Every M2 is friggin fast, but this one is best for you

With Apple's recent release of the new 14-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini, there are now four different MacBooks and a desktop that you can buy with M2 chips inside. That's great for Apple fans, but can also be... intimidating. Becca Farsace, Monica Chin, and Chris Welch break down each of these M2 devices, what it's good at, and who it's for. Help us help you. #Apple #M2 #MacBook
0:00 - Intro
0:20 - MacBook Air & 13" MacBook Pro
5:06 - Mac Mini
8:46 - 14" & 16" MacBook Pro
14:24 - Still confused? Here is the TLDR on M2 chips
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[@TheVerge]

If you had alllll the money, what M2 would you get?

[@Nomolso_Netinei_Djer]

The refurbished M1 Pro Macbook

[@prithvi.sehgal999]

None i am a Windows user 😂

[@cameronbosch1213]

@@prithvi.sehgal999 Yeah, as a Linux user, I agree.

[@winterfyter]

More confused now than before 😂 The Apple NUDGE !!!

[@PaulHojda]

m2 air 24/2tb

[@nurmohammadmamun8450]

The problem with these buying guides is that they don't give you the money to buy it

[@benjaminappiagyei9864]

Hahaha

[@dennvenger]

Exactly LMAO

[@thibaultmol]

"MacBook buying guide based on your income"

[@00z53]

m1 macs are affordable

[@jpcalmona]

Best comment ever.

[@aru3]

The video should probably mention that if you're a good fit for the M2 Macbook Air, most likely the M1 Air will also be more than enough for your needs (and much cheaper!)

[@cameronbosch1213]

Agreed. Unless you're willing to upgrade the M2 MacBook Air to 16 GB of RAM and/or 512 GB of storage to offset the slower SSD, then just go with the M1 MacBook Air and upgrade the RAM in that for the same price as the M2 MacBook Air.

[@DanielLehmann]

Not necessarily cheaper. Some day those laptops will stop receiving software updates and that will probably happen to the m1 earlier. So if you consider of money/year, the m1 might be a worse value.

[@cameronbosch1213]

@Daniel Lehmann Though they're not 100% locked down by macOS like iPhones & iPads, as there ARE ways to run Linux on these things; in the not so distant future, they might run Asahi Linux BETTER than Intel Macs in that regard. Of course, this is all just projection, as Asahi Linux isn't fully ready for most use. But give it another 3 - 4 years, by the time we see M1 losing macOS support, there might be full Linux kernel compatibility for M1 MacBook Airs. Though most Apple fans now just buy new laptops whenever there is a new major change or redesign.

[@DanielLehmann]

I’d assume that 99% of all users won’t go that route, which is why I recommend to keep usable lifespan (using macOS) in mind when comparing price.

[@cameronbosch1213]

@@DanielLehmann Still, it's got probably more life in it than an Intel Mac right now.

[@ResizeFilms]

Actually, it’s a much better option to get an M1 Max than a M2 Pro for video editing as it has double the encoders and decoders and much more GPU cores, and it’s about the same price tag in 2023. In fact, the M1 Max and the new M2 Max even have pretty much identical performance for video editing, export times are very similar. The media engine is really what matters most with Apple silicon chips. Hope that helps.

[@minigiant8998]

i ignored ur advice and got the m2 max with an upgrade in SSD.

[@filmbythomas]

I'm a commercial filmmaker, using the M1 MBP 13' 16GB ram - editing RAW video formats in DaVinci Resolve. It's enought to get through nearly any task a editor wants. So any M2 device is MORE then enough for any user using normal programs. M2 Air is faster then the 2018 i9 16' MBP for reference.

[@sunitjoshi3573]

That’s good to know! I think 16/512 M2 Air should be good enough and future proof for my needs.

[@MastaFRO1]

Exactly, reviewers tend to forget most people don’t care if they have to wait 30 more seconds for their video to finish rendering on their super light and convenient MacBook Air

[@GigachudBDE]

lol, love how the iPad Pro wasn’t included. The Apple Pencil hover feature is a game changer for artists but it’s a feature that’s been pretty standard for decades now and the software really has not kept up with the hardware. Ngl tho, still love mine.

[@alcaponed16]

I believe the standard M2 processors still don't support multiple external monitors, so if that bothers you you need an M2 Pro machine.

