Let me go right to the point: Upgrade your MacBook Air right now if you’ve been holding off for four or five years.
This is due to the fact that the new 2022 MacBook Air, which runs on Apple’s proprietary M2 hardware, is essentially the perfect work-from-home (or, really, work-from-anywhere) companion. For a starting price of Php69,990, the new M2 Air has everything you need for any work that requires the use of a computer: long battery life, a bigger 13.6-inch display than previous models, a killer keyboard, and enough horsepower to tackle everyday activities with ease.
Is it flawless? Definitely not. The new M2 MacBook Air still needs improvements in areas such as refresh rate and connector options. However, if you’re anything like me and have spent much too much time working on an older MacBook Air, this update is a given.
BIGGER, BUT STILL SLIM
Because Apple’s next MacBook Air is a direct successor to the M1-powered MacBook Air that will be available in late 2020, I’ll use that model as the foundation for most comparisons. One of the most noticeable differences between the two models is their physical look.
This new M2 Air model features a change that may not be obvious to the average person but may be noticeable to more tech-savvy people. Previous MacBook Air computers had a bottom half that tapered in size from one end to the other. In other words, the end of the keyboard and trackpad section of the body was narrower than the part that connected to the display while using the laptop.
That MacBook Air design staple is now a thing of the past. Instead, Apple chose an all-around uniform thickness of 1.13 cm, whereas the 2020 model started at 0.41 cm and reached a maximum thickness of 1.61 cm. This pleases me as someone who values symmetry and consistency; I want my laptop to have the same size on both ends. Its peak thinness may not be as high as it once was, but this is still a very thin laptop.
That’s especially amazing given that Apple increased the display’s size from 13.3 to 13.6 inches. A third of an inch may not seem like much, but in the world of ultra-portable laptops, it may make a tremendous impact. I’ve spent the last three and a half years working on a 2016 MacBook Pro with a 13.3-inch display and can attest to the difference, so take my word for it.
It’s amazing that Apple was able to increase the display size while retaining a fair degree of thinness and also lowering the weight (2.7 lbs. against 2.8 lbs. on the 2020 Air model). One thing I don’t like is the new camera notch, which is a carryover from the 2021 MacBook Pro. Because it’s smaller, I can handle it on a phone screen (though I don’t like it there, either). However, on a bigger laptop display, the notch is a little noticeable.
Although everything from YouTube to Sling has black bars where the notch would be, to Apple’s credit, the notch doesn’t really get in the way when streaming media. However, I think it looks homely.
However, the notch includes a significant enhancement in the shape of a 1080p camera, rather than the previous model’s 720p lens. Simply said, if you opt to buy the new M2 MacBook Air, your video chats will seem a lot better, and not just because of the higher resolution. For years, I’ve had to carefully position myself in front of an overhead light behind me for every work call since the light would drown out my own face if I didn’t. With the new M2 MacBook Air, the obnoxious glare fades to a bright circle in the corner, leaving my face visible.
The last major physical change is the addition of a MagSafe charging connector on the left side of the MacBook Air, in addition to the two previously existing Thunderbolt / USB-C ports. Of course, this allows you to charge the laptop while leaving two Thunderbolt / USB-C ports free. Still, I’d prefer one or two more of these ports to match the terrible old 2016 model I’ve been using, which has four in total. But there is one thing I won’t complain about: this bad boy has a 3.5mm headphone port on the right side.
Before we get into how the M2 MacBook Air feels to use, here’s a more extensive look at its specifications:
KINGLY KEYBOARD
Switching to the M2 MacBook Air was about what I think it feels like to go to paradise for someone who has been stuck on one of Apple’s horrible old butterfly keyboards for years. This is an excellent keyboard, and it should be a selling point for anyone who is still using a butterfly keyboard.
Key pushes feel robust but generate little noise. It feels nice just pushing the keys in while typing, guy. It feels like hitting a genuine button, as opposed to the butterfly keyboard, which felt like pushing down on something stuck in molasses. However, the feel of this keyboard is very equal to that of the 2020 M1 MacBook Air, indicating that it is not a breakthrough in keyboard design. It’s more of a continuation of a favorable trend.
