Should Anyone Buy the M2 MacBook Pro?

Marques and Andrew discuss the new M2 MacBook Pro and why it might be the most confusing product Apple has released in a long time.
Full episode: bit.ly/wvfrmep121
Links:
Rene Ritchie M2 Macbook Pro review: bit.ly/3HRelcs
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[@Respectable_Username]

There's a trick in marketing where sellers introduce a third, "middle" option to a lineup to get more people to get the more expensive option. If there's two options, people will default to the cheapest. If there's three options, people will default to the middle one. So if you can sit the middle one such that the upgrade to the top one from middle is a decent cost/benefit, more people will buy the more expensive option than if there were only two options.

[@Scragg-]

Hence why they still sell 8gb(ram) models right? If you are using it for programming you at least want 16, if you want to run VMs/docker containers you'll want more. If you are doing illustration 8 is OK but 16 would be better etc etc.

[@marleychronic8530]

Yeah MKBHD has a video on that

[@ovidiodemorizi]

Deep

[@gucci_flip_flops]

And the higher price range of the macbook air will be normalized. Actually kind of smart on apple's part

[@LemonToGo]

It's called upselling.

[@sayonaras]

Im that mystery guy who purchased the M2 MBP. I ordered a 24gb RAM, 1TB 13". Heres why I went with this laptop over the 14" or Air: • Portability, this laptop is noticeably lighter than the 14 Pro" • No ports, YES, no ports! I like the idea of being able to leave behind the additional ports on a dongle at home when I travel with this machine. • Better Battery life, this machine has been known to go OVER the 20hr mark on the right settings. • Touch Bar, I find it useful and think it looks cool. never really cared much for actual function keys as long as the esc key is an actual key. Coming from a 15" retina that weighs almost the same as the new 14" I didn't want another big laptop (or the Air because I do need a machine that can run multiple apps at a time and not overheat.) for most people I definitely recommend the 14" over the 13" because it has the better display, speakers, camera and ports. I personally prefer sacrificing those upgrades for reduced weight, better battery life, and a fan. Also in my opinion the 13" body looks more modern than the 14" or air designs. I will be using this machine mostly for work (product graphic design), web, zoom meetings and occasional netflix/streaming. Hope this answers who that small % of people this laptop is actually for!

[@Mr20001]

I love your points and I completely agree with them! To put it simply, this new MBP M2 is for the same audience that any other MBP would target. I think a lot of these tech-heads are overthinking this. There’s no mystery to be solved here.

[@MrQuay03]

Might as well get M2 Air if you need lightweight

[@ismaeltorres3219]

I mean doesn't the m2 air also have the same ports, just magsafe? Honestly I'm considering one just cause I want more than my base model air, but I totally get and agree with all your points

[@wilmeralexander2098]

macbook air has better web cam for those web zoom meetings but completely understand your points. i wish we had a function row and touch bar on my 14 in but cant have it all i guess. it would be interesting to see a touch bar roll into the 16 in

[@BaldwinDimeku]

Makes sense

[@misterdragzon]

I think as geeks we underestimate the value of the “Pro” branding to average customers. I just had to talk my cousin out of this laptop. He insisted on a Pro MacBook even though I told him the Air was better, so now he’s getting a 14”. Your upsell worked Apple…

[@jarlchicknugs5750]

yep, I work at Best Buy (mainly apple and PC sales) and the amount of people I see buy the 13inch pro over the air is insane solely because they think the air is slow and that they need the pro for normal use

[@AlejandroLZuvic]

That's the gross part, I'm quite sure Apple at least in part is keeping the M2 Pro to upsell it.

[@thesailboatking]

This is the real reason

[@jjpark98]

That's what they do it. It's marketing that preys on the ill-informed/uninitiated. For us computer nerds, we know exactly what to look for and we're very well in the know about what all the tech specs and features mean, but to a normal consumer, they dont' know anything (I, a person who works in IT has seen this countless times on a first hand basis). Most don't know or don't care about the technical details and just want something that is good or fast and they only indicator they can use to judge this by the moniker given to the product. They see the word "pro" and they think it MUST be good and buy it without looking it any further. A lot of companies (not specific to Apple) do rely on this ignorance as a key component to selling their products. It's a sad reality but it is what is. All we can do as the well versed tech nerds is protect our loved ones from getting scammed. More than at least a dozen times have I stopped my father from buying something he doesn't need nor would even be enough to do what he wants it to do.

[@NoBody-ks3co]

Are they unhappy with their purchase? Does it add value to their life? Will they use it so much that the time spent on it will heavily out-weigh how much they spent?

[@nchmusic99]

The touchbar is actually good , its quite handy for me to switch musics or replay it , change brightness , volume control , bookmark pages , refreshing page , I use those a lot , and its more aesthetically pleasing to look at than the non-touchbar, which looks generic like other laptops out there. I don’t get the hate

[@JFloridaTech]

@@ww3662 you literally tap fn and the function keys appear

[@JFloridaTech]

@@ww3662 I’m sorry you’re unable to use a touchscreen effectively. I love the Touch Bar, I have a literal refresh button dynamically when I need it or F5 (which I rarely choose now). Touch Bar’s great 🤷

[@mamoonahmed4045]

@@ww3662 I am a programmer and I dont use tactile function keys a lot. I do like the touchbar because of its easy to use features. Its just the matter of preference. If you like the physical function keys, doesn't mean touchbar is not useful for a lot of people who use it. And its vice versa. I do think apple should just give its customers, the option to choose from touchbar and function keys.

