buy or save by taking M1? (vote)

The release of the MacBook Air M2 2022 was highly anticipated, but hardly met the expectations of users. The manufacturer has made improvements in virtually all systems, but, frankly, we are not talking about revolutionary changes. Therefore, the choice between 2020 models with an M1 processor or a new one with an M2 chip is really difficult. We offer you to dwell on the main differences in detail and decide whether to upgrade to the latest model or save money and get the MacBook Air M1 2020.

MacBook Air M1 and M2

MacBook Air M1 and M2

1. Comparison of the design and body of the MacBook Air M1 and M2

The 2020 MacBook Air came out in a traditional design, with a wedge-shaped case at the end. At the mounts, its thickness reaches a maximum of 16.1 mm, and closer to the touchpad it narrows to only 4.1 mm. Many people like this design from an aesthetic point of view, but working while lying on the couch is not very convenient – the sharp edge digs into the skin. Not much, but it creates some discomfort.

MacBook Air M1 and M2

MacBook Air M1 and M2

In 2022, for the first time in the line of “air” laptops, the Cupertinos changed the design. It has lost its wedge-shaped shape, and the thickness is now the same in all parts. To provide passive cooling, small legs were added from the bottom – as in the flagship MacBook Pro. However, due to the minimum thickness (11.3 mm) and lightness, the laptop definitely belongs to the Air line.

The width of the laptops is the same, the length in 2022 has increased by 0.26 cm. The new model has indeed become lighter, but only by 50 grams – in practice, this is almost imperceptible.

To summarize, there are differences, but it is difficult to make an unambiguous choice in favor of a new or old model. Both options will find support among users.

In 2020, the MacBook Air 13 came out in three colors – Space Grey, Silver and Gold. In 2022, there are already four shades – Space Gray and Silver have been preserved, instead of golden, you can take Starlight and Midnight has been added. The latter made a splash – it looks simply gorgeous, but absolutely impractical. Fingerprints and traces instantly remain on the surface, with which it is useless to fight – they will return after the next touch. But visually it is a bomb, and you can forget about practicality in this case.

As for the materials, there are no surprises. The body is made of recycled aluminum – durable, lightweight and environmentally friendly.

2.Display

2.1. Screen sizes and resolutions

The old model received a Retina display with a diagonal of 13.3 inches and a resolution of 2560×1600 pixels. The new one already uses Liquid Retina, the diagonal has grown to 13.6 inches due to ultra-thin frames, and the resolution has slightly grown to 2560×1664 pixels. There are P3 and True Tone proprietary options in both lines, but the brightness in 2022 is slightly higher – 500 nits (was 400).

Macbook Air

Macbook Air

2.2. “Bangs” on the screen of the MacBook Air M2

In the MacBook Air M2, the manufacturer returned the “bangs” to the screen, which caused a lot of controversy among users. It does not look very good, but it can be hidden by using a dark theme or programmatically. Although bangs are really annoying only for the first couple of hours – then you just stop noticing it. So this is a minus, but a small one.

3. Performance

3.1. Specifications M1 and M2

This is a key difference between the two generations, so let’s dwell on the issue in detail.

The first branded “apple” M1 chip could already boast of top performance compared to Intel processors. It has 8 cores (equally productive and efficient) + 8-core GPU graphics chip. It supports up to 16 gigabytes of combined memory with the option of installing a 2 TB drive, but 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage are installed in the base configuration. By the way, the base in the new model is the same.

The M2 has even better performance. The chip was created using the same 5nm technology and received 8 cores, but it has 20 billion transistors (it was 16), a graphics processor with 10 cores and a media engine. Such innovations made it possible to increase the data processing speed by 20% – this is really a lot, especially considering that only two years have passed since the presentation of Apple’s first own processor. The maximum amount of combined memory has grown to 24 GB. Plus, there is support for ProRes / RAW codecs, while before it was necessary to be limited to H.264 and HEVC.

M1 and M2

M1 and M2

3.2. Test results and real work

In practice, the speed and power parameters declared by the manufacturer correspond to reality. But, as always, there is a nuance. With the simplest tasks, working with text documents or open 20-30 tabs in Safari, you will not notice the difference between the two generations – both pull such processes with ease. Speed ​​plays a role when working with 3D graphics and editing video in 4K. The old MacBook does not pull them, the new one will cope, but not for long. The fact is that it has only passive cooling, and it is simply not intended for long-term continuous operation at high loads. And editing a video, rendering and compiling the program code initially provides for a lengthy process. So for such work it is worth buying a MacBook Pro.

