The M2 13in MacBook Air: A Year Later
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- čas přidán 19. 06. 2024
- Shoutout to Opal Camera for sponsoring this video! Check out the C1 at opalcamera.com/opal-c1?...
The M2 MacBook Air is Apple's latest MacBook Air redesign. And now it’s a year old. A lot has changed in that year. So let’s talk about this laptop and whether you should consider it or not. Let’s get started.
Affiliate Links to Products Mentioned in the video:
2022 M2 13in MacBook Air: amzn.to/3Z5Y2kR
2023 M2 15in MacBook Air: amzn.to/45Tgkbg
Affiliate links to CZcams gear I use:
Sony a7siii: go.magik.ly/ml/1qb8i/
Sony A7c: go.magik.ly/ml/1qb8k/
14in M1 Pro MacBook Pro: go.magik.ly/ml/1qb83/
M1 Mac Studio: go.magik.ly/ml/1qb8o/
Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
0:20 How’s the Laptop Body after a Year?
3:55 What Upgrades Are Worth it?
5:55 How’s the Base Model Performance after a Year?
7:54 Conclusion - Would I Have Purchased This Again?
The m2 2022 MacBook Air is Apple's cheapest M2 laptop. For the last year this thing has been an absolute workhorse. It’s thin, light and every time I begin to use my 14in MacBook Pro again, I miss how light the M2 13in air is. The midnight color is still looking nice but like I mentioned in the last video, the finish around the ports is slowly chipping away to reveal a bare silver look, The rest of the body has held up pretty well, and after 122 battery cycles, the Macbook still has 97% of its battery capacity left. While you can charge it through usb-c, you probably want to charge through magsafe as much as possible. Because magsafe safely detaches once a certain amount of pressure is applied.
I have the base model configuration here, and while the 8gbs of ram and 256gb of storage are limiting on paper and the storage is half the speed of all the other storage sizes. The target demographic who’s buying this machine won’t notice those differences but it’s worth noting the shortcomings of this laptop in case you do fall out of that “typical user”. Apple uses memory swapping on their Macs. Once you fill up your ram the laptop will begin treating your computer’s storage as extra. Ram is super fast. SSDs have been getting faster, but it’s still slower than ram. So by having a slower SSD in the base model MacBook Air, you’re more likely to experience slowdowns especially if you’re the type to have a ton of apps open or do some intensive tasks. Also, RAM is meant to be written to and wiped constantly, an SSD is not meant to be as frequently as RAM. This memory swapping does increase wear on the mac’s SSD. If you have to make any upgrade to the M2 MacBook air or any base model Macbook with only 256gbs of storage, go for 16gb of ram. If you need more storage you can always get an external ssd and it’s much cheaper than what Apple charges for it. You’ll have to carry it around with you, but it can outlive your laptop and be used with your next laptop too.
So in everyday performance, this thing hasn’t let me down. I find it really useful as a lightweight companion for general productivity, but I use it like a tablet too, like for watching videos, streaming, or having reference material up when playing video games. I don’t use it too much for my CZcams channel, but when I have used it for that task, it handles my video and photo editing fine. I wouldn’t recommend gaming on this thing, because current support for games isn't great. It’s slowly getting better. Apple has been making some in-roads on this. The M2 chip in this laptop does not heat up in basic tasks, and general productivity, but does get warm during charging, or when I do something more graphically intensive like video editing. Also, these Non-pro Macs only support 1 external monitor, you don’t really notice it with this MacBook air, since it’s an on-the-go type of laptop anyway and I don’t think I was ever in a situation where I wanted to plug in two monitors to this thing. But if you are, you might want to consider the MacBook Pro 14in instead. docks that can enable this through 3rd party software, but that can be hit or miss and costs a decent chunk of change too. So if you’re considering any apple computer that doesn’t have a Pro/max or ultra chip, be sure you’re okay with this limitation.
