15-Inch MacBook Air Will Reportedly Have M2 Chip

[StrollerEd]

imho, setting aside the wearable (Watch), Apple has a portable device geared at each of three main purposes:
a communication device (iPhone); a consumption device (iPad); a production device (MacBook).

Those, of course, share some capability for all three purposes.

How then to judge the MBA as a production device with consumption capability?

I certainly use a MacBook laptop as my main portable device, most of the time, for consumption and production, the latter occasionally doing some heavy duty sums and transformations and being sufficient as substitute for a desktop.

The MBA is now creeping into being capable of meeting my current requirements. (The iPad is nowhere near in terms of my usage - I like a good keyboard/pad.)

I bought the 16" M1 MBP in late 2021 (as replacement for the 15" mid-2015 MBP, bought in 2017, which in turn replaced a 13" MBP). The 16" M1 MBP a luggable but so much lighter than the first MacBooks I ever had.

My expectation is that the MBA will probably be my next purchase, probably in 2024 or 2025, by which time the M3 and its successor(s) will have proved themselves and with that processor and 16 or even 32 GB RAM, I'll be well pleased with a 15" screen. It should be lighter still. I might even start to care about the colour.

OK, about that wearable Watch. I'll consider that when it can be paired with vide-specs with projected keypad and a pair of digi-gloves. OK, they might not be the peripherals, just the start of wearables which deliver a new set of integrated functionality. Maybe emerging in the retail market in 2025?

 

[HowardEv]

being sufficient as substitute for a desktop.

The desktops have the same chips as the MacBooks, at the same clock speed and same storage options. (except the Studio Ultra chip). They still plug into the wall, with no battery like the MacBook, but there is no performance benefit anymore.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

The desktops have the same chips as the MacBooks, at the same clock speed and same storage options. (except the Studio Ultra chip). They still plug into the wall, with no battery like the MacBook, but there is no performance benefit anymore.

The desktop replacement (DTR) is not about "the same chips". It is about the whole package of what a laptop can do when plugged in as a workstation. Thunderbolt i/o is the primary DTR enabler, but display driving, RAM, ports and heat management all matter - - not the base chips used.

Apple made the first true DTR laptop with the 2011 17" MBP. Thanks to Thunderbolt i/o (exclusive to Mac for all of 2011) that MBP allowed folks like me to go from desktop plus laptop to instead just one mobile device. Thunderbolt, not chip power, has allowed MBPs to do good DTR ever since.

TB bandwidth has improved over the years, but MBA's limited ports and other weaknesses of the low end seriously hamper usage of MBAs for DTR. It is the MBPs that excel for DTR.

 

[StrollerEd]

Useful point about Thunderbolt. I rarely use its powerful i/o but when I do have need, it's a god-send.

 

[StrollerEd]

btw, I realised after yesterday's posting that I failed to mention the importance of the camera for the iPhone - not that it is relevant for discussion of MBP vs MBA as 'DTR'

 

[Allen_Wentz]

btw, I realised after yesterday's posting that I failed to mention the importance of the camera for the iPhone - not that it is relevant for discussion of MBP vs MBA as 'DTR'

Exactly this. For folks like me who have the capture and use of images integrated into professional workflows, even small camera improvements provide substantial value add.

E.g. I now buy each new iPhone Pro for the camera, and the better capture capabilities quickly justify the annual expenditure. Previously I only upgraded my iPhone every 3 years or so.

No doubt Apple knows this and works hard at camera capabilities. The thing is folks like me ysing the camera as a tool every day will not be fooled by simple marketing nonsense, and we will be pissed if Apple just jives us as with blather as camera improvements get harder to produce.

 

[StrollerEd]

Exactly this. For folks like me who have the capture and use of images integrated into professional workflows, even small camera improvements provide substantial value add.

E.g. I now buy each new iPhone Pro for the camera, and the better capture capabilities quickly justify the annual expenditure. Previously I only upgraded my iPhone every 3 years or so.

I don't have your work-based motivation, nor such a frequent upgrade cycle. But yes. I did use the iPhone as a camera before but I was v impressed by improvement in the iPhone 7 and again with the iPhone 12 Pro. I skipped the 13P and am now swithering between the 14Pro that could be in my hand or the 15Pro which is promised to be in the bush ..

We digress Unless, does your image (processing) workflow require a MBP or could you make do with a MBA? I'm assuming that the presence or not of an SD Card is a side issue

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I don't have your work-based motivation, nor such a frequent upgrade cycle. But yes. I did use the iPhone as a camera before but I was v impressed by improvement in the iPhone 7 and again with the iPhone 12 Pro. I skipped the 13P and am now swithering between the 14Pro that could be in my hand or the 15Pro which is promised to be in the bush ..

We digress Unless, does your image (processing) workflow require a MBP or could you make do with a MBA? I'm assuming that the presence or not of an SD Card is a side issue

Yes MBP versus MBA has recently with M2 for me become part of the equation. MBA previously had never been remotely considerable as a desktop replacement (DTR) box. And even though MBPs do get the DTR job done, higher end MBP configurations are required.

