M2 MacBook Air - Why Does Everyone HATE It?

The M2 MacBooks have seen nothing but controversy since their release. But at the end of the day, are they actually good laptops? Why do so many people not like this product? Let's dig a little deeper.
Products featured in this video:
⮕ TG Pro Temperature Monitoring App: crtd.tech/tgpro
⮕ M2 MacBook Air: geni.us/m2macbookair
⮕ M2 MacBook Pro: geni.us/m2macbookpro
⮕ M1 MacBook Air: geni.us/m1air
Support us:
🖥️ Get our custom macOS wallpapers: crtd.tech/wallpapers
🟣 Join our Discord for giveaways and more: crtd.tech/discord
📷 Behind-the-scenes content on Instagram: / createdtech
Are you wondering how the new M2 MacBook Air compares to the M1 MacBook Air? In this video I compare them in everything from form factor, battery life, thermals, performance, and more!
Products featured in this video:
⮕ TG Pro Temperature Monitoring App: crtd.tech/tgpro
⮕ M2 MacBook Air: geni.us/m2macbookair
⮕ M2 MacBook Pro: geni.us/m2macbookpro
⮕ M1 MacBook Air: geni.us/m1air
Support us:
🖥️ Get our custom macOS wallpapers: crtd.tech/wallpapers
🟣 Join our Discord for giveaways and more: crtd.tech/discord
📷 Behind-the-scenes content on Instagram: / createdtech
00:00 Introduction
00:32 Legacy of the M1
01:33 Is the M2 MacBook Air Actually Good?
04:46 The Controversies
06:38 We’re getting sick of this Apple…
08:44 The Future of the MacBook Air
09:58 Should You Buy It?
#macbookair #m2macbookair #createdtech
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[@CreatedTech]

Leave a comment down below saying one thing you like, and one thing you DON'T like about this MacBook. I'd love to hear!

[@linuxuser2928]

People only hate it because a bunch of crappy tech KZbinrs put a workload that would bring a maxed out Mac Pro to it’s knees on it and it would throttle but keep running smooth but get really hot. I hate Toyota Corollas because they can’t tow a streetcar.

[@jaypalmer3806]

@@linuxuser2928 spot on mate!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 You’ve noticed these idiots too! Like Max tech, drives me insane! Fair enough put the Pro’s through their paces, but this is an entry level MacBook, expensive yes, but still entry level.

[@alexanderradec317]

I do love the introduction of some new colors, wish there was more variety. i don't like that the webcam is meh at best, better than 720p for sure but it still looks meh and i don't like how apple is just pushing out an update to allow your phone to be used as the webcam instead which means they will never put focus on improving it on the MacBook

[@jaypalmer3806]

@@alexanderradec317 what do you do that requires crystal clear fantastic webcam quality? Onlyfans?

[@linuxuser2928]

@@alexanderradec317 they’ll improve it. It’s just a stopgap for the camera. I’m betting on FaceID coming to mac to finally kill TouchID

[@MaxTechOfficial]

You're right, it is a lower value proposition than the M1 Air, especially if you pick up a new one for as low as $850 with a full warranty. The M2 Air is a sweet design with a lot of upgrades, and we've really enjoyed using it for day to day use, but with the higher price and some drawbacks as you mentioned its no longer a 10/10 laptop as the M1 Air was and still is for the price. If you can afford it and can upgrade your SSD and RAM then its a killer machine, but you're spending a lot more.

[@jackylin2388]

256 GB user from my perspective , is not in need of 30+ GB of file reading/writing

[@bigbubba0439]

Yeah but after you upgrade the ssd and ram, then you might as well get the 14-inch MacBook Pro. Apple planned this all out to make you spend as much money as possible

[@MrShroombot]

@@bradavon I just don't think I could ever buy a refurbished product. I've purchased one in the past and had a bad experience. I'm not saying that would happen to everyone but that is the risk going in.

[@jackwong64]

We should compare it with MSRP unless you are only looking for US audiences.

[@timstafford6815]

@@bigbubba0439 Agreed. The MBP 14 is a terrific product. Pricey I guess, but worth it to me. Dual external display is a must for me so it's really not a debate anyway.

[@RunForPeace-hk1cu]

Tech KZbin hate it and people who were never gonna buy a MacBookair hate it.

[@tweedle634]

This. This is facts.

[@a15bionic59]

@@tweedle634 lol ur username

[@alexander.thomas.wang.thomsen]

Made the same observation

[@HecticDezire]

Tech KZbinrs don’t seem to understand we aren’t all doing 4k video editing on a daily basis.

[@animealpha4795]

@@HecticDezire well, I am and I hate it too. Y’all got too much money if you pick this over the m1

[@florian_d]

I would say the thing is: The M2 MBA is a Great Laptop, but it is just too expensive in comparison to the M1 MBA

[@Pesto-64]

Spot on!

[@tears2040]

You can literally buy the M1 with 16GB ram for less. M2 you are paying a premium for the new design.

[@shred3005]

@@tears2040 but the M1 old and dated now. I’ve been in the Apple store last week comparing them and I simply couldn’t put money down on an M1 now as it looks like an outdated product. But some people may put price over that

[@IDKYHM]

@@shred3005 its not that bad. Why would you change something if it’s not broken?

[@yusufmalikul]

@@shred3005 Apple always makes her old product feel like an outdated product to make us buy their new product.

[@xanachocolat]

I am a m2 MBA user and I like it very much. The new design is beautiful and it's very portable so I don't regret buying it

[@teves9656]

But it’s way too expensive

[@luichunghang]

Same here. Awesome device

[@2High2Gaf200]

@@teves9656 It's not expensive for everybody. I have a m2 also and it wasn't that much in my opinion. It just depends on the persons budget.

[@boimboim2494]

I like it too

[@atheneus]

Same. It’s so gorgeous and fulfills my needs perfectly

[@vonbuquid7525]

Short answer: Because reviewers trash on issues, the intended target market would never face.

