Midnight MacBook Air M2 is here! First impressions and photos thread

[bbfc]

Did something I'd never expect I'd do. Went to the Apple Store to check out the new colours. I've had Midnight on order (with a delivery next week for 24GB/2TB) as I love the idea of a blue Mac. Sadly it wasn't very blue but very grey instead.

Now, I wouldn't say it looked BAD in the store. But honestly I was disappointed after spending some time with it. The fingerprint thing is real. I was in the store 15mins after it opened early Sunday morning, so there were very few customers. All the devices were freshly cleaned and the Midnight Macbook looked horrid. You can see every print. The shop personal actively tried to discourage me from buying it as they were tired of wiping it already.

Next to it they had Starlight. Now, while I am not a fan of silvery Macs (if anything I loved the yellow Gold of the 2017 Macbook I owned), the Starlight one looks like fine jewlery next to the Midnight. You can't see prints and the colour has something that just says value.

In contrast after spending 10 mins with the Midnight model and stepping away and towards it, it reminded me of a generic PC laptop. Guess it doesn't help I owned Thinkpads 20 years ago...

So off I went, canceled my online order and made a new one for Starlight. Sadly now it's a 3 week wait instead of 1 but I don't regret it one bit. View attachment 2030834 View attachment 2030873

Looking at photos that have been taken outside, the midnight definitely is more blue in natural light. It does look more dark grey in your photos.

 

[Tucor92]

Did something I'd never expect I'd do. Went to the Apple Store to check out the new colours. I've had Midnight on order (with a delivery next week for 24GB/2TB) as I love the idea of a blue Mac. Sadly it wasn't very blue but very grey instead.

Now, I wouldn't say it looked BAD in the store. But honestly I was disappointed after spending some time with it. The fingerprint thing is real. I was in the store 15mins after it opened early Sunday morning, so there were very few customers. All the devices were freshly cleaned and the Midnight Macbook looked horrid. You can see every print. The shop personal actively tried to discourage me from buying it as they were tired of wiping it already.

Next to it they had Starlight. Now, while I am not a fan of silvery Macs (if anything I loved the yellow Gold of the 2017 Macbook I owned), the Starlight one looks like fine jewlery next to the Midnight. You can't see prints and the colour has something that just says value.

In contrast after spending 10 mins with the Midnight model and stepping away and towards it, it reminded me of a generic PC laptop. Guess it doesn't help I owned Thinkpads 20 years ago...

So off I went, canceled my online order and made a new one for Starlight. Sadly now it's a 3 week wait instead of 1 but I don't regret it one bit. View attachment 2030834 View attachment 2030873

Thanks for the photos.

Would love to see users post more pics of Starlight colour.

 

[acblue94]

Congrats on your new Apple toy. That looks pretty blue to me. I am looking forward to mine as well. You always take excellent pics.

I need to get me an Apple polishing cloth.

I recently bought a black rain stand, and black magic keyboard with number pad and track trackpad for the new M2 when it arrives.

Fooled by this cloth? Pick up any micro fiber towel and you are fine.

 

[phobos60]

I looked at two M2 air machines on display today. On the displays of both of them, I noticed that the illumination is stronger in the lower left corner.
Maybe I'm too sensitive about it, because I work a lot in the dark, with photos, with high brightness. I think I would see it on yours too. Thanks to whoever checked out what he's like. I think it lights up for you too, it looks stronger in my uploaded photo than in reality

The mini led 14" pro is a different world. I didn't use it, so I replaced it with an m2 Air machine. Except for the display and the sound, I'm satisfied. The design is very light and good.

Do you also have lighting in the lower corners of the display in the dark, with a dark image, high brightness? It's stronger on my left side.
PLEASE HELP ME! Check yours in the lower left corner. The machine is perfect in everything else. I don't know if I should exchange it. Thanks.
Example test: (dark room, high brightness, full screen). Thanks

 

[Shirasaki]

I am looking at my menubar right now and imagine the notch area.
I just can't use a machine with a massive notch like this. Fake bezel is a must. Even more true when putting with the iPad side-by-side.
The color looks alright I guess for me. Not striking enough to ditch my M1 MBP to get one.
Still, a gorgeous-looking machine. And who can resist the joy of unboxing and playing around a brand new toy?