The function row along the top has been enlarged, allowing the keys to be full-sized rather than half-sized as they were on the 2020 Air. In reality, this means that the escape key seems enormous, with the same form factor as the tab key. I have to admit, I like it. I have rather large fingers, therefore larger size is usually preferable in my opinion. There’s still a Touch ID button in the upper right corner of the keyboard, and it works beautifully as a way to log in without having to write a password every time.
Therefore, if you’re still using an earlier MacBook, this keyboard is the biggest incentive to change. I wish I could say the same about the show.
NEEDS MORE HERTZ
To be clear, the display on this new M2 MacBook Air is generally good. Its 2560×1664 resolution maintains photos, movies, webpages, and other content as crisp as possible on a display of this size. It is 25% brighter than the 400-nit-max 2020 Air variant, with a maximum brightness of 500 nits. This display will not cause any issues when used for practically any regular work.
I just have one major complaint: the refresh rate is limited to 60Hz. That is simply insufficient for a laptop that costs at least Php69,990. It’s OK for streaming because that’s the maximum refresh rate on almost every streaming site, but ordinary online browsing looks and feels so much better at 120Hz. People, I want that smoothness. I require it.
Still, don’t let the display deter you from purchasing the new M2 MacBook Air. As I mentioned, it’s more than enough in every other way, and I liked using it as a secondary screen to watch baseball while my primary TV was utilized for other things. Although the refresh rate is not as fast as it may be, the entire performance profile portrays a more positive image.
FAST AND QUIET
The M2 CPU, like its M1 and M1 Pro forefathers, keeps the new MacBook Air operating quickly. This isn’t unexpected given that superior performance is one of the reasons customers are prepared to pay the excessive “Apple tax” on every product the firm produces. We expect brilliance from Apple products, and this new MacBook Air delivers.
During my testing, I mostly utilized it as a work and web browsing computer. That entails conversing with my boss on Slack, engaging in video chats with dozens of employees, perusing Twitter, writing articles, streaming the aforementioned baseball games, and bulk-deleting emails to achieve the coveted “inbox-zero” status.
All of these things would, in some manner, slow down my 2016 MacBook Pro. They’re also all things that haven’t hampered the 2022 M2 MacBook Air in any manner.
The whole experience is quick and smooth, as seen by GeekBench benchmarking results that place it near or above the more costly 2021 MacBook Pro in certain ways. And, while Apple rates the battery life the same as the 2020 Air (i.e., 15 hours of web surfing / 18 hours of movie playback), this isn’t always a negative thing. I got 24 hours of real-time usage between charges, which is more than plenty for a laptop of this size.
The nicest aspect is that it is completely quiet the entire time. There’s no need for a fan.
AN EASY DECISION, EITHER WAY
There is no doubt that the new M2 MacBook Air is about as fantastic as the Air series gets. The only thing worth considering is how important an update is for you.
Fortunately, I don’t believe it’s a tough decision to make. If you still have a butterfly keyboard or a MacBook from before Apple moved to their own M-series silicon (and you can afford a new laptop for more than Php69,990), go ahead and upgrade. Whether you travel to and from work or work from home full-time, the new MacBook Air is a fantastic work companion, offering exceptional performance and one of the finest keyboards available.
With that in mind, the M1 MacBook Air from 2020 is marginally less expensive, beginning at Php57,990. It has a somewhat different design, yet it is just slightly heavier and may be slightly more compact due to the smaller display. Its keyboard is likewise wonderful, but not nearly as much because it lacks a full-sized function row. But, as ancient as it is, the M1 CPU is no slouch, and if you already have one of those computers, there’s no hurry to update right now. And if you want to save some money, you can get the older M1 Air without sacrificing too much.
The M1 model would have become more outdated with a 90Hz to 120Hz display, but for now, there are still valid arguments in favor of sticking with it.
In any case, Apple’s new MacBook Air is a fantastic gadget that represents a light at the end of a long, twisting tunnel for anyone who has spent years using one of those dreadful old keyboards.
