 "normal person would be happy with"
Ok... many normal persons love a dedicated display output to use the notebook on TV or external monitor.
Soon, any display will have USB C input, but TVs will use for sure HDMI only for a while ;)
HDMI is one of the basic needs in fact. If the notebook is a "more professional" one like a M2 Air, especially upgraded with its high price, i would consider any dedicated display output as MUST HAVE.
Even 200$ netbooks about 10 years ago had HDMI and often also SD Card slot...
@@xeon3081 "The ports like the SD card slot are there because many professionals will use SD cards. The miniLED display is to satisfy those who use HDR work. The M1 Pro/Max chip satisfy the needs of those who do demanding tasks that require more than just the base M1"
So you say:
- Only (!!!!) professionals use SD cards? GoPro, cameras at all and MANY OTHER USECASES for SD cards.... its just GOOD IF YOU HAVE IT (and bad if you have not!)
- mini LED display only for people working with HDR? What are you talking?
Or do you also mean by "working" just basic media consumption in HDR or outside with higher brightness?
- "require more than base M1".... considering 8GB Ram (the only really worth versions in 8GB ram base models....) is JUST FOR BASIC STUFF, anything "more basic" result already in more or less 16GB Ram AS ABSOLUTE MINIMUM...
So yes, even most basic users would require a M1 Pro base model to get 16GB Ram and 512GB SSD at least!
Apple intentionally overpriced the M2 Air and they didnt even anything special (like 5G module, more ports for "creative users" as you said,...at least HDR and/or 120Hz screen... nothing special to justify 400-800€ highe price tag compared to M1 base model.
In fact even a M1 Air base model is somehow overpriced... 8GB Ram WILL NOT BE ENOUGH if you ever consider it to be lasting as long and being as usable as long as Macs typically do... It will end up in a websurfing/media consumption machine.
@@harrison00xXx When did I say that these were the only use for these features? I’m literally talking about one of the professional uses that these features can be used for and why it’s recommended for professionals. I tried to be nice but clearly that’s not your type. Want to use a SD card slot for your GoPro or whatever camera? Do it! Need the mini led display for your entertainment? Get it! Think the extra performance is critical to your workflow? Buy it! Nobody is stopping you. If that’s what you want go ahead.
The M2 Air is not overpriced with this economy? It is a company not a charity. Their objective is to profit. They make good products. There is nothing wrong with charging a premium price for them. I am not excusing the slower SSD in these base models, but if we put that aside, the price is certainly fair. And if you don’t like the price, you don’t have to buy it. Nobody is forcing you to.
8GB RAM is certainly not a high amount but for many people it will be fine. Ever heard of virtual memory swap? Or do you think that if all the RAM is used the computer will explode? Sure the 16GB of RAM will preform better but that’s what you’d expect for a $200 increase in price.
The M1 macbook air is an excellent value for a laptop. It’s got great performance, a nice screen, good speakers and mics, and a thin and light design. If you’re the type of person who needs more advanced technologies, buy the high end Macs. Nobody is stopping you.
Thanks for the great review video
Happy 1-Million you guys!!!
I just bought the M1 pro 14 and it's amazing, still thin for the best performance macbook, and the screen is amazingly stunning to the eye. I have no regrets in the long term use
Good findings. And now $1750 at Microcenter
Thanks for your comparison
Valuable info. Thanks
This is the comparison I’ve been waiting to see.
The big deciding factor is what do you care about more : less weight and about an hour longer battery life or a bigger better display, better sound, and better performance for intensive software task.
Or another way to look at it is what are you going to use it for. If you just need a computer to surf the Internet and do the occasional photo editing or video creation for your once a year holiday vacation and you don’t mind a slightly smaller screen then the MacBook Air will do everything you want. Or you are a student and you need something small and light to haul around in your backpack when you’re walking all the way across the campus and you are only going to use it for typing and homework and you are not sure if you will have somewhere to plug it in. Or you are a business person and you travel and fly a lot and you need something with good battery life and is light to carry with you when you are hauling a heavy suitcase.
The pro is a better option if:
If you do any type of professional work with your computer such as TH-cam video or music creation, 3-D rendering, intensive image editing, or coding. You use an SD card on a regular basis or you absolutely need an HDMI connection or are planning on connecting it to two screens. Or you are not a professional and you can’t stand having a small 13 inch screen or a lower quality screen for watching HDR movies and you are willing to live with about a half a pound more weight and about an hour less battery life then the 14 might be for you.
