For a product that isn’t debuting until 2024, Apple has said a lot about the Vision Pro, its mixed reality headset. Apple spent nearly an hour in the WWDC keynote discussing it. It has rolled out developer tools for visionOS, which has given us even more clarity about what visionOS can and can’t do.

And yet I remain firmly convinced that Apple hasn’t told us the whole story. The WWDC keynote was the time to make a first impression–but there’s half a year to go before the final story is told. As a result, Apple emphasized the features of the device that it felt would best represent the device. It emphasized the fact that it’s an augmented-reality product that keeps you connected with people around you as a way to blunt criticism that Apple’s trying to use its technology to wall people off from each other.

With the Vision Pro, there’s more to come. Here’s where I think Apple will have a much larger story to tell.

Yes, it’s really a VR headset

By defaulting to a view of the world around you and requiring that the user dial reality out via the Digital Crown, Apple sends the signal that the Vision Pro is an augmented-reality headset. But the truth is, it’s a VR headset that emulates AR, and that emulation can be dropped easily. If you don’t want to work in the very spacious rooms on display in Apple’s demo video, you can just as easily work in a virtual-reality environment.

But even more than that, app developers can create entire VR experiences within their apps. While Apple will strongly encourage apps to work in augmented reality–and if you want to walk around objects, it’s required–that won’t stop the ability for apps that do what we think of as “traditional” VR experiences.

In other words, Apple didn’t talk about VR games, the most popular category of software in existing VR hardware, but VR games will absolutely be a part of the Vision Pro experience. No, we don’t know how good Apple’s hand- and eye-tracking technology will be when it comes to the needs of various VR games. But we will certainly find out.

Yes, there will be fitness apps

Apple didn’t announce any Vision Pro integration with its Fitness+ service, which I admit was a bit of a surprise. On Meta’s headsets, apps like Supernatural and Beat Saber have gained huge followings as ways to spice up the drudgery of regular workouts.

I can’t say whether Fitness+ will appear on Vision Pro at launch–Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggests it won’t–but if Apple doesn’t fill the gap, someone else will. Savvy app developers will try to be the next Beat Saber. And no matter how heavy or awkward the Vision Pro might be, no matter how much sweat the Vision Pro’s 3-D-knit headband might soak in, people will try to use VR for workouts. It’s going to happen.

Yes, there will be Memoji

Apple wanted to impress everyone with the Digital Persona, a replica of your face created via an in-depth initial scan that’s animated by Vision Pro sensors looking at your eye, face, and body gestures. I found them creepy, and I definitely wasn’t the only person who used the Vision Pro at WWDC who thought so.

I’m pretty sure Apple has never intended the Digital Persona to be the only option for users who need a proxy for interaction with other people when wearing the Vision Pro. It’s technology Apple was proud of, so it showed it off as a way to boast–as well as a way of explaining how the EyeSight feature was created.

But it can’t be the only option. Let’s start with the fact that not everyone will feel comfortable using a representation of themselves as they are if they can help it. There’s a good reason why Apple’s Memoji creation interface lets you choose a wide range of characteristics, including many that don’t even exist in human beings! Or you can choose to be an animated emoji character.

And really, if we’re being honest, it’s highly likely that the entire Memoji project was an early move in the direction of avatars for the Vision Pro. Do we really think Apple’s going to insist on Digital Personas for everyone, even if they’d rather just be an elephant? Not gonna happen.

Yes, Siri will be involved

Apple’s film about the Vision Pro shows a user reading out a website address via voice at one point. It’s pretty much the only example of Apple’s voice assistant being shown with the headset. But it’s almost inconceivable that voice control won’t be a major portion of the device’s interface.

When I used the Vision Pro, there were numerous moments when I realized that rather than manipulating a virtual interface via hand gesture, I’d probably be better off just issuing a voice command. But Siri wasn’t active on our demo headsets, probably because it’s just not good enough–and because if Apple leaned into it too much, it would make the rest of the Vision Pro interface work the company has done look a little less special.

A reliance on voice control by all of those people in solitary environments, sprawled on couches or sitting in chairs, might also reinforce the antisocial nature of these devices–if you’re comfortable constantly interjecting to Siri, that implies that nobody else is within earshot–and that’s very much not the impression Apple wants to give right now.