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

got mine yesterday.
was originally going to get a 8 core GPU/16 GB of RAM/512 GB SSD that would ship in mid august, but the Apple Store near me had a 10gpu/16gb/1tb version available for next day pickup, so I got that one instead.
To me, the keyboard feels about the same as the M1.
Pretty much used it all day yesterday, getting everything back to normal.
It got warm, not hot but warm, on the bottom, near the hinge, but that’s all I noticed.
Battery was fantastic.
The new design is interesting. It’s more comfortable in the hands, and it also has a slightly different texture than the old mbas.
It’s a lot smoother, a lot Less of that rough metal feeling.
As for the fingerprints, when sitting in a normal lighted area (like a living-room or a bedroom) just working on the computer, they are not noticeable.
Put light on it and they’re definitely there, but personally, I don’t think it’s that big of a deal.
At least in Apple’s history, dark products have always shown more wear.
The old glossy iPhone 3G, the black MacBook, the slate iPhone, the Jet-black 7… if you had any of those, and didn’t mind the fingerprints, you won’t mind them here

 

[CrazyForCashews]

As nice as the new Air is I’m a bit conflicted. I like all of it’s highlights (aside from the notch) but it’s quite pricey at least in Canadian dollars and customizing it gets you into 14” MacBook Pro territory.

I honestly feel that the M1 MacBooks are a better value, especially the Pro.

 

[fisherking]

I am looking at my menubar right now and imagine the notch area.
I just can't use a machine with a massive notch like this. Fake bezel is a must. Even more true when putting with the iPad side-by-side.
The color looks alright I guess for me. Not striking enough to ditch my M1 MBP to get one.
Still, a gorgeous-looking machine. And who can resist the joy of unboxing and playing around a brand new toy?

you're still getting more screen real estate, and there are a half-dozen options for hiding the notch.

so, more screen, hidden notch. i'd say that's far more preferable to more bezel.

 

[Apple_Robert]

you're still getting more screen real estate, and there are a half-dozen options for hiding the notch.

so, more screen, hidden notch. i'd say that's far more preferable to more bezel.

I am on my 12" MB at the moment and gotta say that I already miss my M2, which is mere feet away on my desk. To me, the screen real estate (and nits) is a big improvement over the M1. I notice the notch but it isn't a big deal to me because of the extra real estate up top.

 

[Stev150]

Seeing lots of not great backlight bleed getting posted here.

That's definitely out of character for Apple hardware and not great to see..

no its not out of character there are loads of posts over the years regarding backlight bleed on apple laptops iPads etc. its a common issue with lcd. just google it and there are loads of pictures showing backlight bleed on MacBooks.

 

[NotApplicable]

7 core GPU

7 core GPU would’ve been an M1! M2 is 8 or 10.

 

[0906742]

The mini led 14" pro is a different world. I didn't use it, so I replaced it with an m2 Air machine. Except for the display and the sound, I'm satisfied. The design is very light and good.
View attachment 2030691
Do you also have lighting in the lower corners of the display in the dark, with a dark image, high brightness? It's stronger on my left side.
PLEASE HELP ME! Check yours in the lower left corner. The machine is perfect in everything else. I don't know if I should exchange it. Thanks.

That looks really bad. It would be interesting to hear if this is typical to MBA M2...?
How strong that is with normal about 8 clicks down from max brightness setting?

 

[thadoggfather]

Seeing lots of not great backlight bleed getting posted here.

That's definitely out of character for Apple hardware and not great to see..

backlight bleed has plagued lots of Macs and even iPads over the years. lottery like usual

im only really seeing that one post you replied to, there are a bunch of reports? if so, thats unfortunate.