[@DarthJarJar10]

Thanks for the cool wallpapers! And the top-notch reviews, as always!🎉

[@thedavidj1996]

I love my M2 Air. It was a great upgrade from my 2016 13inch MBP

[@artt-]

Genuinely enjoyed watching this video.

[@EricJohnsonGuru]

This video is so helpful i still pass it along in the M3 era please keep making these.

[@shawnb5899]

Awesome review, thanks for the help!

[@newstreetpicturesltd.5912]

Loved your reviews! Great info and great presentation. Thank you.

[@Nugromant]

This is how you review products 10/10 videos, also loved the ones about Studio Display and so on

[@Jpantab]

My favorite chip is kettle brand unsalted, prove me wrong

[@phase2006]

This was a superb video - really interesting to see a whole family of products compared like this. As an aside, the M2 Pro Mac mini has really got me excited as someone who was considering a Mac Studio.

[@Real_Spencer_Foresman.]

👆👆 Thanks for watching.. hit the above username on Telegram I have a surprise for you 🎁🎁🎁

[@innnews6299]

Just the video and recommendations I am looking for.

[@sunny27jan]

Amazing comparison video….thank you for helping me to decide MBP M2 Pro 14 inch.

[@aksshaynr9438]

This KZbin channel is my favorite when it comes to tech.

[@MarcoRaaphorst]

Great advice, thanks!

[@aikhong16]

awesome video thanks

[@JoATTech]

Really nice informercial :D

[@MiguelAPerez]

Both Monica and Beka make fantastic videos. Having them in the same team must be a true privilege.

[@puresynergyflo]

I think the Mac mini guy was only wearing the bare minimum number of flares. His manager should have word with him. 😜

[@tillist1]

Honestly good on ya verge, the way you broke down who needs what was really excellent. I bought a m1 air a while back with the intention of using it for writing, watching KZbin/webstuff, and editing 40megapixel raw photos regularly but not for work. It is a champion for that. The pro seems dope but just not necessary for me.

[@cougarmeat8803]

For those who complain about all the ports in the back of the Mac mini, here’s a concept to consider - it’s a square. YOU are the one calling any particular side, “the back.” Apple doesn’t label any particular side “front” or “back”. Just spin that ports-in-the-back mini around 180 degrees and you are looking at the new front. Now all you have to complain about is why they put the power cord in the front. But you will have easy access to all those ports you wanted. Just say’n.

[@SirusStarTV]

Plug and forget ports like charging, hdmi, ethernet ports should be on the back, but frequently plugged and unplugged ports should be on the front.

[@imSpirit_]

Picked up my 16" M2 Max last week 😄

[@MalcolmREBORN]

Same, I went with the 30-Core model. It is the perfect balance of power & battery life.

[@nerdpunk8922]

I hope they do another one of these videos for the M3 Macs.

[@TE_-.-]

great video 😁

[@-UVC-ISAIAHJACOBALDAM]

Please compare the M2 Max vs M1 Ultra for video editing. Thank you.

[@Mysaadlife]

I wish the MacBook Pro 14” and 16” talked about the high refresh rate screen, its the one thing I wish the air had since I dont need the power of the m2 pro

[@mjefferson3223]

I’m happy with my M1 MacBook Air

[@Rocksteady72a]

Definitely should mention how much of a factor screen brightness effects the battery life. If you are at minimum brightness & in low-power mode, you get those day-long usages that people have been hyping. But if you use the full spec of your screen and in normal (or even less on high-power for the M2 Max, but I only have the M2 Pro), you get about 2 hours, 3 if you're lucky. Doesn't seem to vary too much between if it's video editing or just general browsing either. My Surface Book 3 struggles to do a lot, but it's battery life is sometimes longer than my macbook.

[@painboy66]

love this video♥️

[@myong9]

You also have 14 days to try out the machine and see if it fits for you. I purchased the base model M2 13" MacBook Pro first. I tried it for about 11 days and realized I needed more ram for editing 4k video. It's not that the 13'' couldn't handle it but I did realize that I was pushing it a bit and the large raw files of my pictures was working the Mac quite a bit too. I thought about taking it back and upgrading the ram, but at the price point of the base model pro, it made sense to me to just upgrade to the M2 pro 14". For me, it was just beneficial to take the macbook home and see how it worked for me before I ended up taking it back for the 14'' M2 pro. I can say that this M2 pro 14'' is plenty of power and some for what I need.