Interestingly the desktop side: the new Studio desktops and the very highest end configuration of the M2 Mini with 32 GB RAM have changed the laptop DTR analysis. Civilized pricing for that strong desktop capability plus OS/Handoff evolution have changed my personal device plan to go from one super-strength mobile box (last 12 years) back to desktop box plus a laptop, which is what I did 2010 and previous.

Using desktop+laptop means perhaps MBA might suffice, so I considered the best MBA. The lower weight of MBA would be kinda nice, but schlepping the 6.6 pound 17" MBP everywhere did not bother me, so the 4.8 pound M2 MBP is not a problem.

Even with an M2 desktop in the mix MBA still fails for me:
- Much poorer MBA display. My eyes/brain and many of my clients easily can tell the difference.
- Only 2 TB ports would be a huge PITA. The 4 ports of my Intel MBP already are a limiting PITA.
- Surprisingly, the better audio of the MBPs does matter to me.
- Less available RAM on MBAs make MBAs nonstarters. MBPs allow up to 96 GB RAM, MBAs only up to 24 GB. 24 GB might work today, but will not be good mid-life of a new box IMO.
- Even though under this evolving laptop+desktop workflow I will not routinely need DTR capability, once in a while I might. Even one such instance is enough for me to justify carrying the slight extra weight of an MBP.

 

[scorpiontrexx]

I believe a killer machine would be one like the 16 inch macbook pro with ports (but in a 15 inch size ), amazing battery life, a great video camera 1080 (min) and excellent performance. Not to say as high as the MBP 16 inch.
but.....
The 14 inch is and 15 inch are the sweet spot. But, to me the 15 inch is the best size, for portability and weight.
The 16 inch is a more of a desktop pc (due to its weight)

 

[scorpiontrexx]

the ports in an air are key !!! Apple dont remove them !
Also, make it support two monitors just not one !!! - m1 was is a great chip but the thing i like the least in the laptop format is the support for 1 external monitor (natively).

 

[SactoGuy18]

Hopefully, with the larger physical size of the 15" MacBook Air, they will actually put in a decent SoC cooling system. Hence my suggestion of a vapor chamber cooling system, so the 15" M2 MacBook Air is less thermal constrained.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

the ports in an air are key !!! Apple dont remove them !
Also, make it support two monitors just not one !!! - m1 was is a great chip but the thing i like the least in the laptop format is the support for 1 external monitor (natively).

Apple fully supports multiple monitors in laptop format. One just needs to buy the higher-end MBPs.

Expecting a 15" MBA to be a high-end laptop at low-end MBA pricing is not IMO reasonable.

 

[compwiz1202]

Apple fully supports multiple monitors in laptop format. One just needs to buy the higher-end MBPs.

Expecting a 15" MBA to be a high-end laptop at low-end MBA pricing is not IMO reasonable.

Yes just want a MBA 15 with the only difference screen size at $200 more than the 13. Everything I see everyone wanting all these features, it's just going to push the price into Pro territory. I just want a large screen MB at a reasonable price.

 

[Falhófnir]

Hopefully, with the larger physical size of the 15" MacBook Air, they will actually put in a decent SoC cooling system. Hence my suggestion of a vapor chamber cooling system, so the 15" M2 MacBook Air is less thermal constrained.

Larger volume/ mass meaning better thermal inertia is more or less a given, but I probably wouldn't hold my breath for active cooling.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Yes just want a MBA 15 with the only difference screen size at $200 more than the 13. Everything I see everyone wanting all these features, it's just going to push the price into Pro territory. I just want a large screen MB at a reasonable price.

This ! ! ! <emphasis mine>

 

[applesed]

there are some real rinkity-dinkity, lightweight, and cheap 16" laptops that support 2 monitors and can go up to 32gb of memory. if Apple needs to put it closer to mb pro prices, go for it, the current one is a brick and a small percentage of users need all those gpus. Just don't gimp the new 15 incher!

 

[Allen_Wentz]

there are some real rinkity-dinkity, lightweight, and cheap 16" laptops that support 2 monitors and can go up to 32gb of memory. if Apple needs to put it closer to mb pro prices, go for it, the current one is a brick and a small percentage of users need all those gpus. Just don't gimp the new 15 incher!

Sure one can buy rinkity-dinkity, lightweight, and cheap 16" laptops that support 2 monitors and can go up to 32gb of memory. But that does not mean Apple should emulate them or try to compete with them. IMO Apple should not add any pricey characteristics to a 15" MBA.

 

[SactoGuy18]

Larger volume/ mass meaning better thermal inertia is more or less a given, but I probably wouldn't hold my breath for active cooling.

My definition of "active cooling" would be something like the fans you see you the MacBook Pro models. What I'm suggesting is a vapor chamber cooling system, which is still passive means of cooling.