 

[fisherking]

I am on my 12' MB at the moment and gotta say that I already miss my M2, which is mere feet away on my desk. To me, the screen real estate (and nits) is a big improvement over the M1. I notice the notch but it isn't a big deal to me because of the extra real estate up top.

i've told friends they'd have to pry the 12" MB from my cold, dead hands (or sooner). but am sure i'll adapt to the air (until i toss it out the window, if & when we get a new 12" MB)

 

[0906742]

How flimsy and easily bending MBA M2 chassis feels like compared directly to MBA M1?
Also it would be interesting to hear comparison to MBP 14" which to me felt a bit flimsier than MBP 13", especially bottom plate felt like a bad joke.

 

[craumm]

On iCloud, the MacBook Air M2 shows up as an iPhone in the My Devices section of the Settings page

 

[triptolemus]

 

[akidd]

I'll throw out some impressions:

• Coming from a Gold M1 Air, so M2 isn't life changing but appreciated
• I miss the warm Gold color of the M1 but Starlight is too Silver for me so went Midnight
• I owned the original black MacBook in 2006 - Midnight gives a similar vibe, but the deep blue tone is cooler
• The fingerprint thing is way overblown - wash your hands to get oils off and its a non issue (judging the color based on Apple Store models is nuts given the thousands of grubby hands that touch it all day)
• Buy a microfiber cleaning cloth and enjoy the color
• The design is nicer, but it's harder to pick up off a flat surface now that the edges aren't elevated by the bottom bulge
• Strange using such a dark color on a Mac after so many years of silver, gold, and space gray but that adds to the appeal of Midnight

View attachment 2030573 View attachment 2030572 View attachment 2030571

I’m sure I’ve asked somebody this before (May have been you) and discovers you can’t buy them in the UK, but what’s the leather under the keyboard - and please let it not be eco of leatherette ie pvc

 

[Johnny907]

I am looking at my menubar right now and imagine the notch area.
I just can't use a machine with a massive notch like this. Fake bezel is a must. Even more true when putting with the iPad side-by-side.
The color looks alright I guess for me. Not striking enough to ditch my M1 MBP to get one.
Still, a gorgeous-looking machine. And who can resist the joy of unboxing and playing around a brand new toy?

Download the app Bartender. Couple tweaks and you’ll forget the notch is there in no time.
Frankly I wouldn’t be shocked if Apple Sherlocked the functionality of Bartender into it’s never version of MacOS because it makes living with the notch so much easier.

 

[Asiatic Black Hebrew]

How flimsy and easily bending MBA M2 chassis feels like compared directly to MBA M1?
Also it would be interesting to hear comparison to MBP 14" which to me felt a bit flimsier than MBP 13", especially bottom plate felt like a bad joke.

Why would someone willingly try to bend the machine?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Download the app Bartender. Couple tweaks and you’ll forget the notch is there in no time.
Frankly I wouldn’t be shocked if Apple Sherlocked the functionality of Bartender into it’s never version of MacOS because it makes living with the notch so much easier.

For those bothered, "TopNotch" works with 1 click and you can still see everything as normal up top without having to activate any float time via the cursor. I don't plan on using it but wanted to test it so that I could rightfully comment on its ability.

 

[ascender]

Someone was asking how the M2 compares to the M1 in terms of weight. With one in each hand, the M2 feels lighter and more balanced, presumably because the weight is spread-out more evenly across the base of the laptop.

Also, someone was asking about the chassis - it doesn't feel flimsy in the slightest. It feels like a very solid lump of (light) metal. There's no flex at all.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Why would someone willingly try to bend the machine?

The user is concerned about how well it withstands bending forces

A lot of these end up packed in with other things in backpacks, slings, luggage, etc

 

[Asiatic Black Hebrew]

The user is concerned about how well it withstands bending forces

A lot of these end up packed in with other things in backpacks, slings, luggage, etc

Got it. But how would you even find this out without intentionally trying to in some way?

 

[Shirasaki]

Seeing lots of not great backlight bleed getting posted here.

That's definitely out of character for Apple hardware and not great to see..

Something that’s also changed is manufacturing cost, which got down at the cost of quality. Just like floppy disks, the more “advanced” technology we get the worse quality products we tend to get for some odd reason.