Before, I’d recommend the M1 air because it’s budget friendly, had good enough performance and cost $200 less than the M2. Now the M2 is only a little more for a bunch of nice little quality of life upgrades, like a newer design, the convenience and safety of magsafe charging, and a faster chip. And if you’re using the laptop long-term. I think it’s worth it. This M2 MacBook air has served my own uses fine and I’d recommend it for casual laptop users focused on productivity, personal entertainment and office type tasks. This machine is pretty good. There’s rumors of a newer model in October, and if that's the case, this one will be on sale for an even better price, or you could go for the latest version instead. - Věda a technologie
Agree with others that this is more helpful than first impression reviews, especially for people who may be buying a back to school laptop.
I prefer the long term reviews over the release ones. I feel like every day 1 review is just a spec comparison with previous generations and does not tell much on what those improvements/changes translate to in usage.
The fact that you've used the device for a while also adds a lot of credibility to your recommendation. This time around you actually changed your initial recommendation because of the 15" version. Adds a lot of weight
The base M2 Air (13 or 15 inch) is a great computer and would meet the needs of 90-95% of users out there. I've had my 13" since launch day and it's been a beast from day one.
I saw vids that when the ram is filled up it starts to slow don noticeably, whats your experience with that? Im curious
@@osmanabdulkadir8153 I’m not sure if I’ve ever filled up the RAM like you’re talking about. The most intense apps I use on a weekly basis are Photoshop and audio editing. It’s not uncommon for me to have 6-7 apps open at once. The Air has never slowed down on me once.
I have the M2 macbook air and have been using it for a year now. in my experience, it's as smooth as it was when I bought it on day 1. I use it for school and I do a lot on it everyday. It's one of the best purchases I've ever made.@@osmanabdulkadir8153
That literally happens to any computer that has fully occupied ram.
How is the sound quality
I bought this beast and boost it up to 16GB RAM & 512GB SSD. I use it as my daily driver for usual task (office365 things, zoom, entertainment). Battery life is crazy.. charging just once in a week. Never charge to 100% anyway but still capable of handle my job for up to 3 days without plugging in.
Very pleasant…
No regrets at all.
How did you upgrade its RAM?
@@sushandhakal6559You have to buy it with upgraded RAM. You can’t upgrade it yourself after it’s purchased.
@@sushandhakal6559 he didn't. He bought it with 16.
how about heat issues? throttle issues? slowing down issues? any issues at all like the shitty intel 2017-2020 models??
@@familymovie5799 I can't give you a scientific answer. No degrees measured. But mine, 16, 512 M2 has none of those issues. It gets a bit warmer than my skin during work but never ever "hot". Performance is amazing. I also have a Surface Laptop Studio, and honestly only got the M2 for a few specific cases, but it has turned into a favorite. The only real difference has been how it remains cool and the battery life is superior. SLS only issue is the bad battery life. Performance is pretty much the same (SLS obviously better for graphics tasks) - I hope this at least helps
I’ve come across your channel last month by chance and I cannot stress enough how I’ve been enjoying your videos!
Good quality and entertaining!
Cheers
Long-term reviews and comparison reviews are the best. They provide solid insight into the overall value of the product. Thanks for the video it was well done!
I myself went with the Silver model and am still absolutely happy with my purchase. I like the weight of the device, I agree that it feels like I am using a large tablet. The device is quick to wake up, the keyboard is awesome to type on, and the device runs QUIET!. I just wish that I had this device when I was in school, instead of my heavier GateWay devices I used.
I've just purchased the 13" MBA M2 for the exact same reasons as you. I've a fully spec'd out MBP 16" which is great, but I wanted something for on the go type stuff where my iPad Pro 11 was just a bit too fiddly to use. The MBA is perfect. I've installed a case, screen, keyboard and wrist pad protectors, just for it to not get too knocked about. Paired with a couple of Crucial X6 4TB SSD's for media storage it's a fantastic travel companion. Great video and I personally really like these long term reviews. They're extremely useful.
I'm really happy with my identical M2 MBA 13"! I don't use it for heavy gaming; I have a gaming PC for that. If I had a single MacBook and nothing else; I'd buy the 14" MBP. But for light tasks; the MBA is more than enough for me! I also notice some wear at the the USB C ports and the MagSafe a tiny bit as well. Bit its not a glaring thing that stands out and ruins my sleep.