[@mikeyg2319]

I couldn’t agree more. SSD speed to me was a non issue for what I need. I basically want an iPad Pro in a MacBook layout with MagSafe. I have a dedicated pc for the power stuff I just like a laptop for on the go

[@tyron2854]

I returned mine M2 air after 1 week, do you own one? Buy it and you will be disappointed too

[@joefilter2923]

You will pay more and you will like it

[@HwL01]

Because youtubers keep making a big fuss on social media were about the ssd being slow, thermal throttles under intensive loads like long graphic rendering etc.. While most of the target audience of this product most likely won't even harness 80% of what even an older M1 chip can do.

[@Criticasparareflexio]

That storage controversy could had been solved if Apple decided to put 512GB of storage as base. The industry is no longer making 128GB modules because they don't make sense anymore in a world where even a couple of games can fill 256GB with no effort, when even phones are shipping with more storage is clear that 256GB is insufficient for today demands. Like what happened to the car manufacturers and their so called "Component shortage" that was due to them using palaeolithic technology nodes rather than a real problem.

[@rosietran5022]

yup i hardly even have anything on my 512Gb iMac and am already down to my last 100Gb of storage. A decade ago 500Gb felt endless.

[@peterbreis5407]

Especially when Apple's buy price difference would barely you a cup of coffee.

[@Winter_Wyvern1]

@@rosietran5022 are u saying u had it for a decade or just the perspective of it? 512gb is enough, if u start using ur computer as backup storage then not even 2TB would be enough, i much rather prefer it to be 512gb so u can control it easily, backup when needed, but if u fill up 1tb u dont know where to start , what to remove. I say this bcuz 512gb will realistically have 400gb after u install the most necessary apps and some extras, But if u add 512gb more oR 1TB total, thats not +400gb, but a +500gb clear storage, since ur necessary apps take the same, so now u have 900gb storage which when filled 99% our human logic is to buy a new macbook of 2TB, so we can backup our old stuff and have storage for new stuff. That's why i suggest y'all to pay backups apps cheaply monthly bill and have a peace of mind.

[@zerocool2727]

Apple is not for gaming 😊

[@Criticasparareflexio]

@@zerocool2727 Apple is for whatever the user wants it to be, not for what the company tells you that is achievable or not, imagine Windows changing their whole capabilities in a way that messes with the entire industry, like forbidding the use of CAD software and engineering tools. The only reason why we don't have an ARM Windows based bootcamp it's just because Microsoft made an exclusivity contract with Qualcomm and now we have to wait what could be years or even decades while Qualcomm figures out how to match Apple Silicon performance levels. It be easier for all of us to if Microsoft and Qualcomm just gave up. We could finally install Windows 11 ARM officially on Apple Silicon and gest what are we going to need if we have two OS's and their respective apps and software installed. Even today we have Asahi Linux and it's development is going really well, I wouldn't be surprised if it reaches a level where the platform can finally execute games via Proton and Windows software with tools like Wine.

[@gilead2854]

After all the reviews and benchmarks, I was happy to order the M1 Air. 512GB storage and 16GB RAM for only slightly more than the base model M2 would have cost. There's no way I'd have bought the equivalent spec M2 for £1750, particularly since it's still weirdly more expensive in the UK than ordering the base spec 14 inch M1 pro from somewhere like Amazon (£1735).

[@h3nry_t122]

the pricing is absurd in the UK. 16% more performance, but for 25% more cost in the UK. upgrading it to the 16gb 512gb model would've been ridiculous for me. i am able to get a 16gb 512gb model for 1,220 pounds brand new. i think if UNIDAYS didn't exist most students would be living off the streets right now.

[@thelazybone666]

@@h3nry_t122 I managed get the macbook pro 14 inch 16GB ram/1TB SSD for £1648 which includes unidays discount, 150£ trade in and 120£ giftcard

[@peterbreis5407]

Get the *MacBook Pro M1 Pro.* It's an amazing machine. The best value of everything Apple is selling today.

[@badmoose01]

Have fun with your last gen performance in an ancient dinosaur chassis.

[@gilead2854]

@@badmoose01 Thanks, but you're replying to a comment from four months ago, so I've now been having fun with it for a while. If you're thinking about getting the M2, maybe hold off for a bit just in case they announce something new.

[@JustinBoden]

The M1 Air is going to go down in history as one of the greatest value laptops of all time. It's an amazingly efficient chip in a very mature design. The M2 Air is poor value by comparison, particularly because (as you say) the chassis is designed for a 3nm chip. It's just a matter of whether you're happy to wait until 2024 or so for that device.

[@lionheart93]

so recommend getting the M1 right? I borrowed one and damn it is nice imo

[@jdeleon5816]

@@lionheart93 i bought an M2, no fucks given

[@lionheart93]

@@jdeleon5816 u like it?

[@Davidsworldtravels]

I’m actually waiting for that as my next upgrade though. A 15” Air with maxed out ram on the M3.

[@skyssleepy]

@@Davidsworldtravels the reason why they dont want big screens on the air so people will stop buying the pros. people kinda buy the big one because of that feature. makes apple less money and its an L and W/L

[@TechieMoron]

My laptop upgrade was long overdue and this time I really wanted to move from a Windows PC to MacBook experience , especially after seeing all the user reviews of the M1 model. After a week into the release of M2 MacBook and seeing its pricing, now I was more convinced and ordered the M1 MacBook Air at a reasonable discount that bought the price of the M1 MacBook Air base variant at par with Intel i5 laptop PCs. And man getting the M1 Air at this price was a deal I couldn't let go that easily. Now, I'm a proud owner of a M1 MacBook Air, that still is a powerhouse and can easily beat others in its price range. I think the M1 would still be a better value proposition even after, at least, the next 2-3 Apple MacBook upgrade cycles (4-5 years).

[@doctor9228]

Your history is like mine. I never used any Apple device. I need to buy a laptop, wanted Windows as usual, but saw Apple Silicon happy reviews, waited a bit for M2 release, read reviews and ordered a M1 16/512 version

[@SaveznaRepublikaJugoslavija]

Please use Windows, mac sucks

[@steerablechimp9194]

I held on to an old Intel MBA, waiting on a refresh, hoping for a Retina display, substantially updated internals, etc, which didn’t arrive. In frustration, and switched to an XPS13 and it was an awesome laptop. Stuck with it for 5 years. Would have switched back at M1 but saw the design refresh on the horizon and held out. Going from a great i5 windows machine to the M2 MBA, it’s been great. I’m did spec it 16gb, 512gb since I intend to keep it at least 3-4 years, same as my previous laptops.

