MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Pro 14 - Watch BEFORE You Buy...

[@Thetechchap]

Hey Chaps! Would you go MBA or MBP?? Correction: at 8:50 I mixed up my Pros/Maxs/Ultras 😅. The M1 Ultra is 2x Max’s together

[@shahdev8871]

lol i thought about MBA degree so i just googles what is MBP degree

[@User-cb4jm]

MBP. I didn’t regret not waiting for the new Air. I’d already spec it up to 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD, which makes the Air lose its value. With student discounts applied especially, the difference between the two is even less. The miniLED display is amazing and I had an XPS 13 OLED in the past I returned due to heat and battery life issues, so it’s great to have a high res high contrast screen again without those compromises of that device. Dave2D’s testing of the Air showed that battery life isn’t that much better on the Air either, and this is an issue that is important to me. The 120hz scrolling is also super smooth, and the cherry on top. It has dual monitor support, as well as an extra USB-C port that I can charge on either side with, like the old Pros. It also seems to have thinner bezels and a bit more real estate on screen. Love the speakers too, no distortion even at full volume. Things others might appreciate more than me is the HDMI and SD slots, the better sustained performance with the two fans, but I already love it for the “quality of life” upgrades it has. I’d be happy to continue using this daily for the next 5-6+ years, definitely an investment for something I use daily, and I’m more comfortable paying this much for all these features rather than a bit less for the Air but lose a lot.

[@colwild]

When do you think the M2 Macbook Pro 14" will come out? Trying to avoid buyer's remorse. :)

[@User-cb4jm]

@@colwild I’m thinking if they’re on a 2 year cycle with updating their devices then maybe late 2023. But we’ve already seen the major once-in-4 or 5 years redesign. So the next model will just be a chip spec bump, so I wouldn’t worry about waiting for it unless it was guaranteed to be just a few months away.

[@rickyb8636]

I would want to spec the air up to 16GB ram and 512 SSD but once you do that you are in MBP territory and then it becomes a no-brainer. Going for the MBP.

[@TheSektorz]

I gotta be honest, the M1 Air crushes everything I need from it in terms of performance, and best of all -- stays perfectly quiet because it has no fans. So choose wisely. The old intel MacBook Air I used to use sounded like a jet engine, I really value this no-noise thing.

[@Thetechchap]

Yep - agreed!

[@bhavdeeprehal8827]

The m1 chip is not suddenly obsolete. It’s still incredibly powerful!

[@Watchandlearn91]

As a software engineer, the M1 MBA is my favorite laptop. I use my desktop for anything too demanding but the air is surprisingly powerful, makes no noise, never gets hot, and is super thin and portable. I tried replacing it with the 14 pro but ended up returning it and keeping the air.

[@CrowDazzle]

Even the Pro/Max's are quiet compared to the Intel MBP's. The no-noise thing and for me the quality of the display on the 16in Max make it worth every penny.

[@TheSektorz]

@@Watchandlearn91 Yeah, I've only been able to get the M1 Air to overheat by running Windows and gaming on it, lol. On just Mac OS - not even 4K video rendering seems to overheat and throttle it in my experience. So yeah, best Mac to buy for most people, still!

[@jasonuk8333]

I was upgrading from a late 2013 15" MacBook Pro, and was choosing between the same models you feature here. I did want 16GB RAM, and also 1TB SSD. By the time I added those options to the Air M2 I was around £150 away (education store prices as I work at a university) from the base MacBook Pro 14" with an upgraded 1TB SSD. When I factored in the better performance, slightly larger screen, better quality screen, better speakers, extra ports etc the decision was easy. The lightness of the Air is nice but all of the other advantages made the 14" Pro the choice for me. It's a very nice laptop. Still getting used to having a MacBook that isn't also a portable heater like my old Intel-based model!

[@186bingo]

I'm looking to jump from a 2013 13" MacBook Air and can't decide. I don't edit or play games on it so I am frankly leaning towards the M2 air. Besides, no fans means they won't wear out or break. I don't know!

[@ptpt7534]

same here, the only real advantage of an m2 air is the form factor. As you said a m2 with 1TB, 16GB RAM and 10 core CPU is to expensive in comparison to the 14 inch MacBook pro

[@BobaFettUccine22]

Doesn't the MacBook Pro 14" comes with a touchbar?

[@buzzlightyearoh]

@@BobaFettUccine22 no. That would be the 13"

[@davidhsharpe]

I almost fell for the M2 Air. It was the Midnight colour that almost did it. But I’ve fallen for Apple’s designs before and purchased based on style rather than substance. (Damn you Apple.) In the end I went for the base level M1 Pro 14 and I absolutely love it. The screen is gorgeous, the speakers are good for a laptop, but the main thing was the extra ports. These days I like to store as much as I can off the device itself and having an SD slot makes it much more usable for me. Also, the dedicated HDMI port is a big plus. This is definitely the best device I’ve yet owned.

[@kayn6396]

Ditto!

[@Spidr-Man]

Same, the display is night and day compared to any other. I think it even looks better than my XDR Display Monitor which I don't really like... But oh well

[@ryanvacation7319]

Good choice. If one can live with a slightly thicker and heavier laptop the 14 Pro is a better value then a BTO Air M2

[@ryanvacation7319]

Good choice. If one can live with a slightly thicker and heavier laptop the base 14 Pro is a better value then a BTO Air M2

[@existentialrap521]

Same boat, m8! I waited 8 months for the MBA M2 and was dissapointed. Have had the M1Pro 14in for a month and it's been one of the best devices I've ever used. I use it for work, music making, and graphic design. It's a sleek monster.

