Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
M2 MacBook Air or M1 Pro MacBook Pro 14” dilemma
- Thread starter symphony
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I bought both of them to test due to this 2nd display dilemma. I tested with a $40 displaylink adapter and the drivers and stability of the setup made me forget the m2 spec wise couldn’t run a native second display.
So I took the pro back to apple.
I run a 24” second display and only ever have outlook and docs on it (no gaming etc). I honestly don’t think of displaylink as a workaround- the platform has been around a couple of decades and the drivers are pretty mature now.
Damn it I'm weak. A Midnight 16gb/1tb came available at my local Apple Store and I pounced on it. I picked it up yesterday and have it all setup, even loaded Archicad. It's a very impressive little machine. I will always have my 16" Max for real work and carry it to work in my backpack but the Air is perfect for around the house and travelling. I'm sitting in the morning sun on my deck typing this with the Air on my lap. I never did that with the 16" Pro.
My daughter has the 14" Pro, I have the 16" Pro and now M2 Air. If I could only pick one it would be the 14" Pro. It's an amazing package.
Do you feel there's a noticeable difference between using the Air and the 14" Pro as a laptop on your lap?
You didn't ask me, but I feel like there is a very noticeable difference. The Air is decidedly more comfortable IMO because of the weight and thickness. I never found either one to get warm, but the Air's weight is better for extended lap comfort, and its thinness better for typing comfort. I also find the thin and compact build of the Air to be a bit more of a "solid" typing and trackpad experience. Might be my unit, but I just felt the 14" to be a bit mushy on the keys and hollow feeling on the trackpad. Finally, I find the air very easy to pick up one-handed while open and carry around the home/office. This is certainly possible with the 14" but I find I just need to be a bit more intentional. They are both beautiful and fantastic devices, but if we are talking pure lap comfort, the Air wins.
I went from the 14" MBP to the MBA M2 and agree - walking around the house with the Air (close) with one hand is night and day different in weight. Not that I struggled with the MBP but there's a material difference. Also, like you, I'm now using the Air on my lap which I didn't do with the MBP.
That’s kind of what I figured. I love how it’s so light and I can pick it up with one hand without worrying.
I saw a YouTube video where a guy was complaining the M2 Air keyboard was mushy and he was pushing the keyboard to a point where the whole thing was bending in. Either he was using way too much force or something was wrong with his model. I tried that and put about three times as much force as I normally do when typing and it didn’t budge. I am not comfortable with putting more force to test mine and don’t see a reason to.
I saw the same on YouTube and did a similar test on my own Air. Again, might just be build quality consistency issues from unit to unit. My Air's keyboard has no noticeable flex. Honestly feels like a solid slate of aluminum. That being said, I have seen some people report that they much prefer the feel of the 14" MBP keyboard and trackpad. Maybe I got a particularly "solid" Air or a particularly "mushy/hollow" MBP, or maybe it just all comes down to personal preference. I am not sure I would let this sway my purchasing decision one way or the other however. I think it all comes down to power/ports vs portability/battery life. Not to say that the MBP is not at all portable or the Air is not at all powerful - it just comes down to which attributes you value more. They are both fantastic, premium machines.
This is an admittedly difficult decision, which would probably be easier if the MacBook Pro's display didn't cause me eye strain. I may not have even tried the Air if I didn't find it slightly more difficult to focus on the PWM flickering, which detracts from the otherwise gorgeous display.
I even read the documentation for the $4,999 Pro Display XDR, and the amount of engineering that went into it is impressive. Doubly so that they're able to produce it in higher volume in $1,999+ laptops with the added benefit of a higher refresh rate. Apple's display team at least made the PWM rate comparatively high, and with the complexity that went into it I can understand why they couldn't create a flicker-free display or at least an Accessibility preset.
The MacBook Pro does feel like the superior computer as it should, with a display that's noticeably better and larger going directly from one to the other. The chassis is also slightly more premium. Otherwise the speakers on the Air are perfectly adequate, and the keyboard and trackpad are comparable.
I'll probably do a more detailed comparison breaking it down for buyers, but I'd be satisfied with either laptop. The most surprising aspect honestly is that for web browsing the difference compared to a 2012 15" MacBook Pro isn't dramatic, and the feel and design remain incredibly familiar.
Yet, Apple silicon is amazing as we all know at this point and I'm getting increasingly excited to see the type of laptops and desktops for that matter Apple will be able to build in another few years. Performance and efficiency are poised to get better at significant scale.
I even read the documentation for the $4,999 Pro Display XDR, and the amount of engineering that went into it is impressive. Doubly so that they're able to produce it in higher volume in $1,999+ laptops with the added benefit of a higher refresh rate. Apple's display team at least made the PWM rate comparatively high, and with the complexity that went into it I can understand why they couldn't create a flicker-free display or at least an Accessibility preset.