[@Darthwriter]

I've owned the M1 Air (base) and the 14" Pro (base) and now the M2 Air base model, and the M2, for me, is the best laptop of them all. Also, I am honestly sick of all the negative reviews. The M2 Air, for everyday normal-user tasks is excellent. Is the drive slower? In benchmarks, yes. In everyday use, not at all. The screen is excellent (though not quite as nice as the more expensive 14 Pro) and the form factor is great for carrying it everywhere I go. The lighter weight and smaller power adapter is a noticeable thing when I have it with me all the time. The keyboard is tight and comfortable during long use, and the speakers are also good. (Though I normally use my Beats Fit Pros so I don't use the built-in speakers all that much.) The battery time has been truly amazing. Way better than the 14 Pro--by hours--and even better than the M1. Yes it costs more, but lately everything does. Whether it's COVID/War supply issues or just plain greed, it is what it is. And to me, it is very worth it. I can't recommend it enough if you have the means. If not, a refurb M1 is a good choice. Still all the complaints are so overblown. Oh, and the midnight isn't really that much of a finger print magnet compared to the space grey Pro and Air, though I do carry a micro fiber cloth in my bag to wipe it down occasionally as I did with the Air and Pro.

[@usersdksdfg]

thanks for this comment i ordered the midnight m2 and was thinking of canceling to wait till 2024 for the new air, but this helps me in my decision. just annoyed it still hasn't shipped yet lol

[@avery7319]

Thanks for this detailed review! Definitely helps a lot. Does the MBA M2 overheat easily?

[@Darthwriter]

@@avery7319 I've not noticed any overheating. In fact the only time it's really even gotten warm was during Mac OS updates. (I'm running the Ventura beta so there have been a few.) Otherwise it stays very cool during my normal use.

[@ndornquast]

100% agree on M2 should ship with 512GB SSD. A) Would negate the serious performance issue of the 256GB version. B) Would help differentiate between still selling M1 and M2 - I think this helps both models). C) Yes.. price difference for Apple is a few dollars; reputations damage is huge. Same arguments could be made to have 16GB minimum for the M2 as well.

[@drbenirusani]

Hi, would upgrading the M2 MBA SSD from 512 to 1 TB has any potential drawbacks. Money is not an issue. And I don't want an MBP 14-inch as it is heavier than MBA.

[@Michael-ur5qb]

Why would they do that when there are people willing to pay $200 more anyways? In fact, people will pay $400 for an upgrade to ram and ssd. If you want a cheap Mac get the M1 that is why its there.

[@shalomrutere2649]

When I saw the low power mode from Max Tech, I got really relieved. At least the M2 MacBook Air can have reduced performance for much lower temperatures and longer battery life. The ability to control performance has been on windows and lacking in Macs but at least it's on two of them now: the M2 MacBook Air and the 16" MacBook Pro. I just wish it was available for all of them. The low power mode doesn't switch off the Power cores but just lower their clock speeds. That shouldn't be impossible to do even on the M1 MacBook Air. I just hope Apple makes the low power mode available for all Macs. Concerning the high temperatures on the M2, that doesn't surprise me because the M1 Pro chip in the 14" MacBook Pro reached 106 °C when running Cinebench for long. As for the storage, these SSDs are definitely of a lower quality. The 14" MacBook pro with the base 512 GB had two nand chips and reached those high 4,000 MBps yet the 512 GB M2 MacBooks barely reach 3,000 MBps. I made this observation from those who opened the 14" MacBook Pro.

[@shivankbansal2261]

Hi. Needed a small info. Is the size or dimensions of keyboard and mousepad of macbook air m2 same as macbook pro 14?

[@AakashD107]

Everything said, do you think apple has any plans to fix these in the immediate future? I was planning to upgrade to the M2 but with so much noise reconsidering my options. What are your thoughts on this though? Please advice.

[@arbitrarycnx2095]

A quick question. Do you use third party app for displaying battery temperature in the menu bar?

[@TheAthavanleon]

I am a M1 MacBook Air user - The reason I choose the M1 even though it was a first gen product. I was amazed with its performance and what it had to offer of 1000$ - I spend 1200$ and got the 256 with 16GB RAM... I have been using it for almost 2 years... The reason I would not recommend the M2 are as follows - it start with 1200$ for the slower SSD is not acceptable ( I am a huge apple fan) in the M2 air they drop the ball... Buy the time you update the Air to be decent ( with 16GB of ram and 512 SSD to avoid the speed issue) Its almost 1800 USD... for the I would recommend 14" MacBook Pro... Strictly recommend anyone looking for Air go with M1... or go for the 14" PRO... But if you a person who want a basic laptop for day to day tasks some word processing and media consumption and you want the look of the new - Just go with the base model...

[@best4pk]

200$ means 20% EXPENSIVE and have almost same performance as 16gb m1. It not make sense

[@TheAthavanleon]

@@best4pk What do you mean same performance - There is some difference in performance... M2 is fare better.. however its up to you what you need the laptop for...

[@bigbubba0439]

Even for playing games my MacBook Air (M1) is really solid. The highest spike of temperature when gaming I've seen is 101c, with an average below 95c (still probably throttling territory, but better than M2)

[@jackwong64]

Ssd speed is not even a problem unless you are doing file transfer all day long on the SSD ITSELF… -.-; I would say either base M1 if you can find a deal for 850 or just new Air if we are talking about MSRP, it’s just a fanless laptop, I would not do any heavy loading works on it.