Well, if you choose between these two models, both are good, but the M2 has more potential. Here the choice is clearly in favor of the novelty.

4. MacBook Air autonomy

4.1. Comparison of operating time on a single charge

The 2020 Air MacBook received a 49.9 Wh battery, while the 2022 version received a 52.6 Wh battery. But excellent autonomy is ensured primarily by the features of the proprietary processor. Speaking to the press, Apple’s vice president of marketing, Bob Borchers, even stated that the Macbook Air M1’s battery life was so impressive that the company initially suspected a battery indicator failure. And the new M2 technology has further increased the battery life of the computer.

So, when using the MacBook Air M1, autonomy is up to 15 hours of Internet surfing and up to 18 hours of watching movies on Apple TV. This is enough time to not worry about charging all day long at work or while traveling. Compared to the previous version, the new MacBook Air M2 has even longer battery life – up to 20 hours of online viewing of Apple TV and up to 17 hours when searching for information on the Internet.

The new generation has a fast charging option – 50% of the battery can be replenished in just 30 minutes. But remember that you should not use it all the time – it “kills” the battery faster.

Additional comfort is provided by wireless charging, but it deserves a separate analysis.

4.2. Difference between M1 and M2 in daily use

There is practically no difference. Both laptops hold a charge well, do not heat up and do not make noise. They have a passive cooling system – for a basic laptop for simple tasks, what you need.

5. Ports and connections

5.1. Return of MagSafe

The presence of a MagSafe 3 magnetic connector for wireless charging in the 2022 version is definitely a big plus. With it, you can not only quickly and without any hassle with wires to power your laptop battery, but also free up the Type-C port for other tasks. And given the limited number of connectors in both lines, this problem will be acute for many users.

Macbook Air

Macbook Air

5.2. Availability and number of USB-C ports

The MacBook Air M1 and M2 received two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports with support for charging, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 3 / USB 4 up to 40 Gb / s or USB 3.1 Gen 2 up to 10 Gb / s. But back to the fact that MagSafe can be used to charge the M2, so one of the connectors is released. Also in the new generation, several power adapters appeared – 35 W with two Type-C ports and 67 W with fast charging options, but they need to be purchased separately.

Separately, we note the appearance in 2022 of a 3.5 mm jack, with which you can enjoy high-quality audio with high-impedance headphones.

6. Camera and audio improvements

6.1. Updated FaceTime HD Camera

The FaceTime HD camera is definitely better, with resolution up from 720p to 1080. A very important improvement considering that after 2020, so many people have switched to telecommuting with constant video conferencing. In this regard, the MacBook Air M2 definitely gets extra points.

6.2. Improvements in the sound system

Apple has always taken sound quality very seriously. The M2 has 4 speakers and it provides support for Dolby Atmos surround sound. 3 directional microphones are responsible for recording the sound track and video communication – with them you can easily make professional video voice acting without connecting third-party devices. Plus the 3.5mm stereo port we mentioned above.

In M1, the audio quality is also on top, but in the new generation it is much better.

7. Settings and prices

7.1. Configuration options M1 and M2

The base configuration of the MacBook Air M1 is 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage, but you can choose models with 16 GB of combined memory and a 512 GB, 1 TB or 2 TB SSD.

For the M2, the base remains the same, with 16GB or 24GB of combined memory and a 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB SSD available.

7.2. Cost Comparison

This is the parameter by which the MacBook Air M1 definitely wins. In the basic configuration, its price starts at $999, while the M2 will cost $200 more.

8. Recommendations for selection

8.1. When to choose MacBook Air M1?

The 2020 MacBook Air is best suited for basic tasks – studying, working with documents and presentations, watching TV shows, searching for information on the Internet or creating a presentation. It looks stylish, remains one of the most status and solid in its niche, and the functionality will be more than enough for such operations. And you’ll save about $200.

8.2. When to choose MacBook Air M2?

If you’re looking for a laptop that can deliver high performance for 4K video, heavy tasks like scene rendering or other heavy computing tasks, or a new design and improved webcam, then the MacBook Air M2 is the way to go. However, for professional work with graphics and video, we still recommend taking the flagship MacBook Pro.

We are a democracy, so we invite you to choose which laptop is better – MacBook Air M1 2020 or MacBook Air M2 2022. Vote and write in the comments what your choice is based on.

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