But there’s just no way that visionOS is a platform that isn’t strongly linked to voice commands. It just makes too much sense.

Yes your other Apple devices will play a role

The Vision Pro appears to be a peer to the iPad and iPhone, capable of running iOS apps itself without any connection to those devices. Still, we didn’t see much direct integration between Apple’s most popular product and the Vision Pro.

Perhaps it won’t be there on day one, but I have a hard time believing that the iPhone won’t work tightly with Vision Pro. In macOS Sonoma, Apple’s introducing the concept of iPhone widgets that are projected right onto your Mac desktop. Why not extend that to Vision Pro? What about launching apps on your iPhone and viewing them right within Vision Pro? Maybe even more than one at a time?

Sure, you can look down and use your iPhone while using Vision Pro, but that’s always going to be a pretty limited experience. I have to think that Apple is working hard to figure out the best ways to use Continuity features to attach all of its devices to the Vision Pro–but most especially the iPhone.

The Vision Pro won’t be here for some time yet. We’ve heard Apple’s opening sales pitch, but it isn’t nearly time for the company to close the deal. There’s more to this story than we’ve heard so far. Stay tuned.

Virtual Reality

For a product that isn’t debuting until 2024, Apple has said a lot about the Vision Pro, its mixed reality headset. Apple spent nearly an hour in the WWDC keynote discussing it. It has rolled out developer tools for visionOS, which has given us even more clarity about what visionOS can and can’t do.

And yet I remain firmly convinced that Apple hasn’t told us the whole story. The WWDC keynote was the time to make a first impression–but there’s half a year to go before the final story is told. As a result, Apple emphasized the features of the device that it felt would best represent the device. It emphasized the fact that it’s an augmented-reality product that keeps you connected with people around you as a way to blunt criticism that Apple’s trying to use its technology to wall people off from each other.

With the Vision Pro, there’s more to come. Here’s where I think Apple will have a much larger story to tell.

Yes, it’s really a VR headset

By defaulting to a view of the world around you and requiring that the user dial reality out via the Digital Crown, Apple sends the signal that the Vision Pro is an augmented-reality headset. But the truth is, it’s a VR headset that emulates AR, and that emulation can be dropped easily. If you don’t want to work in the very spacious rooms on display in Apple’s demo video, you can just as easily work in a virtual-reality environment.

But even more than that, app developers can create entire VR experiences within their apps. While Apple will strongly encourage apps to work in augmented reality–and if you want to walk around objects, it’s required–that won’t stop the ability for apps that do what we think of as “traditional” VR experiences.

In other words, Apple didn’t talk about VR games, the most popular category of software in existing VR hardware, but VR games will absolutely be a part of the Vision Pro experience. No, we don’t know how good Apple’s hand- and eye-tracking technology will be when it comes to the needs of various VR games. But we will certainly find out.

Yes, there will be fitness apps

Apple didn’t announce any Vision Pro integration with its Fitness+ service, which I admit was a bit of a surprise. On Meta’s headsets, apps like Supernatural and Beat Saber have gained huge followings as ways to spice up the drudgery of regular workouts.

I can’t say whether Fitness+ will appear on Vision Pro at launch–Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggests it won’t–but if Apple doesn’t fill the gap, someone else will. Savvy app developers will try to be the next Beat Saber. And no matter how heavy or awkward the Vision Pro might be, no matter how much sweat the Vision Pro’s 3-D-knit headband might soak in, people will try to use VR for workouts. It’s going to happen.

Yes, there will be Memoji

Apple wanted to impress everyone with the Digital Persona, a replica of your face created via an in-depth initial scan that’s animated by Vision Pro sensors looking at your eye, face, and body gestures. I found them creepy, and I definitely wasn’t the only person who used the Vision Pro at WWDC who thought so.

I’m pretty sure Apple has never intended the Digital Persona to be the only option for users who need a proxy for interaction with other people when wearing the Vision Pro. It’s technology Apple was proud of, so it showed it off as a way to boast–as well as a way of explaining how the EyeSight feature was created.

But it can’t be the only option. Let’s start with the fact that not everyone will feel comfortable using a representation of themselves as they are if they can help it. There’s a good reason why Apple’s Memoji creation interface lets you choose a wide range of characteristics, including many that don’t even exist in human beings! Or you can choose to be an animated emoji character.