[@best4pk]

@@TheAthavanleon same and much more performance for 16Gb varient As you know more ram means much faster multitasking, fast SSD means fast file loading But it just depend upon personal preference As many people rarely consume more than 8 gb ram

[@chrispatmore8944]

I just bought the Air M2 15” base model as I need a laptop for when I’m occasionally away from my desktop M1 MacMini. I mainly use it for basic RAW photo processing in Photoshop and page layouts in Affinity Publisher, and it works perfectly well. Having used Macs since 1985, I can’t see what people are complaining about, and their expectations are, frankly, excessive. We managed with machines with a fraction of the power they have now, and could turn out work as good, if not better (creatively) than is being done today. All the complaints sound suspiciously like workmen blaming their tools, to me. Or simply by people who don’t actually use them for any more than running benchmark tests.

[@vwood2]

A lighter machine with a faster processor, bigger brighter screen, and an additional charging port made the $200 upgrade worth it for me. However, I really miss the tapered design and gold colour of the M1 Air. The M1 Air was sleek and gorgeous, whereas my new M2 Starlight looks ‘meh’.

[@rafadydkiemmacha7543]

I can relate, as a gold MacBook Air owner. Starlight is not it, it looks way too silver.

[@EvoZimsHQ]

I absolutely love the form factor and performance of the M2 Air coming from a 2019 13” MBP. It’s so comfortable and easy to carry around. Got it refurbished and couldn’t be happier especially with the beautiful midnight color. People are just hating.

[@mzmel1]

I bought brand new base model m1 for $799. I couldn’t justify $400 more for the m2 base model.

[@alexanderradec317]

Have you been able to find a good M2 MacBook Air case ? I've been skeptical to consider anything on Amazon because they use stock photos and still only have pics of the M1 which won't work because of the MagSafe charger port on the M2

[@zihan9813]

Hello! I have 2 questions hopefully someone will educate me. I’m a little bit confused. 1: can i use oleophobic coating on the M2 Air midnight? ( please note that I’m talking about on the aluminum case not on Retina display) 2: Can I use transparent plastic hardshell on my mac? ( I’m afraid plastic case will cause issue because the overheating problem of m2 chips, but I’m also so fed up by the finger prints and smudges, and really don’t want scratches and scuffs on my machine) I already bought the machine so can’t return it, can only think about solutions 😂

[@Evie0133]

The hate's honestly justified. The NAND issue could've been easily avoided if they just included 512GB in the baseline model with double NAND chips. 256GB is already an insultingly low amount of storage, but now hits twice as hard considering the single NAND config. Thermals are slightly more forgivable, due to the target market of the Air lineup in general, but the thermal solution being better in the M1 Air is just disappointing.

[@CreatedTech]

IMO if Apple simply chose to make all base model MacBooks 512GB going forward this would resolve almost all complaints. This is my biggest (and pretty much only) issue with this product. Especially now that the "slow SSD" thing has blown up the internet (justifiably so). Sure, it would decrease their profit margin, but they are already an extremely profitable company despite the global chip shortage/supply chain issues.

[@RunForPeace-hk1cu]

Then the starting price would be $1400 Let Apple handle the business side of things. Clearly you don’t run a business The thermals isn’t better in the m1 mba. Same process node tech. More transistors and faster SoC. Do the math. Simple physics

[@chidorirasenganz]

I think increasing the storage would just bump up the base price. Remember under capitalism companies have to increase profits every quarter so they aren’t going to do something that jeopardizes that. Plus their could be supply constraints that forced their hand. Macs have long wait times since last year.

[@CreatedTech]

@@RunForPeace-hk1cu The starting price would be the exact same. Do you honestly think 256GB of extra storage costs $200? Like I said in the video, Apple literally pays a few dollars for each 256GB NAND chip. They can easily afford to absorb that slight increase to their profit margin. Usually the 256GB base model wouldn't have bothered people, but the fact Apple continues to do this practice even though it causes INFERIOR performance to an old model, that is what annoys people.

[@Evie0133]

@@RunForPeace-hk1cu Why would the base price be 1400 bucks just from them increasing the base storage from 256G to 512G? They've already done it in the Pro 16 back in 2019 without increasing the price tag, and SSD NAND chips are cheaper than ever, and it wouldn't cost them a lot to bump the base model up to 512G like Dell has with their XPS 13. And also what are you talking about, the M1 Air has a thicker and more substantial aluminium heatsink than the dinky solution in the M2 Air, and it runs cooler than the M2 Air.

[@pankometa]

Very smart and informative review! Good point about chasis not designed for 5nm chips. I think the best would be to buy M1 Air, skip M2 or even M3, and wait out for 3 nm chip, for which this chasis is designed. I'm pretty sure the all-around body won't change until then, maybe except for the screen quality.

[@adrianaa4307]

Where can I find the video about 8GB Ram Vs 16 GB Ram? I need a laptop for After Effects 😢 and Motion Graphics

[@Purple-Shadow916]

Just recently ordered m2 mba. I’m hoping the heating issue doesn’t fry the motherboard like my previous late 2013 MBA.

[@_rafayahmad]

hi, looking for answers, if someone could pls help a noob out :) I'm deciding b/w the m1 mba and the m2 mba (both base models) but i want to know which one i should get if i want the device to last as long as it can be made. As in, how long will apple keep supporting and giving updates for the mba m1? is it less then the time apple will support the m2 mba considering that m2 was released only this year pls help a brother out

[@MrDemonsushiGuy]

The m2 will probably get updates and support another year or two after the m1, but don't expect any longer than that. If I were you, I'd wait to see what the rumored upcoming macbooks THIS year will be like. And if you're not interested in that, then look at other aspects such as storage, ssd speed, price, and performance between the m1 and m2. The m2 only beats out the m1 in performance. Hope that helps.

[@LonnieBruton]

I have a base model M2 Air and love it. It replaced my 2012 Retina pro. It does what I want and it was cheaper than most alternatives. I can't complain.

[@m.hreels9822]

Yeah I’m getting really fed up with how blown out of proportion the negative videos from other content creators have been about this laptop! i’m getting mine in August and I saw it in Best Buy yesterday and I thought it was a simply amazing little computer 💻 🥰🙌🏻☺️👍🏻 KZbinrs are really over exaggerating their negative feedback about this laptop. And it’s a shame they’re doing that! Because this is an exceptional laptop! Deserves to be praised! I’m so sick and tired of people throwing so much shade and hate at the M2 chip.

