15" M2 MacBook Air is too heavy

[roncron]

It’s not surprising that people have different reactions to the weight of the MBA15. Depends on your basis of comparison- is it the MBA13 or the MBP16, for example. And on your expectations and preferences.

My reaction to the MBA15’s weight is very different from the OP’s. But my opinion is no more valid than the OP’s, or anyone else’s.

Quite a few people seem thrilled with the 15. For those who aren’t, Apple has a fair number of other options. Maybe not your dream machine, but hopefully something not far from it.

 

[dizmonk]

This is a wild complaint. The bigger machine (15" Air) is lighter than the smaller machine (14" Pro). It's thin and light relative to its performance. If it's not light enough in absolute terms, go for the 13" Air.

I completely agree. I just sold my 14 for the 15 and it is lighter and more comfortable.

 

[Darth Tulhu]

I truly believe the 15" MBA is the best laptop Apple could've made in this size for that price. It is remarkable in every way.

We're up against the laws of physics at this point, and this is about as thin and light as a 15" laptop will get when built as solidly as this.

 

[JohnJoh99535671]

air is not only about weight... it's also about form factor, throttled performance, less fans and less air cooling... maybe they should have called it the less air laptop

 

[rappr]

What’s wrong with that? Steve Jobs strove to make prices lower over time. It’s only Tim Cook who wants to maximize profits by charging as much as he can.

Let’s not pretend Steve Jobs wasn’t selling $2000 laptops at high margins

 

[EuroChilli]

You got to be kidding me, too heavy? 🤣

I thought the same. Maybe just get a smaller computer?

I would suggest before anyone buys a new laptop, go pick up a demo model first, or if you can't get to a shop, fill a bag with sand exactly the weight of the computer you'd like to buy, then try pick that up. You're welcome.

 

[EuroChilli]

What’s wrong with that? Steve Jobs strove to make prices lower over time. It’s only Tim Cook who wants to maximize profits by charging as much as he can.

In the beginning, all you got for $666 was a circuit board with only what was it? 4kb RAM? but no casing, no screen, no keyboard, no mouse and no hard drive. Now, for just $333 more you get a whole lot more computer with all the above, and then some.

 

[ThomasJL]

This shouldn't come as a surprise for a larger laptop. The center of mass for such a laptop is naturally going to be further from your hands - this means when holding it, the torque exerted by gravity will increased by both the greater mass and greater distance from the fulcrum (center of mass to your hands).

The "heft" is pretty much unavoidable due to the laws of physics.

Very interesting post. I wonder if that’s why I remember the 13-inch M1 MacBook Air feeing a little lighter than the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air even though the M1 is actually heavier by 0.1 pounds (0.05 kg).

M1 weight:
2.8 pounds (1.29 kg)

M2 weight:
2.7 pounds (1.24 kg)

What do you think, @masotime ?

 

[Howard2k]

I want a Macbook Air that weighs the same as the Apple Watch. Apple can do it, they just refuse because Tim Apple wants all your money.

 

[Howard2k]

1. Seriously? How many people are offended by MBP PWM? Three?
2. The larger MBA is only a bigger display if compared against the smaller MBP, which is an unfair comparison.
3. Battery life in MBPs is superb. My M2 MBP battery does not run down in an entire day. "Much better battery life" means little IMO.

Suggesting those three are major and add up to some big positive difference, compared against MBP's far more power, far more RAM, better displays, better speakers, more ports, more i/o throughput, more memory bandwidth and far more external display capability is just silly. In reality MBAs save weight and cost at huge loss of competence.

Which is all fine. MBAs are beautiful boxes and are perfect for many folks. I frequently recommend them. But they are not comparable to MBPs.

…But you are comparing them.

 

[Sweet_Caroline]

I thought the same. Maybe just get a smaller computer?

I would suggest before anyone buys a new laptop, go pick up a demo model first, or if you can't get to a shop, fill a bag with sand exactly the weight of the computer you'd like to buy, then try pick that up. You're welcome.

Think my 1st laptop was 3 times that weight, and I thought that was light 😂

 

[Tenashus1]

…But you are comparing them.

…But you are comparing them.

Your point is well taken Howard2k. There really is no comparison between the two. The MBA is pretty. The MBP is not. Overall, though, the MBP is the superior machine.

 

[throAU]

Let’s not pretend Steve Jobs wasn’t selling $2000 laptops at high margins

Exactly.

Last I saw, Apple's overall margins have actually dropped in recent years from 45 percent to 37 percent or so.