[@yenk82]

For my very basic needs (Mail, Safari, KZbin, iMessage, Pages/Numbers/Keynote) the Air M2 is even too powerful, but from the other side I really like the idea to have a mini led 120hz display...

[@brei.z]

yeah I love 120hz and don't have any proper HDR screens.. would be my first apple ever

[@porchestergroup]

Excellent comparison and exactly what I was looking for. As much as I would have preferred the portability of the Air, with just an £86 difference between the 16/512 version and the base 14” Pro (current sale pricing at various UK retailers), it can only be the Pro.

[@buzzbomb1232]

Lucky pricing in the UK, here in Canada the price difference is $450 CAD

[@crxzyjj3413]

@@buzzbomb1232 the pound is worth more

[@buzzbomb1232]

@@crxzyjj3413 no shit, it’s still a $130 CAD difference in the UK while it is $450 CAD difference here. What’s your point?

[@crxzyjj3413]

@@buzzbomb1232 that is the reason that it naturally going to be more expensive bc the pound and usd is worth more n thing are usally more expensive or cheaper in canada anyways because yall aren’t a huge market depending on the conpany

[@Issav.5038]

@@crxzyjj3413 mmm idk, but in Mexico the price difference is very very big, going for a pro is to pay almost double the price of the air m2. 😢😢😢

[@eMnEmV]

Was waiting for M2 air vs 14 pro ...thank you you are the best ❤️❤️

[@Thetechchap]

Just for you!

[@SpykerSpeed]

Hey Tom, look into installing a "mini split ac unit" for your studio. It's extremely efficient, quiet, and it doubles as a heating system when it's winter. You could do a video on buying and installing it - they're actually really easy to install yourself!

[@isaacmerriman1787]

I went from a base model 15 inch MacBook Pro from 2016 to a 14 inch MacBook Pro with upgrades across the board! Such an incredible computer

[@rightwingsafetysquad9872]

The 120Hz display is something that you don't really notice when you upgrade, but you notice immediately if you ever try to go back. After having a 144Hz desktop monitor, the Pro became the obvious choice.

[@olgabuimistr]

Well.. I had iPad Pro M1 12.9 and now I get that Air M2.. and I don’t know why, but that Mac screen I love actually more, the colors looks better for me.

[@iphoneappverse7631]

I beg to differ here as this is highly dependent on your workflow - for most users who just browse the web and watch videos, etc.. they may never notice the difference. Most of the time, the display is actually not running at 120Hz like your desktop monitor is. Due to battery life concerns, Apple is frequently running the display at 60Hz (or even lower). The change in refresh rate is seamless to the user. This is easy to demonstrate if you go to an Apple store and put the 2 machines side by side.

[@rightwingsafetysquad9872]

@@iphoneappverse7631 Yea, I notice that reversion occasionally. It's most noticeable when trying to read text while scrolling.

[@iphoneappverse7631]

@@rightwingsafetysquad9872 Which 144Hz monitor are you using btw?

[@rightwingsafetysquad9872]

@@iphoneappverse7631 It's an Acer 4K monitor. 27" or 28".

[@dh3302]

Excellent video! I have the 14 inch MacBook Pro with M1 Max and I was wondering the same thing. I kind of wish I would have went with the M1 Pro for the possible better battery life, as the M1 Max seems to be overkill for my typical use. I do like the mini LED display with the 120 hz refresh rate though and it would be hard to give up at this point. I have mostly had MacBook Airs since 2011 and appreciate the better portability.

[@blazbohinc4964]

Gotta love how the most replayed part of the video is people skipping your integrated ad. Beautiful

[@russellbrown8760]

MBA, not having a fan is a game changer. Silent compilation of a huge Rust project is great

[@mowtow90]

2 Notes: 1. The SSD speed . The 14 MBP is double because its PCI gen4. This is where the differance comes from. The bandwith for storage is much bigger on the M1 Pro 2. The RAM. You can spec the air to 16 as the base 14in but the ram is still slower. Because its 200GBs comapred to 100 GBs. Also from tharedowns , the 14 inch have better ram chips.

[@osamagomaaa]

What do you think about m1pro 512gb for video editing ?!

[@hashmatalikozay7465]

@@osamagomaaa it's a perfect device for that and will last you a long time

[@daniel_960_]

4x faster ssd if you compare to the base model Air

[@ricardomullor5238]

This is exactly the kind of comparison I’ve been looking for! You answered all my questions, a big thank you! Now, time to get myself a 14 M1 Pro!! ✌🏼

[@roberthartley6629]

I did the exact same. I compared the M2 weight with the MBP14. Holding both by the corner the air is light her but holding it “normally” I could hardly tell the difference. The MBP14 screen brightness is phenomenal. In the shop (John Lewis) they only had glued down MBPs then they brought out a bashed box version that was cheaper than the M2 so you can get MBP14 cheaper. I saved £350 But since using it a lot the killer is the screen outside is where it sings. In bright sunlight it is so clear. I would get the M1 air or MBP14. What may be of interest is my main concern. My old Intel MBP was not useable on my lap. It was just too hot on the legs. The M1pro MBP14 runs cool as a laptop on your legs.