[@thomassankara2857]

Go ahead and buy it. After all, it is your money.

[@badmoose01]

The haters seem to be ignorant about the purpose of a MacBook Air.

[@false-set]

I keep thinking I'll get an m1 mac mini, but I spec it out around 2k and that makes the m2 air look like a good idea, but then I spec that out and... am I getting a mac studio?

[@generalgopnik1026]

Just bought MBA M1 with 256/16. battery life is impressive and it's fast. The ram never reach the swap, use only for web development and watch youtube. For me for the better speaker, better camera, little bigger screen and new design doesn't justify to pay more for the M2 unless the M2 is double the performance than M1 or better thermal.

[@kaspar9]

Actually the M1 has better speakers, it's on the keyboard as opposed to the M2 which is on the hinge, therefore, the M1 speakers are much louder and better than the M2s

[@nevatinvest]

What apple model do you recommend? My work: Stock Trading, Article writing, Python Coding for analysis, etc. No Gaming Which model and specification would be good for me?

[@jay.jay.1]

Question. MacBook Air m1 16gb memory 1tb or MacBook Air m2 8gb memory 512 ssd. Which one would you pick

[@Tidelsson]

I love my MacBook Air m2. I have a Pro for heavy duties but use my Air most of the times for regular Office apps.

[@Crasho327]

I think the problem stems from the SSD configurations between the base model and next level model. Apple uses the 256 size SSD, which means the 512 GB model essentially has two of them side by side. In practice, it further means that the 512 will be faster and smoother because it can parse out between SSDs instead of being labor intensive solely on one. In my opinion, upgrading to the 512 model is worth the price if you can swing it. It also has 2 more GPU cores, which further help it run more smoothly.

[@huwwatson8070]

Here in Aus for students it’s a $350 difference between m1 and m2. Is it worth the extra $ for future proofing? I need the laptop to last 5 years.

[@alex.x8782]

Love your videos man! keep going😁

[@user_anthony]

Ignoring logistics of it, the ideal entry config should be 10-12 gb of ram and 512 storage. Had the m2 air started with that, at 1.2k its well worth the buy over the m1 mba. But of course thats not a nice profit strategy and thus here we are. But seriously 512 storage is what any user, heavy or light can use and understand. Ram is a bit more technical for the non-techie so i can understand that being a pricey upgrade.

[@migueltoledo1884]

To me, they compromised on important areas, all while increasing the price. At $1200 USD, you get a computer that has HALF the Read/Write speed SSD of the laptop it’s supposed to replace. If you want faster speed, you have to shell out another $200 to double the storage. Insane. To add insult to injury, the M2 runs hotter but they have little (if any) cooling management inside. It therefore thermal throttles almost immediately when performing demanding tasks. So that extra speed boost is wasted. All this amounts to a (frankly) abysmal value proposition. Sure you can get the M1 Air for $999. But no one should seriously have to consider getting last year’s laptop because this year’s laptop compromises on so much. It’s like the 2016 MacBook Pro all over again. And a lot of people DO NOT want to go back to that situation.

[@andyH_England]

I have the base and have none of these issues and have no idea what all this angst is. Maybe it is because I bought the machine for its target user case? I feel those buying sensibly will have no issues. A fanless design is for a certain demographic and if you use it for sustained workloads then that is on you.

[@tears2040]

1000 read/rite speed is still extremely fast, like insanely quick. That really hold no argument in this discussion.

[@sagararyal1173]

I love my M2 MBA it’s quite amazing! Used a 2011 and 2017 MBP in the past and this is by far the best upgrade!

[@demme1104]

I think you nailed it with this video. As you said, if the M2 Air shipped with 512gb ssd at the base configuration it would’ve had a blazing fast ssd as its predecessor and a good enough price to meaningfully differentiate it from the 14” pro. As it stands, it costs too much for what it has to offer. If it shipped with 8/512 at the base configuration and 16/512 for the “upgraded” one it would’ve been a great proposition, but as it stands it only encourages to purchase a 14” pro

[@andyH_England]

I suppose when MS stops shipping the Surface Pro 8 with 128GB, then Apple may move to 512GB. But unless you get Windows laptops to do the same, and they dominate the market and dictate base specs, then your anger should be addressed to MS, and others in the premium ultrabook market. You cannot pull Apple up on this when others do the same and MS does even worse, as that is being a hypocrite.

[@demme1104]

@@andyH_England that’s some strong words you’re throwing around. Anger, hypocrisy? I’m not angry at anyone, Apple is free to do business as it likes and it won’t ruin my day for it. And there’s no hypocrisy in stating that as it stands the m2 air is overpriced compared to the rest of the lineup. It would’ve been hypocrisy if I was MS CEO and flamed Apple while doing exactly the same…You should look up the dictionary before using big boys words.

[@andyH_England]

@@demme1104 You can think as you like, as I do, but the Air is not overpriced. Macs have always been high-end, and the only reason the M1 Air was cheaper was that it was an ancient design, so the tooling and manufacturing lines had all been paid for. The new Air, as with all new designs, have to have its R&D and fixed costs paid for in the first two years, hence the extra cost, along with TSMC raising prices by around $100 and general inflation. The new XPS 13 Plus is an example, £300-400 more for the same spec as the older design. This is a primary business practice, and you see it in all tech. Once the costs have been paid off, then the price will reduce, especially next year when we get the new MB Pro 13 and MB Air 15-inch. This is all done with a planned roadmap, and Apple does it for economic and business reasons. You, as a consumer, then make a decision to buy or not.

[@demme1104]

@@andyH_England I’m not arguing with Macs value vs the competition, Apple silicon actually made them more compelling than ever compared to windows machines. This is not a discussion about Apple vs everyone else. My point is that in Apple’s lineup, so benchmarking against its own products, the M2 Air ( and 13” Pro) seem like a poor proposition, simply because in the same price range you have the 14” Pro which offers way more. And the R&d cost is not a valid reason for having similarly specced M2 Air and 14” Pro costing £150 from each other, as the same r&d costs apply to the Pro and yet Apple was able to price it competitively against its own machines.