[@CARLOUS-gt5iu]

@@ww3662 Not that deep bro

[@cantabileloves]

Agree. Especially as someone who types on various languages, it is extremely useful.

[@alphateilchen_]

1) They have a bunch of chassis and want to get rid of them (as mentioned) 2) Production on the M2 is already ramped up, but other parts of the MacBook Air aren’t ready for mass production yet. Instead of sitting on a bunch of M2 chips and paying to store them, you put them in an existing computer and sell them immediately to anyone who who’ll buy it. 3) Maybe also to appease Touch Bar fans, but I doubt it, personally.

[@Youtuber_YusukeFromGermany]

Mvp of this comment section

[@AlejandroLZuvic]

All that's is good, but the question is why somebody should buy it? Or who should buy this machine? The question wasn't why Apple is making this machine?

[@jjpark98]

I agree with your points. Also there most DEFINITELY is a hardcore group of apple fans that are BIG fans of the touch bar and would rather see Jesus get crucified a second time than see the touch bar go away forever.

[@ravethedaveee]

Number 1 definitely - especially as they are reusing the m1 boxes and putting a new sticker on it !

[@tushar8998]

I would say Touch Bar is the biggest reason.

[@TMWriting]

I've genuinely been looking for an external touchbar solution in the last few weeks, because I'm so used to using my touchbar to qickly navigate around my computer and perform quick system-level actions. Granted, that's with the assist of BetterTouchTool and not Apple's ridiculously bad native touchbar integration, but I definitely found a use for it and I'll miss it a lot when I eventually upgrade to a newer Mac/whenever I'm using an external monitor now. (I think the only solution is to invest in a Stream Deck, by the way, and try and bind a lot of my favourite touchbar commands to keyboard shortcuts 😢)

[@mattjdeboer]

I have the m2 pro, love it. wanted a fan, but also wanted the Touch Bar. also my first Mac so maybe there's something there, coming from the pc world where every lap I've had, had fans.

[@realcrys]

The base version of the M2 MBP with 256gb has only half the SSD speed of the M1 model because they use a single storage chip now instead of 2x128GB, so in some tasks it even slower than the old one 😅

[@pauldeshield]

They want to punish any "pro" that buys a 256Gb Mac 🤷🏽‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️😅

[@PlayJewel]

@@pauldeshield are they going to punish m2 air 256gb users too…that’s something to look forward to. Those speeds are pcie 2 standard.

[@pauldeshield]

@@PlayJewel anyone who doesn't spend enough money is a target for Tim Apple 🤷🏽‍♂️😅

[@robertkeaney9905]

Due to the improved media engines on the M2 MBP, it exports Imovie and final cut footage at the same rate as the baseline M1 MBP. So the performance on the M1 and M2 MBP is about even despite having half the SSD speed for editing work flows. So at least its not really slower than the M1 MBP for its main use case. That said, a refurbished M1 mac book pro will have the same performance but be 150 dollars cheaper with slightly longer battery life than the M2 MBP. So if you you are just planning on getting the base line M2 MBP then you'd be better served with an a refurbished M1 Mac Book Pro. However if you are planning on going for an 512 gb Mac Book Pro, then the 512 gb M2 MBP is a decent pick. Because it has the stronger media engines. And isn't gimped by only having only one ssd.

[@potatorigs2155]

@@PlayJewel absolutely they only use 256gb chips now

[@davidfirth1]

The 13" MBP is a good machine. It isn't a sexy one. It just works. I think that many in the Apple watcher community expect all the new machines to be glittering showcases of new. Sometimes, old reliable but a little better isn't a bad thing.

[@DudeMungus]

I actually love the touch bar ..... literally my main reason for getting 13 pro m2 I currently have the Intel version 2020 model 13 pro

[@M0M...]

Same here. I hate it that people think that everyone hates it. I blame all the tech community for apple getting rid of it

[@GoodStageProduction0]

@@M0M... I find it completely useless since I just set it to always be the standard function keys. In that case, what's even the point of the touch bar? I think the far better design is to have a row of half-sized function keys like on the 2015 and prior MacBook models with a touch bar above it. That way, you have all the function key stuff on physical buttons and anything else can go onto the touch bar. I'd be completely fine with that. But I hate having to use a screen to adjust volume, brightness, etc. whenever the buttons are so much faster and more natural for me.

[@M0M...]

@@GoodStageProduction0 I love predicted text and emojis lol 🥶🥸😰🤠👎🏿🦶🏿🦷👩🏿‍🦳🫂

[@egyptian_noob]

I think it’s just nice to still have the option for a touch bar for those who really want it, but i’d rather pick up the M2 air

[@bruceswinford4901]

Gonna have more throttling issues tho

[@egyptian_noob]

@@bruceswinford4901 Then go for M1 pro or max

[@bruceswinford4901]

@@egyptian_noob yeah I might, I've got a 13 inch og m1 macbook pro, and I'm pretty impressed with the performance on this thing atm, but if I upgrade it'll prob be the 14 inch..just hope the screen isn't flimsier lol

[@CaptureCat88]

Or if you don’t want a notch or the bubble design of the new ones. So ugly and we all know it. Taper was always better and sleeker.

[@bruceswinford4901]

@@CaptureCat88 yea the notch is abit silly, but no 1 concern is the overall structure imo, apples obsession with noise free paper thin designs is annoying as hell

[@jeffhardy1337]

Especially in Europe the M1 Macbook Air makes more sense than the M2 air, because it is much cheaper (you can get it for around 900-950€, whereas the M2 Air costs 1500€). This upgrade is just not worth it for that price

[@kevinpiip3427]

Talk for your own country not the whole Europe since in Estonia its like 100-200€ more expensive than in the USA (the price apple says it costs)

[@Youtuber_YusukeFromGermany]

Same in Germany. 900€ for the M1 and 1500€ at least for m2 Macbook Air. 600€ more seriously??