The MacBook Pro does feel like the superior computer as it should, with a display that's noticeably better and larger going directly from one to the other. The chassis is also slightly more premium. Otherwise the speakers on the Air are perfectly adequate, and the keyboard and trackpad are comparable.
I'll probably do a more detailed comparison breaking it down for buyers, but I'd be satisfied with either laptop. The most surprising aspect honestly is that for web browsing the difference compared to a 2012 15" MacBook Pro isn't dramatic, and the feel and design remain incredibly familiar.
Yet, Apple silicon is amazing as we all know at this point and I'm getting increasingly excited to see the type of laptops and desktops for that matter Apple will be able to build in another few years. Performance and efficiency are poised to get better at significant scale.
Last edited:
One issue with the Air I should note is that I can already notice a slowdown with six Safari tabs open in one desktop, then another six open in a second desktop along with Pages and Activity Monitor. Even animations aren't as fluid once there's a degree of multi-tasking, which may not be as noticeable to everyday users. Music, Apple TV, and Mail are also open but not in use.
Otherwise, the RAM management is surprisingly efficient at keeping the OS around 5GB of usage with an app or two open. It's using a little over 7GB of RAM, along with around 1.5GB of swap memory.
This is on the 10-core/8GB/512GB configuration. Accordingly, I probably would configure a CTO with 16GB of RAM if I was to keep the Air.
Edit: yup, even performance in apps like Podcasts is noticeably and surprisingly struggling with this many windows open. I don't feel confident that I could comfortably run professional apps on this configuration of the Air.
Edit 2:
PWM be damned, the Pro is honestly much better. I'm still considering upgrading to the 16".
Otherwise, the RAM management is surprisingly efficient at keeping the OS around 5GB of usage with an app or two open. It's using a little over 7GB of RAM, along with around 1.5GB of swap memory.
This is on the 10-core/8GB/512GB configuration. Accordingly, I probably would configure a CTO with 16GB of RAM if I was to keep the Air.
Edit: yup, even performance in apps like Podcasts is noticeably and surprisingly struggling with this many windows open. I don't feel confident that I could comfortably run professional apps on this configuration of the Air.
Edit 2:
PWM be damned, the Pro is honestly much better. I'm still considering upgrading to the 16".
Last edited:
I think when comparing MacBook Air vs Pro, it should be the same spec, hence, base Air shouldn’t be compared with base Pro.
It is the upgraded 10-core configuration of the Air, configured as Apple suggests.
The upgraded model should include 16GB of RAM. Honestly, the perfect lineup would be a $999 M2 model with an 8-core GPU/256GB/8GB, then a $1,499 model with the 10-core GPU/512GB/16GB.
Regardless, the Pro does have a significantly better display and feels more capable. I feel comparatively constrained even using GarageBand or iMove on the Air.
I'll probably end up keeping the Pro, and upgrading more often than I did with the previous generation--especially once Apple adds a flicker-free OLED. Then I'll probably keep that computer for 5-10 years.
Edit:
I'm frustrated since I'm getting fairly constant migraines from the Pro, and I'm not super keen on the Air in comparison.
Last edited:
I have both the 14” M1 MBP and a maxed out M2 MBA. Hands down the MBA is what I like the most. It’s a beast in a tiny package. Best laptop Apple has ever made.
Haha, don't say that, the MacBook Pro fanboys will be seething when they read this!
It's true though. I really think the Air M2 is better than than Pro, hands down. Pro owners won't understand that unless they own the Air M2.
I guess most people in this forum would be happy if they just imprint MacBook Pro on the current MBA M2 bottom plate and raise price of $800. Almost no one wants ProMotion, good HDR, display real black level and better speakers.
Current MBP 14" and 16" could be sold only for some with special needs directly custom ordered from Apple for a custom price...
I was in the same decision a while back but it was easy choice after trying both in local shops for several times. New MBA M2 just felt flimsy toy to me, nothing solid like MBA M1 was, MBP 14" was just about tolerable for me, not as solid as MBP 13" or MBA M1 but close enough. Also display on MBP 14" is just breathtaking.
It depends on your needs.
If the M1 Air was suitable, then the M2 likely will as well.
The Liquid Retina display and new design are both quite good. Not amazing like the Pro, but still impressive enough.
Both 14 Pro and M2 Air feel flimsy compared to older Macbooks (Pros and Airs). They have thinner chassis and they feel less solid.
It’s thinner but it’s still perfectly solid lol. Considering how thin and light it is, it still feels surprisingly dense