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M2 MacBook Air vs M1 Pro MacBook Pro 14”


  • Total voters
    473
next MBP in ~2months ?

gief me M2 MBP M2 now.

If the dates hold up, I’d say yes. I want to say that in a couple of weeks we’ll be at one year since the event where the M1 Pros we’re announced, so I wouldn’t be surprised if something were announced around that same time.

BL.
 
If the dates hold up, I’d say yes. I want to say that in a couple of weeks we’ll be at one year since the event where the M1 Pros we’re announced, so I wouldn’t be surprised if something were announced around that same time.

BL.
I'd cut my heads off if they release m2 and I had bought m1 on this amazon promo.

M2 will be so much better imho.
 
I'd cut my heads off if they release m2 and I had bought m1 on this amazon promo.

M2 will be so much better imho.

I tend to gauge about 6 months into the cycle. If it is anywhere past that, I'll hold off until the next iteration comes out. I immediately jumped on the mid-2011 MBA when it came out, and passed on everything until the M1 Pros came. For that one I pulled the proverbial trigger on it late January (after the shipment delays started to subside), and got mine within 2 weeks of ordering. That was 4 months into the cycle for it, as they had been announced in Early October.

Now? I'd say to hold off, especially if something is coming up in the next month to 2 months. But that Costco deal is a no brainer; get the current line, try it out, and if it is to your liking, keep it; If not, you have longer than Apple's 2 weeks to return it, as Costco will give you 90 days. If something new comes out, return it back to Costco, and place the order directly with Apple, if possible. If that does happen, I'd even go as far as to find a cheap external (USB) drive, TM backup that Mac you'd be returning to Costco (if you have any personal data on it by that time), and when you get the new Mac, use TM or Migration Assistant to restore that data back, and you'd be back where you left off prior to returning the Mac to Costco.

BL.
 
I'd cut my heads off if they release m2 and I had bought m1 on this amazon promo.

M2 will be so much better imho.
will it be better? sure, how much better? doubt much, its still going to be 5nm so whatever improvements will be limited. i just bought a 4k+ usd mbp 14 2 months ago knowing the m2 pro might come out soon, and i have zero regret lol
 
will it be better? sure, how much better? doubt much, its still going to be 5nm so whatever improvements will be limited. i just bought a 4k+ usd mbp 14 2 months ago knowing the m2 pro might come out soon, and i have zero regret lol
I thougt so too. Also considering M1 Pro already has LPDDR 5, speed difference will be less than between M1 and M2 where M1 had slower type memory and M2 gained LPDDR5. Mostly M2 Pro will benefit from higher clock speed and maybe more cores, all what just make it run hotter. I rather have M1 Pro that runs practically fan off for me all the time and is cool, still faster than I need it to be. No regrets.
 
will it be better? sure, how much better? doubt much, its still going to be 5nm so whatever improvements will be limited. i just bought a 4k+ usd mbp 14 2 months ago knowing the m2 pro might come out soon, and i have zero regret lol

I thougt so too. Also considering M1 Pro already has LPDDR 5, speed difference will be less than between M1 and M2 where M1 had slower type memory and M2 gained LPDDR5. Mostly M2 Pro will benefit from higher clock speed and maybe more cores, all what just make it run hotter. I rather have M1 Pro that runs practically fan off for me all the time and is cool, still faster than I need it to be. No regrets.

Then the good part about this - and which further leans more towards waiting - is that if the improvements between M1 Pro and M2 Pro are so marginal that the user can't see a markedly visible difference, then waiting wouldn't be for nought, because then the user can pick up the M1 Pro at a cheaper price than what it was when they launched.

If there is a solid difference, then the user gains the advantage from waiting by getting a faster machine than what came out last year. Either way, a faster Mac or a cheaper faster Mac is worth the 3-5 week wait for the next event.

BL.
 
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Then the good part about this - and which further leans more towards waiting - is that if the improvements between M1 Pro and M2 Pro are so marginal that the user can't see a markedly visible difference, then waiting wouldn't be for nought, because then the user can pick up the M1 Pro at a cheaper price than what it was when they launched.

If there is a solid difference, then the user gains the advantage from waiting by getting a faster machine than what came out last year. Either way, a faster Mac or a cheaper faster Mac is worth the 3-5 week wait for the next event.

BL.
yeah agreed, given the massive discount already given to the base 14, why not wait.
 
The M1 Pro is one year old. I wouldn't buy one now, especially since it is slower than the M2 Air for loading web pages; my most common usage.

I use the Air as a desktop computer with a monitor, everything hooked up, loads of stuff running, and it's never been hot. It's the perfect computer; desk, then I unplug and carry it in one hand to the sofa in the evening.