[@manaspradhan8041]

1200 and 1434 euro in India so now it makes little sense to not go for the M2 air

[@jjpark98]

To be fair, you guys' tech prices in Europe are absolutely fucked.

[@deepayanbiswas4488]

@@manaspradhan8041 now that Apple has increased the price of M1 MBA, M2 MBA is definitely the way to go unless the base model has slow ssd like what they did with M2 MBP.

[@VonaMc]

The reason that I had to go with the MacBook Pro M2 is because I wanted something that I can take with me but also allows me to work 12 hours a day with blacking out... I am hoping it will be a major change for the base model M1 air 😢

[@samknowlton9311]

As someone who just purchased the M2 MacBook Pro it came down to availability as this was the only machine available right now with the M2 chip and a good amount of storage and unified memory. Would’ve purchased the new air had it been available currently.

[@FaiyzaBeg]

I love my touch bar from 2019 version! I wish they had an option to add it to the m1 versions or vice versa... Wonder when the new ones will be out the 14 and 16 inch.

[@kareemclips6149]

14 and 16 inch dont have a touch bar?

[@FromDesertTown]

@@kareemclips6149 correct, they don't.

[@innnews6299]

Touchbar is the main reason why I even consider this M2 MBP. Please keep it and don’t discontinue the touchbar, Apple.

[@beigefox6579]

Yep, as much as wanted the Mac book Air. I am not giving up the TouchBar function for the new looks of Air which you will stop admiring in less than a year.

[@beigefox6579]

@@krishmaheshwari8061 1. For anyone that does anything that requires swiping is a big bonus. eg. Watching videos on browsers(The Touch Bar is lot more smother than using a mouse cursor. You can even use it to fast-forward Ads(I know there are Adblockers out there, but being able to skip some is still a plus in my opinion). 2. If you are using your Mac for windows Remote Desktop, when you swipe to windows desktop, you can still control some functions such as phone calls which normally you have had to swipe back and start using mouse. 3. If you do lots of text messages or KZbin comments on your laptop, The Autocorrect is always in your face with 3 different words to select from. The best is the options of emojis(some people are pros with keyboards/mouse, but the layout with Touch screen is a better experience. 4. Using programs like excel or Word, the most popular icons are usually on the Touch Bar. There are lots more like easier to use your calculator/calendar with touch as opposed to moving the mouse. So in general, if once in a while you feel like a touch screen is faster, and mad at apple for never making a touch screen, then the Touchbar is the mini replacement. (most of what you need to touch on the screen is on the touchbar)

[@obviousgreyman]

I think it exists to push people who want a “pro” into a more expensive model. They know people will pay that extra if they’ve already decided on a pro model but then see the small price difference but large performance increase and just get the 14”.

[@Husker_]

Great point! They needed something price wise that sits in between the Air and the Pro models. If the price gap is too big then not as many people will buy the Pro models. But if people see the 13 Pro model in between then they can wrap their head around the higher priced 14 model and then the price doesn’t seem that bad for all of the extra performance you get.

[@seyifolarin8334]

This is defiantly the case. Although people could be different.

[@quintennn]

I would definitely consider it. I am a frontend developer and it would offer me more than enough speed. I switch between a 16 inch M1 Pro mbp and my 13 inch (intel!) mbp (the one that was avaible when M1 was launched). for my workload I don't notice any difference. There is indeed no reason why is SHOULD pick the 13 inch mbp. There are however some reasons why I would. - I LOVE the form factor. the newer MBP's are to big to heavy for me. I like a light machine. - I like the design better. The new MBP's look like a more squared version of the 2012 macbook pro. The 13 inch looks more modern to me. I like it. I could definitely go with the mb air. No problem! But I would like the piece of mind that the active cooling offers for the rare occasion where I'm maxing the thing out. I'm pretty in the middle on the touchbar. Don't love it, don't hate it. It's fine. So If I were to buy a computer TODAY I'd buy the 13 inch M2 Macbook Pro. I don't need to upgrade so I won't. When it gets time to upgrade the 13 inch probably won't exist anymore so the 14inch macbook pro will be the obvious pick for me.

[@Claranny]

I'm planning on getting the M2 13" pro because I need the active cooling but not any of the other pro features and it weighs slightly less. I'm in academia and mostly handle a lot of very big files (450+ page word documents, pdf e-books made from old scans 20 at a time etc. ) My old 8 GB RAM computer gets insanely hot and slow when switching between all these documents, so I am planning on upgrading to 16 GB. I don't want to risk throttling. I would like the nicer screen of the 14", but it is heavier, looks clumsier and I can't justify the price difference. Not because I can't afford it if I really wanted to, but I would get more nervous handling it in airports etc. if it was too expensive.

[@christophercrawford2736]

I’d consider it if it had the newer screen with ProMotion. I happen to like the touchbar and don’t mind using usb-c. I haven’t used an SD card since like 2008.

[@rickystafford7433]

m2 macbook air also doesn’t make much sense given the price hike and likelihood of screen improvements next year. Either get the M1 MacBook Air or base 14” MBP in my opinion.

[@mefailadalan6924]

my guess is, that the MBP 13" will be discontinued next year and the final Macbook lineUp will be 13" Macbook Air, 15" Macbook both with M2 and 14" and 16" MBP with M2Pro an M2Max like today. Also i would say that the MacMini will have 2 versions of it MacMini M2 ( silver ) and MacMini M2Pro ( spacegrey). iam curious!