[@sikwithin]

Agreed, most reviewers compare the new M2 to the M1 and not the M2 to the M1 Pro model.

[@timstafford6815]

Great comparison. And thanks for making an actual recommendation. MBP 14 base is a terrific machine. Love mine.

[@danielvilleda1002]

Finally someone making sense only two choices are smart: get MBA M2 base model or get MBP 14’

[@chrishall1407]

Just went 14 pro yesterday. $1578 after tax and shipping. Nearly a budget buy at that price. Also, the MBA doesn't have thunderbolt 4, it has thunderbolt 3. Thus the reason you can only connect 1 monitor.

[@NightWalkerBond]

$1578 ? How ? In online right now , 2000$. Where did you buy ?

[@chrishall1407]

@@NightWalkerBond B and H photo. The space gray base model is 300 off plus 10% using payboo credit 12 months no interest plus I had a 50 dollar gift card for opening the payboo card.

[@mogankirushoth4624]

@@chrishall1407 what the color macbook pro in this vedio

[@chrishall1407]

@@mogankirushoth4624 space gray

[@11234something]

@@NightWalkerBond best buy is also selling at $1599 right now, and if you live near Oregon I suggest placing an order online and driving to Oregon in order to avoid sales tax. Im about to pick one up for my mom at 1599 flat

[@camloken]

I feel a lot of people down the display on the M2 Air. For reference, the M2 Air supports 98.4% of the DCI-P3 gamut where as the MacBook Pro 14 is slightly higher at 99.3%. As a designer I feel the color accuracy is nearly identical on the 2 models. But if you're a professional movie producer and need something like Dolby Vision, you're slightly better with the MacBook Pro, but I wouldn't knock the M2 Air display at all.

[@DaneReidVoiceOver]

I was in best buy comparing these two on Sunday. I basically concluded the same thing. I wanted the thinner profile of the MBA but the power of the MBP14 is future proof for me. This channel has become my go to tech channel. If Tom says it and Marques confirms it then I spend on it. 🤣

[@Masebook]

“If Tom says it and Marques confirms it then I spend on it.” That is poetry! I was in Best Buy today and came home to watch these videos before buying.

[@costantineyoussif6679]

Which one did you end it up getting ? I was at best buy today and same thing comes in my mind and I can’t decide yet 😂

[@DaneReidVoiceOver]

@@costantineyoussif6679 the I9 32 gig

[@costantineyoussif6679]

@@DaneReidVoiceOver fair enough

[@ratukamina]

I just got the MBP 14" base model for $1803 out the door and feel better about my decision after watching your video.

[@derek1049]

I actually completely agree with the conclusion. If you are a student/on a budget just get the 13" Air M2 base, if you can afford to upgrade the ram and ssd (in which case, I imagine you are going to use it for more professional level work) get the 14" Pro. If you get the base Air make sure to take advantage of Apple's education discount + gift card :)

[@snakez1747]

What about 16GB RAM 256SSD M2 Air? That's 350 pounds cheaper than the 14MBP for me with education discount

[@daniel_960_]

Or just get the m1 air. The base might actually perform better.

[@youngkinghedwig]

@@snakez1747 that is nowhere near enough hard drive

[@Vipeeri]

Why would you need the 1Tb ssd over 512?

[@batmanonholiday4477]

@@Vipeeri 16 ram is the key here

[@doomtomb3]

I would say the make or break case for the 14" Pro is following: - You edit HDR video - You use SD Cards - You regularly connect to multiple displays - You make or play AAA games

[@TechSavant648]

Ive just bought the Mac Book pro 14" with the m1 max and 64gb of ram and i just love this thing ^^

[@justfatherblog]

I'm hesitating between mba m2 ram 24g ssd512 mbp m1pro ram 16 ssd 512 same price. I use for a ton of chrome tab with google doc ,sheet , research seo stuff. I use for OBS screen recording for a little tutorial on my channel. I away use multitasking chrome / safari / brave , PS , Ai , Pr but adobe for short time just PS,Ai for website things and thumbnails, Pr for youtube no fancy effect. So is MBA m2 ok for these ?

[@lImpaGl]

As a Teacher i love to work with macOS. I surely dont Need the Performance of the M1 pro but the Display is so much nicer and the Ports can come in handy without needing a dongle. On the other hand the Battery Life of the M2 is better and its overall lighter. Which Modell would you guys buy? I could need some help to decide.

[@DavidEllner]

This video has me torn but comments helped me feel more confident with my choice. I did the MBA M2 with higher specs. I do voice over work and it seems the no fan option makes a difference to many people. Plus I travel often so I’m sure the small difference in weight may be felt on my shoulders more than I realize over time. Definitely still loved the video. 😂 still giving me buyers remorse, but I was using a MBA 2015 for all these years so I think regardless if I made the “best” choice I still should be fine with my video and editing abilities on the new laptop.

[@iseptimus]

MBP 14 all the way. The design of the M2 Air is amazing, but the pricing is out of whack with the lineup.

[@robertofrapu]

This was exactly the review I needed! Was thinking about swapping my MBPM1Pro14' for MBAM2 just for the form factor, but as the speakers, screen, and performance wouldn't be and updgrade, I decided against the swap. Thanks!

[@user-ec6ej4dp6t]

You shouldnt be upgrading a computer unless its been 4+ years honestly. I got caught in that trap and realized I was wasting my money with graphics cards lol.

