Apple MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M1: What’s different?

Apple’s M–series processors have been nothing short of ground-breaking. The new ARM-based SoCs that now power Apple’s MacBooks and iPads are incredibly efficient and powerful. In fact, even the M1 MacBook Air, which arrived in 2020, is still just as good today, as it was the day it launched. This begs the question; do you really need the newer M2 MacBook Air? Well, we’re here to help you with just that, with this little comparison.

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M1: What’s your budget?

If budget is a concern, there’s no question that the M1 MacBook Air is the laptop you want. The M1 model retails for Rs 72,590, which is much cheaper than the M2 MacBook Air’s Rs 99,900 asking price. Both offer the same RAM and storage.

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M1: Performance

While the RAM and storage configurations are similar, the base model M1 MacBook Air’s storage is nearly twice as fast as the one in the M2.

However, the M2 chip in the newer MacBook Air has a more powerful GPU (10 cores on the M2 vs 7 on the M1 MacBook Air), and its eight CPU cores are faster and more efficient than the ones in the M1 as well.

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While this is a big difference on paper, in real-world usage, there’s no noticeable difference. It’s only when you’re working with large documents, apps like Lightroom, and try to edit videos that you’ll see any difference. For most users, who use the laptops for browsing, writing, and entertainment, both generations of the MacBook Air perform equally well.

Video editors in particular will want the M2 MacBook Air though, for its hardware-accelerated ProRes support and additional GPU power.

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M1: Battery life

The M2 MacBook Air has a slightly larger battery, but it’s rated at the same battery life as the M1. This is because the M2’s GPU consumes more power, as does the slightly larger and brighter display. Two advantages the M2 has though, are support for fast-charging (50 per cent in 30 minutes with a 67W charger) and support for MagSafe charging.

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M1: Display technology

Displays on both M1 and M2 MacBook Air are very similar. However, the M2 MacBook Air’s display has a slight edge thanks to the fact that it hits 500 nits of peak brightness. The older M1 MacBook Air manages about 400 nits, which is plenty bright for most users, but the former’s slightly brighter display is more useful outdoors. Both displays support TrueTone and the P3 colour gamut. The display on the M2 MacBook Air is slightly larger and has narrower bezels, but uses a notch to house the webcam. 

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M1: Audio and microphones

Audio is where things get interesting. The M1 has stereo speakers firing upwards along either side of the laptop, while the M2 has four speakers that fire towards the screen and reflect off it. Surprisingly, the M1 tends to offer better sound with a wider soundstage compared to the M2. The microphone layout is similar on both units, which comprises a 3-mic array with beamforming capabilities.

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M1: Webcam

The M2 MacBook Air has a superior 1080p webcam while the M1 has a 720p one. Whether that’s worth spending more money on is for you to decide. All we’ll say is that the 1080p webcam is sharper and presents a better image than the 720p one on the M1 MacBook Air. However, it is still on par with most laptop webcams and, we don’t think callers on Zoom or Teams will notice the difference to a great extent.

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M1: Connectivity

Both laptops feature two USB-C ports that support Thunderbolt 4. However, since the M2 MacBook Air has an additional MagSafe port for charging, the M2 MacBook Air has the advantage. When charging the M1 MacBook Air, only one other port is available. 

ALSO READ: Which MacBook is best for students?

Wi-Fi is slightly faster on the M2 MacBook Air, and it also supports the newer Bluetooth 5.4 standard vs the 5.0 standard that the M1 supports. This should not be an issue in most cases, but some specialised Bluetooth devices like boutique game controllers might have problems with the M1 MacBook Air.

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M1: Design

This is an easy win for the M2 MacBook Air, we feel. The M1 boasts of the same wedge-shaped design that Apple has been using for nearly two decades now. The new M2 MacBook Air ditches the wedge for a more symmetrical profile, and of course, offers an array of more interesting colours. Personally, we think the M2 looks better, but if you’re a fan of the classics, the M1 isn’t so bad either.

We’d also like to add that the M2 MacBook Air is slightly larger but lighter than the M1 MacBook Air. In real-world use though, again, the difference isn’t significant.

M2 MacBook Air vs M3 MacBook Air

As a bonus, we’d just like to let you know that the latest M3 MacBook Air is nearly identical to the M2. The differences primarily come down to a newer GPU that supports ray-tracing – a feature that will only matter to you if you’re a serious gamer – and that it supports AV1 encoding and decoding. That last one is a big deal for YouTubers and content creators.

ALSO READ: Apple MacBook Air M3 launched in 13-inch, 15-inch variants

Now that you’re clear on the differences between the M1 MacBook Air and the M2 MacBook Air, which one are you opting for? Either which way though, you just cannot go wrong with a MacBook! Happy shopping!