And really, if we’re being honest, it’s highly likely that the entire Memoji project was an early move in the direction of avatars for the Vision Pro. Do we really think Apple’s going to insist on Digital Personas for everyone, even if they’d rather just be an elephant? Not gonna happen.

Yes, Siri will be involved

Apple’s film about the Vision Pro shows a user reading out a website address via voice at one point. It’s pretty much the only example of Apple’s voice assistant being shown with the headset. But it’s almost inconceivable that voice control won’t be a major portion of the device’s interface.

When I used the Vision Pro, there were numerous moments when I realized that rather than manipulating a virtual interface via hand gesture, I’d probably be better off just issuing a voice command. But Siri wasn’t active on our demo headsets, probably because it’s just not good enough–and because if Apple leaned into it too much, it would make the rest of the Vision Pro interface work the company has done look a little less special.

A reliance on voice control by all of those people in solitary environments, sprawled on couches or sitting in chairs, might also reinforce the antisocial nature of these devices–if you’re comfortable constantly interjecting to Siri, that implies that nobody else is within earshot–and that’s very much not the impression Apple wants to give right now.

But there’s just no way that visionOS is a platform that isn’t strongly linked to voice commands. It just makes too much sense.

Your other Apple devices will probably be more involved

The Vision Pro appears to be a peer to the iPad and iPhone, capable of running iOS apps itself without any connection to those devices. Still, we didn’t see much direct integration between Apple’s most popular product and the Vision Pro.

Perhaps it won’t be there on day one, but I have a hard time believing that the iPhone won’t work tightly with Vision Pro. In macOS Sonoma, Apple’s introducing the concept of iPhone widgets that are projected right onto your Mac desktop. Why not extend that to Vision Pro? What about launching apps on your iPhone and viewing them right within Vision Pro? Maybe even more than one at a time?

Sure, you can look down and use your iPhone while using Vision Pro, but that’s always going to be a pretty limited experience. I have to think that Apple is working hard to figure out the best ways to use Continuity features to attach all of its devices to the Vision Pro–but most especially the iPhone.

The Vision Pro won’t be here for some time yet. We’ve heard Apple’s opening sales pitch, but it isn’t nearly time for the company to close the deal. There’s more to this story than we’ve heard so far. Stay tuned.

Virtual Reality

Best Prices Today: Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (2022, M2)

The M2 MacBook Air went on sale in July 2022. Compared to the M1 MacBook Air that launched in November 2020, it was completely revised, not just on the inside, but for the first time in years, also on the outside. The 2022 MacBook Air has a better chip, a bigger display (13.6-inch, up from 13.3-inch), and a brand-new design. But if you look in the Apple Store you will notice you can still buy its predecessor (at least for now). Is it worth spending more to get the new model?

In this article, we look at how the 13.6-inch MacBook Air, M2 compares to the 13.3-inch MacBook Air, M1 from 2020, examining how much more powerful the new model is, and whether that extra oomph is worth the higher price. For even more information, check out our full reviews of the M1 MacBook Air and M2 MacBook Air. We also evaluate which Mac laptop is best in our separate buying guide.

Since we first wrote this article in July 2022, a couple of things have changed: in June 2023 Apple introduced a larger version of the M2 MacBook Air with a 15-inch screen. At the same time, the company dropped the price of the M2 MacBook Air with 13.6-inch screen by $100/£100. The new price for the entry-level M2 MacBook Air is now $1,099/£1,149, which is just $100/£150 more than the price of the older M1 MacBook Air that remains on sale.

M2 MacBook Air vs M1: Design

The 2022 MacBook Air is certainly an eye-catcher and stands out clearly from its predecessor. This MacBook Air gained a brand new design that includes a bigger screen as well as new color finishes. But it still has a similar footprint to the M1 model:

13.6-inch MacBook Air, M2, dimensions

• 0.44in x 11.97in x 8.46in
• 1.13cm x 30.41cm x 21.5cm
• 2.7 pounds (1.24 kg)

13.3-inch MacBook Air, M1, dimensions

• 0.16–0.63in x 11.97in x 8.36in
• 0.41–1.61cm x 30.41cm x 21.24cm
• 2.8 pounds (1.29 kg)

The 2023 15-inch MacBook Air is larger and heavier, as you would expect.