[@WilfredOkajevo]

I have the Pro 14 and I have been happy with it from day 1! I did a 'after d hype' video on my channel on the Pro 14 some days back, I think I'll skip even testing out the M2 Air. Thanks for this comparson! I

[@Fieldoftheatres]

Best tech video on KZbin for me for a long long time. Please keep the work going, you deserve it. My pal.

[@Thetechchap]

thanks buddy

[@DarZen_no]

Great choice. I was going to buy the 14 pro, but ended up with the base version of the Pro 16. Its a beast, and the battery life is insanely good. The 16 pro is not that much bigger in size then the 14.

[@User-cb4jm]

I’ve handled both. The 16 definitely has a much larger footprint, and this is from someone who used a 15in model in the past. The 14in is close in size to a 13in model.

[@DarZen_no]

@@User-cb4jm Its larger, but not more than 3-4 cm wide.. and its just a half kilo heavier. And the trackpad on the 16 is much bigger. The battery life alone is worth the upgrade to the 16 imo. But sure, the 14 is a great laptop as well.

[@colors6692]

It's way bigger!

[@Wokiis]

Jikes, I really dislike the largeness of my 16" Intel MBP and that one is even a tad smaller than the current one. It's going to be the Air for me. A futuristically thin laptop that packs enough punch to get work done, perfect.

[@josephito27]

It’s way larger, do not lie to yourself lol

[@francescobianchi5647]

Dreaming about the 14 pro, putting money aside and selling my main desktop to go full mobile for video editing - Time will come! Thanks for the precious infos!

[@ayohughes]

Just purchased the Vivid HDR app for my M1Pro 16" - thanks! 👍🏽 I'd suggest most people get the M1 Air unless they can comfortably flash the cash and get the M2 Air. I would advise them not to send more than £1,500 on the M2 Air i.e. just get the 8core with 8GB and 512GB storage. Not 10 core and not 16GB as you're unlikely to se much of a real world performance gain for these very expensive upgrades due to the thermal & other constraints. For any higher performance needs than that, get the base model M1 Pro 14" just as you suggest.

[@nelsonmartinez949]

Just bought an M1 Pro 14’ MacBook Pro. This computer is beautiful and it’s a beast. I had pre-ordered the M2 MacBook Air but I didn’t want to wait and upon seeing the Midnight color in store I wasn’t convinced. It was beautiful but I feel like it wouldn’t look good for long.

[@brandon_badenhorst]

In New Zealand the 14" M2 MacBook Pro starts at around $3,800. I picked up a base model M2 MacBook Air for $1,900. It does everything I need it to.

[@francoismaritz89]

Exactly! Why aren't there more of these comparisons! It was the exact question I had while trying to choose.

[@MrJoJi13]

The mini-LED screen on the 14 inch MacBook Pro is gorgeous but the PWM flicker behind the tech was giving me eye strain/headaches/nausea after using it for more than 30 minutes. Had to return it after a week unfortunately. Had to prioritize my health and quality of life. It's also why I never use OLED screens anymore. They're nicer looking and have “inkier blacks” but not worth the eye strain and headache (literally lol). Hope the MacBook Air M2 isn't using PWM 🤞 that machine is gorgeous

[@liamcoffey1]

following this in the same boat! please let me know if the macbook air doesnt have the pwm !!!

[@starwarsmania5553]

PWM flicker is definitely a topic that needs to be brought up more often by tech KZbinrs. It’s an issue that shouldn’t be overlooked. Many of us are affected by PWM. Who wants eye strain, a headache and nausea looking at their screen?! 😵‍💫🤢

[@tronam]

That’s a shame. Did you try experimenting with disabling ProMotion to see if the refresh rate frequency was a contributing factor? I wish there was an easy, standardized way to test this issue.

[@liamcoffey1]

notebook check reviews didn't detect any pwm on the macbook air m2!

[@liamcoffey1]

check their article out !!

[@malcolmh5736]

Just picked up the 2023 M2 14” base model, (had the 2019 13” pro), and it’s pretty amazing actually. 3.5 lbs is a little bit heavy but it’s fine in my backpack. The speakers are pretty amazing for a laptop, actually has some richness to sound and actually noticeable sound separation. When I lift the lid, the monitor pops on simultaneously, it’s fast, smooth, slick, the monitor is really great with insanely high nits, and the forward facing cam is very significantly improved as well. I can plug in an HDMi directly into the computer for my home monitor so I don’t have to get dongles or a docking station. I got it on sale at Best Buy and more off for being a tech member so almost $300 off! I’ve gotten a new computer in the past and 2nd guessed myself but I can safely say that I have not experienced that with the 14” pro M2 at all. The ooo-nly thing is that I actually do miss the Touch Bar I had in my prior 13” pro

[@Teh-Penguin]

Funny how the webcams are the same for you. I tested them in a shop a few days ago and the 14" MBP was super sharp while the M2 Air was... blobby, for a lack of a better word.

[@hanxa_dj]

I always wanted the best screen so definitely M1 Pro 14 or maybe 16 inch model🔥

[@spidLL]

I'm torn, a "education shop" air m2 with 16 gb and 512gb cost exactly the same as a certified refurbished 14" m1pro. I could use the added portability (and the ability to chose US layout over UK), but...

[@SteelmoonWatches]

Was choosing between MBA M1 and MBP 14. My ego wanted the 14 so much but I went with the MBA M1 with 8 core GPU, 512SSD and 16GB ram - bought used from a friend. Couldn’t be happier. It’s a dream to use.