Right after WWDC I ran some calculations and estimated similar results so we purchased a 14" for my son at Educational pricing. As we could have gotten that on both it made the 14" about $250 more than the Air at this configuration. I felt screen, ports and estimated increased performance was easily worth the money. I definitely appreciate the video which confirmed our choice with the 14".
Wish I had a Dad like you when I went to school.
Funnily enough, my dad and I made the same decision for me after WWDC. We briefly considered the M2 machines, but ultimately decided the 14” was worth the extra money for what you get in exchange. My 14” has since arrived and I’m loving it! No regrets
Please also include section for architecture apps!
I love your vids
Almost 1M.. keep it up guys!
I’m surprised that the 14” Pro went down in price that much, it seems like a great deal rn!
I’ve been waiting for a vid like this, but I changed my mind cuz 2 weeks ago I got a special offer of the m1 pro 14 MBP for $1650 open box on eBay and I can tell it’s a beast of machine, I love the mini LED which I don’t see gray boxes behind the texts, the pro motion and the true colors it shows which is perfect for illustration and UXUI design, and the best part is the apps open in 2 sec or less ❤️
Update: I’m surprised by the power of Apple silicon cuz this machine compared to my old 2018 MacBook Air the difference is so big
This earned a sub from me. Everyone has been comparing base M2 Air to M1Pro with 512gb, but this review I have been waiting for. Comparing a semi-upgraded M2 Air 512GB 16GB to the M1Pro with similar specs. Thanks for this one.
Thanks again for the video!
One test that would be helpful, that you are not doing in all your laptop tests is doing the tests with an external 4K monitor. The GPUs will be just pushing a lot more pixels in Final Cut (or any app for that matter) and I bet you the M2 will throttle much sooner. That is also how most people will use these machines a lot of the time.
Great point. Never thought of that and it’s surprising Max didn’t!
Most people? Not really
I decided to go for the Pro 14 as I didn't want to wait and was able to get it for £100 more than the Air and after 3 weeks, I have zero regrets!
Great job on this series! Almost at 1M subs!
These are the comparisons that make sense: M2 Air 16/512 vs M1 Pro 16/512 and M1 Air vs M2 Air (entry model). You covered them both - thumbs up!
When I heard about the M2 MBA I was convinced it was the choice for my workflow that covers everything from InDesign to Photoshop to Premier Pro, but after seeing the reviews of the MBA and how the SSD needs to be upgraded to get the best performance, I’m going with the 14” MBP. For a couple hundred more dollars, it’s worth it.
And nobody that I know works seriously with InDesign and Photoshop with only one display! So the Air is useless if you need that…
@@simpromovie you can run a second monitor on the Air…
@@GraphicDesignerStephen Not really. There is a wimpy workaround in form of a DisplayLink hack that is not comparable a a "real" two display setup. It's a software based compressed slow connection with no HDCP support and Apple can disable it in any not MacOS release...
@@simpromovie I think Stephen Plumbley meant that you can run a second monitor in addition to *the MBA's own* monitor. That's what I do when I'm working from home on my 2017 13" MacBook Pro. It's not ideal having one screen be only 13" in size, admittedly (at the office I use 2x 27" monitors connected to a M1 Mac Mini, but at home I don't have room for a 2-large-monitors setup) but it can be done and my work apps seem pretty close to Stephen's (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, MS Office and a web browser, mostly). I do make heavy use of Spaces, though, which I guess has to be considered a workaround, of sorts.
@@ricklecoat422 Yes I meant two external monitors. I think this is a essential feature for many workflows but especially for things like InDesign and Photoshop. This should be possible with a laptop from 2022 in this price category! Most Windows laptops, even the cheap ones, are supporting this for many years....
For me the biggest difference is that the Air is basically a mobile only laptop and the Pro is also a desktop computer because you can connect more than one display. So if this is important the Air has no chance…
You're the only one who's referred to both laptops with the names that actually make sense
Others keep calling it the 14 inch as if the Air isn't the exact same size on paper
It's just so funny
Yes I waited for this!
Really appreciate the XCode benchmarks!
So close to 1M subs - you'll likely get it by the weekend 🎉