[@andyH_England]

@@demme1104 As I said, the difference in price ATM is very much to do with where they are in their respective product cycles and this will change in six months when the M2 Air will be $600 cheaper than the new MB Pro 14 M2 Pro. Apple cannot lower their margins just because MB Pro 14 M1 Pro are now being discounted, due to them being older now! Personally I would still buy the 512GB/16GB M2 Air over the MB Pro 14 Pro base as the M2 is newer and I prefer the Air size and design and am not worried that I can get the M1 Pro 14 for a similar price. But that is me, and others do what they want.

[@phbrinsden]

I just bought and can’t wait to get it. I’m not going to do stuff that really pushes it so the so called overheating issue is not an issue for me. Most users who need two monitors would more likely have a MacBook Pro.

[@jaydenscheier9763]

This was great video, loved the in-depth discussion

[@badmoose01]

The M1 MacBook Air has the same overheating issue. People seem to forget this!

[@butchgo8930]

You played Battlefield on it.😂

[@k.6867]

Brilliantly edited, reliable information. Well done!

[@JZWPikaNozna]

Considering your suggested use for the M2 Air... there's no real reason to choose M2 over the previous version, not to mention upgrading from the M1. None that I could think of at least.

[@sikaifu5509]

Is the SSD bottleneck on the 256gb solve the heat and throttling issue? If so, then the 256gb ssd seems to be better than the 512+gb.

[@loughrey101]

The issue is that it's not very price competitive relative to the 14 inch and doesn't offer much more over the M1 Air that retailed for much less, apart from a new form factor. The M2 is not a massive leap over the M1 so you've paying a lot of money simply for a new design. I think it's the same issue that Apple has with the iPhone 14 Plus. It's priced too close to the iPhone 14 Pro and it's hard to justify. They're pricing strategy is a big problem across their hardware. The M2 Macbook Air should have offered more to differentiate it from the M1 Air, such as extra ports on the other side, but instead Apple wrongly assumed that the new form factor alone serious drive sales, but that isn't going to be the case in a world with so much economic uncertainty. People have become more prudent shoppers, and if you want to convince consumers to purchase the latest Macbook today, you need to be able to give them a good practical reason to do so as a new form factor and a marginal bump in performance with the stopgap M2 chip just isn’t one of those in the middle of this economic uncertainty. Another issue is that the M1 chip was just so good, in how revolutionary it was in comparison to what can't before it that the M2 has become one big anti-climax

[@Duffster115]

I don't get any of the hate I am currently using one and it is absolutely amazing without any drawbacks idk what everyone is talking about I got the base model and upped the ram to 16gb but that's all!

[@nicoled985]

people did the same thing about the imac 24" and how it looked. It's a way to get views. There's nothing wrong with the laptop

[@KoenKooi]

My work laptop is a 2020 mbp with 512g ssd and 32gb ram. I’d love to go fanless, but a 512/24 mba will be priced very closely to a 14” mbp. But what I really want is a new version on the 12” macbook, I really enjoyed using that!

[@munawirulhadi2864]

MBA M2 is my first macbook, 16/512. But in terms of OS, I prefer linux. What I like about my new Macbook the battery is unbelievably good it lasts two days for my casual use Doing web dev, youtube, movie and it is blazingly fast

[@nicholasmushi6311]

Well Apple’s new 14" MacBook Air M2 has a lot to offer, but the entry level model comes with a pretty disappointing downgrade😕. The base model with 256GB of storage has significantly slower SSD performance speeds than the previous M1 generation. You’d think getting Apple’s "latest and greatest" MacBook Air with the new M2 processor would yield improvements, just as Apple touted up on stage. However, that doesn’t appear to be the case for the storage. I've said this a million times, over and over again, Apple needs to start with a 512GB storage option as the base model for "ALL" MacBooks (Air and Pro). A 256GB nowadays is just insufficient on a MacBook (Air or Pro). What do I like? It's a tie actually, between the new design and that new midnight color!

[@jaypalmer3806]

Yawn! Overlooking an amazing laptop (yes I own it) over ssd speeds that the average user wouldn’t even notice. Yes it’s not ideal it’s ‘slower’ than the M1 256gb, but it’s not the end of the world. People who know or care about ssd speeds would probably go for higher storage anyway.

[@nicholasmushi6311]

@@jaypalmer3806 I don't hate the 14" MacBook Air M2 at all. In fact, I love the new design and midnight color despite it being a fingerprint magnet, I'd still get it in that color. But I'd definitely need a 16GB RAM and either a 512GB/ 1TB storage. That's it.

[@jaypalmer3806]

@@nicholasmushi6311 I got Silver, 16gb and 1TB. It’s amazing! So much better than the Air M1 (in my opinion) feels like the 14 Pro’s little brother. I took all the negative reviews and moaning with a pinch of salt and thought I’d wait until I can see for myself. It’s a fantastic machine. One person said they watched 5 mins of KZbin and it got so hot they had to take it off their lap. I watched 4k KZbin clip and also a 4k movie on Vlc at the same time for 10 mins, it wasn’t even warm. Seems to be a lot of people talking sh1t about them on KZbin for some reason.

[@nicholasmushi6311]

@@jaypalmer3806 some people exaggerate too much on Apple’s products, in this case the MacBook Air M2. I'm guessing, they're mostly Windows PC or Android users. The silver color is also fire too, just as the space grey is! The only color I'm not feeling is the starlight😒. Anyway, your specs. are great. That's what's up!

[@RunForPeace-hk1cu]

@@nicholasmushi6311 You'll need the same for M1 MBA ... so I'm not following your logic.

[@drublacky1846]

I really like design, brightness and midnight color auf the M2A. I dont like pricing, so I stay with my beloved M1A

[@MarbsMusic]

Excellent video and points!

[@sasanmanprinceofpersia1233]

The M1 air with 16gb ram and 512 gb ssd costs me around 1500 Euros, the M2 Air with the same config costs almost 2000 Euros just the same as the 14 M1 pro. I have started video editing as a hobby and currently use my desktop pc (R5 5600x, 3080, 32gb ram) for that but I want something as well for the go since I am often on the go. Which model would you recommend me? I want to keep the device at least for 5 yrs.