[@mrboss6k]

thats aweseome

[@MrThebadger200]

This video just made me really want a 15” MacBook Air (maybe with an SD card slot)

[@jackjeter7527]

good tips with 14&16'

[@chije]

Y'all really had Ginuwine's 'Differences' make a feature 😂

[@KyleChurch]

Don't need to upgrade but I see Becca I click

[@MNHS16]

My M1 still works great, no need to upgrade it. The battery life just got worse for marginal improvement in CPU.

[@cameronbosch1213]

While I'm not 100% sure of battery life being too much worse, an M1 machine with 16 GB of RAM is going to suit you well for years to come. If you do have one, you're likely fine for a good while.

[@VenoStuff]

M1 is a beast, loving my Mac mini 16gb 👌

[@smartaleckIO]

Costco was selling the M1 14" Macbook Pro (16GB/512GB) for $1550. I think waiting for a similar M1 sale is the best value given the incremental updates with M2.

[@UnbenutzerKanalname]

would love a mac mini with max ram, but their additional memory pricing is so ridiculous that i cannot justify that expense

[@shortblack2984]

Thank you for the advice and comparison. I got the M2 MacBook Air with 16MB and 512GB because it meets my needs, is affordable and a slight upgrade from my base model M1 MacBook Air. And I also have the dongles/adapters.

[@Real_Spencer_Foresman.]

👆👆 Thanks for watching.. hit the above username on Telegram I have a surprise for you 🎁🎁🎁

[@User-cb4jm]

They had the base M1 Pro MBP 14 (16/512) on sale to $1600 for months before the new ones even came out. Given that a M2 Air costs about the same to spec out to 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD, I think the MBP 14 is a better deal for most if they can find it at that price. Given you get a brighter 120hz miniLED display, better speakers and mics, better performance and cooling system, HDMI, SD card, extra USB-C port, larger screen with slimmer bezels, ability to connect to multiple displays, etc all for around the same price. The smooth scrolling of 120hz and the high contrast of miniLED is enough to sell me over the Air when they cost the same!

[@shortblack2984]

@@User-cb4jm Yes I should have done more research because I could have saved $300 for a refurbished M1 MacBook Pro from Apple Australia but Amazon and eBay they are still quite expensive. Lesson learned for next time.

[@brucebanksshow]

Those mics are crazy!!!!

[@cookedart]

Came here through Verge's article on best video editing laptops. Becca and The Verge keep recommending the M2 Max for Gaming, heavy graphics loads, 3D work, and animation, but I've yet to see this quantified. While there's no doubt the M2 Max has better GPU performance than the M2 Pro, I'm not convinced that Apple Silicon has yet earned the reputation to be recommended for 3D intensive workflows and animation. For instance, Maya and AutoCAD were JUST announced to be Apple Silicon Native in late March 2023 (up till now they have been running under Rosetta) - and as such we haven't had native benchmarks, and for many other 3D workflows an Intel/nVidia combo is still the recommended computing platform. And as for Gaming, it's hard to recommend based on the lack of overall games released on Mac OS, and even for the ones that have been ported (such as Resident Evil Village) perform far worse on a Mac with fewer visual features (such as ray tracing).

[@scottscottsdale7868]

Regarding the 16”. Have you tried two bags? The 16” is very well balanced when in its own bag in my experience- balance makes it feel lighter. Strange but true. Like a well balanced BMW handles well. Same thing.

[@fancyhandle]

16” M2 PRO 💥 because watching great KZbin videos with helpful advice I will never follow is definitely better on it! 🤦‍♂️

[@EliseuChissupa]

I'm considering upgrading from my late 2016 MacBook Pro to one of these M2 Pro or Max chips, but God I hate that notch. Feels like it'll drive me nuts.

[@Casyfill]

Air also does not officially support 2 external displays

[@buttermilkoreo]

iMac feels left out without the M2 upgrade

[@wikichi]

More Apple, Pixel and Samsung videos to Becca. After Dieter leaving the Verge the other person to keep me in front of the screen is her, she is the best!

[@technicallyme]

I have the 13 inch pro because of the cut out in the display.

[@dankmoves]

10:47 What brand and type backpack is that you’re using?

