Screen Differences Between 14" MBP and M2 Air

[Droid13]

Good example of reductio ad absurdum argument. Of course if I chose something large enough I could show that even a 5% change is huge as a counter argument.

To claim that 0.8 pounds compared to 2.7 pounds isn’t significant is very strange to me. I carry my MacBook Air around in a messenger bag. The weight is noticeable. Nearly any amount of reduction in weight is appreciated. YMMV.

This is the thing. Apparently small differences in weight, particularly absolute for portable items but could be relative or what have you, get noticed over time. In addition to lugging around 2.02Kg of Late 2013 15" MacBook Pro (which didn't sound heavy when I bought it) I have had the opportunity to pick up and carry a number of other machines that my colleagues use.

The weight drop to 1.24Kg (780g / 39% reduction) for the M2 MacBook Air is obviously noticeable. But funnily enough, so is the difference between repeatedly manoeuvring the MacBook Air and the14" MacBook Pro that weights in at 1.6Kg (360g, 23% reduction). And the 14" Pro is noticeably lighter than my 15" Pro (420g, 21% reduction).

 

[russell_314]

Outside of forum scrolling, I haven't really noticed the difference (which is very, very small). The iPad Pro 11" is the only ProMotion device I have and while it is nice, I don't miss it at all using my Macs.

Even when the iPhone changed from LED to OLED I didn't see some crazy difference. I mean sure it looked sharper but it was just an improvement rather than a huge important thing that I couldn't live without.

I've seen the 14" and 16 MBP in the Apple store and yes the screens looked good but it's not like oh no now that I've seen that everything else looks ugly or "fuzzy" like someone said. Everything is about compromise. The Air is a compromise on the 14" Pro and that's a compromise on the 16" Pro. I think the screen on the Air is outstanding.

I say pick the one that makes you happy and works for you. I picked the M2 Air because of it's, battery life, fanless design and light weight. The screen and speakers are better than what's on most laptops I've seen.

 

[petvas]

What's funny is I keep seeing these posts. Do you actually know why you want MiniLED and ProMotion? Seriously, how many people posting about this spec have actually used MiniLED and ProMotion? Let me tell you my experience:

I have had a 16" MacBook Pro M1 since it launched, and am typing on a 14" MBP M1 Max. Both have MiniLED and both have ProMotion. I just took receipt of a new MBA M2 yesterday and I also have an iPad that doesn't have MiniLED or ProMotion. Guess how much difference I notice? Basically ZERO. ZERO. I literally can't tell most of time. The screen on the M2 MBA is EXCELLENT. I kept trying to see "worse quality" but couldn't. I had to go so close to it and look at several elements and do tests just to see any kind of difference, and that difference is slight.

So I just have to call total BS on people who state that MiniLED and ProMotion are so good as to render screens that don't have them effectively non-starters. Yes, it's based on my experience but I have yet to see anyone here objectively demonstrate that MiniLED and ProMotion is so much better and therefore necessary.

Of course I know! It makes the display much better and ProMotion makes the user experience great. It is a joy to use the display on the !4" and 16" MBP. I notice a big difference between the displays. You are basically saying that because you don't see a difference, everyone else is writing BS..
I will tell you one thing though: The MBA display doesn't even scale 2x by default. If these things don't bother you, then good for you. I will not settle for mediocre displays.

 

[1BadManVan]

Of course I know! It makes the display much better and ProMotion makes the user experience great. It is a joy to use the display on the !4" and 16" MBP. I notice a big difference between the displays. You are basically saying that because you don't see a difference, everyone else is writing BS..
I will tell you one thing though: The MBA display doesn't even scale 2x by default. If these things don't bother you, then good for you. I will not settle for mediocre displays.

A 500 nit, p3 QHD display is now mediocre? You sound like such a stuck up snob.

 

[petvas]

There are much better displays out there. Getting a good MBA configuration costs around 2500€. For 200€ I get the much better MacBook Pro. The display and the performance differences are more than worth it.

 

[luy]

If people use the macbook only as a web browsing machine or just for office work, i wouldnt care about the display that much too. Even the 120hz is really nice when scrolling through websites or switching between apps and desktops.

But if you care about videos a lot, then the mini led display shines. Black is black, proper 24p movie playback and hdr just looks incredible. I watch a lot of movies/tv shows (love movie trailers), documentaries, youtube, twitch, live sports on that machine. Its my main entertainment device.

I own a Oled TV too, but its mainly used when watching movies or tv shows with the wife, or sports with the guys.

 

[Pug72]

The screen on my 14"MBP makes me smile every time I open it, honestly.
I was so happy when iPhones went OLED as I've been enjoying the blacks and improved contrast on my tv and wanted the same on my mobile. Similar with my MBP. I was actually waiting for the MacBook screens to go OLED and was a little disappointed they went with Mini LED. That was until I watched side by side vids of the M2 Air and 14"MBP M1 Pro.

I was concerned on the Air that either side of the notch would be noticeable with the whole screen being backlit. These things bother me and I accept the majority probably couldn't care less. The ONLY time I see the notch is if I have a wallpaper that's lighter in that area, the rest of the time you wouldn't even know it was there.

