Believe it Folks! (M2 Air Midnight Blue)

[jdb8167]

I saw one of these in-person at a computer store last week and, yeah, properly disgusting with smudges all over. It looked like a CSI team had come through and prepped the unit for the fingerprints team. It's a pity Apple rarely gets colors right without some kind of caveat.

You do know those same fingerprints are on the computer no matter what the color. You just can’t see them like you can with the Midnight color. So if you wipe down any smudges you can see, your Midnight MBA is actually less disgusting.

 

[Eric Idle]

I was in store and saw the floor model, I heard so much about fingerprints, yet it didn't seem bad. I'll find out, picking one up on Monday.

I can't imagine what your standards of cleanliness are. My laptop is covered all over with very obvious finger prints. Front, back, top, bottom. Everywhere.

 

[Eric Idle]

hard to get off too and is the same again within 10 mins, best looking colour but not practical for real world use

Yes, just wiping them with a cloth does not clean the case at all. I have not yet figured out the best way to clean the case yet.

And as you said, once clean they are all back the moment you touch the case again.

 

[m1maverick]

Fingerprints never bothered me before either. I've had various MacBook Pro's and Air's and this new Midnight Blue M2 is easily 10-20 times worse in this one area. It's shocking how awful the case looks after a single day. I try to avoid touching the computer as much as possible, and I'm not one to think of trivial things like this, at all.

Is it possible to post pics?

 

[Zazoh]

I can't imagine what your standards of cleanliness are. My laptop is covered all over with very obvious finger prints. Front, back, top, bottom. Everywhere.

I'm extremely clean, screen is aways spotless. I picked up the laptop turned it around smeared my fingers on it and didn't see any visible fingerprints. Said what the hell and ordered it.

Perhaps the one I picked up was ALL fingerprint, who knows, I'll let the group now, if I experience different at home.

I use a caseless glass iPhone - I can't imagine more fingerprints than that?

 

[DeanCorp]

Completely understand where you’re coming from. I would suggest to return and exchange for a different colour.

For those that have an M2 MacBook Air I am thinking about getting one in Space Grey, do you have fingerprint issues on this colour? Or is it only the Midnight Blue? (My wife would kill me for considering an M2 Air since I bought an M2 Max 16” MacBook Pro last year. I find it too big and bulky to want to take with me 😭)

 

[4743913]

When you get enough fingerprints on it, it makes a nice design and nothing stands out. Its the constant wiping down and putting just a few fingerprints on it that is noticeable. 27 days + no wipedowns for me and it looks great.

 

[maka344]

My Midnight has damage around the ports already. I’m a week in.

 

[MrCheeto]

Wheel wax. Anybody willing to try? It obviously wouldn't do any harm, but would need to confirm it doesn't smudge after the wax is buffed off thoroughly.

Not to be confused with polish or paste. Please.

 

[GMShadow]

The one point no one in my OP that no one has commented on is, why does the Midnight Blue color have to be such a fingerprint magnet? Are the prints there on other machines, just not visible?

Couldn't there be some sort of coating that dealt with this problem better? I don't know. Just curious as to whether or not this is the best it can be.

Yes, they are. I notice them after a bit on my space gray MBP16 (Intel). I plan to go back to silver with the next laptop. Boring, perhaps, but easier to keep *looking* clean.

 

[MrCheeto]

Sure starting to remind me when Apple started making everything unibody machined aluminum. So many people on these very forums were saying, "why can't they make them colored, just like the iPod?"

Now you know.

 

[mrmister]

Yes, just wiping them with a cloth does not clean the case at all.

This is not my experience. I don't find it any harder to clean than my other MacBooks.

 

[mrmister]

When you get enough fingerprints on it, it makes a nice design and nothing stands out.

I have found this to, it makes a kind of patina, and looks kind of neat sometimes. Inevitably I eventually clean it off and start over.

It really isn't bad, and the color is the best one they have made in many, many years.

 

[Eric Idle]

Is it possible to post pics?

Here you go. This photo is what my M2 Air looks like late in the afternoon, after being cleaned early in the morning and handled a few times during the day. Handled with very clean hands I might add. Like another poster claimed, I too am a clean freak, washing my hands often during the day.

 

[Eric Idle]

I have found this to, it makes a kind of patina, and looks kind of neat sometimes. Inevitably I eventually clean it off and start over.

It really isn't bad, and the color is the best one they have made in many, many years.

The color is indeed awesome. It's just very embarassing when you show someone. I brought my new M2 to work and a few of my colleagues saw it and when they examined it up close everyone's first comment was, that's a lot of finger prints!

 

[mrmister]

The color is indeed awesome. It's just very embarassing when you show someone. I brought my new M2 to work and a few of my colleagues saw it and when they examined it up close everyone's first comment was, that's a lot of finger prints!

I think if it is bugging you this much, consider a clear case—then you can still see the color, and maybe feel better about it. I put one on, just to try it out, but I like the texture too much and I think, for me, it's better to just let it be. Maybe you have a different story?

