[Need Help] How will the M2 Air compare to my iMac?

[logonkenneth]

I've been holding off a laptop purchase for quite some time now, but with the new MacBook form factor and lifestyle changes, I am really tempted to get one. The M2 Air I've in mind is 512GB storage and 16GM memory.

The iMac configuration is: 5K/27", 3.8 GHz Quad i5, 500GB SSD storage, 40GB memory, Radeon Pro 580 8 GB graphics.

My use case is: Gaming (Civilization, Total War), Lightroom and Photoshop non professional use, MS office, stocks trading, and Safari with 20-50 tabs.

1) My iMac actually handles what I do perfectly, so I want to know if the M2 Air will offer better, worse, or the same performance.

2) I only need same performance or modest increase compared to my iMac, and I value the portability of the M2 Air. Will the M2 Air or 14" Pro be better for my use case? I understand the 14" Pro provides better technical value, but form factor is a consideration as well.

3) For my uses, will upgrading the GPU from 8 to 10 be beneficial? If I get to pick only one, should I upgrade the GPU or the memory from 16GB to 24GB?

Many thanks for the advice!

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

The Air is probably not going to live up to your expectations based on your usage but then again it shouldn’t.

 

[trek360]

I would go with the Air if portability is your most critical factor. It should be able to handle your basic tasks but the gaming and video/photo tasks may be more of a stretch for heavier use. Also consider you would be going down to a much smaller screen size. For your use description, the 14” MBP sounds more in line if you are considering a laptop. It is slightly heavier but more powerful yet still portable. A mac mini or base studio would also be an upgrade to your current config for a desktop setup.

 

[Dealmans]

I have a 8/512 24" iMac and have had both the 14" 16/1TB and the base Air 2 in last month, Air 2 was more than half as slow as the iMac, 14" was over twice as fast and made going between jarring with pro motion.

If replacing a iMac would definitely get 14", air 2 is a companion not a main machine.

 

[terryw1]

I had a similarly configured iMac (gave to brother) and bought the 14in mb pro 16gig/1tb. It handles everything I do and more! Paired it with a studio display for non laptop use and I am blown away. Just got a 16gig/512 mba for my mom and while it handles the most basic tasks, many tabs open or chrome tabs slows it down considerably. Tried my games ,civilaztion being one of them and again, basically unplayable. Forget any kind of video editing as it’s verrrrrry slow.z with the amazon sale of the mb pro 16 gig/1tb it was a no brained to order it. The mba is going back. The improvements in screen, speakers and just general use are day and night better than the air m2. Having all 3 to compare made this an easy choice. About the only thing I liked about the air was the weight, but quite frankly the 14 mb pro is not that much more.

if I were you, and I was!, DEFINETELY get the 14mbpro. Best Buy will also match the amazon price if that location is a better choice for you. Remember amazon has a 90 day return policy, so will give you plenty of time to play!!