If you have a 14/16 MBP M1 Pro/Max watch this video and enjoy.

 

[booksbooks]

So you say it’s not noticeable then list a bunch of stuff you noticed different.

Ok.

What I am saying is, when the 2 units are side by side, there are a few things that are noticeable on some tests: screen brightness and sharpness. This is slight. When I am using the MBA on its own, I do not notice any difference between it and the MBP.

 

[booksbooks]

Of course I know! It makes the display much better and ProMotion makes the user experience great. It is a joy to use the display on the !4" and 16" MBP. I notice a big difference between the displays. You are basically saying that because you don't see a difference, everyone else is writing BS..
I will tell you one thing though: The MBA display doesn't even scale 2x by default. If these things don't bother you, then good for you. I will not settle for mediocre displays.

No, you are erecting a strawman. I never said everyone is writing BS, I specifically stated this is my opinion and others may differ.

 

[booksbooks]

There are much better displays out there. Getting a good MBA configuration costs around 2500€. For 200€ I get the much better MacBook Pro. The display and the performance differences are more than worth it.

Spoken like someone who appears to have never owned and used both units to form a true conclusion. I have both and am a “pro” user. I run them hard. 22 GB RAM is typically used up on my MBP. So far, I notice exactly ZERO difference in performance between my Air 1 TB/10C/24 GB RAM and MBP M1 Max 1 TB/24C/32 GB RAM, save for some very slightly faster export times.

Battery life on the Air so far is better.

 

[petvas]

Spoken like someone who appears to have never owned and used both units to form a true conclusion. I have both and am a “pro” user. I run them hard. 22 GB RAM is typically used up on my MBP. So far, I notice exactly ZERO difference in performance between my Air 1 TB/10C/24 GB RAM and MBP M1 Max 1 TB/24C/32 GB RAM, save for some very slightly faster export times.

Battery life on the Air so far is better.

I have the MBP and my wife the Air. I set it up for her. Of course for daily tasks there is zero difference in performance. The display though is just not good enough for me.

 

[foldpages]

I'm a bit of a screen snob. My main monitor is a $3500 4K 144Hz Mini LED display, I have a 77" LG CX OLED and I also own the 12.9" iPad Pro with Mini LED. The screen of the new MBA is perfectly fine. I compared it side by side to the 14 MBP and in daily use they are both perfectly adequate. Yes, if you are a content creator or consume HDR content the MBP screen is superior. Yes, ProMotion is nice. But for the target group of the MBA, the screen is great.

 

[Droid13]

My main monitor is a $3500 4K 144Hz Mini LED display [...]

Would you mind advising of make and model? I am interested in having a second high quality desktop display and would like to have a look at a Mini-LED unit.

 

[glhiii]

I have a M2 MBA and find the screen is fine, though I suppose the MBP screen is somewhat better. It strikes me that if someone wants the MBP for the screen it makes sense to get the 16". I have a 2019 16" MBP and the size of its screen makes a big difference for some kinds of work. Why get the 14" MBP that is heavier and more more bulky than the MBA when the screen is (almost) the same size as the MBA?

 

[petvas]

I have a M2 MBA and find the screen is fine, though I suppose the MBP screen is somewhat better. It strikes me that if someone wants the MBP for the screen it makes sense to get the 16". I have a 2019 16" MBP and the size of its screen makes a big difference for some kinds of work. Why get the 14" MBP that is heavier and more more bulky than the MBA when the screen is (almost) the same size as the MBA?

Portability. I have a Mac Studio and a Studio Display for when I need extra space.

 

[foldpages]

Would you mind advising of make and model? I am interested in having a second high quality desktop display and would like to have a look at a Mini-LED unit.

ASUS PG32UQX

It's by no means perfect. The blooming is pretty bad, but for gaming and content consumption it's incredible.

 

[luy]

Why get the 14" MBP that is heavier and more more bulky than the MBA when the screen is (almost) the same size as the MBA?

Hm, did you read that thread at all?

 

[Droid13]

ASUS PG32UQX

It's by no means perfect. The blooming is pretty bad, but for gaming and content consumption it's incredible.

Thanks!

 

[GooseInTheCaboose]

Of course I know! It makes the display much better and ProMotion makes the user experience great. It is a joy to use the display on the !4" and 16" MBP. I notice a big difference between the displays. You are basically saying that because you don't see a difference, everyone else is writing BS..
I will tell you one thing though: The MBA display doesn't even scale 2x by default. If these things don't bother you, then good for you. I will not settle for mediocre displays.

Can you explain what the scaling difference means? When you go into Display Settings on the Air and change it to "Scaled" for "More Space" or "Larger Text" does that fix the issue?

 

[petvas]

Can you explain what the scaling difference means? When you go into Display Settings on the Air and change it to "Scaled" for "More Space" or "Larger Text" does that fix the issue?

Of course it does but then the usable resolution is very low. If the MacBook Air had a higher resolution display, then this would be solved, but Apple is making it clear here, that if people want to have the best display, they will have to get a MacBook Pro 14" or 16".
I personally do not want to go back to using scaled resolutions. They just don't look as sharp as 2x integer scaling. This is a showstopper for me, but then I am not in the target category of the MBA.