Taken it to some cafes and literally didn't feel the weight. A few times I've had to check I haven't forgotten to put it in my backpack.
 
The M1 Pro is one year old. I wouldn't buy one now, especially since it is slower than the M2 Air for loading web pages; my most common usage.

I use the Air as a desktop computer with a monitor, everything hooked up, loads of stuff running, and it's never been hot. It's the perfect computer; desk, then I unplug and carry it in one hand to the sofa in the evening.

Taken it to some cafes and literally didn't feel the weight. A few times I've had to check I haven't forgotten to put it in my backpack.
do you have proof its slower? i literally cannot tell when using mine next to my buddy's m2 from work, if anything some of the more gpu heavy sites loads faster on my 14inch.
 
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The M1 Pro is one year old. I wouldn't buy one now, especially since it is slower than the M2 Air for loading web pages; my most common usage.

I use the Air as a desktop computer with a monitor, everything hooked up, loads of stuff running, and it's never been hot. It's the perfect computer; desk, then I unplug and carry it in one hand to the sofa in the evening.

Taken it to some cafes and literally didn't feel the weight. A few times I've had to check I haven't forgotten to put it in my backpack.
The Air to me is the cooler MacBook since it's so easy to pick up and carry. But wouldn’t the better screen and features on the MBP 14” be a better choice for just web browsing and office work even if it’s slightly slower? and bit heavier

I past by these 2 MacBooks every time at Costco. The screen on the MBP 14” is noticeable better and vibrant. I had to do a double take. And it's noticeable.
 
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Looks like the M1 MacBook Pro 14" is the clear winner....At least according to the votes 55.8% for the Pro and 44.2% for the Air.
Yeah, it is and this is in the unfriendly territory for the MBP as this is the MBA owners side of the forum. ;)
If this poll was in the DMZ (neutral) zone of the forum, I'm sure the difference for MBP 14" favor would be even higher.
Maybe OP could ask mods to move this thread to "Apple Silicon (Arm) Macs" forum or something else neutral ground.
 
Got the MBP 14" on the grounds that it was available in my customer's internal apple shop and the MBA was not.
After having a two year discussion of not using a windows laptop (can't bring my own).

So far, I'm happy with it.
 
Yeah, it is and this is in the unfriendly territory for the MBP as this is the MBA owners side of the forum. ;)
If this poll was in the DMZ (neutral) zone of the forum, I'm sure the difference for MBP 14" favor would be even higher.
Maybe OP could ask mods to move this thread to "Apple Silicon (Arm) Macs" forum or something else neutral ground.

I suspect the majority of users and posters on MacRumors (and probably tech forums in general) are concerned first and foremost with performance and will never be happy with the compromises required to make the MacBook Air form factor.
 
I'm returning MBA. Reluctantly. The smaller height makes a big difference in 'holdability'. But all the rest feels inferior. I thought my eyes would see MBA display as being no worse than MBP display but I was wrong. Colors, contrast, resolution -- those all favor MBP. I'm not thrilled with either product. I think I'm less unhappy with MBP though.

FYI: In my use (which was kinda heavy -- whilst setting things up) MBA did not ever get hot. On one occasion I did see nonzero pageouts (despite there being 24GB RAM). M2 processing, for me, doesn't feel snappier whatsoever. MBA battery 'time remaining' is great -- but MBP battery 'time remaining' is good enough.

If you're optimizing for holdability then MBA does win out. Otherwise it's a tough call.

EDIT: I think it's worth repeating -- the thickness of the bottom case makes a big difference in holdability. On paper, MBP looks to be thick by just a little bit. In real life, MBA is pleasing to hold and it's noticeable by a lot.
 
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I'm returning MBA. Reluctantly. The smaller height makes a big difference in 'holdability'. But all the rest feels inferior. I thought my eyes would see MBA display as being no worse than MBP display but I was wrong. Colors, contrast, resolution -- those all favor MBP. I'm not thrilled with either product. I think I'm less unhappy with MBP though.

FYI: In my use (which was kinda heavy -- whilst setting things up) MBA did not ever get hot. On one occasion I did see nonzero pageouts (despite there being 24GB RAM). M2 processing, for me, doesn't feel snappier whatsoever. MBA battery 'time remaining' is great -- but MBP battery 'time remaining' is good enough.

If you're optimizing for holdability then MBA does win out. Otherwise it's a tough call.
Honest opinion.

Everyone is different.

Enjoy as best you can what you got.

From a heavy use perspective it makes sense.

Maybe an M2 MBP might be better. Maybe they will improve more than the cpu/gpu?

But since you didn’t notice a difference in performance maybe it is just best to save money and keep what you have?
 
