The new MacBook Air is a remix – a set of ideas already used in other Apple laptops, whether we’re talking about the previous MacBook Air, the 13-inch MacBook Pro, or the 14-inch MacBook Pro.
In that sense, it’s not overly exciting, as we’ve seen most of its individual features before. But it’s also interesting in another way: it’s the first major upgrade in years to Apple’s most popular laptop, which we previously called the best Mac laptop for most users.
This flat, simple, tablet-like computer is also a clean slate for the legendary MacBook Air, and it’s the first time the Air has been redesigned with the company’s own silicon. Apple has improved on the previous design in almost every way, even though the laptop loses a bit of its uniqueness in the transition. It’s still the best MacBook for people who are willing to pay a relatively high purchase price, but it’s not a mandatory upgrade over its M1 predecessor.
Let’s take a look at why this is the case and why it’s still not quite for everyone.
Characteristics
| Specifications at a Glance: MacBook Air 2022 M2 | |
|---|---|
| Screen | 2560×1664 at 13.6 inches |
| OS | macOS Monterey 12.4 |
| CPU | Apple M2 |
| RAM | 16 GB |
| GPU | Apple M2 |
| HDD | 1 TB SSD |
| Net | WiFi 6; bluetooth 5.0 |
| Ports | MagSafe, 2x Thunderbolt/USB 4, 3.5mm headphones |
| Size | 0.44 x 11.97 x 8.46 inches (1.13 x 30.41 x 21.5 cm) |
| Weight | 2.7 lb (1.24 kg) |
| Guarantee | 1 year or 3 years with AppleCare+ |
| Price after check | 1899 USD |
| Other perks | 1080p FaceTime HD camera |
Truth be told, the specs here aren’t the most compelling, aside from Apple’s inclusion of the all-new M2 chip, which has so far only been seen in last month’s 13-inch MacBook Pro update. We’ll start there.
The 5nm M2 comes in two configurations. One has eight GPU cores, the other has ten. This upgrade will set you back $100 extra on top of the laptop’s $1,199 base price.
Either way, you get 10 CPU cores and an Apple Neural Engine NPU with 16 cores. Apple claims that the CPU cores are faster than those of the M1 and that the NPU can handle up to 40 percent more operations per second than the NPU in the M1. But in fact, users will notice the biggest improvements in the graphical part. Memory bandwidth has increased by 50%, which may be the biggest benefit.
The M2 now supports up to 24GB of combined memory. That’s more than the M1’s 16GB maximum, but it’s worth noting that both Apple’s standard 2022 MacBook Air configurations come with just 8GB. Upgrading to 16GB adds $200 to the base price, while upgrading to 24GB adds $400 to the base price.
At the time of purchase, there are two more configuration options. The entry-level configuration includes 256GB of solid-state storage, and you can upgrade to 512GB ($200), 1TB ($400), or 2TB ($800). Upgrading to at least 512 GB is definitely worth it.