MacBook Air Teardown Reveals M2 Chip and Single Storage Chip for 256GB Model

[CarAnalogy]

Most non-geeks aren't going to regularly right-click or Force Quit an app. They hit the red button. The similar red button in Windows actually quits the app in one step.

Yeah ok but this is absolute basic computer usage. MacOS also has the dots to let you know it’s still running turned on by default. Also, Windows 11 just added those, and made it harder to open Task Manager. Right click icon -> close works the same on both.

Besides all that, it’s not universally true that hitting the X quits an app on Windows. Many applications use a notification area icon to stay running. Granted, most Windows users don’t know that either. Also, File->Quit is remarkably similar to Application Name -> Quit.

It’s always hard to say what “users know” because they’re all different.

My only point is that it’s not actually any harder, just different.

 

[JPack]

The reason is likely more benign - all high-density memory chips like NAND and SDRAM have a sweet-spot for production density, ie the most economical size to produce the chips based on current fab tech and end-user density demand. The current density for NAND is probably equal to the minimum SSD size Apple offers, thus the single-chip.

If that’s the case, Apple should use FHD displays without a yield-decreasing notch cut. And include a conventional USB-C charger instead of MagSafe.

The vast majority of PCs are shipping with 256GB drives which consist of at least two 128GB NAND chips. A single 256GB chip is cheaper and anyone can check component prices (e.g. Mouser).

 

[CarAnalogy]

You don't need to do that when the red X in the upper right corner already does that.

Thing is, that’s not always true on Windows either. It’s true you shouldn’t need to use Task Manager to quit applications often, but you shouldn’t have to use Force Quit often either. I was just pointing out another option.

 

[Madhatter32]

Imagine buying a Porche with only a two-liter engine. I proabably would not know the difference anyway -- I drive pretty slow.

 

[Shirasaki]

Something I want to mention again for those people who keeps saying single chip SSD doesn’t matter.

I remember somewhere somebody says “never expect users will use the product you design/build the way it supposed to be” or similar. Those people who buys MacBook Air base model, while not anticipating flagship computer experience, will also not treat it as cheap $400 windows laptop either. Whether this MacBook Air is designed for light use or not is irrelevant to majority of users who uses the device.

So, some people will attempt to do long video editing or heavy CPU intensive tasks because Apple’s ads or overwhelming praise of how powerful M2 is, find out the performance rather underwhelming, and feel disappointed or even frustrated. What’s next then? Always blame users to “not use the machine properly”? Also, The heat sink situation in M2 MacBook Air seems rather interesting as in the heat would be trapped inside. Who knows what impact It would be to the longevity of those MacBook Air.

Defending Apple like This would only tell Apple “we are ok to be screwed over” and promote this kind of weird cost cutting practices. Apple will never become a $3T company unless we let them.

 

[Taz Mangus]

 

[JPack]

What does that mean? Apple prefer trapping heat inside the chassis rather than dissipating them as much and quickly as possible? What’s that logic?

The throttled performance for M2 is as much as -25% compared to M1’s -15%. I think it means Apple simply wants to limit the heat transferred to the chassis to avoid it getting too hot for comfort as opposed to aiming for pure performance.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Defending Apple like This would only tell Apple “we are ok to be screwed over” and promote this kind of weird cost cutting practices.

It reminds me of the saying...

"Be careful what you tolerate. You are teaching people how to treat you"

 

[macbetta]

Here we go again.
Low end SSD sucks, there’s no way around it.
But this is like thread 6000 on it, it’s old news at this point.
Why did Apple do it? I still say that it’s because of supply constraints.
If it was truly nothing but penny pinching, it’s a bizarre thing to cheap out on.
I’d think the color matched braided cables that don’t even come with the pro, or the high impedance headphone jack or something like that would’ve been the first thing to go before the fast SSD.
Anyway, I look forward to another 26 page thread about this
🍿

I hate to break it to you but I doubt its really fully supply constraint, greed, etc. There's no conspiracy, it's a combination of things. People commenting here, even though way too many of them are just armchair tech fans who don't really understand how technology works, are always forgetting that the vast majority of Apple customers and Mac users are not power users, are not forum commenters, and do not pay attention to specs outside of 'big number probably better'. Apple made this decision for a combination of reasons I would suspect, the driving factor coming down to the fact that this laptop is the new flagship entry level mac laptop. The targeted consumer for this machine will not notice or care about the SSD speed differences. It literally makes no difference for even a lot of prosumers needs for a computer. The difference in speed is only noticed by people who should be buying Macbook Pros or a higher tier of storage if they absolutely must have a smaller machine like the Air. Apple decided hey, this simplifies things, cuts some costs, lessens some pain of supply constraints, and almost no one but the people who whine online will care. Kudos to them, I love it when they rile y'all up over nothing.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

I agree with this yes, it is unfortunate that you can't upgrade storage or RAM without paying a hefty premium at the time of purchase.