[@nooneknows19]

Thats fair tbh. Its still a great laptop.

[@robhitch9995]

Just bought my first ever MacBook, 14" base model. screen and speakers sold it for me.

[@nicholasmushi6311]

I'd go for the 14" MacBook Pro M1 Pro! Greetings, hope you're keeping well. Thanks for the much detailed content you keep putting out. It gives us viewers much insight in tech world. Small request, could you send me the wallpaper that's on the 14" MacBook Pro M1 Pro. I'd like to have it on my PC and phone as well. Thanks! PS: You've got a fan in Tanzania, East Africa.

[@subramanianb]

Thanks for good comparison video...I bought 14 inch M1 pro 4months back... bit anxious when i saw M2 came to the market... i thought that i should have waited...My laptop is extremely good for photo editing with amazing display... yes battery life is negative compared to M2. But no regrets after seeing your video...

[@gedog77]

I have the base Pro, my 1st Mac. And now my only working computer. I only use the Pro power for a little gaming but I like so much about it now.

[@remigoldbach9608]

Interesting comparison, I asked myself exactly that question ! Thanks for the video 👍🏻😊

[@faisalleeds]

M1 MBA is still probably the best value device and the 14 M1 Pro (base model) if you are doing video editing or intensive photo/video exports.

[@TheTakenKing999]

OMG lmao, I was literally googling this exact thing for 4 entire days till yesterday when I went out and bought the mac book pro 14 16, 512 model, and you drop the video today xP. I am loving the purchase tho. Gonna stick to desktop for gaming but needed a somewhat powerful laptop that I could keep for a long time for grad school + work.

[@foxxionair]

Great decision! Did the exact same thing and i am soooo happy with it.

[@TheTakenKing999]

@@foxxionair Yup, with 16gigs and 512 on the ssd the m2 air is dangerously close to the m1 pro 14. Yes the m2 air has a small advantage in battery life but the m1 pro is not a slouch either. Very happy with my decision.

[@User-cb4jm]

Same! I’m in it for the long haul too, and have the baseline 14. I don’t game so this is my primary computer. I’m OS agnostic with computers so I tried an XPS 13 OLED but the bad battery life and insane amount of heat from the bottom of the laptop even doing regular tasks definitely cemented the value of Apple Silicon to me. Intel just ain’t it, it was mediocre in the old Intel MacBook Pros and it continues to have the same shortcomings in the 11th gen i7 I had in mine. 12th gen looks cool but I don’t think battery life is still anywhere near this and it creates a bunch of heat and needs the fan running on low at all times regardless.

[@TheTakenKing999]

@@User-cb4jm 12th gen might look cool but is most definitely a really hot chip lol

[@sebastianespinosa99]

Curious, I'm also going to grad school soon for economics. Why do you feel you need the extra power over the battery life and portability?

[@muge11o]

Wish you could get the M2 MBA with optional extra of 120hz, HDR screen. I don't need the power or bulk but I want the best media experience...

[@mowtow90]

I think this may happen with that 15 in Air rumor that is going arround.

[@omarchaudhry7781]

Only reason to go with pro is that 120hz mini led display

[@tom_foolery93]

Same

[@tom_foolery93]

@@mowtow90 15 inch is too big. 13 is the perfect size.

[@MarinaRiadCooks]

What about iPad Pro 12 inch mini led ? If you don’t use specific macOS app ? iPad will be great if you just want media and surfing internet for 1099 ?

[@SirW0nka]

I've been wanting to upgrade my base model M1 MBA for a while now. I thought I'd wait for the M2 MBA but after all the reviews I'll just stick with it a bit longer and wait for a good deal on either the M2 MBA or the 14" MBP. The main advantage of the MBP is that it's been out for almost a year now so I'm seeing good deals on refurbished units, so I'll probably get one of these.

[@sammyjammy6647]

But why upgrade at all? You have a laptop right now with Apple Silicon which beats out all the intels that came before it. If your use case didn’t change I can only imagine you would want to upgrade simply for the design upgrades

[@SirW0nka]

@@sammyjammy6647 it's a great laptop, but the 8GB of ram are a bit short and I wouldn't be against a bit more screen real estate. But again, it's still very decent so I wouldn't upgrade it unless I find a great deal.

[@sammyjammy6647]

@@SirW0nka I just purchased an M1 MacBook Pro 13in off of eBay earlier this month. I bought it because it was factory sealed new, for 1300$, and it’s configuration is 16/512. Plus I wanted to experience the Touch Bar. I love it.

[@SirW0nka]

@@sammyjammy6647 to each their own. I personally hate the Pro because of the extra thickness and touch bar.

[@Nagim-d3z]

I’d heavily recommend against that tbh. I understand wanting the latest & greatest but your M1 Air will still be amazing for the next few years and buying products unnecessarily means more e-waste (and of money) + pollution from the production process. Nothing significant, but I think it’s good to be conscious of the effect we have on our planet :)

[@pauljazzman408]

Great video. I would have liked the M2 MBA much more if it had 16GB ram and 512GB ssd and was the base price.The M2 MBA seems bit hamstrung and not the fantastic deal of the M1 MBA. But as you say if you spec up the M2 you get close to the M1 Pro MBP which is a fantastic laptop. Very interesting that the even the 512GB in the M2 is SLOWER than the ssd in the 14 inch pro! I don't really cart my laptop about and certainly not to a coffee shop (I prefer coffee and conversation) so I'd go for the 14 Mac Pro MBP.