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Went to a store last Saturday and got to see the Air M2 in the flesh for the first time. I took the time to briefly test it out and then compared it with a 14 M1 Pro. I had already more or less decided on the Air but wanted to make sure first.
I played around with both for about 10 minutes and for me personally, the difference in display quality isn't that obvious. The ProMotion on the MB Pro doesn't really stand out, and it's the same when I compare the iPhone 14 Pro with the regular 14. But that's just my personal opinion.

Both Air and Pro feel equally snappy and I know I don't need the extra 'sustained' performance of the Pro : I'm a translator so I mostly use Microsoft Word and other text and language related apps, and I do some light graphic design with Indesign and Illustrator, and some light photo editing with Photoshop. I edit some video from time to time in iMovie, but that's purely amateuristic, mostly footage in 1080p, 4K from time to time, so nothing fancy.
I'm sure the Air M2 can handle those tasks with ease. My current 2015 MB Pro still handles all of this stuff pretty well and my 2017 iMac doesn't break a sweat either. I need a new laptop because I need to configure my current Intel MB Pro with Mojave and Win10 Bootcamp because of some special software requirements ; I also need it to last another 2 years to be able to run that legacy software so I'm going to handle it with velvet gloves ; the Air will be for all my other work ;)

I admit, I have been going back and forth between the 14 M1 Pro and the M2 Air but I also always let my 'hunch' decide when I buy a new computer, have done so since 1999 when I bought my first Blueberry iMac G3 and never regretted it since.
The M2 Air just feels right, form factor, weight, keyboard, display, and the Starlight colour is just irresistible. Not too keen on the Midnight, strangely : the fingerprint issue is not as bad as I had feared but still, I'm not that impressed with it. My current MB Pro is Silver so that's out as I want something different, and Space Grey is a bit boring, really.
I will max out the M2 Air, though, so 10 core GPU, 24 Gb of RAM and 1 TB SSD (the 2Tb is a bit too pricey for my taste). That will bring it up to around 2500 euro, not cheap, and more expensive than the base 14 MB Pro, but when I upgrade the RAM and SSD on the 14, bringing it up to 32gb of RAM and 1Tb SSD (to make it a fair comparison), then it's 3000 euro, still a very noticeable difference of 500 euros, which I'd rather spend towards a new iPhone.

I'll have to wait about a month for a BTO M2 Air, so will be ordering one and the regular iPhone 14, both Starlight, very soon. Coming from a 2015 MB Pro and an iPhone 8 Plus, it'll be night and day, I'm sure :)
 
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Went to a store last Saturday and got to see the Air M2 in the flesh for the first time. I took the time to briefly test it out and then compared it with a 14 M1 Pro. I had already more or less decided on the Air but wanted to make sure first.
I played around with both for about 10 minutes and for me personally, the difference in display quality isn't that obvious. The ProMotion on the MB Pro doesn't really stand out, and it's the same when I compare the iPhone 14 Pro with the regular 14. But that's just my personal opinion.

Both Air and Pro feel equally snappy and I know I don't need the extra 'sustained' performance of the Pro : I'm a translator so I mostly use Microsoft Word and other text and language related apps, and I do some light graphic design with Indesign and Illustrator, and some light photo editing with Photoshop. I edit some video from time to time in iMovie, but that's purely amateuristic, mostly footage in 1080p, 4K from time to time, so nothing fancy.
I'm sure the Air M2 can handle those tasks with ease.

I always let my 'hunch' decide when I buy a new computer, have done so since 1999 when I bought my first Blueberry iMac G3 and never regretted it.
The M2 Air just feels right, form factor, weight, keyboard, display, and the Starlight colour is just irresistible. Not too keen on the Midnight, strangely : the fingerprint issue is not as bad as I had feared but still, I'm not that impressed with it. My current MB Pro is Silver so that's out as I want something different, and Space Grey is a bit boring, really.
I will max out the M2 Air, though, so 10 core GPU, 24 Gb of RAM and 1 TB SSD (the 2Tb is a bit too pricey for my taste). That will bring it up to around 2500 euro, not cheap, and more expensive than the base 14 MB Pro, but when I upgrade the RAM and SSD on the 14, bringing it up to 32gb of RAM and 1Tb SSD (to make it a fair comparison), then it's 3000 euro, still a very noticeable difference of 500 euros, which I'd rather spend towards a new iPhone.

I'll have to wait about a month for a BTO M2 Air, so will be ordering one and the regular iPhone 14, both Starlight, very soon. Coming from a 2015 MB Pro and an iPhone 8 Plus, it'll be night and day, I'm sure :)
Congrats! its definitely a big upgrade from where you're at now for both phone and Mac. Typing this out on my m2 air and definitely love this little machine!
 