[@Richard79]

Damn.. I hate that focal fry. I chose the MBP over the Air, since I use it in the office to connect to 2 monitors.

[@EmmaKAlexandra]

Very funny to hear Becca mention not being able to do her little tasks during rendering because the new chips are so fast. Rene Ritchie mentioned the same thing when he switched to an Apple silicon Mac!

[@AbiyBattleSpell]

I never got the back ports complaint, I’m trying it now and just turned it to face the other way 🐱

[@sikachu]

Wait, I can't believe the mics on these 14/16 are much better than what's on the AirPods Pro. Guess I'll try to use it on my next zoom call. Thanks for the demonstration and a useful tip!

[@markslima1557]

I've been gaming a ton on my MacBook Air M2 - have the 10-core GPU/16GB RAM/1 TB hard drive. Never noticed any problems, but I don't measure frame rates. Sleeping Dogs, Resident Evil Village all play awesome. Even play Fallout New Vegas on Parallels-Windows 11 VM.

[@elijahthc]

What were the M2 Air specs she was maxing out with chrome tabs..? Can the base model do that? If it wasn’t the base model, that should really be made clear since an upgraded M2 Air, as light and sleek as it is, costs way more than the mentioned starting price.

[@mfam72]

Is it possible to use airpods as sound output and built-in mic on macbook at the same time?

[@timehathtcg]

Huh perfect timing just thinkin of one

[@SNOLWiN]

Becca Is Amazing : )

[@AdaDenali]

That mic comparison was wild

[@jhanboktor1777]

Question please which chip for M2 give me more battery efficiency m2 pro or m2 max? Which one better?

[@FI3ND]

Can anyone tell me what's the wallpaper on the m2 pro 13inch

[@Rickiye]

Can the Mac Book Air & Pro run CS:GO well on Steam?

[@samwheat]

At 15:10 - what case is that on Becca's iPhone?

[@MikeAbili]

But Becca (sp?) how does the MacBook Pro’s microphones compare to Apple’s wired earbuds?

[@MastaFRO1]

The base M2 is 2x faster than a top-of-the-line core-i7 from 2018 (desktop version). Let that sink in for a bit. Video editing hasn't changed much from 2018. For those in doubt, I can guarantee you the Macbook Air M2 is plenty fast for everything, including video editing etc.

[@tsjmcgrath]

Nice video - I’m glad you added the comment about people ‘in the middle’ at the end. My personal needs are met very well by my current M1 Air, which can handle most Adobe/Affinity tasks very smoothly, with buffering only really happening in very large InDesign/Publisher files or longer videos in Premiere. Most of the time I’m just browsing or in Google Docs though so I don’t need any more power. I also have a work laptop, for similar tasks. It’s an i3 Air from 2020. It is… painful.

[@michaelb6293]

Excellent video. Really liked having different hosts discussing the various models of M2 computers.

[@minigiant8998]

i went with m2 mac studio max. surprisingly it doesnt qualify for the back to school promotion.

[@Acquavallo]

If we do photoshop with really big image files and tons of layers, need to be on the go and portable; would a Macbook Pro 16" M2 Pro or M2 Max be a better choice (especially considering the RAM/Unified memory available on both chips)?

[@hvasya]

Try to search artisright channel, he is doing this type of tests.

[@notspacedarlings]

The M2 Pro should be enough for almost everyone except for content creators who need a M2 Max.

[@RACAPE]

The only “bad” thing about M2 Pro is the fact that if you want to get the 32GB Ram variant, it means you need to get a custom variant, and in my country(Romania), this means a 6-7 weeks(or longer) waiting time. I wanted to get the M2 Pro with 32GB ram and 1TB of storage but because the waiting time was so high, I bought the M2 Max because it comes with 32GB RAM and 1TB of storage by default.

[@MrDreamie]

I tought the M2 13" MBP comes with 10-Core GPU. Correct me if I m wrong.

[@vinaychinthla314]

1:06 I think MacBook Pro 13 have 10 core gpu cause I am using one

[@XxXStoneFingerXxX]

forgot to compare the ipad Pro M2 line-up as well 😅

[@choitety]

Even base M2 can easily do all the tasks even play and edit 4k video

[@stephenvalente3296]

I’d rather have a decent spec Mini M2 Pro and a MacBook Air M2. The 13” is truly portable, and whilst the rumoured 15” model sounds nice, suspect the UK price will bring it too close to that of the MacBook Pro M2 14”.