[@Thetechchap]

Agreed!

[@andrewlau2939]

Since the move to apple silicon, the Air has evolved into the must-have beginner media creation tool and is no longer just "the average user's mac". The Air has become powerful and flexible enough to give amateur hobbyists/enthusiasts/students a glimpse how it is to work with different types of media whether it be coding, video editing, photo editing, 3D modelling, etc. If these users find that they want to take their work to another level, they can move on to more powerful Macs. If not, they will still end up with a wonderful machine that will get them through almost anything.

[@proahmed250]

I am going to college next year after I finish As so I think I will get the 14 pro as I can afforded and I want a bigger screen as well

[@Cusera]

So I ordered the M2 Air with10 core GPU and 16 Gb RAM and 1 TB hard drive. Midnight. £1,949. I think I made the perfect choice.

[@andrewsnape1705]

Great video - followed your advice and went MBP 14. It’s just Midnight…😁

[@Thetechchap]

haha i love midnight, just keep a cloth with you

[@MarcosIsABaritone]

At this moment, May 2023, the cheapest you may find a refurbished M2 Air for is $899. MEANWHILE, I just bought a like-new, refurbished base M1 Pro 14" for only $1269. At this time, at this price difference, the Pro is the obvious choice. The extra $369 is so worth the expenditure because when we realize what we REALLY need is an M2 Air with at least 16 GB RAM (8 GB is honestly not enough, even for moderate everyday use. I speak from personal experience, so, trust and believe,) all of the sudden we are looking at $1050, minimum. And, that's assuming you can even find a refurbished M2 Air with 16 GB RAM anywhere. So, the actual price difference is just $219 for the myriad bells, whistles and power of the Pro. The ONLY question one should then ask themself is if the portability of the M2 Air is worth the savings (but, I would say sacrifices) of $219? Not even considering the additional ports - which I enjoy having but could take or leave them as a non-tech professional - the bigger, better screen, better speakers, faster reading/writing storage... all make it a no-brainer ;)

[@RobertWilliams196352]

I plan on getting the MacBook Pro 14 next month for my 59th birthday. I have a Macboo Air from 2017 that I got off of a home shopping channel, and it only has 36Gigs. I need more RAM & Storage!!

[@kayn6396]

I got the MBP14.2" on sale and the difference was less GBP 25! Was an easy choice!

[@frmcf]

I went through exactly this thought process: spec up the M2 Air or just go for the Pro? In the end, I went for the Pro because it was available sooner and with an English keyboard, which was a plus for me.

[@AdilYuceol]

Just ordered 16/512 space gray m2 air knowing that the price is really close to m1 pro 14. the difference was 230 euros in my case but that’s not important for me. I already have a powerful rtx 2080/i7/16gb windows pc equipped with a 1 tb ssd. So I will put most of the heavy workload to that machine anyways. What I needed was the most portable and lightweight notebook possible for dealing with web based applications + my office uses and while doing that, something that can manage some heavy workloads from time to time. Battery life was also extremely important for me. So my point is, do not pay more for something you do not need! First, just determine what exactly do you need. This is a good pricing strategy from apple, they are upselling something you do not need and making you pay even more once you start looking at their website. Good luck choosing!

[@mousdusm94]

Did you try editing video with your M2 Air ? If yes, is it good ?

[@roberthartley6629]

My decision was based on a few points. Firstly, weight was a serious issue to consider for reasons I won’t go into. However, comparing in store the difference is detectable but not really noticeable. By that I mean the 14MBP is heavier when you think about it but when not specifically thinking about it then it doesn’t feel heavy. The screen on the 14MBP is beautiful. The Air ports are bearable but I run a business and the HDMI slot is perfect for getting to meetings to find they have a HDMI projector. I do have the dongle from a iPad but how many times would you forget it. I’ve seen it a lot and having to delay a meeting by 20 Mind while someone runs around for a connector is a pain. At home I have. A dell 27” monitor (one of the nice ones) and I would consider another so two screens is a good possibility in the future. Another MBP +. Insurance was paying so I chose on spec and useable features. If I was using my own cash I would buy the MBP14 or the MBA M1 but only because I have a webcam already. The 720p webcam in the M1 air is poor. It is the same as my intel MBP that is now gone and I bought a logo 1080p webcam for that reason. So if you have no tech the MBP14 is the do it all laptop but the MBA M2 would also be good. However consider the finer points of use. Eg do you then need to use 2 monitors or do you then need to buy a dongle for HDMI or SD card reader etc and then where is the weight saving etc etc. or if you already have tech like webcams etc then would those paired with the M1 MBA be the same but a lot cheaper. I think if I’d bought MBA M2 I’d be wondering if I had made the right decision. But having bought the MBP14 I have no doubts that it is the right decision.

[@cherylelinsmith743]

I used to have a high end windows machine to build web pages for my site. I don’t have the site anymore, and I’m not a gamer. Except for the sound, and didn’t see a big difference. I upgraded the M2 MacBook Air with 16 gigs of ram and 512 core SSD, 8 core GPU. I like the thin size, lighter weight. Plus you can get a peripheral to attach to Air to put memory card from camera. I’ve got the M2 MacBook Air coming. If I didn’t have an iPhone, I would of got a windows laptop.