[@cand33cane]

I was genuinely interested in the Europa facts… Thank you. Always good to learn something new

[@kwrzesien17]

I think you almost nailed it at the end, it’s not that they already have a bunch of extra chassis that they are trying to sell. It’s that they already have the manufacture line and supply chain running at maturity and everything else is in chaos, so they can immediately ship the 13” MacBook Pro models with M2 chips in volume worldwide, and the M2 Air availability might be constrained for months to come. Get those new chips out!

[@markturner7748]

I'm one of those strange people that actually chose the M2 13" MBP over the MacBook Air or the 14" MBP. I previously had an M1 13" MBP but cheaped out and had the 8GB / 512GB model. I was so happy with the form factor , weight, size, screen and power of the M1, but after a year or so decided I really needed more memory and more storage. I'd have probably gone for another M1 13" MBP if the M2 wasn't available, but I chose the M2 13" 24GB / 1TB instead. I did consider the models either side, but I prefer USB C over MagSafe, don't care either way about the touch-bar, and don't need more ports or horsepower. I usually buy the latest and greatest Mac every few years, but this time a better version of what I already had was the right choice for me.

[@omgsadaiqa]

why USB C over MagSafe?

[@markturner7748]

@@omgsadaiqa I have lots of other USB C devices and don’t see the need to carry another charger or cable.

[@iali00]

Agree that MagSafe is dumb and unnecessary. If you make fun of people that like the touch bar then you should also grow up and not knock your laptop over when it’s plugged in.

[@eddyvarela5467]

I'm a developer living on a hot city in the desert, I need the active cooling and also I'll like to keep up with the new processor, the MBP M2 is my choice. Specially because I have a MBP 2019 Intel

[@samiurrehman1000]

Why not get the base model 14" M1 pro MBP? It's cooling architecture is way better than M2 MBP.

[@leventgulcan8851]

@@samiurrehman1000 because of price

[@thinkcodeandmore]

Yeah I'm a developer as well and my intel 2017 mba ain't gon' cut it anymore.

[@ygoldfeiz]

Is there any way to get around the dual monitor issue with the macbook air (only lets you connect one external screen)?

[@ymi_yugy3133]

I can imagine a couple of scenarios where someone would pic up the M2 MacBook Pro. 1st, you computer just broke and you can't wait a few weeks to get a new one. 2nd, all you care about is sustained performance and battery life at the lowest possible price. It seems that a 512GB version of the Air and Pro cost the same. 3rd, the Pro is in stock. We don't know yet what the situation for the Air will be. It could be the only one you can get.

[@pysab]

Yeah, number 3 is my case 😅 I'm making a trip to the US just to buy a MacBook next month. Idk if the Air is going to be available while I'm there so for now I'm thinking about getting the Pro 13 instead of the Air. The Pro 14 it's just too expensive for me

[@BaldwinDimeku]

This is exactly the situation I find myself in with my 2017 13” MBP (256GB). I am looking to upgrade and I would get the M1 MBP but these aren’t readily available in stock from resellers here. Also pricing wise, it’s just better to get the M2 MBP even for the base models. It’s still really expensive but the difference between the price for this and the M1 Pro / Max is enormous and they are still not available to pick up in store.

[@logan6239]

Number one for me, My Air fell off my bed yesterday and cracked the screen so I picked this one up tonight because it was in stock at Best Buy and pretty decently priced at $999

[@sampell8443]

Interesting discussion as always. I may have an answer to who these computers is for, and they are for people like me. I use a 2013 15” i7 as my main and daily laptop. I make beats on it, I record and upload my vinyl collection on it (that includes light Logic Pro and final cut recording and edititing) I’m a hobby photographer, I take pictures and some video with my canon m50, most just family stuff, and edit in Lightroom. All this is 100% doable on my laptop, and would be blazing fast on any of the new MacBooks. So what I’m saying is, any one that has a functional workflow on an old Mac, should be able to do what ever on a new one.

[@auron8488]

the full size function row is just stupid since they're just keys you hit once in a while instead of type on like your letters. If they would put a little e-ink screen on the function row to make them customizable that would be great, but until then the touch-bar is more useful. Full size arrow keys would be great, they can make the arrow keys stretch to below the rest of the keyboard since it's on the right size of the track pad. But the new slimmer bezels and screen are great, although I'd personally prefer it without the notch and for them just to put in a tiny crapy web-cam instead of the 1080p cam or just remove the cam it all together.

[@edisantiago1987]

I just bought the M2 MacBook Pro rather than the Air. I honestly didn't mind having the inferior screen and speakers. I don't have a notch to deal with and the speakers sound superb anyway. I wanted a fan to protect the heat-intensive M2 chip, so I was willing to make the sacrifice for that extra oomph in power that cooling brings. I also don't use much peripherals so having two Thunderbolt ports is plenty for me. I can always get a dock if I need more. I don't care about the Touch Bar either way. It's there, it's nice. But that's all. But My case is SUPER specific. For most normal people, I'd recommend the Air. But my case was special, so to speak.

[@maxperson2592]

I just started a new job where I received a new 13" M1 pro. I could def see in the future companies buying the m2 pro to save on costs but still give employees a "professional " machine

[@FelixRosas10]

Where do I apply??? Lol 😂

[@hongpengchen2851]

probably for enterprise purchase, in which case you could have a bigger discount for older chasis design and the repair cost is relatively lower. or for those video editing major students, you could have a nice and durable machin at a good price especially with education discount.