[@old-4298]

The m1 air is far good enough, unless u want a fast refresh rate and pro stuffs

[@user-vc4qi8xj4i]

Because your desktop pc is fast enough, and m2 air is lighter than m1pro, I think m2 air is better choice for you. Compared to m1 air, M2 air has new design, and better performance, so m2 air should be the better choice for long term users.

[@RunForPeace-hk1cu]

Apple kept M1 MBA, so M2 MBA was never about having the most compelling value proposition. 😬 M1 MBA = best value for money M2 MBA = cutting-edge Apple Silicon design in a lightest, most compact form factor M1 Pro = performance and features The price pt speaks for itself

[@sasanmanprinceofpersia1233]

@@user-vc4qi8xj4i These really good points! Thank you very much:)

[@sasanmanprinceofpersia1233]

@@old-4298 thanks for the input:)

[@Errcyco]

Lol, if it started at $999 none of that hate would be there. It’s jacking up the price.. that’s it.

[@andyH_England]

If Apple did it for $500 everyone would love it! Of course, consumers want something for nothing, but Apple is a business and does what it has to do to survive the juggernaut that is Windows.

[@niceboke]

I speced out my M2 Air to 24GB RAM with 1TB SDD. The only time it starts using swap is when I have 50 or more chrome windows open while playing a game and leaving a big Logic project open in the background. I basically never go into swap. Using Logic it'll last about 6hrs with some power left. (I don't want to drain it). It will throttle when playing games, but the way around that is to play with the battery at 100% and plugged in. The draining and charging of the battery increases the heat so keeping it plugged in eliminates this extra heat and allows gameplay without throttling for a few hours depending on what you play. If you use it for any creative work you won't have any of the issues that people talk about since you probably need at least 1TB and 16GB RAM for your work.

[@louisnk9914]

I got the m1 yesterday because it was 850 euros on sale and the m2 is 1500 euros, also the transfer speeds are faster and thr thermals are cooler

[@Arthur-sl7vo]

thanks for the subtitles

[@rickyb8636]

Well thought out points.

[@ReadYourManuel]

I love how it looks. I just wished it was better than the M1 on internals..

[@jaypalmer3806]

It is

[@zquadedtv5418]

It is

[@billherman5161]

Great review and spot on.

[@jdillon8360]

New macbook air M1 owner here. I got the 8/256 version and it's been totally fine so far for my needs. I upgraded from a 2012 air that was my daily work computer until 2 weeks ago. It was the base model 4/128 model, and honestly it lasted longer and performed better than I ever expected. I miss the keyboard too, I'm still getting used to the new keyboard here. Anyway, the point of my comment is that I've never understood why so many people (especially youtubers and reviewers) complain about the "low" ram and ssd numbers on entry-level macbook products. I coped fine with 4GB ram and a 128GB hard drive for years. I think it's just a matter of being aware of your machine's limitations and storing less-used items on external storage, and not running a million tabs or programs at once. If you need high performance, get a macbook pro or desktop mac. If you need high performance and you don't want to pay apple's prices, there are plenty of other brands out there.

[@HowieIsaacks]

I came close to buying an M2 MacBook Air in late December but when I saw that it only supports 1 external display, I decided against it. I bought an M2 Max 14-inch MacBook Pro this past Thursday. I love it! I just wish it came in the midnight color.

[@ponce1741]

My workflow consist in like 15 safari tabs 2 excel and words....do you think the m2 air base model can handle smootlym

[@JustNam66]

I have the M2 Air ( wee based model) for 3 mons now and I have no problemo at all!

[@mmontiii1850]

Which of these two is better for a university use (take notes, watching videos, using excel and other stuff)?: -MBA with 512 of SSD and 8gb of RAM - MBA with 256 gb of SSD (with the storage issue) and 16 Gb of RAM Considering that I would like to keep this MacBook for at least 5-6 years

[@CreatedTech]

Usually I always recommend RAM but in your case I don't think you will need more than 8GB if you're just doing basic web browsing and excel. 512GB SSD would be a good option.

[@danifeu2271]

I got my MacBook Air M2 last week and I love it!

[@SwatBeatsOfficial]

They should have left M1 MBA and updated it with a new screen, webcam, and magsafe. They should have put a little more energy into making a new 13" M2 MBP with the fans required to keep it cool and base model with 512GB to solve SSD issue

[@pccpwsv3760]

I love mine. I use it to record 20 track audio sessions and it runs flawlessly

[@californiadreamin5093]

I’m so confused! I need a new computer, and not sure what to buy? I am going to be starting a KZbin channel and will be editing on iMovie and uploading to KZbin. What should I buy? M1? M2? M2 Pro????

[@michaelranger9104]

I moved from a 2002 Mac book to the M2 and am well pleased with it...dose what I want it to do

[@bill3117]

The 8GB of RAM IMHO I think really shortens the life span of this beautiful laptop. The "slow" base SSD is also a disappointment. Yes, it can be ordered with more RAM and a larger SSD. But, the cost seems a bit excessive, as much as I want one. It is really going to sting if Apple addresses this in the next generation. Even worse, if they fix the slow base SSD speed in the current generation (though I think they would not even though they could). Can you imagine early buyers thoughts on that!

[@andyH_England]

It is expensive, and that is hard to argue with. I look at it as a 5-7 year investment, and if it means paying an extra £200 for the 16GB of RAM, I look at that as a glass half full; it will pay for itself with a better experience over its lifetime. I do not need the larger SSD, and with 16GB of RAM, the swap melodrama does not really exist.