[@jeetdeshmukh]

Glad to see you giving decisive conclusion

[@Serenity_Realms_ASMR]

If you could only choose one upgrade to improve the M2 MacBook Air would it be to upgrade the Ram to 16gb or the storage to 512g?

[@nosajmog]

I would say RAM. My understanding is that more RAM will help not needing to swap memory via the SSD if your work load gets a little heavy.

[@RichardDelFranco]

512G SSD. It doubles the speed of your storage. Gives you more room for programs and media. More storage is much more critical than extra ram to me. If you always do multiple things at once or have dozens of tabs open in your browser, then Ram comes into play. But, most of the time you don’t. Too little storage can be a real pain point.

[@orbitaljellyfish808]

Moving parts are my issue with the pro M2 Air is all solid state Lost a lot to a dead fan on my first MacBook years ago

[@JonnieR]

That's it, one thing that I also consider is the screen, coming from the Macbook Air 2018 Intel, upgrading to Macbook Pro 14 is really a jump in performance as well as the quality of life! I'm planning to purchase, but I think I can still wait for the M2 version! But i'm pretty much locked on to the Pro 14! I'm a casual user, but I recently explore the creative writing hobby, though, I'll be honest that I think it won't be needing a pro laptop to accomplish it, though the boost in overall quality of life is a fair trade off for the premium price.

[@utkarshrs1]

Loved the video comparison. Just what I was looking for. But I think I will wait for M2 Macbook Pro 14".

[@hughallan1647]

So the smart thing to do is wait a little while for the M2 14 inch MacBook Pro. I’ll do that.

[@sketchuphub]

I was veering towards the 14" M1 Pro for SketchUp and V-Ray rendering. Your video confirmed that I was right. Thank you!

[@victoriasterling4887]

Honestly, I'm stuck between the two. The 14" Pro is on sale now at Best Buy, so I went with that.

[@Richard_Barnes]

Tom, you ought to have quoted John Lewis price for the 14” at ‘only’ £1,735 at the moment. Compared to a spec’s up Air that’s a bargain.

[@Thetechchap]

That is a bargain!! Good spot

[@arashmazinani]

I came here to say the same thing. For an extra £85 you get all the benefits of the 14" Pro.

[@JackdawLifts]

Is that cheaper than apples website ? 😂

[@martin-steiner-photography]

Little bit of performance? How can you say that in a serious comparison vid? :) The only point is when you hard edit for 4h (when your job requires power and you need to sustain it) and in that case it is not little bit of performance, it is huge lap in performance when Air downclock itself.

[@guillandanthony711]

Funny that the price difference isn't that big in the UK. Here in Germany (and France also I was told), the M2 Air with 16GB RAM and 512 GB SSD costs the same as the Macbook PRO M1 14 with the same specs, namely € 1,959.00.

[@chrisb3976]

I want the macbook m2 air for the weight. if the pro was lighter I would go for that. I currently use a 4 lb Acer Inspire and its a pain in the ass to lug around through airports in a backpack.

[@AFatOcelot]

I find it hard to believe I’d be ok with the Air considering I play WoW which makes the fan crank on quite high after a while. I assume the air would begin throttling relatively quickly unless I lowered the settings

[@marken29mus]

Just got Macbook Pro 14" M1. Thanks

[@swissheartydogs]

At home, a 16’’ MBPro M1max w/ external 10-bit 2k screen; on the go & abroad, fanless M2 MBAir, w/ its 10-bit display. Both for photography, w/ calibrated screens, everywhere. Voilà.

[@jo69123]

Should I get the M1 pro now or wait for the upcoming M2 pro Macs?

[@gabrielgontscharenko1124]

Great comparison!👌🏼 I‘m not doing any video/photo editing. I‘m an engineer and programmer and the only time I might need some GPU performance is when visualizing simulations. So what should I go for, when I program most of the time?

[@emmadreas2477]

Same situation! I would like to know the answer as well. In my opinion the MBP 14, if you find it discounted, is a far better choice even if you don't need the power. But personally I think I will go for the m2 air with 16/512 gb because I always travel by foot/bike and lightweight is important for me.

[@aady392]

Me2, same situation! Totally confused. Need to last for 5 years, so on one end i think M2 and 24 GB is better for future updates from Apple OS or Xcode. On the other hand, fan and cooling of 14 inch M1 pro seems lucrative! but at risk of apple pulling away future updates. Traveling or weight is a no issue. Phew!!!

[@Taiyri]

Thank you for this video. You broke down all the differences I was wondering about and helped me figure out which Macbook I should get. Now I just need to decide if I should wait to see what the new Macbook Pro 14s with the new M2 Pro will have or if I should just pull the trigger and get the Macbook Pro 14 now.

[@marcello4258]

I want to buy a new one by october.. either the new pro 14 is out or I just go for the mba 13 m2 base and upgrade when I come along my limits and sell it

[@jvrohrer]

I went against the grain. Upgraded the M2 air to close to pro specs. Wanted lighter and slightly smaller due to travel. Also...my uses will most likely not get into the thermal limit range (Mostly using logic pro for demo purposes. Won't be tracking 60 tracks of high end audio to mix any time soon lol. After owning macbook pros for years...hate the bloody fan noise! Small thing, but it can destroy what would have been a good take in a small studio. Might regret it...but don't think so. Both machines are pretty mammoth compared to their predecessors.

