Apple MacBook Air (2022) Review & Comments

It's my experience that price doesn't factor into the buying decisions of Apple fans. I know plenty that will buy the latest version just because it exists and theirs is no longer the latest version.
 
I am still using a macbook from 2008 and no intentions of upgrading.

The difference to mine and these new models going back years is i can replace HD(now have SSD), memory and battery.

Also i have installed Catalina despite not compatable with older macs(the help of a patch) :)
 
I am still using a macbook from 2008 and no intentions of upgrading.

The difference to mine and these new models going back years is i can replace HD(now have SSD), memory and battery.

Also i have installed Catalina despite not compatable with older macs(the help of a patch) :)
I have the M1 MBA and love it, tho the missus has more or less taken it for her sideline money maker hobby.

My desktop is a 2013 27” iMac and it’s still perfectly useable. The key being, as with you, the SSD. For what I need it for atm it’s fine. The SSD is half the speed of my MBA but it survives.
 
If you’re considering the M2*, you should be aware that the cheaper M1* is sometimes faster:



* Base spec (256GB SSD)
 
My wife & I have just purchased an M1 MBA to replace our ageing MacBooks circa 2011 from our Uni days.

I did think about waiting for this but considering I could upgrade both the RAM and storage and pay less that I would for this plus the M1 will be in a different world compared to our old ones.
 
Still running an iPhone X, will keep me going for a few more years.
I was looking at the M2, in-laws bought the pre M1 airbook, 3 months before the M processor arrived and I was surprised to hear they struggled with some apps (they aren’t heavy users). Reading up (I’m a pc man), looks like the M1 was indeed a massive upgrade. This is pricey but my wife still has a dog slow MacBook from about 8-10 years ago, so assuming (and I know you shouldn’t), a highly spec’d M1 or an M2 should last a good while..
 
Still going strong with my 2012 Macbook Air, only thing that needs changing is the battery. Rest of the machine is like new.
 
I have a M2 on order in midnight with 16GB ram upgrade August delivery, not fussed about the slower SSD speeds will be using a custom external NVME Thunderbolt 3 drive.
 
It's my experience that price doesn't factor into the buying decisions of Apple fans. I know plenty that will buy the latest version just because it exists and theirs is no longer the latest version.
Prices haven't changed much despite inflation, the £/$ rate and development over the past however many years; being able to get the M1 for under a grand is a great bit of value. I bought a Pro back in - I think - 2008 for £1,500 or so and felt it was a little pricey at the time, yet now you can get something which doesn't have much less performance than the current Pros for a significant amount less than 15 years ago.

I don't think buying the latest version is anything to do with "Apple fans" as it is to do with people with people. People like new things, hence why FIFA still sells despite each iteration barely improving on the last of late.

I was curious about the M2, checked out this review and... spending double the amount (I paid roughly $900 for my second hand 512GB M1) for: an improved camera, MagSafe, slightly better screen and battery life (I have no need for more power) just isn't worth it in value. It will likely be a couple of years before I actually need to 'upgrade', and even then it will likely be due to wanting more battery life and a bigger screen rather than needing more power.
 
I like the design of the M2 and I have no real need for it, but I’m tempted.

Just had a look on their site and the price difference when speccing the m1 model to 16gb ram and 512gb is only £150 compared to the similar M2 model. So £150 for the m2 chip and updated design doesn’t seem that bad. That’s ignoring the fact they’re charging £400 to add 8gb of ram and a 512gb ssd, which is disgustingly expensive, of course.
 
I've got a 2011 MBA. If I can get a second hand M1 MacBook Air at a decent price I would go that way. Otherwise I'm lucky as my Sis lives in Guernsey, so 20% off Apple :)
 
Does that video apply to the new M2 Air because it's specifically comparing the new (old style) M2 Pro against the identical looking M1 pro.
 
Does that video apply to the new M2 Air because it's specifically comparing the new (old style) M2 Pro against the identical looking M1 pro.

This might be a better video:



From which:

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D752BD74-83DA-461B-8C78-D9094E87BFED.png


This doesn’t just affect file copying. Under heavy workloads the machine may use the SSD for swap space. Consequently, tasks that use a lot of memory may start to run slow as memory pages are swapped in and out.

From the same reviewer:




Other reviewers have confirmed the issue, but I’d suggest searching around for other people’s views on this.

Note: I’m not saying the M2 Air is worse. It (apparently) depends on how it is used.
 
SSD speed only affects the 256GB model as it has a single ssd chip. The 512GB model and above has two chips, so has exactly the same speed as the m1 (well, m2 is a bit faster actually).

A lot of this seems to me to be yt reviewers needing something to whinge about ; angst gets more viewers!

The m1 256gb ssd speed is 1.5Gb/s - sorry, but that's not remotely slow. Yes, the 512GB is twice the speed - so if you're actually need 2GB+/sec drive speeds (can't think of many occasions you would other than RAW video editing?) then get a pro or a 512GB ssd m2 air.

If you want really fast disk speeds - 5GB+/sec - then use common sense and get a bigger pro (or as Phil mentioned, use an external storage drive - no one with a brain is going to try to edit raw video on a 256GB ssd anyway!)

Same as the heat / throttling comments really - likely to thrash a casual, passively cooled laptop with inappropriately heavy duty cpu loads? Then get a pro instead - the hint is in the name really!
 
The base MBA M2 is an amazing machine - the upgraded screen is worth it alone I reckon. As above - the disk speed "scandal" is a storm in a teacup, hardly anyone is going to notice day to day using it. If you feel like upgrading the MBA M2 at all then seriously consider a base MBP 14" - that is far far better value than an upgraded MBA (notice I say value not cost here)

The base MBA M1 - is still a cracking machine and can be had at much lower prices than RRP as well.
 
A company I contract for usually gets the m1 mba for their staff, but they've been completely unavailable for the last few weeks (presumably apple have shifted the factories to pumping out m2s for a while), so last week they had no choice but to pick up two m2 mba machines for new starters instead.

Serious mistake ... as everyone in the office now wants to change their laptops to the new m2 chassis as well :rotfl:

They are extremely nice looking machines - I've got an 16" m1 max, but am seriously considering getting an m2 mba for daily casual use, throwing in a rucksack, etc.
 
The base MBA M2 is an amazing machine - the upgraded screen is worth it alone I reckon. As above - the disk speed "scandal" is a storm in a teacup, hardly anyone is going to notice day to day using it. If you feel like upgrading the MBA M2 at all then seriously consider a base MBP 14" - that is far far better value than an upgraded MBA (notice I say value not cost here)

The base MBA M1 - is still a cracking machine and can be had at much lower prices than RRP as well.
Agree. I was about to post same. I have the base 14” pro and with 16G ram and 512 ssd. It pastes the air for performance and is a very similar price if you spec the air with those two imho essential upgrades.

I can’t imagine 8g being a long term option, with again imho most home laptops being shared with 2 or 3 users logged in at any point in time it’s just going to become a bottleneck

Upgrade to 16g and the 14” mbp looks the better deal
 

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