It is one of the things I dislike about Apple, though the positives still outweigh Windows based machines for me at least.

Apple stockholders thank each and every MBA M2 customer who buys better than the base model.

 

[catportal]

Here we go again.
Low end SSD sucks, there’s no way around it.
But this is like thread 6000 on it, it’s old news at this point.
Why did Apple do it? I still say that it’s because of supply constraints.
If it was truly nothing but penny pinching, it’s a bizarre thing to cheap out on.
I’d think the color matched braided cables that don’t even come with the pro, or the high impedance headphone jack or something like that would’ve been the first thing to go before the fast SSD.
Anyway, I look forward to another 26 page thread about this
🍿

What's so bizarre? It's not about the money they are saving on the chip, it's the money they are making from people upgrading to 512, and then the people upgrading to 14 pro because the price difference is so close. The pricing ladder is working as intended.

 

[turbineseaplane]

The targeted consumer for this machine will not notice or care about the SSD speed differences.

Completely incorrect when swap comes into play on the 8GB machines (vast majority of buyers)

 

[BootsWalking]

If that’s the case, Apple should use FHD displays without a yield-decreasing notch cut. And include a conventional USB-C charger instead of MagSafe.

Reductio ad absurdum

The vast majority of PCs are shipping with 256GB drives which consist of at least two 128GB NAND chips. A single 256GB chip is cheaper and anyone can check component prices (e.g. Mouser).

The vast majority of PCs shipping with 256GB NVMe drives have performance equal to or below the single-chip variant is this new MacBook, so either you're mistaken or they're using a different class of NAND that has a different density sweet spot.

 

[MauiPa]

Even with the one SSD chip still faster than a Dell, LOL

 

[Mizouse]

Well I was shockingly surprised how small the logic board was, that it appears the batteries can easily be removed and things like the ports are screwed in rather than soldered/glued.

 

[JPack]

Reductio ad absurdum

The vast majority of PCs shipping with 256GB NVMe drives have performance equal to or below the single-chip variant is this new MacBook, so either you're mistaken or they're using a different class of NAND that has a different density sweet spot.

No, I don’t think you’ve been paying attention to the PC market. Even $550 Dell Inspiron has sequential read speeds of 3GB/sec.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Dell-Inspiron-15-3000-3511-laptop-review-Making-cheaper-better.593398.0.html

 

[cupcakes2000]

This max tech dude is floating in waters he has no clue about. He’s already at the limit of his knowledge doing a few import export test like he does. What’s he doing tear downs for?!

 

[cupcakes2000]

Those non-geeks are the same people that would buy 8/256 and then turn to swap because they like to leave tabs and programs open. Unlike Windows, macOS doesn't make it easy to quit an app.

Yes, cmd - q is pretty taxing. 🤦‍♂️

 

[JPack]

Yes, cmd - q is pretty taxing. 🤦‍♂️

It is when non-geeks don't know the command. Why would users even do that when macOS supposed to be so user friendly?

 

[mikethemartian]

Hold up Joe you're telling me this thing has an M2 in it??

Fooled again!

 

[Bug-Creator]

Imagine buying a Porche with only a two-liter engine.

The base model 718?

I'll take that in a heartbeat.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

Reductio ad absurdum

The vast majority of PCs shipping with 256GB NVMe drives have performance equal to or below the single-chip variant is this new MacBook, so either you're mistaken or they're using a different class of NAND that has a different density sweet spot.

While I haven't investigated (nor will I), I would agree with you to the extent that I think Apple uses PCIe 4 and most notebook companies (Dell, HP) use PCIe 3 SSD's. Most of the Dell laptops that I sell to clients come with 256GB single NAND chip 2230 modules. I haven't run speed tests, but I wouldn't expect anything close to Apple's 256GB speeds.

 

[jimbobb24]

It's so funny seeing the fanboys defend Apple like this trillion dollar CORPORATION is their family member. ⚰️

The fact is MOST people get base model Macbooks and the new "supercharged" base model should NOT have slower speeds in any aspect than the 2 year old model, especially considering they bumped up the price by $200.

Stop sucking up to a corporation. They care about their shareholders and not you.

Well in America with 401ks lots of us are shareholders…

The reason people might not be upset it because…in practical terms it’s not going to have a meaningful impact for most people but more importantly as people have said…it’s not clear this even saves money and could be the result of supply lines. If it is then …why be upset at a trillion dollar corporation dealing with supply chain issues beyond their control?

So many people freaking out assert without evidence this is malicious. The savings on this are likely trivial if savings at all. Maybe it is malicious but without better evidence I can just be even handed.

 

[Madhatter32]

The base model 718?

I'll take that in a heartbeat.

Mac SSDs are not turbocharged charged though. 🤣

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

"Shhh. It's OK. Most people will never notice."

View attachment 2031390

"While benchmarks of the 256GB SSD may show a difference compared to the previous generation, the performance of these M2 based systems for real world activities are even faster"