This information is publicly available as they are a publicly traded company.

The price you pay and the profit margin are two different things. Apple laptops are expensive, and (like everything else) getting more so, but it isn't due to increased margin.

And if people want to complain that those margins are too high... well, you're paying for things like Apple Silicon R&D, the industrial design, industry leading support, etc. If you want to buy crap from a company making 10% that barely beats an index fund... (and as a result run an OS full of advertising garbage) that trash is available.

 

[masotime]

Very interesting post. I wonder if that’s why I remember the 13-inch M1 MacBook Air feeing a little lighter than the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air even though the M1 is actually heavier by 0.1 pounds (0.05 kg).

M1 weight:
2.8 pounds (1.29 kg)

M2 weight:
2.7 pounds (1.24 kg)

What do you think, @masotime ?

I did a quick lookup

M1 Air width and depth: 11.97" x 8.36"
M2 Air width and depth: 11.97" x 8.46"

So the M2 is definitely going to be ever so slightly "deeper", although 0.1" isn't saying much.

If the M1 feels lighter, it's possible that you were holding it with your hand closer to the thicker edge. Due to its sloping nature (variable height), that will shift the center of gravity closer to the thicker edge, which will affect the torque due to gravity. It'll definitely feel heavier if you held it from the thin edge though, and I think most people instinctively don't do that since it's also less safe due to the increased torque.

 

[EuroChilli]

Think my 1st laptop was 3 times that weight, and I thought that was light

I mentioned earlier my Compaq Presario. I really thought I was the man when I whipped it out in cattle class, put it on the tray in front of me and attempted to do some work.

Now whenever I fly, if the inflight entertainment sucks, which it often does, along with the quality of the screen, I’d love to have a 15” Air. But right now my 13” will have to do.

 

[EuroChilli]

So I just went to my local Apple shop, to feel for myself. It is surprisingly heavy for it's size. Also, the build feels a bit flimsy, it has some flex to it. I hope the salesman didn't notice me twisting it. My 13" M1 Air feels a lot more solid. I could demolish an entire apartment block with my 2011 MBP and still keep using it.

Ok, I was only in there for less than a minute, but next time I need a new machine I will pick whatever one I'm thinking about getting up first.

 

[spiderman0616]

I looked at the 15” Air at Costco last night. The MacBook Air lineup finally feels like a thinner, lighter, less specced version of the MacBook Pro lineup. Everything feels unified and purposeful and I could pick up (no pun intended) any one of these Apple silicon machines and feel right at home.

But I digress. My real point is I don’t pick up either the new 13” or 15” Airs and think “too heavy”. I think more like “Wow, I bet I could use this instead of a Pro!”

 

[deevey]

It’s still 1.5 pounds heavier than the MacBook 12” (2017). That is the Mac against which we should evaluate lightness.

If the 12" had a 15" screen and bigger battery I'd be guessing it would be close enough to 1.5lbs heavier.

 

[HouseLannister]

Careful what you wish for. There are plenty of Windows laptops still being cheap with 3-cell batteries that are half the capacity of the one in the Air. If Apple wants to cut weight, that is where they would start.

 

[Chytin]

Do you even lift bro?

 

[transpo1]

Not for 15" class machines.

I disagree— if we’re talking pound for pound weight, you have to measure against the lightest laptop Apple has ever built.

 

[throAU]

I disagree— if we’re talking pound for pound weight, you have to measure against the lightest laptop Apple has ever built.

No, you don't because it is an entirely different product category. Nobody wanting a 15" screen is going to consider a 12" notebook.

 

[transpo1]

No, you don't because it is an entirely different product category. Nobody wanting a 15" screen is going to consider a 12" notebook.

I do, but what you do is up to you. ;-) People who are interested in an “Air,” notebook, i.e. a lightweight notebook, may actually be interested in the lightest things offered up and down the product chain and the resulting trade-offs.

 

[throAU]

I do, but what you do is up to you. ;-) People who are interested in an “Air,” notebook, i.e. a lightweight notebook, may actually be interested in the lightest things offered up and down the product chain and the resulting trade-offs.

In that case, buy a 13" air or an 11" iPad (or go even further and go for an iPad mini, if you're willing to compromise screen size for weight).

 

[ctjack]

Let’s not pretend Steve Jobs wasn’t selling $2000 laptops at high margins

To give credits where it is due - Jobs always decreased the prices when the economy of scales achieved and big props for that.
Spending 100 million in initial RD and selling 10000 laptops is very different from selling 100000 with the 150 million invested at year 2.