[@turbojobo]

Also guys dont forget the used market! Most M1 and M2 should be still under warranty if you buy them! I got a Macbook Air m2 base for 700 you can not beat that! I do a couple of video edits a year and emulate retro games the m2 fly's and is way faster than my 16"' 2019 macbook pro with dedicated GPU

[@sunitjoshi3573]

Any issues with throttling and heating?

[@turbojobo]

@@sunitjoshi3573 Not all for me! It runs perfectly

[@bassyey]

My GPU (5700 XT) died. Was thinking of buying a new one but looking at GPU prices, I just can't justify it when I can get a whole device like this. And I'm slowly trying to get away from gaming. I'll probably buy Mac mini M2 Pro, seems like the perfect machine for my needs - I work as a software engineer and record music a lot.

[@TheCloudFoot]

Wait what's the gorgeous little touch pad thing Chris is using??

[@gtzgabriel98]

Pretty sure it’s the Apple Trackpad

[@youtubest5165]

Instead of which one to buy we need a video how to come out with the money to buy this macs

[@TheMichaelTech]

Do you think 64GB is necessary for Davinci Resolve and Final Cut Pro? I create content on a daily and also work on graphic design projects as well daily.

[@AgentGravy]

Love this video and everyone's contribution to the various tiers of these M2 machines. Wanted to point out a the 1:03 timestamp, you stated the 13-inch MacBook Pro starts with an 8-core GPU, when all BTO options of this laptop actually offer the 10-core GPU.

[@tomswan3401]

2:41 the decrease is under 15%, that should have been mentioned.

[@Raja995mh33]

From my personal testing, these Cinebench R23 tests of the MBA M2 don't even line up with your testing at all. My M2 gets me ~8600 at the start and still above 8000 after 30min. Not even close to the 6700 you guys tested... and that mostly even lines up with my real life usage.

[@kopituku4648]

1:34 name the laptop table plz

[@JOHNLEXXX]

My wish list is an Mac Air M2 16" screen. I love bigger screen laptop that I can watch youtube, movies ...etc. I don't want to spend $$$$ for all that powerful M2 pro or Max that I don't need.

[@tinmank]

3:00 you guys should mention which browser you are using too. Hoarding tabs with safari and chrome are 2 different experiences. While chrome is hogging ram (& energy) safari is more kind. Also I wonder, how new macbook pros are good with external displays. On both displays highest resolution, how it works? + Simulator / emulator performance.

[@mrjamesmay3548]

Great video but No you tuber ever really advises on storage. We all create so much more data that base models aren’t good enough for most I would say and they need to advise against cloud storage as it’s not a back up.

[@AlexTiktinsky]

Becca, love your videos and your desk setup looks sweet - have you tried using speaker stands to elevate the tweeters to ear level? I find it gets me much better sound!

[@AlexTiktinsky]

Would be interesting to see a Verge video on desk setup ergonomics and ways to make the most of the desktop gear you already own (i.e. speakers, monitors, chairs, etc.)

[@leeschumacher8285]

20-30 tabs is a tab hoarder? Oh, you sweet summer child …

[@Stan_sprinkle]

16:30. If you’re considering the 13” pro, just find the money and get the 14”.

[@altosack]

If you’re considering getting the 13” M2 MBP, just find the extra $240 and get a refurbished M1 14”, _particularly_ if you spec’d it w/16 GB RAM & 512 GB storage; you’ll even _save_ money.

[@TrollMeister_]

I almost pulled the trigger on a M1 Max studio last year. Glad I held off because the M2 pro Mini 32GB/1 TB meets all my needs (4k editing no longer than 5 - 7 min). But I think it's a crime not to have ports and an SD reader on the front as I had to spend an additional couple of hundred dollars to get a quality dock ! Apple %^&$%^#!!!

[@luckyfernandasetiawan1981]

Maybe the next mac pro has M2 Ultra... who knows...

[@MaxBrooksT]

Should be comparing the 14 inch MacBook Pro to the MacBook Air M2. And the 13 inch Macbook Pro M2 to the Macbook Air M1

[@gwellz]

If only there was an M2 iMac, holding out for one

[@RizzyWow]

I really wish RAM was a lot cheaper on the Macs.