Will M2 Air 256ssd have the speed issue reported w M2 13” Pro 256?

[Yebubbleman]

I mean I’ve owned the recent Intel MBA/MBP, MBA M1, iMac M1, and now MBP 16” so I have some experience. Just because a device CAN do something doesn’t mean it was built for it. Same with these laptops and the folks that keep saying to buy the MBA because it can do everything is terrible advice. Can it do 8K…sure but should it? Probably not.

The idea that these machines are "built" for specific tasks and "not built" for specific tasks goes out the window with Apple Silicon. Would I edit 8K on a MacBook Air? No. But I CAN edit 4K and reasonably well. I can also play StarCraft II reasonably well and that was never something I'd be able to do comfortably well on any Intel MacBook Air. Just because Apple didn't market a device to a certain crowd has nothing whatsoever to do with that device's capability to do or not do something.

As I stated if someone is that concerned about SSD affecting performance then why are they looking at Apple’s cheapest laptop? If SSD or other specs are critical to you then be more critical about your hardware selection. Use the right tool for the job. You can use a butter knife to cut steak but it’s gonna take forever and you’ll look like an idiot.

That's not really the point here. The point is that there is a device in the lineup (the 8GB of RAM + 256GB SSD spec of M2) that is performing markedly worse than (a) it's direct predecessors and (b) older devices still sold (i.e. the base model M1 MacBook Air), and (b) all other devices in the Apple Silicon Mac lineup.

Saying that the person buying that machine shouldn't care given how that machine is marketed is asinine. You buy an M2 Mac - and mind you, not for chump change - you expect it to not be worse performing than other computers (Apple Silicon Mac or otherwise) that you could get for cheaper. I'm not buying a butter-knife; I'm buying an M2 MacBook Air or M2 13" MacBook Pro; I'm expecting that to perform BETTER than an M1 MacBook Air or M1 13" MacBook Pro. Not worse. What I use it for and what it's marketed for is entirely besides the point.

Also, the OP was wondering if the same performance issues affecting the M2 13" MacBook Pro would also affect the M2 MacBook Air, which - again, given that this isn't chump change here - isn't an unfair thing to consider before blowing a four-figure amount on one, and to say "that's not what the computer is built for, it shouldn't matter" is, again, asinine and needlessly dismissive.

 

[jav6454]

Likely? Strong possibility.

So - not sure how many have seen the reports on the M2 mb pro but there are tests, reported here on MR, that the 256g ssd (and only the 256) version is slower than the M1/256 version. It’s attributed to the fact that Apple used 1-256g chip in the M2 vs 2-128g chips in the M1 version, and the 2 128 chips in the M1 allow parallel reads/writes. Possibly the change is from chip shortages or cost cutting by increasing volume purchases of the 256g chips.

It’s unknowable right now but plausible, even likely, that the M2 mba 256 ssd will have the same issue.

What does the hive mind here think? Worth cancelling a preorder for a m2 air 16/256 and moving to 16/516? Part of this is that the tests reporting the slowdown have all been 8g RAM machines so not sure this’ll be an issue w 16g

There is a strong possibility.

 

[thadoggfather]

We will know soon enough. Surprised we dont yet 4 days out.

If we don't get it, we should demand the throttle be enabled in a software update. As an earnest shadow of the M2 Pro 256's legacy.

 

[jav6454]

We will know soon enough. Surprised we dont yet 4 days out.

If we don't get it, we should demand the throttle.

I doubt Apple sent review units to independent reviewers. Furthermore, tech reviewers for WSJ and the likes rarely go into such details.

I'd say reviews for that type of spec will probably be out 2 days out given the debacle around the M2 MBP.

 

[thadoggfather]

I doubt Apple sent review units to independent reviewers. Furthermore, tech reviewers for WSJ and the likes rarely go into such details.

I'd say reviews for that type of spec will probably be out 2 days out given the debacle around the M2 MBP.

I was gonna say Im gonna with Wednesday, but agreed. still no slip up shipping for anyone and a quick benchmark to get it out of the way.

 

[jav6454]

I was gonna say Im gonna with Wednesday, but agreed. still no slip up shipping for anyone and a quick benchmark to get it out of the way.

If someone does get it by mistake, the odds of that person being tech inclined are too low. We'll just have to wait.

 

[happyslayer]

I guess we will all know in a few days when the reviews drop and we get ours. I ordered the base model because, for my use, it should be fine for me. If not, I'll return it and either keep my current base model Pro 14 or get the upgraded M2 model with the 512SSD and 10 cores. I just know that when I look at Activity monitor while doing my day-to-day stuff, I'm using very little RAM, not much CPU except for occasional bursts and I'm using just over 100GB of the 512SSD. So we will see. Besides, I'm a computer guy with my own computer consulting biz so, if nothing else, it will give me an excuse to test the heck out of it so I'll be able to tell my customers whether or not to buy or get the higher spec'd model. Because, from experience over the last 27 years in biz, most small business and home users (my customer base) will almost always buy the cheapest one if given the choice.

 

[AlixSPQR]

Dave Lee reports that the 256 GB SSD shows half the speed, compared to M1 Air. That is significant, to say the least. Worse still, that means that the SSD won't compensate, so to speak, for the RAM being full, as well as before.

 

[fisherking]

i have mixed feelings about all of this. i mean, no matter what i go for (in terms of SSD size), it's still a giant step forward from my base-level 2016 12" macbook.