M2 MacBook Air or M1 Pro MacBook Pro 14” dilemma

[Dwalls90]

I think you’ll find a price increase with the new pro which will cement the pricing gap between the m2 mba and M2 pro, and would influence a decision. It’s a tough choice right now because of the pricing structure and how closely matched the m2 air and m2 pro are

I think the decision to wait for the M2 pro lies with the use case

Obviously none of us know for sure, but I think Apple overhauling the MBP line last fall was when they revamped pricing. If I recall correctly, I believe general feedback was that folks hoped there would maybe be a MBP model that retailed for under 2K (before available discounts), since the 14" is not quite the 15" it replaced but larger than the 13" (which was always offered in the mid 1K range).

 

[Misheemee]

Obviously none of us know for sure, but I think Apple overhauling the MBP line last fall was when they revamped pricing. If I recall correctly, I believe general feedback was that folks hoped there would maybe be a MBP model that retailed for under 2K (before available discounts), since the 14" is not quite the 15" it replaced but larger than the 13" (which was always offered in the mid 1K range).

given the price increase with M2 Air, supply chain issues, increased cost and limited supplies of parts, and inflation in general, I strongly believe you’ll see a price increase in the 14” and 16” M2 MBP lines

 

[537635]

This MBA vs MBP dilemma really stumped me. I have a midnight M2 MBA 16/512 on order (ETA Aug 1-8), and I just picked up a MBP M1 pro 14 16/512 for basically the same price ($50 more) at Best Buy today. I looked at both of the display models, and I really love the midnight color and form factor, but holy cow the 14's screen is just so nice. Even now, I haven't opened the shrinkwrap because I'm still mulling which one.

This.

The display on the 14 is so good compared to the downgraded Air M2 (lower PPI than previous model).

I use laptop screen only most of the time and having such a great display made for an easy choice for me. Also almost the same price, which probably won't be true anymore come autumn.

My only issue is that my home LG ultrafine 5k looks like crap. ProMotion and HDR have the same effect here than they do on phones. They ruin the experience on less capable devices.

And 27 or 32 inch Promotion HDR display and/or iMac is going to be crazily expensive.

 

[kp98077]

I think you’ll find a price increase with the new pro which will cement the pricing gap between the m2 mba and M2 pro, and would influence a decision. It’s a tough choice right now because of the pricing structure and how closely matched the m2 air and m2 pro are

I think the decision to wait for the M2 pro lies with the use case

so do you think its possible the new pro would be >$1999? Ouch!

 

[dizmonk]

A big con is the M2 is hotter, much hotter than anticipated. So strike M2 MBA.

Do you know this from experience (e.g., you've got one) or are you thinking that just because you read it? Curious...

 

[Dwalls90]

given the price increase with M2 Air, supply chain issues, increased cost and limited supplies of parts, and inflation in general, I strongly believe you’ll see a price increase in the 14” and 16” M2 MBP lines

The M2 Air increased in price because it was a new design with hardware improvements (yes, I know about the SSD and fingerprint items, but I'm talking about bigger screen, new chassis, etc.). The 14" and 16" MBP increased in price over the 13" and 15" MBP models that they replaced too. Apple isn't afraid to raise prices but also will not raise them each product cycle. Consumer electronics are not like bananas at the grocery store, and while inflation is an issue, I don't see the price of video game consoles, computer components or computers increasing in price. Hell, GPU and CPU prices are finally stabilizing and decreasing despite chip shortages because mining has lost popularity due to the crash.

 

[FattKingHugeman]

Do you know this from experience (e.g., you've got one) or are you thinking that just because you read it? Curious...

I can tell you that the M2 does not perform hotter than the M1 for normal everyday use. I have the 16gb 512gb M2 MBA since released.

 

[beardev]

I can tell you that the M2 does not perform hotter than the M1 for normal everyday use. I have the 16gb 512gb M2 MBA since released.

I can back this up, at least for general browsing. I have a 16 inch M1 Max for work, and I just bought myself an M2 air for leisure. For all tasks that don't spin up the fan to an audible level, the 16 inch machine is hotter to the touch. Even just browsing the internet while watching a youtube video in a non-safari browser is enough for the bottom of the 16 inch to start warming up, while the air stays cool.
I think this is likely due to the CPU core layout- The M1 Pro / Max only has half the efficiency cores of the M1/M2, so it's a lot easier to force a performance core to spin up on the more powerful models.

 

[tim1000]

I can back this up, at least for general browsing. I have a 16 inch M1 Max for work, and I just bought myself an M2 air for leisure. For all tasks that don't spin up the fan to an audible level, the 16 inch machine is hotter to the touch. Even just browsing the internet while watching a youtube video in a non-safari browser is enough for the bottom of the 16 inch to start warming up, while the air stays cool.
I think this is likely due to the CPU core layout- The M1 Pro / Max only has half the efficiency cores of the M1/M2, so it's a lot easier to force a performance core to spin up on the more powerful models.

how is using the air screen compared to the pro?