Thank you for this review. You’re very approachable and know how to break it down easy for us. Thanks again.
This was a very helpful video! Thank you for your awesome tips and opinions! Great video!
That was a very helpful review!
Thanks, so helpful. I may wait now until October just to see, my current 2015 MacBook Pro 13'' has been a diamond, I won't regret buying a new one now you have made this review, cheers Jimmy.🤩
i like this 1 year later reviews! very useful! still rocking M1 Macbook Air :D
really helpful to do a 1 year review of products! thank you
I got an m2 13” MacBook Air two weeks ago. Mainly because of reviews like yours. Keep them up, long-term reviews are so much better to frugal people like me.
Should have held off a bit longer, M3 MBAs are coming our in March so the M2's will likely drop in price again as the M1's did when the M2's came out.
Don't stop long term reviews - very helpful!
I agree, please keep doing the long term reviews. While first impressions, let’s throw everything at this thing are good in terms of showing the limits of a particular device so you know if it is for you, they don’t generally address pluses/minuses, quirks, pleasant surprises that can only come with longer term use.
This is so helpful, thank you!
The "M" series chips are a great fit for an ultra-portable laptop that's basically a tablet in laptop form factor. You can just close it on a moment's notice and throw it in your bag, then hours later you can get right back where you left off with no battery drain and no loading delay. It can handle most medium workloads for an entire workign day and can do continous video playback for any non-stop commercial flight in the world on a single charge. For higher power laptops there's many cases where the cons outweigh the pros in regards to the M2 chip's incompatibility with some software and external GPUs, but for a simple machine for simple tasks, nothing else comes close.
The long term review are very helpful
Ive been using the macbook air for a year now and man i love it. I do most of my work on there then do all my video editing on a workstation pc i built so it's all covered!
how much ram and ssd you got?
Your review helped so much! I currently have the 2015 MacBook Air! It was gifted to me years ago! This baby still works lol , but I would like an upgrade ! I love the air and M2 would be a great choice. thx!
I love mine. I bought one over the summer to finish my last year of university and, especially to my $1k+ Dell laptop that died after only 2 years, is an absolute BEAST! I feel stupid for not buying a Mac to begin with. I literally charge it once a week. I keep it on low power mode all the time and I have been using for 2 hours and the battery went only 2%. I upped the RAM to 16gb and left the SSD storage at 256gb because I hardly download apps and files but I recognize that other people would need to upgrade. I can always buy an external drive. The midnight color is gorgeous!! I put a case on the lid of it because it really does attract fingerprints horribly... and also to protect it. I'm a computer science major and this laptop excels at running all of the programs I use. I can't think of a better laptop for anybody. So quick, so light, and so perfect!!
Just got one too with same config 🎉😊 upgrade from my 2015 mbp is gonna be drastic
How did u upgrade the ram coz i have 8gb. 🥲
@@user-cs5kb3wq7x you have to upgrade when you order it. It’s your only chance unless you live in China or something where they can do it after market
couldn't agree more, the m2 air form factor, weight, battery performance is classic, and clear enough differentiation from the pro/max model
The crazy thing is you will see this go down to around $899.99 now. A lot cheaper than what I got it for at launch, but I am happy with the computer. I got my wife the 15” model and got her the 16GB model because it was the same price and cheaper than getting the 512GB model at the time. So I am sure she will have a good time with it going for her masters for teaching.
Good review. I'm trying to choose between the m2 air and the m2 pro 14". I need to run a high intensity math program in a virtual windows drive. Would the m2 air work for that?
Very helpful.Thank you
bought it for 850 this black friday at costco, my pro from 2021 is still unbeatable but having a much lighter and portable laptop is a MUST
helpful video. just bought it this week.
Best color against fingerprint : Silver & Space grey.
I went from Intel 2020 MacBook Air and went straight to the M2 MacBook Air 15 inch with 24GB Ram and 256 SSD storage and its a definite powerhouse with so much portability! Very worth it!