The width of the two laptops is the same, which makes sense because it allows for a full-size keyboard. The M2 model is a few millimeters deeper to allow for a larger screen and on average, this model is narrower than before – although it’s not tapered so the smallest edge isn’t as slim as it was.

While the tapered design allowed Apple to make a light laptop, it was also a disadvantage, as it meant less space for ports on the outside and limited space on the inside for heat dispersion. Despite the difference in design, however, both models are fanless, which could be a disadvantage to power users.

Rumors that the 2022 MacBook Air was losing its tapered design proved correct, but any hopes that this would mean more ports have been scuppered. The M2 MacBook Air has the same two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports as its predecessor and doesn’t have an HDMI port like the 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro. The new model adds MagSafe for charging to free up a Thunderbolt port, but otherwise, both models are the same: Touch ID, two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, 802.11ax, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.0.

Another big difference is the color options. The M2 models have a choice of Midnight (bluish-black) and Starlight (pale gold), as well as space gray and silver (which looks slightly paler than the previous shade). The 2020 MacBook Air comes in space gray, silver, and gold.

The other eye-catching difference between the M1 and M2 models is the addition of a notch for the camera. Like the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, the M2 MacBook Air has very slim bezels that can’t quite fit the camera. When the notch arrived on the larger MacBook Pro models in 2021 there was some criticism, but if you consider that Apple has added screen space on either side of the notch and made the display taller, you’re not actually losing any space.

M2 MacBook Air vs M1: Display

The display size is the other key difference between the new M1 and M2 MacBook Air. The 2022 model has a 13.6-inch display, compared to the 13.3-inch display on the M1 model. The new model is also brighter:

• MacBook Air M2: 13.6 inches, 2560 x 1664, 500 nits brightness
• MacBook Air M1: 13.3 inches, 2560 x 1600, 400 nits brightness

The brighter screen brings it into line with the 13-inch MacBook Pro, but places it far below that of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with 1,000 nits of max brightness. It also lacks the ProMotion technology of those models.

The M2 MacBook Air has a Liquid Retina display, rather than the Retina display of the M1 model (and the M2 MacBook Pro). The main difference is that the Liquid Retina display has better contrast ratios, support for more colors (a billion, rather than millions), and more pixels per inch. The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro go a step further with the superior Liquid Retina XDR display.

Thanks to these changes the display of the M2 MacBook Air isn’t only better than its predecessor—it’s also better than the 13-inch MacBook Pro. In everyday life, however, these differences will rarely be noticeable, although the increased brightness is a plus. The better color representation, on the other hand, will be a benefit for professional design work.

If a big screen is what you are after you might be interested to learn about the 15-inch MacBook Air which launched in July 2023.

M2 MacBook Air vs M1: Processor, RAM, and battery

Apple currently sells five MacBook Air models: one M1 13-inch model and two M2 13-inch models and two 15-inch MacBook Air. There are also a number of build-to-order options. All the M2 MacBook Air models have identical specs, so we won’t list the 15-inch specs separately.

• MacBook Air M1 with 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage: $999/£999

In terms of upgrade options, you can add 16GB RAM for $200, 512GB storage ($200), 1TB storage ($400), 2TB storage ($800). The 8-core GPU option is no longer available for this model.

• MacBook Air M2 with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 8GB memory, 256GB storage: $1,099/£1,149

In terms of upgrade options, you can add 16GB RAM for $200, 24GB ($400) 512GB storage ($200), 1TB storage ($400), 2TB storage ($800).

• MacBook Air M2 with 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 8GB memory, 512GB storage: $1,399/£1,449

In terms of upgrade options, you can add 16GB RAM for $200, 24GB ($400), 1TB storage ($200), 2TB storage ($600).

We’ll look into those components in more detail below:

CPU

Like the M1, the M2 has four performance cores and four efficiency cores, for a total of 8 CPU cores, but the efficiency cores have been enhanced and there is a larger cache (16MB rather than 12MB). As a result clock speeds can be faster and you can expect improved multithreaded performance compared to the M1. In our testing, the M2 has an 18 percent faster CPU than the M1.

The new chip doesn’t just mean that the new Macs can accomplish more though, they use less power doing so: Apple promises an increased CPU performance of 18 percent with the same energy consumption thanks to various optimizations.

We originally ran Geekbench 5 to see how the new CPU performed. Since then Geekbench 6.1 has arrived so we have run benchmarks again, which can be seen below.