 

[beardev]

how is using the air screen compared to the pro?

It's worse, and noticeably worse, but it only takes me a few minutes to adapt to either. I could see the downgrade being too much for some people but I don't mind personally.

 

[IJBrekke]

It's worse, and noticeably worse, but it only takes me a few minutes to adapt to either. I could see the downgrade being too much for some people but I don't mind personally.

Bingo. It’s definitely noticeable, but pretty easy to adjust back and forth.

An interesting observation: My wife and I did this same thing several years back when I got a retina MBP and she got the lower-res Air at the time. I pulled both of those old machines out to sell them recently, and the difference now is incredibly stark, much more so than at the time. Using the old Air feels downright blurry and washed out, not something I could quickly adjust to. The retina MBP is basically the current Air screen, aka it seems normal for 2022.

I would guess that today’s Pro vs. Air screen difference will age similarly. The Pro screen will become the new default over time.

 

[MorganK]

I am having a very difficult time deciding if I should get a M2 MBA or M1 MBP. Currently have a late-2013 MBP 2.3GHz i7 16GB. It’s still plugging along but getting cranky at times. Leaning MBP for 16”, but hesitant to pull the trigger if they’ll be coming out with the M2 for it anytime soon.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Bingo. It’s definitely noticeable, but pretty easy to adjust back and forth.

An interesting observation: My wife and I did this same thing several years back when I got a retina MBP and she got the lower-res Air at the time. I pulled both of those old machines out to sell them recently, and the difference now is incredibly stark, much more so than at the time. Using the old Air feels downright blurry and washed out, not something I could quickly adjust to. The retina MBP is basically the current Air screen, aka it seems normal for 2022.

I would guess that today’s Pro vs. Air screen difference will age similarly. The Pro screen will become the new default over time.

It does seem like it took a decade for it to become the standard.

The new Air has a more vibrant, perhaps warmer calibration compared to the first-generation 2012 Retina MacBook Pro. Otherwise it’s nearly identical as far as contrast, PPI, etc. It didn’t help that the RAM and storage size are identical on the base model.

I swear that if Apple didn’t develop their own silicon there would have been minimal incentive to upgrade. I remember how incremental the Intel performance gains were. I’m not even sure exactly how much quicker the last Intel MacBook Pro is than my older device, but I know it wasn’t dramatic. The Intel Air was just barely beginning to match my 2012 Pro.

Eventually all of these devices will have OLED displays or even better, but that transition will probably take ~ 5 years for the Pro and 10 for the Air. Possibly pessimistic timeframes, but it did take a surprisingly long time for the Retina Display to become standard on the Air.

 

[tim1000]

the notebookcheck review says the air bezels are huge. I am looking at my 16 inch pro with small bezels. can someone post a side by side of the bezels?

 

[ascender]

I can tell you that the M2 does not perform hotter than the M1 for normal everyday use. I have the 16gb 512gb M2 MBA since released.

Agree.

Mine is now also running things like Windows VM and games cooler than it was last week, so I guess that was the usual background tasks and iCloud synching going on.

Now I'm used to the M2 Air, I don't notice the screen difference from the MBP, other than when I was sitting outside working in the sun and the Air on max brightness was obviously not able to get close to the M1 Pro screen.

 

[tim1000]

Agree.

Mine is now also running things like Windows VM and games cooler than it was last week, so I guess that was the usual background tasks and iCloud synching going on.

Now I'm used to the M2 Air, I don't notice the screen difference from the MBP, other than when I was sitting outside working in the sun and the Air on max brightness was obviously not able to get close to the M1 Pro screen.

why did you switch from pro to air?

 

[ascender]

why did you switch from pro to air?

I don't need the multicore performance of the Pro... I have a Mac Studio which I use for the bulk of my work. I prefer having a lightweight Mac laptop which can still do everything I do on the Studio, even if the odd thing will take a bit longer.

 

[Beau10]

it's a safe bet it's going to be refreshed within the next 3-6 months with a newer updated M2 model.

There's been many recent comments on this forum thinking this is likely but no rumors backing up a 2022 refresh... esp. at this point in time there should be chatter indicating production is about to ramp up. This is not just a slight bump but a rumored drop to 3nm fab. Just super unlikely that is coming out a year later.

The latest from the rumor mill is early next year for production, which means probably spring-fall for the M2 Pro chip refresh. If you're in the market for a new machine and the 14" MBP does it for you in a way the M2 Air doesn't I'd just get the MBP esp. given current discounts.

"In accordance with this timescale, the ‌‌M2‌‌ Pro and ‌M2‌‌ Max will debut in the first half of 2023. This timeframe broadly lines up with Gurman's expectations for the launch of new MacBook Pro models with ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max chips, which he believes will not launch until 2023."