Crazy configuration with 24gb ram, I would spent more money at storage, the 256gb mba ist 50% slower as the 512gb version
@@MAW0805 well I mean I have iCloud+ storage to use my iCloud backups for my iOS backups so I don’t have backups on my ssd so I have free space and I use an external drive 5TB regardless
24gb ram is really a powerhouse.. really consider getting one.. I’ve test the m3 pro for two weeks now but it’s so thick with cutting edge.. and 14 inch is a little to small and 16 way to big.. so I guess the air is just perfect !
Thanks, very useful
I've been using my M2 Air for a year as well, and I absolutely love this thing! I decided since I could get a very hefty student discount from Apple to upgrade to 16gb of ram and 512 gb of storage. The performance is surprisingly good, with my music production and occasional video recording running super well with no issues or overheating of any kind! I personally would say that if you tend to use your laptop a bunch for school or work, I think it is worth getting the M2 Air for it's lightness, design, and overall experience of using the device. Especially for students, take advantage of the student discount since you could get this device with upgrades for almost the same price as the M1 Air!!
How did u upgrade? Cos i have 8gb 256gb .
Very helpful, thank you
Nice. Long term review is gold
I been using the MacBook Air M2 for almost a year and I stream videos, video editing with Final Cut Pro and video game (league of legends) I love it no issues or slowdowns. I have 512GB configuration and the dual USB C charger that comes with is game changer!
So do you think just video editing regular cinematic mode shots on the MacBook Air using Final Cut is something it easily handles?
@@user-gd8rw4md2r for the work flow I have, 4k video recording and editing on Final Cut Pro my MacBook Air M2 has no issues. I’m not editing 8 layers of 4k video I’m usually doing around 4 layers maximum.
yes i used 3layers of color grading. no lag issues at all@@user-gd8rw4md2r
How much ram?
8GB@@GamingPIPI
Me looking at all my juicy options just before October on my trusty swollen battery MacBook Pro 2016! It’s still going strong.
i ' ve just bought M2 air couple days ago. I was considering waiting for m3 but I needed new mac sooner to speed up my workflow. So far I am more than satisfied
You should’ve held off bruh
no they might the right choice.. @@Jamez1093
Great review as always! Where do you find your wallpapers? They always look so nice!
Unsplash! So many great creators put their work on there!
1 year review is useful. People like me wait a bit for it to drop some price (also see if there are any long term issues). You are doing god’s work
Yes indeed! this video its really helpful thank you so much
Hey Jimmy, GREAT REVIEW -- THANKS!!! Where can I find that awesome Golden Gste Bridge wallpaper???
Thanks, helpful!!!
Helpful! You got a new sub!
So bro do you think macbook air m2 is suitable for editing pro -res or even 4k quality videos from iPhone 13 pro max and suitable for college work ? (Videos are not condense )
is it still worth buying in february 2024 or should i wait for the next one to come out? Am really about to buy it
Very helpful dude!
I have the base model, and im super happy with it even as a video editing machine....which of course like you, I do not consider my videos to be intensive. Great great laptop
As someone who’s potentially going back to school next year, would this be worth getting for note taking/essays/web browsing/streaming videos/travel? I’m thinking of this because of using Microsoft Office and something to potentially replace my iPad Pro 11”
Thanks for this. I wasn’t too impressed with the m3, so wanted to know if this version will do what I need. I didn’t want to spend $2500 just bc it’s blacker lol😅
I have a 2017 mb pro and it just heats up. It’s slow and annoying when the fans turn on for simple browsing. It was my first computer but I think it’s time to say goodbye. Don’t need something fancy since I have a desktop I use which could handle a lot too
MacBook Air m2 15inch user here. when I was researching on what MacBook to buy I was first considering the base m1 MacBookAir, but after I went to the Apple Store to see the MacBook I ended up hating the big bezels. so I ended up buying the MacBook Air m2 13inch with 8gb/512gb and I loved it but I was constantly worried about the ram usage. just the software uses about 3.5gb of ram and I had this crazy thought that I would be doing video editing and rendering videos for CZcams, but than I took a step back and realized that I just following the guidance and reviews of video professionals. don't get me wrong I have a TikTok account and I do edit videos but not professionally. so I returned my MacBook Air m2 and got the same configuration with the 15inch model and I like it a lot, I really miss the portability of the 13inch but I was after a MacBook that had a big screen so I can read manga, books, watch movies, anime etc...
so to summarize I got the MacBook Air m2 15inch 16gb/1tb. I know some people are about to say " for the price you've could have gotten the m2 MacBook Pro " but as I sad before I'm not video editor.