[@roogrey]

Your channel always has something interesting, even if one isn't in the market! Your opinion holds a lot of weight for me, especially as the production values of each video say loud and clear that you're a man who knows what he's doing. Without exception, the best visual quality on KZbin!

[@OrangeismyNewGreen]

In Canada the MBA M2 base is $1499 vs $2499 for the MBP M1, upgrade to 16GB/512GB on the M2 and you’re at $1999 still $500 cheaper than the M1 Pro. I decided on the MBA M2 16GB/512GB which will be more than sufficient for my needs. Great review 👍🏻.

[@lkikib9458]

I agree. I went with the exact same M2 specs as you did, and am super-happy with my choice. I do not require the added features offered by the MBP, so the extra cost, extra weight, and extra power were not worth it for me. I did, however, do a thorough comparison and research before purchasing, and for a while wasn't sure which of the two I'd choose, because both are so awesome. Review videos like this one by the Tech Chap were really helpful. :)

[@devanshpatel878]

Well now on the best buy the MBP is being sold for 2099$ in canada though, you should have waited for sometime😅

[@OrangeismyNewGreen]

@@devanshpatel878 I returned it and bought a Mac Studio instead 👍🏻

[@devanshpatel878]

@@OrangeismyNewGreen well then there’s no point talking bout mac🤣

[@LifeOfMikey1]

so what the difference in power and speed etc. if you upgrade the m2 air to match the specs of the 14 pro

[@iNSane4224]

Is MacBook Air M2 16GB ram 512GB SSD or MacBook Pro 14 inch base varient good enough for Machine Learning and Deep Learning tasks ?

[@hurkanugur]

Ofc, MacBook Pro 14. Because you can perform heavy tasks with max performance without having thermal issues causing performance to go down. Furthermore, MBP 14 is better for long-term use.

[@rideSYV246]

Nice video! I was able to get the MBA13 M2 8/10/16GB/512GB for less than the education price as an Apple refurb for USD $1,369

[@Thetechchap]

Nice!

[@jpc6594]

watching now from my Macbook air m2. at the end of the day its now all the review that counts. it what makes you happy. all the best specs may not be the best for you. i have to get my personal preference. No regrets in getting this m2 machine. yes it has issues but for future proofing vs the m1 i have to go for the m2. cheers guys.

[@existentialrap521]

I went for the MBP 14in. I waited 8 months for the MBA M2 and was dissapointed by the costs and weak base model. The model I wanted was near $1700, so I just chucked out $150 more for a MBP 14in base model on sale. Omg it was so worth it. The screen, the power... It's all amazing. If people want a base MBA M2, why not just get the MBA M1? Base M1 has been said to be faster in most tasks*** and is often on sale for $850, compared to base MBA M2 at $1200.

[@harrison00xXx]

Only the big bezel (and so smaller screen) would be a NoGo for me. But then the missing HDR/120Hz screen (and 8/256, and the rest!) is also a NoGo for the M2 Air considering its price But i cant argue at all, even the 14" MBP screen was too small for me and i got a 16" instead (and i also dont regret it at all to just dont give a fk about M2 and ordered the 16" already longer ago. Its really a huge difference in battery when you compare 14 vs 16", but also the screen, this 2" is A LOT, when you are used to the 16" you just realize what hassle 14" are!

[@existentialrap521]

@@harrison00xXx Ahh, I see. I have had big laptops and medium ones. I think 14in is perfect for me. I've seen the 16in but at that point I'd just plug in to a bigger monitor if I need it. 27in monitor and my 14 in really all i need for my stats work. and for producing music the 14in solo is pefect.

[@harrison00xXx]

@@existentialrap521 The Music part, or better the media consumption part was also one of the reasons to go 16". Its speakers are even NOTICABLE better than the already very good 14" ones. But they "suck" for more than 1/3 volume since the bass gets higher and less powerful when increasing volume. But in a silent enviroment at maximum 4-5 bars in volume settings, so anywhere between 1/3 and 1/2 volume... they are JUST PERFECT. Im still wondering after some months usage.... WHERE DOES THIS SOUND COME FROM?! It looks just too small for that rich sound

[@yehudadm]

Thanks to you, I just ordered the MacBook Pro 14 ☺️☺️

[@GaryJahman]

I'm still using the base model M1 Air everyday for creating content and other creative stuff. It's still really good

[@Anna-xf4bg]

Just ordered the m1 pro half an hour before seeing this, had been tossing up between them, was relieved you didn’t recommend the m2!

[@Thetechchap]

Glad it helped!

[@_FD1]

I like the way u just gave ur opinion to one side

[@explorewithluv46]

I just got 14 inch m1 pro for $1799 from bestbuy. Ssd 512 gigs n 16gig ram

[@CarsTechWood]

I grabbed a M2 air with 512GB and 10-core GPU with 4 charge cycles off Craigslist for $600. It’s a beast

[@txshonnx]

I’m going back to grad school this fall and I currently have a 2020(?) iMac. I’d like to downsize to something portable or at least a minimal setup, so I’m thinking about the MacBook 14 inch (i do some photo and video editing) but also will carry around my iPad (with keyboard case) for everyday, class notes, quick draft sessions, etc.

[@eyeshezzy]

Most people i know don't ever close tabs or even shut down their laptops over a long period of time, so they will notice performance difference definitely over time

[@sanchitsaran]

Pls tell me which to buy between M2 pro vs M1 pro