Power of the new M2 silicon, starting price of $1200, and you are still getting 8GB of RAM in 2022. It’s the brand new MacBook Air we are talking about. Along with that, Apple also refreshed its 13-inch MacBook Pro to harness the potential of M2. After seeing the specs and features of these two laptops side by side, one thing is sure, many of us are going to face some buying dilemmas. Both are similarly priced and have some pros and cons.
M2 MacBook Air vs M2 MacBook Pro
So, let’s discuss how these new MacBooks compare to each other and which will be suitable for you.
Design
Starting with the design, we must say that the new M2 MacBook Air brings the Air series in line with the Pro. It now features a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display with a notch that closely resembles the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models released at the end of 2021. In contrast, the display remains the same in the 13-inch MacBook Pro. So, in terms of screen real estate and modern look, MacBook Air is a clear winner. Besides that, the new MacBook Air features a 1080p FaceTime camera and a Four-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio. MacBook Pro 2022, on the other hand, still features a 720p FaceTime HD camera with the same sound system. Another pro for the new Air is the inclusion of MagSafe charging. Other than that, ports remain the same on both devices. And lastly, the Air weighs about 0.3 pounds less than the MacBook Pro 2022.
Specification
Although both these laptops are equipped with M2 silicon, the base variant of the Air comes with eight CPU and GPU cores, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD. The MacBook Pro 13-inch boasts almost the same specs. The only difference is it has two extra GPU cores. So, at first glance, you might think that the new macBook Air offers a better value, both at starting and configured price. You could also say that the new Air is the 13-inch MacBook Pro killer. But here’s a little problem. The new MacBook Air still has a fanless design, so maxing out the specs with a ten-core GPU might not be a good idea. Also, with that much power, it’s bound to get hot, considering how thin the new Air is. Plus, keep in mind that the rated battery life is 2 hours less than the Pro, so running the machine at its full potential will drain the battery much faster.
Final Verdict
Considering all, we think the new Air 2022 is a phenomenal device. The power of M2 at such a thin and light body is what you can expect only from Apple. However, pushing the M2 to its maximum capability might not be a good idea. Therefore, only the base variant of the 2022 MacBook Air should be your prime choice. As for the MacBook Pro, we can see the same old Apple strategy: putting the latest tech into the old hardware. And, by no means it’s a bad thing. We have already witnessed what it’s capable of with its active cooling system. However, that aside, you are giving up too much on this new MacBook Pro, including the new display, MagSafe, 1080p Facecam, and fast charging. So, if you don’t care about these things and only after that sustainable peak performance, you should consider the new MacBook Pro 13-inch.