Thank you so much for your review! Concise and realistic as you've used it for a while now. Also the ssd and ram analogy made more sense than other videos I've watched explaining this.
As per your rec at 9:11, the M1 is now priced $700 at Walmart. Would this be a really good deal for this model and technology for those on a budget? Or would you still recommend the M2 even at this price?
Great long-term review
Yeah..been using it for a month..its really good.. but its a fault of mine to get the base version as i do video editing.. 8gb ram is too less and 256 gb storage variant is a bit slow.. however it is waaaay faster than other windows laptops within budget and chatge backup is insane with no fan.. so i would say a win win.. I'll probably get a macbook pro soon for my editing staffs.
How is it heating issues? Did you experinece any warm issues while using 30-35 C degrees surrounding? And how did it happen?
It was helpful thanks :D
This was helpful in June of 24. I think I’m gonna get this . I need a solid computer for school and work. But I also like the idea of hobby video and photo editing. Gonna upgrade to 16 gb
I just wanted to know which colour is best for not chipping off
Tysm! I needed this to pull the trigger lol I have 2019 MacBook Pro i9 32 gb of ram and 512 storage but I want to try the m2 MacBook Air so bad even tho I still love my 2019 MacBook
Just this question, I'm buying the base variant for my university tasks. I'm a CS undergrad student . Do you think the base variant is sufficient for my competitive coding tasks? For the rest part, I just use it for entertainment purposes only.
i’m in no rush as my mb pro 2017 is still functioning but it really shows its age alr, like fps dropping in basic office apps. i was waiting for m3 to release but rumors say otherwise so i’m buying on october
Bought the model MBA M2 for 970$ on sale... its still shipping... hoping its worth it and this review certainly calmed the nerves
I just bought this one switched from a late 2013 Macbook Pro ohh boii this feels good I use it mostly for university I was not really sure about it tho thought I will get a m1 ipad air but if you buy the pen and a kb with it it costs more than the M2 air so yeah.... I am really satisfied and the battery is crazy good 🙏
Perfect i only need it for excel work and youtube
does it make sense to take the m2 air with 512gb ssd and 16gb ram for virtualization stuff and linux stuff?
is the 512 gb upgrade worth for long term use?
Considering this just for the Midnight Blue color. Wish it was available in the new M3’s
I haven’t had a new computer in 10 years and I’m going back to university in the fall so I’m excited to get this laptop 😊
Hello useful review, one question for you Should I wait for M3 or its good to buy M2 air??
Do you need a laptop today or sometime next year instead? If now then buy the M2 and enjoy. If you don't need one now and can wait then you can just wait. There is nk official release date of M3 and with the chip shortage it could be well into next year so take that info and doxwith it what you will my man.
This guy is a menace eating snacks around his computer
The M1 Macs feel ancient? I’m still using the 2019 13inch MacBook Pro 💀
Exactly I’m still using my 2019 13 inch MacBook Air
Wireless mouse is probably necessary for the more detailed software??
You can see how much swap your using at any time through the activity monitor.
Is it posible to use that MacBook for graphic design and video editor ?
I'm running a MBP from 2007 😂 i think im ready to upgrade to one of these
I recently purchased the 15" M2 Air with 24gb ram upgrade and experienced pretty bad performance throttle when I used an external display. My work is pretty graphics intensive but its such a shame because I thought the air would be able to handle just fine :/
Wow even with 24gb? You gotta go with the pro.
that's because it doesn't have fans so it doesn't regulate heat that well
would m1 13 inch be the better end of the deal? 8 or 16gigs? im so traumatized by heat and fan noise and slow down on my mbp 2018 16gig 15 inch laptop from hell i really don't trust buying another new mac laptop but can't live without osx@@phillipbanes5484
Should I use screen protector on my macbook air m2
This laptop is 100% worth it for students, or for any user who doesn't need a power hungry device. I have a powerful gaming PC that I use for any heavy tasks, and I have the base model M2 air for traveling, writing papers, creating powerpoints, and any other basic task. Best laptop on the market for the price!