[@tpolarbeart]

I think heat is a reason to get he pro. I think this is why it was released first. The reviews would buy it and give good benchmarks and then when the air comes out and throttles significantly sooner than the m1 air. But who knows I could be completely wrong. Either way my opinion is either buy the m1 air base or buy the 14" pro. The price of the air and 13" pro is way to high for a computer that has 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. And by the time you upgrade them to you are super close to a 14" pro that is more powerful and way more feature like the display.

[@TheMrCull]

I’m wondering about the ‘studio quality mic’ in the 13 pro. Buying mine primarily for a music sketch pad and I wonder if this could push me into that small demographic. A mic comparison would be rad

[@harimo2]

It is significantly better than the mics on the air

[@hugodsa89]

@Waveform Clips, something that people always forget to mention is that Macbook Air supports only a single external monitor, while the Macbook Pros support minimum of two. This makes a really big difference when picking a machine for productivity.

[@rikfranken]

The M1 and M2 MacBook Pro’s also only support 1 external display

[@hugodsa89]

@@rikfranken nah, m1 mbp allows for 2

[@rikfranken]

@@hugodsa89 you might need to check Apple’s website. It clearly states that the M1 MBpro only supports one. It’s limited to the chip.

[@hugodsa89]

@@rikfranken I own one and it’s currently working with two monitors

[@asdf51501]

Especially given Max Tech’s video showing thermal throttling even with the active cooling, possibly due to an ineffective fan curve, along with the SSD speed issues that exist apparently depending on which configuration is ordered. I’d give the 13” M2 MBP a pass in favor of the 14” M1 Pro MBP if I were in the market. I still might get an M2 MBA, but that will depend on whether I really need/want it and if so, how well it’s independently reviewed.

[@euCelsoX]

I know I’m the only one, but I actually prefer the old design (the one from 2016-today) then the new design from the 14’ MacBook Pro. I also don’t need the power from the 14’ MacBook for my workflow nor do I have the money to buy it. So yeah I’m actually considering buy the old M1 MacBook Air or this M2 MacBook Pro

[@euCelsoX]

I have a 2017 intel macbook pro. So any model is an upgrade for me

[@ShaunSeahSG]

I prefer the old design too. Ultraportable with practically the best battery life and more power than a MBA. I’ve no issue with the Touch Bar too.

[@asdf51501]

I like the visual aesthetic of the old 16” i9 MBP better than the current ones, but the new design is more useful.

[@BaldwinDimeku]

You are not alone. 😅 I also am looking at the M2 MacBook Pro, I just need to wait until later in the year for when it’s available or just pick up the M1 MacBook Air which for some reason is the only machine resellers here stock quite frequently.

[@4evrmind]

same

[@johnjackson5754]

What I want to know is how the prores and h264 accelerators help the M2 playback compared to base M1. M1 Mac Mini works (just) for my current use case. It isn’t as portable.

[@markholle3450]

After seeing some of the reviews of the M2 MBP, it runs a bit hotter and the fan is much more audible. How will that play out with the M2 MBA which is significantly thinner and there is no fan. One has to wonder about whether it will throttle more than the M1 model.

[@misspinklilly]

if i want to upgrade my macbook (i have macbook pro early 2015), is it better to get the macbook air m2 or macbook pro m2? and i was thinking of getting the 16gb ram with 1tb ssd.

[@macguy4165]

My take is this, the M2 MBA will be supply constrained as the newest design. Because the M2 MBP is nearly just a chip drop, it was much faster to ramp production for that model and help with the demand for M2 based laptops. And one group of people who will buy the M2 MBP are the people who cannot get the M2 MBA in the timeframe they need (i..e. going to school in the fall). The M2 MBP also continues to fill a price point above the M2 MBA and something at the bottom of the MBP family. And of course there is the whole psychological marketing factor as well. Lastly, companies buying fleets of laptops. Schools, sales departments, etc... there are plenty of organizations that will buy dozens at a time and this may be the way to go.

[@Azeveco]

Judge me all you want but in my opinion: Touch Bar is something incredible and should never be descontinued. Maybe add more customization options to always show fn keys (for some reason) and more. I love it and use it A LOT everyday. Remember: this is just my opinion.

[@prcvl]

its a really bad feature

[@beigefox6579]

@@prcvl You sound like the person I was arguing with a few days ago when I gave my opinion that the TouchBar works great for me, but he kept on arguing that I am cluesless on how it sucks. I just dont understand people like you that never respect other people's genuine opinions on personal property 🤷‍♂

[@lumer2b]

@@beigefox6579 So only you can voice your opinion? He didn't offend you, he just voiced his opinion as well, which is that the touchbar was crap. That's also my opinion

[@beigefox6579]

@@lumer2b Anyone can voice their opinion, but when someone says in my opinion..., your response should be "in my opinion it is crap". You don't have to tell the other person that they dont know what they are talking about. Hope you get it. 👍

[@itsrazvinotrizvi]

Actually, i wanted the latest MacBook with an Touch-bar (cause I really love it for it’s multi-functionality which adapts with apps and changes it’s options and keys) then I saw M2 MacBook Air it was great but was missing a Touch-bar and then M2 MacBook Pro was disappointing but had touch bar now I’m divided 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ (All I wish is The Current MacBook Air with an Touch-bar)

[@shreenidhiii9674]

SAME!!!!! 😔😣

[@ib5428]

I can’t decide. The Air m2 ist the same price as the Pro when I Upgrade the Air to more GPU/CPU and more Storage. So for the same price, does it make sense to take the pro?