MacBook Pro: Features, Buying Advice, and More

The current 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models feature the M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, Thunderbolt 5 on higher-end models, upgraded cameras, and...

www.macrumors.com

 

[RyanC1384]

I don't need the multicore performance of the Pro... I have a Mac Studio which I use for the bulk of my work. I prefer having a lightweight Mac laptop which can still do everything I do on the Studio, even if the odd thing will take a bit longer.

I have a Studio in my home office and my MacBook Pro (Late 2016) with 16gb and 1TB SSD has gone to crap. Really struggling with what to replace it with?

Should I get an M2 Air for more casual work around the house / surfing / email / basics while relaxing on the couch - or get the M1 Pro because of the better screen and quality? I also have the 12.9 iPad Pro, so the screen drop could be a deal breaker.

What should I do?

 

[VaruLV]

The M2 Air increased in price because it was a new design with hardware improvements...

Perhaps, if were talking that "outrageous" price bump of 200$ that has some of you, dear american folks fuming about... Tho I would have loved to see, say, SD card slot or at least another USB4 port as a "bonus" and at least the same SSD speeds in base config, or, even better, 512GB as base capacity, it costs Apple few €, not around 230€ to add those extra 256GB.
However, speaking about this price hike being solely driven by redesign only - we, the Europeans - are paying hefty 400€ price increase for M2 Air compared to M1 Air when it was released.
Im sorry, but that difference has nothing to do with redesign and cheaping out on SSD chips.

 

[VaruLV]

I have a Studio in my home office and my MacBook Pro (Late 2016) with 16gb and 1TB SSD has gone to crap. Really struggling with what to replace it with?

Should I get an M2 Air for more casual work around the house / surfing / email / basics while relaxing on the couch - or get the M1 Pro because of the better screen and quality? I also have the 12.9 iPad Pro, so the screen drop could be a deal breaker.

What should I do?

Is your 12.9 the one with M1=miniLED screen?
If so, can you see blooming and shadows around the edges of the screen? If you cannot or these things dont bother you at all, then I think theres high possibility that M2 Air's screen will be plenty good for you, perhaps aside from HDR video content watching where miniLED is bighter and shows higher contrast.

 

[RyanC1384]

Is your 12.9 the one with M1=miniLED screen?
If so, can you see blooming and shadows around the edges of the screen? If you cannot or these things dont bother you at all, then I think theres high possibility that M2 Air's screen will be plenty good for you, perhaps aside from HDR video content watching where miniLED is bighter and shows higher contrast.

Yes, it’s the new M1 with mini LED.
No blooming or shadows on this one, may have gotten lucky.

 

[netnative]

I own a MacBook Pro 14" and considered switching to the M2 MacBook Air because I am partial to thin and light laptops. I decided in favor of keeping my MacBook Pro 14". The M2 MacBook Air will be returned unopened when it is delivered tomorrow.

My interpretation of the available videos and reviews is that Apple deliberately curtailed the performance of the M2 MacBook Air to further this year's product segmentation strategy which oddly includes a 13-inch MacBook that is "Pro" in name only.

Next year, Apple may discontinue the M1 MacBook Air as well as the MacBook Pro 13" and give the redesigned MacBook Air the faster SSDs and capable heat spreader that it should have had. This is, of course, conjecture. But I can continue using my MacBook Pro 14" until I can ascertain the conjecture's validity.

 

[1rottenapple]

I really want to get the M2 MacBook Air for portability and convenience, but now the M1 Pro MacBook Pro 14” seems like a better option when matching the RAM and storage to the MBA.

There is still a big difference in price, but ProMotion and HDR are big features for me and worth the additional expense. But thinness and portability is also another huge deal for me. Now I am stuck with this dilemma.

I’ve felt and held the new MBP, it looks amazing and new, but it’s so heavy and chunky. The new MBA should be slightly lighter and thinner than my M1 MBA. But when I consider the big expense I’m already making, I just wanna get the MBP. I can max out the configs of the new MBA and still be under the price of the highest prefigured MBPs sold in Apple Store.

The computer is supposed to be my travel computer and school computer. Maybe even replacing my iPad at home.

Has anybody went ahead and just got the 14” MacBook Pro? Anyone in the same boat as me? Tell me I’m wrong.

I have the 14 and want the m2 mba. But yes I’m comparing the screen brightness and they almost the same. Speakers are night and. I want a thinner laptop though but I like the speakers of the 14. I know the 14 is overkill for me….

 

[Beau10]

I have the 14 and want the m2 mba. But yes I’m comparing the screen brightness and they almost the same. Speakers are night and. I want a thinner laptop though but I like the speakers of the 14. I know the 14 is overkill for me….

Just FYI, the screen brightness of the 14" is theoretically 3x as much... I use an an app called Vivid which doubles it to 1000 nits. This is pretty killer functionality to have for my use case as I like to work outside.