I was at the Apple Store to get my Apple Watch repaired and I decided to take a closer look at the 14” MBP. I picked one up, no not bought but physically lifted it off the table. It feels significantly heavier than my M2 MBA.

My point is if anyone is debating between the two and you really want thin and light the Air is the way to go. Before you buy go to an Apple Store and check for yourself.
 
Went to a store last Saturday and got to see the Air M2 in the flesh for the first time. I took the time to briefly test it out and then compared it with a 14 M1 Pro. I had already more or less decided on the Air but wanted to make sure first.
I played around with both for about 10 minutes and for me personally, the difference in display quality isn't that obvious. The ProMotion on the MB Pro doesn't really stand out, and it's the same when I compare the iPhone 14 Pro with the regular 14. But that's just my personal opinion.

Both Air and Pro feel equally snappy and I know I don't need the extra 'sustained' performance of the Pro : I'm a translator so I mostly use Microsoft Word and other text and language related apps, and I do some light graphic design with Indesign and Illustrator, and some light photo editing with Photoshop. I edit some video from time to time in iMovie, but that's purely amateuristic, mostly footage in 1080p, 4K from time to time, so nothing fancy.
I'm sure the Air M2 can handle those tasks with ease. My current 2015 MB Pro still handles all of this stuff pretty well and my 2017 iMac doesn't break a sweat either. I need a new laptop because I need to configure my current Intel MB Pro with Mojave and Win10 Bootcamp because of some special software requirements ; I also need it to last another 2 years to be able to run that legacy software so I'm going to handle it with velvet gloves ; the Air will be for all my other work ;)

I admit, I have been going back and forth between the 14 M1 Pro and the M2 Air but I also always let my 'hunch' decide when I buy a new computer, have done so since 1999 when I bought my first Blueberry iMac G3 and never regretted it since.
The M2 Air just feels right, form factor, weight, keyboard, display, and the Starlight colour is just irresistible. Not too keen on the Midnight, strangely : the fingerprint issue is not as bad as I had feared but still, I'm not that impressed with it. My current MB Pro is Silver so that's out as I want something different, and Space Grey is a bit boring, really.
I will max out the M2 Air, though, so 10 core GPU, 24 Gb of RAM and 1 TB SSD (the 2Tb is a bit too pricey for my taste). That will bring it up to around 2500 euro, not cheap, and more expensive than the base 14 MB Pro, but when I upgrade the RAM and SSD on the 14, bringing it up to 32gb of RAM and 1Tb SSD (to make it a fair comparison), then it's 3000 euro, still a very noticeable difference of 500 euros, which I'd rather spend towards a new iPhone.

I'll have to wait about a month for a BTO M2 Air, so will be ordering one and the regular iPhone 14, both Starlight, very soon. Coming from a 2015 MB Pro and an iPhone 8 Plus, it'll be night and day, I'm sure :)
curious what did you test in these 10 mins for you to arrive at that conclusion, whenever i fire up a hdr clip the difference is night and day.
 
curious what did you test in these 10 mins for you to arrive at that conclusion, whenever i fire up a hdr clip the difference is night and day.
I tried out normal Finder operation, tried out some of the installed apps, which happened to include Word, OmniFocus and the Affinity suite, which covers what I do on a daily basis. I know this doesn't even remotely cover all the capabilities of a machine but I could get a good feel of both models and, based on what I've read in reviews, that the only negative with the M2 Air being the throttling under heavy usage would never pose a problem for my use case, I made a decision.

As far as HDR content goes, the most 'high-end' video footage I watch on my laptop are random clips on Youtube ; I would never even think of watching a movie or series on my laptop since I've got a 65 inch 4K TV for that purpose.
 
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I tried out normal Finder operation, tried out some of the installed apps, which happened to include Word, OmniFocus and the Affinity suite, which covers what I do on a daily basis. I know this doesn't even remotely cover all the capabilities of a machine but I could get a good feel of both models and, based on what I've read in reviews, that the only negative with the M2 Air being the throttling under heavy usage would never pose a problem for my use case, I made a decision.

As far as HDR content goes, the most 'high-end' video footage I watch on my laptop are random clips on Youtube ; I would never even think of watching a movie or series on my laptop since I've got a 65 inch 4K TV for that purpose.
yeah thats fair, to me the mba just looks washed out because its an ips which is a much older tech than mini led. using a lg oled tv as a reference, the 14inch deep black has the closest representation to that.
 
I feel like replacing my MBP 14" because it has crashed twice.
Yeah, get it replaced if it happens in the situation where the same app or situation where it happens in yours works in other MBP 14"'s without issue. If under 14 days old machine bought from Apple (from third party sellers time can be even longer for that) you should be able to return/rebuy without issue.
 
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