[@motocrossgurl18]

I just got a 2022 m2 13inch MacBook Pro my dad got it for me so I can't complain I don't edit just use it as a normal laptop. and I love the tough bar as well. I got the 8gb 256gb one.

[@ryan_edward_scott]

i actually use the touch bar. it’s easier to switch between windows, i have my app dock on it, and i use the autocomplete feature when typing. however the m2 mbp isn’t powerful enough for me to consider. this laptop really isn’t for anyone.

[@dataecstasy]

i looking to buy and my required gets fone macbook air but i wish it had a bit bigger screen which 14.2 ? your thoughts on which ione should go with ...sjhowuld i go with m1 pro/max macbook pro?

[@fascinatedbyeverything]

New Apple designs often have problems at first. With the M2 Macbook Pro you’re getting a battle tested design from 2016 that you know is stable. To me that’s the appeal.

[@yamsbeans]

that design is going to gone next year. tey geting rid of extra stock and trying to making money at the same time

[@wlcrutch]

And some of us boomers like that design. One of the best machines anyone ever made were the 2015 (before the shit keyboard ) mbp’s. Now you basically get the original design but with a better chip. Sadly, they took the ports away though. if you want ports, it’s the boxy 14 inch😢

[@amournat]

I’m a college student who occasionally edits videos on after effects as a hobby. Im upgrading from a 2016 MBP. I’m confused about which laptop to get since the M2 air has no efficient cooling system and the M2 pro is very outdated. What would you recommend?

[@Ben-py6cj]

just got the MacBook Air today and I don't regret a thing, I love the new screen design the camera and audio. was gonna go with the pro but it wasn't worth it and the m1 pro is $2000 more here in Australia.

[@real_namanmalhotra]

Companies which offer Macs to employees generally have tooling and company equipment related to that design. If there was a 2019 or 2018 13inch pro user within a company, it is preffered for them to upgrade to the m2 pro. Keeping this design around might be to appeal to companies and corporations, who already have equipment for the existing design and don't want to commit to the new one. The best comparison is with the Lenovo thinkpads, they don't change that much over time and that is why they stay relevent to the companies looking for some consistency.... Perhaps that is why Apple is keeping this one around.

[@aelaan12]

Two things: I see the M2 MBP as a bridge device for enterprise. I think MBA will have the rumored 15" and the 13.6" and the next step will be the 14" MacBook Pro with M2Pro at a combative price once the chassis and screens are consumed.

[@AlejandroLZuvic]

I hope this is the case. I'm sick of seeing people buying the 16-inch Pro because of the big screen when they don't need. Sick not because the people why buy it, but because of the gross upselling Apple tactics.

[@sam-salami]

i’m looking into getting it for school and personal usage, is it a good idea?

[@seyifolarin8334]

it's my first ever MacBook and I didn't want to break the bank for it. I thought since it cost around the same as the M2 air and it's also more powerful with a cooling system this would be a better choice. But I do realize a gave up an extra port and a bigger display. However, I do use an external display so all is well. 🙂

[@Arsalan_2210]

I just bought the M1 macbook air in 2023, its working just fine to do all the work. M1 series chip is a beast and the bump from intel to apple silicon was awesome but now the bumps are gonna be way smaller between apple silicon laptops, if you really want to see significant bumps in performance and battery life, I think that if you already have the M1 macbook air, you should wait till you can get hands on M4 or even M5 macbook air/pro.

[@zacbackas]

I use a 2019 16” for work and never use the Touch Bar cuz I just don’t need that on my work machine… but my personal 16” m1 doesn’t have a touch bar and there are things I would want to do with it

[@manzey8366]

lol..you can get the external touch bar dongle

[@hadialthawab8123]

When I got my m2 MBP the price difference between it and the air, where im from, is less than 100 USD, so it just made sense to make that leap to active cooling for a longer lifespan

[@ashleynoble4483]

Even as someone who enjoys the touchbar, I could never see myself going for the new 13” MBP because it just makes no sense. I really like the new design of the Macbooks and would honestly do fine with an Air (kind of holding myself back from buying one tbh)

[@philamonhemstreet8632]

I love the touch bar. I actually use it all the time

[@asdf51501]

It does seem like the 20 or so fans of the Touch Bar really do like it. 😃

[@richardlocke3375]

What would you suggest for someone streaming 1080p video and multi stream audio for hours at a time. Don’t think I need pro but sustained performance seems useful. What would y’all recommend?

[@natelee1176]

I actually hate that I love the touch bar because then it’s gonna suck to go to the 14”/16” which I feel is better because of the ports. I hate clustering my 2017 touchbar mbp with dongles

[@mangadolo]

Is the ProMotion a reason to consider the M2 MBP vs the M2 Air? Does it make that much difference?

[@mahardhikabrandconsulting9519]

Hi there, do you think its wise to buy MBA M2 for doing Adobe programs (mainly Illustrator, Photoshop & In Design) in such long time like 8 hrs per day?

[@TheWesley8813]

The person I can see wanting this device occasionally has sustained workloads which are slightly better with active cooling, like rendering or ML, yet the person also wants a portable device. The 14 inch MB pro is quite big and heavy, whereas the 13 inch MB pro is relatively sleek.

[@richarddcrossley]

This is very accurate. I got a great deal on the 13 base model Pro brand new and then got a MBP 14 10 core 1TB on sale. There is a noticeable difference in weight and size to the point I would use the 14 inch as a desktop replacement and the 13 inch on the go.