 

[Eric Idle]

I think if it is bugging you this much, consider a clear case—then you can still see the color, and maybe feel better about it. I put one on, just to try it out, but I like the texture too much and I think, for me, it's better to just let it be. Maybe you have a different story?

Thanks. I've never used a case on my Apple laptops so don't know much about it. I'll look into that as an option.

 

[1BadManVan]

I dont see how a clear case will solve the fingerprint issue though, clear cases always show a ton of fingerprints lol. Especially when its a dark colour under it.

 

[KPOM]

Just got my brand new Macbook Air M2 in Midnight blue. What an awesome computer. I'm upgrading from a MBA Intel i5. The keyboard is astounding. The screen, just perfect. The keyboard? An absolute joy to type on. I am so in love with this computer.

Except one thing......My god, the fingerprints! I read a lot about this as I waited the nearly 4 weeks for my order to come in. I was worried and determined to not be so sensative to any finger prints I might see. But good lord, after just 2 days my laptop looks like it was handle by a guy who worked 8 hours behind a deep fryer. Fingerprints everywhere on this thing! Very very unsightly. And I am a habitual hand washer, so am quite a clean person. At least I thought I was. Now I might have to switch brands of soap.

I'm very surprised that Apple let a computer like this out the door. There must be a better way to make a color like this. This looks like a poorly thought out idea. When people talk about fingerprints on this color laptop, believe it!

I'm really on the fence with keeping this laptop. I equipped it very well, wanting to keep it for the next 5-7 years at least (24gb RAM 1 TB hard drive).

Arrrghhh!

If it bothers you that much, return it and get it in a different color.

 

[mrmister]

There are some matte clear case options, and for some maybe it’s a better visual quality.

 

[m1maverick]

Here you go. This photo is what my M2 Air looks like late in the afternoon, after being cleaned early in the morning and handled a few times during the day. Handled with very clean hands I might add. Like another poster claimed, I too am a clean freak, washing my hands often during the day.

Thank you. I think the fact that it was so easy to photograph demonstrates how significant the finger printing is.

 

[smoking monkey]

I both understand the OP and kind of don’t… if that’s fair. I don’t mean to be harsh!

I think many reviews clearly stated these things were horrendous re fingerprints in the blue. They showed pics and videos of it and it was unsightly beyond an acceptable level (well for me anyway). I believe that was enough evidence not to purchase the MB color. I don’t like the concept of buying and returning for issues like this tbh. I especially don’t like people who buy several then return and keep one. I think that’s crappy. But the OP is totally entitled to buy and return for fingerprints. And again everybody is different and it won’t bother some folks. So I do understand the OP. And if OP bought before reviews came out I retract the above but I think OP says they read about it before purchase???
So my advice is to def return the computer. If it worries you now it will continue to be an issue. Get the silver or space gray and hide those fingerprints! Plus it’s a great piece of kit and apple have given us a 9.5/10 computer if you get 16g ram and 512+HD.

I also think OPs post is a good PSA to potential buyers. Beware fingerprints if you think it might bother you, don’t get it! Don’t add to the returns for a non tech issue.

 

[KPOM]

I both understand the OP and kind of don’t… if that’s fair. I don’t mean to be harsh!

I think many reviews clearly stated these things were horrendous re fingerprints in the blue. They showed pics and videos of it and it was unsightly beyond an acceptable level (well for me anyway). I believe that was enough evidence not to purchase the mat color. I don’t like the concept of buying and returning for issues like this tbh. I especially don’t like people who buy several then return and keep one. I think that’s crappy. But the OP is totally entitled to buy and return for fingerprints. And again everybody is different and it won’t bother some folks. So I do understand the OP. And if OP bought before reviews came out I retract the above but I think OP says they read about it before purchase???
So my advice is to def return the computer. If it worries you now it will continue to be an issue. Get the silver or space gray and hide those fingerprints! Plus it’s a great piece of kit and apple have given us a 9.5/10 computer if you get 16g ram and 512+HD.

I also think OPs post is a good PSA to potential buyers. Beware fingerprints if you think it might bother you, don’t get it! Don’t add to the returns for a non tech issue.

I disagree about buying and returning. Apple sets its own return policies, and other retailers (eg Costco) offer even more generous policies. Apple resells returned Macs in its refurbished store for a 10% discount, which is still more than what it sells to resellers. Apple expects a certain percentage of returns.

 

[4743913]

I both understand the OP and kind of don’t… if that’s fair. I don’t mean to be harsh!

Everytime I see your avatar, I hear the words "I hunger".

 

[smoking monkey]

I disagree about buying and returning. Apple sets its own return policies, and other retailers (eg Costco) offer even more generous policies. Apple resells returned Macs in its refurbished store for a 10% discount, which is still more than what it sells to resellers. Apple expects a certain percentage of returns.

That’s fair to disagree. But morally I think it’s wrong and I personally don’t do it or like it. But each to their own.