When will the MacBook Air M3 be released anyway?
Noob question, can I use wide monitor on m2? like 36" wide monitor or samsung odessy?
Is the Macbook M2's single external (extended) display limit a hardware or software limitation or both?
Hardware. Even the M3 MBP can only drive one display (although there is a work-around). M1 MBA user here. I use a 34” Dell ultra-wide monitor with Magnet and I don’t ever notice the limitation.
You miss some point. In some countries like Malaysia, $200 is like $850-$1,000 for us. It's still a big of difference.
3:22 macbook cam is better and no delays as i can see
I do play games on my m2 base Macbook air but the games that I play are really only games that would be good for the mac. Games I play are Roblox and Minecraft. For Minecraft i get 72 - 110 FPS even when i live steam. My m2 Macbook air has worked perfectly fine (so far).
What size is your MBA? Also, have you experience any heating?
@@13thcherry My MBA is an 13" it really only gets overheating after 30 - 60 mins of playing Greenville on Roblox. other than that never at all.
i only want an m2 for the mid night color. so i’m not trying to make this the most expensive machine. if the 256 ssd is slow should i upgrade to 512 or but the 16gb of ram??
15in or 13in M2 MBA?
Does it overheat since there isn’t any fan
I don’t actually think the small ram size will bother me the resign I’m going for this in the first place is cuz of how small and ex it is for intensive tasks I’ll prob stick to my ryzan 7700 based system
hi, i would like to ask you for advice, i don’t know if it’s better to buy the m2 mac air or the mac pro m1 pro (there’s a 300 dollar difference between them)
What specs are you looking to get? It's only a $300 dollar difference if you plan on not changing a thing, but the pro comes with higher specs out the gate, extra ports, better screen, etc. so just depends. Standard advice is if you're the average user then air is fine and meant for you. If not, and/or you want the extras you can go pro.
You may have seen the MacBook Air M1 carried by Walmart for $699 😮, but having reviewed the M2, now offered at $899 at B&H, gotta say think I’m going with the M2…thanks for this great vid on the M2 and related models
I need this macbook for coding,college assignments,watching movies,little gaming and other regular stuff. So should i buy the base model or upgrade anything?
Maybe upgrade to 16gigs of ram and 512 of storage, this is more because of the coding is more demanding then pure college work (writing essays and all that good stuff)
My M1 Air still works like its brand new but honestly not a fan of the wedge. I LOve the M2 squared look. My M1 Max is insane
Thank you for this really helpful video, Jimmy. I am a PhD History student and I’ve been hoping for someone knowledgeable to tell me if the M2 Air would meet my needs and give me long term use. I don’t play games or render videos. I do the occasional photo editing but not in any big way. I am considering buying either an M2 Air with 24 GB RAM and 1TB SSD or a MacBook Pro M3 (base model) with 16GB RAM and 1 TB SSD. Will you make the time to advise, please? Thanks.
Yeah I’m good that camera is massive for a laptop.
Great communicator.
Great review! I’m in the hunt for a new laptop as my 2009 iMac OS 10.13 High Seirra is maxed out as fas as upgrades go, such that I can’t even download the tax software for my 2023 taxes. So debating between the MBA 13” or 15” with 16 RAM and 512 SSD or maybe even a MBP 14”. I’ve been using the iPad Pro for most things now since my iMac is pretty much slow and useless. But maybe that would change with a better Macbook.
Do i have to shut down my mac after use?
14 in M1 or M2 Macbook Pro refurbs are also an option
Yes, these "1 year after" reviews are probably more valuable than "out of the box" reviews since you've spent more time with the product.
Also, I've been seeing M1 MacBooks being sold for $750 each from regular Apple resellers so Apple might be dropping the price for those soon
They’re such a deal at that $750 price! I remember Microcenter sold them for that price even before the laptops were a year old. Who knows if this $750 deal is the last time.