[@possiblyinsane6995]

i have a 13 inch air then had a 14 inch pro, there is nothing big or heavy about the 14 inch model.....even my 16 inch pro is super portable i drag that thing everywhere

[@BaldwinDimeku]

Yes even for simple graphic design workloads which I do most of are better with on the Pro than the Air

[@aravindvenkateswaran5294]

BRUH

[@Mario41996]

I mean…it doesn’t make sense to have binary cut off between something that starts at 1200 and ab item that starts at 2k. That’s quite a commitment. So i could see why someone would want to insert an in between product. Most people are probably concerned with storage. And at 516gb they cost the same - that’s the interesting part. I wouldn’t upgrade passed that though cause then you are getting into just buy the 2k model range. But I can see why someone would want a fan. I’ve done some work that take hours. In grad school assignments/research could take 3-4 hours…in run time….and keep the fans blazing for hours. In academic/professional environment theirs some work around so that is less of an issue. But I can see how someone might think to themselves I don’t want to pay 2k so some sacrifices to keep fans could be worth it. Sure geek bench says it’s close but a 4-5hr mcmc where the fans are blazing…if the difference is 30min I’ll take it.

[@rachelhannah804]

I'm a second year medical student upgrading from a MacBook air early 2017. My current front runner for this upgrade is this M2 Pro. This is because of the slightly improved battery life and the fan, because I have seen reviews of the M2 air having some real thermal throttling issues.I don't do anything that is intensive enough for the Pro 14" but have had issues with heat on my old MacBook Air.

[@oiseo4498]

Interested in best computer for med school as well, did you end up getting the pro?

[@marcteufel8348]

First I thought a M2 is newer than the M1 so maybe i could .... but power, performance and speed is more important for me and even I if like the touchbar (i am no hardcore fan of it) I decided for MacBook Pro with M1 Pro in the end. I have MacStudio with a M1 Max in my office and as a developer I think M1 Pro is enough for a notebook. But M2 is maybe too less. Thats why I decided for MacBook Pro with M1 Pro 10C and 96W power adapter in the end.

[@raulruly]

I do love the Touch Bar...being able to skip through the KZbin Ads is priceless! lol and its slimmer...already have the dongles from my 2017 MBP so might as well get the cheapest pro with Mac Silicon.

[@lovish09329549498]

Firstly, A big fan. Although, this is the first time i am commenting to your video... although, not sure if you will read it. So for context I am an engineering manager and i can tell you 90% of my team (of 130 people) falls in a category who would buy the MacBook pro. Reasons below - 1- The active cooling is a amazing for folks who will connect 2 monitors to this machine and use a docking station. We would have a usb c docking station at office and home and need a device as close to 1000USD as possible and something which is portable. We would code and compile mid level tasks on this machine which is more than capable of handling it. and usually my laptop is connected and runs 16-18 hours. You would not see issues in the for 6-8 months but if you use your laptop for 3-4 years, the active cooling would be awesome ! and most engineers i know would never buy a laptop without some kind of cooling solution. 2- Just 100 usd more is a no brainer for me. 3- when on a holiday or working from a client office, an additional hour matter soo much more ! 4- I agree that the new design and better webcam and mic would have been great but its still better than most of the other laptops in 100-1300 usd with the performance. And from my experience i can say that there are soo soo many people who feel the same.

[@thinkcodeandmore]

I'm personally a developer and think that for running things like XCode and Xamarin with the cooling will really help since I will definitely be using the mac for 5-7 years minimum.

[@JamesJansson]

I feel like the ASUS ProArt Display PA147CDV could be the fill in for the touchbar. That is, if they ever open sales on the thing. Not sure if the touch screen works with a macOS.

[@fatfitnessnerd9064]

Think of it as a soft launch. Also, you want the first M2 to arrive to be fully benchmark-able, hence the fan.

[@lifeaccordingtobri]

So funny I saw this. I'm the guy who just bought a MBP M2 Pro 16" 16gb 1TB (arriving today) and I'm upgrading from a late 2013 MBP. To me I believe most of the arguments are mute. LOL. I was going to buy last gen's model M1 and save the $$ but got this one open box for $650 off. My use case is work, email, spreadsheets, and some video editing. My one question is all these comparisons you guys were kicking back and forth. Would the 90% of us really notice any of the nuances updating from a 5+ year old unit. At the end of the day the basic user just needs it to work for what they do. Case in point 10 year old MBP. Finally outside of updates now and I got all my $$$ out of it. Thanks for the videos!

[@adamw.3409]

2:20 why are you saying the brightess is lower on the Pro? it’s 500 nits.. the same as on Air M2

[@MnasonMarlatt]

I did actually choose the m2 MacBook Pro. it was in stock and I opted for better battery life and the active cooling. I was using a 2016 intel MacBook Pro that couldn't keep up with video editing and other things I do. M1 Pro max or m2, its a major step up.

[@sunitjoshi3573]

How do you like it so far?

[@gonzalobravobegona1766]

Would you recommend the M2 macbook air or the M1 macbook pro 13" for running logic pro?

[@jeelaniasif9038]

if you are first time buying a macbook, which is the best option m2 air or m2 pro?

[@kamilmieszkowski]

I see one clear use case: Buying for company. If you have to buy 20-30 for startup or for project at uni this could be your target machine: 1) 300-400$ is big difference for bulk order 2) active cooling could be important but additional ports and better screen not especially for office 3) portability of MacBook Air is irrelevant if this will be office computers 4) a little more power could be important for scientists /programmers - and if you could not pay for mbp14 this will be your go to machine

[@djtakeout9163]

don't forget enterprise IT departments; unless you're using Adobe apps & need a bigger/faster machine most places are only going to give you the entry-level model of mac laptop, so these days it's either the touchbar m2 pro or the m1 macbook air. i can also see this model/chassis sticking around for a while at this price point in the lineup & becoming the new default undergrad student laptop like the mid-2012 macbook pro was for quite a few years. it's a safe default for a lot of buyers who don't want to think too much about it or don't have the leeway from the accounting department to look at more expensive machines.