[@Pesto-64]

Great channel and videos

[@jcgraquino]

I was in a mental gymnastics in the past few weeks deciding what to buy. First, I bought the MBA M1. I will consider it as more than what I really need. However, due to my pathetic minding of the aesthetics, the old design made me eager to get a redesigned one. Should have gotten the M2 Air but I ended up with 14” MBP. Here in PH, the current price difference of 512 and 1 Tb 14” is just $100 so it is a no brainer that I jumped to 1 Tb. I know that M2 MBA is okay as it is despite the nerfed SSD of the base model, but I can’t stand to think that I am cheated with such. Hence, I passed on considering the base M2 MBA. The 512 (and base model) M2 MBA is currently expensive in PH and for +$300, I can have a 14” 1 Tb. For the screen, +8 gig ram, and +512 gig storage… that $300 is freaking worth it.

[@MaiElizabeth]

When it first revealed, I kinda hate its look. But now I think it looks nice.

[@Cruella-Deville]

Some don’t like it but, a lot love it! Where have you been. It’s very hard to get hold of one in the spec. And the colour you want.

[@drbenirusani]

Hi, would upgrading the M2 MBA SSD from 512 to 1 TB has any potential drawbacks. Money is not an issue. And I don't want an MBP 14-inch as it is heavier than MBA. Thanks!

[@CreatedTech]

No drawbacks, only positives

[@drbenirusani]

@@CreatedTech Cool. So 16GB RAM will be compatible with 1TB ya?

[@CreatedTech]

@@drbenirusani yes

[@user_8735]

Is the 8gb ram capable to open 60 tabs on Safari/Chrome?

[@CODEDSTUDIO]

I think the Design is great but the lower spec model is making people hate it, and also the performance is not that huge as compared to the M1

[@astronomical13]

The lower spec model isn’t making people hate it, KZbin tech reviewers thirsty to stir up controversy to get views are making people hate it. An average Apple user off the street would probably think it’s a great machine after spending some time with it.

[@OuyaWoelders-hi9bn]

i often times run virtual machines on my macbook air m2, so i need more storage and ram.

[@Josephsoto221]

Got the m2 Air 15 inch with 16 gigs of ram and 1tb storage, I use it for music production and video editing and it’s genuinely been amazing, I honestly prefer having it over a MacBook Pro due to the portability and over all size, idk why anyone would not like it

[@ryandunne7558]

i love my macbook air m2 its just the best lil portable pc i have had period

[@tilsgee]

To be fair, 2017 MacBook with butterfly keyboard and touch bar, also have same hate at that time

[@texans_subscribe2349]

is it now more worth it with the price drop as a first macbook

[@HuntersOA]

I just benchmarked my old laptop - it toped out at 160 mb / sec on an SSD test. My macbook air arrives tomorrow, and the speeds shown here are not shy of ridiculous. I have no clue why people are so hang up on the SSD being slower on the M2 when most people will not even notice the change, apart from people working with enormous video files :D

[@paulmaine]

I thought about buying one, but I’m going to wait till next year and stick with my old windows laptop (it’s a heap but it still runs, just) 😁 great video to help make my mind up 👍

[@peterbustin2683]

Ive recently bought an M2 8/512 MBA and absolutely love it. RAM not an issue at all, for me. I play Resident Evil without issue, at 6ofps, and can edit photos and have 15-20 tabs in Chrome, again no issue. Just couldnt face yet another black plastic Windows machine again. I doubt I will ever go back.

[@marcochavanne]

Im in the US and ordered a 10c 16GB 512GB M2 Air that arrives tomorrow. Was on the fence between it and the M2 13" MBP. They are both $1,376 from Apples Refurbished store with the same specs with my military discount so I am going to see how it goes. Hopefully it handles legacy games like Portal 2 and Civilization V ok since thats about as hard as I will be pushing it. Otherwise its going back and I am getting the M2 13" Pro. The fact it doesnt have active or passive cooling has me worried though. Leaving out a heat sync altogether seems like a way to force people to return it if they push them and get a 14" Pro for just a little more money.

[@sunitjoshi3573]

If you don’t mind me asking, how much did you save on military discount?

[@marcochavanne]

@@sunitjoshi3573 10%

[@wack-a-mole9250]

Basically what you're saying is that the M2 Air is fine when orderd in a 16GB/512GB configuration. The problem is, at that point you might as well just get the 14" MBP 🤷‍♀

[@arbitrarycnx2095]

7:43 I think 256GB is still good enough for the people this laptop is meant for. Anyone who needs a larger capacity will definitely need a larger RAM and likely a more powerful processor, for which we have the Pro 14. Pro 13 is kinda disappointing now considering it has no design changes and lacks some basics. The only exceptional feature is the touchbar, which I like, but now overall it doesn't make sense. Still made sense during the M1 times. Just my opinion. I agree with the SSD speeds bit though

[@remasterzero]

I have the M2 with 512SSD and 24gb of unified memory and is super good! everything runs smooth! and the battery durations unrivaled in this size category

[@garycroftsmicroscopy]

The notch ruins it for me, also i think they are just turfing out gear because everyone expects them too rather than waiting for a decent period to innovate. I love my apple gear but i hope they see the light a little this year was the first year i got annoyed by bringing new features to the m1 iPad Pro’s, features that should be available for all i own an ipad pro 12.9 2020 model which i picked up in 2021 on the basis the os would improve and external monitor support of a decent calibre would come. Furthermore picked up the iPad mini 6 too both of which get next to no new features. For one ill slow down on purchasing and upgrading from now on. If i was buying a laptop now id still go for the air m1 think it just looks better IMO. Let’s see what they turf out in the fall…

[@markaznar1979]

So since the m2 generates too much heat, what will happen when this will be the same chip used for the upcoming iPad Pro models? They would have to under lock these chips???

[@kaspar9]

2 things that made me go w. the M1 besides the better value - 1) I still prefer the wedge based design, it's much easier on the wrists, Apple only removed it because they felt they needed a refresh, but you ask anyone and most would still prefer the wedge based design on the wrists especially after long hours 2) The speakers on the M1 Air are better/louder than the M2 Air. They put the speakers on the M2 AIR near the hinge, the M1 was on the keyboard so it was much louder.

[@michaelmester9076]

It has so much deck flex, compared to any other Mac I've used or held. That's my only gripe.

[@JTM1809]

Love my 13 inch base M2 MBA. The best complementary notebook (for travel) to my 16 inch M1 MBP.