[@bh9262]

It would be for first time Macbook buyers ready to purchase, and getting the latest piece. I would have done that had In not purchased my first Macbook back in July, 2022 The 14" M1. Great machine!

[@prodbyrt1956]

im planning to buy 16 macbook pro m1 pro model.. but when the apple announced m2 chip it made me wonder whether i should wait for 16 macbook pro m1 pro model or just get these one thats available (m1 pro model).... any help is appreciated

[@aslankarnuf]

I think you guys are missing out on the (surprisingly large) cut of people who LOVE the Touch Bar. Me first in line.

[@moheco7747]

What sort of apps would require max performance? Things like Final Cut Pro etc?

[@hautwater]

I think the M2 MBP is for people who are still on Intel based MBP's who wanted to wait before buying first generation silicon with M1. Also, people who use their laptops mostly docked or closed. Im have the 2018 MBP i7 and im currently looking for a new laptop. I was waiting for M2 but unfortunatly it still doesn't support dual external monitors which is lame. I wanted something light since I take it around college, that's what kept me away from the heavier 14" MBP.

[@danemarais7398]

I bought the M2 pro but I’ve updated from a 2018 MacBook Air. So it’s a big leap and I love my M2 Pro

[@JFloridaTech]

Pov you’re the M2 13” MacBook Pro owner who loves your Touch Bar: 👁👄👁

[@definemaverick]

Does the Macbook pro include active cooling? The problem with the air in general to me is the active cooling for prolonged streaming or editing as even content creator... so even if one doesnt need a lot of the power from the m1 pro, the active cooling makes the air a non compete for me.

[@marlonmalave7098]

i got myself a MBP M2 for music “production”. i have a really shitty Windows, and i didn’t have the money to get the 14” MBP. i kinda feel bad for getting the M2 one now…

[@Ddom1794]

So i won a raffle and got the macbook pro m2 chip and i never had a macbook ever so I like it and its the base version but i wanna start editing photos with my. Cannon would it be good for that? Id rather just ask anyone here that’s good with this stuff i know its a dumb question but idc idc lol

[@gerardfranzcalica9863]

is the active cooling system of the pro not a game changer here vs M2 Air?

[@oleksiysaiko5859]

For me it was easy. I’m a developer , I need a good machine for not so big money. In Germany , my configuration of M2 pro costs 2500 EU (24 gigs of ram+1T HD), 14 inch, with 32 gigs ram, also 1T HD, costs 800 EU more. For me that’s a huge price increase. Also , I don’t really care about 120 hertz, or new shiny design. Most of the time it’s connected to my monitor , and when not , I still don’t care about design and 120 hertz. The same time , I still got a strong machine. That’s my case

[@Qasibr]

And this video is from *before* the M2 MacBook Air's overheating / performance issues became known...

[@elif6353]

Hahaha yes!

[@sundaynightdrunk]

Marques has talked about tiered pricing. The M2 MBP falls in there at the $1500 mark, where the $2K for the 14" is just too much. The Air is for students/casuals, or at least that's the prevailing attitude, although it seems to be changing with the incredible M1 MBA being so popular.

[@IvanMatin]

I don't mind Touch Bar, I kind of like it. I don't like the notch on the screen.

[@elizbeth8659]

Please test passive cooling vs active cooling in harsh conditions. Outside in 100 degree weather in direct sunlight, in a hot car, on beach on a hot day, etc…. Take it outside of its comfort zone.

[@ZONATHEDIVISION]

Then s made the right decision. Will get my m1 pro 14” on July 11. Is going to be for video, audio and photos editing

[@Mehwhatevr]

Maybe I was wrong, but I thought the 14 inch was too powerful and I wanted active cooling for light gaming. So I got the m1 mbp

[@vanessab89]

I’m simply just gonna get a MacBook Pro 14”, trading in my M1 Mac mini & iPad Pro 11. I kept trying to find a cheaper way but it’s the best option at base level.

[@eriosw]

Not me watching this on my New 2022 M2 MacBook Pro 😂

[@fhowland]

Same

[@GAWLA]

So guys u mean its not good choice?

[@fhowland]

@@GAWLA it’s fine I just wish I had the better screen

[@lundefischeone3845]

I'm a pro designer and have written many AppleScript and Python scripts that are used with the TouchBar buttons. Take a look at Blackmagic Resolve for color editing - you can use the software on it's own. But they sell a $30,000 advanced panel so you can work that much faster. The same goes with the TouchBar - I can use an M1 Pro/Max but I can work 5x faster with the TouchBar. I just don't understand why Apple never bought BetterTouchTool to allow pro designers to customize the buttons, because without these customizations I agree that the TouchBar is completely worthless. But with your own customizations it is like going back to those phones that have physical buttons instead of programmable keyboards on the iPhone. Really strange that Apple has let down the pro audience - just give us an option for TouchBar/no TouchBar instead of so many color options. So yeah, I will buy the M2 MacBook Pro if only because of the TouchBar - I don't want to go back to the old, slow way of doing things and also lose 10% of my screen real estate. I only wish that there was an 15" M1/M2 Max with a TouchBar. I don't hold out hope but severely disappointed.