Our original Geekbench 5 scores showed that the M2 MacBook Air delivered peak performance in line with the M2 MacBook Pro, and was a bit better than the M1. It’s not going to beat the higher-end M2 Pro and Max processors in the MacBook Pro though.

We also ran the Cinebench R23 benchmark, here it was more obvious that the active cooling of the MacBook Pro makes a difference despite the same M2 chip being used. But the 2022 MacBook Air was 15 percent faster than the M1 model.

GPU

The higher-end M2 with 10 GPU cores offers a 35 percent more powerful GPU than the M1, based on benchmarks. However, the base model of the M2 Air has a slightly lesser GPU with only 8 GPU cores, so we expect the gains to be less with the $1,099 model.

Another factor aiding the M2’s graphics prowess is the addition of engines specifically for video editing in the M2. Plus Apple claims that the Neural Engine is 40 percent faster than in the M1.

We ran the Geekbench 5 Compute test on the 10-core GPU MacBook Air. This model was almost 60 percent faster than the old 7-core M1 MacBook Air (which is no real surprise), but they were also about 40 percent faster than the 8 GPU cores in the M1 MacBook Pro and on par with the same M2 chip in the MacBook Pro.

In our tests the M2 MacBook Air, with a full 10-core GPU, was also roughly 40% faster than the M1 Air with 7 GPU cores in Rise of the Tomb Raider, and between 20-50 percent faster in Civilization VI, depending on the settings.

Memory and Storage

While the standard memory offered by both the M1 and M2 MacBook Pro is the same: 8GB Unified Memory, the performance is not the same. According to Apple, the M2 delivers 50 percent more memory bandwidth compared to M1 (100GB/s memory bandwidth) so there should be some noticeable improvements.

But the biggest difference is the amount of memory. Where the M1 MacBook Air tops off at 16GB memory, the M2 MacBook Air can take as much as 24GB. That’s still less than the 32GB of the M1 Pro models, but it’s an improvement and will no doubt please those who were concerned that 16GB wasn’t enough.

As for storage, both the M1 and M2 MacBook Air ship with 256GB as standard and max out at 2TB for up to $800 more.

Webcam and Speakers

The webcam in the M2 supports a resolution of 1080p, which is significantly better than the low-grade 720p FaceTime HD camera in the M1 MacBook Air. That leaves the M1 MacBook Air and M2 MacBook Pro as the only laptops with the old camera.

The speakers have also been updated in the M2 MacBook Air. Instead of relying on a stereo system, the 2022 MacBook Air features four speakers with support for 3D audio, aka Spatial Audio. In addition, the 3.5mm headphone jack offers advanced support for high-impedance headphone.

Power and battery

With a new 67W power supply (sold separately for $20 with the 8-core GPU model, or a free option with the 10-core GPU model) you can quickly charge the M2 MacBook Air to 50 percent charge in 30 minutes. The M2 MacBook Air charges via the magnetically attached MagSafe port, so you no longer have to worry about pulling your MacBook off a desk when you stumble over the cable. There’s a 30W USB-C Power Adapter (included with the 8-core GPU M2 and the choice of a more compact 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter (with the 10-core GPU M2).

The M2 MacBook Air has a larger battery than its predecessor: a 52.6-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery rather than the 49.9-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery of the previous generation. Coupled with Apple’s claims that the M2 means the 2022 MacBook Air is more power efficient might lead you to suppose that the new MacBook Air would have better battery life, but Apple states that battery life is the same 18 hours.

In our own battery tests the battery lasted 17.5 hours, which was very close enough to Apple’s 18-hour claim. In our tests the M2 MacBook Air battery beat the M1 MacBook Air and M2 MacBook Pro by almost an hour and a half.

We also ran our Movie playback battery life test on the two sizes of M2 MacBook Air and the M1 MacBook Air, and found that the difference between the two M2 models isn’t as big as you might think, given the larger battery in the larger MacBook. Bith are better than the M1 MacBook AIr, and on a par with the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

Read our roundup of the best chargers for MacBook Air.

M2 MacBook Air vs M1: Price

If you are considering buying a MacBook Air right now there are three models to choose from: the original 2020 M1 MacBook Air with a 7-core GPU for $999/£999, a 2022 M2 MacBook Air with an 8-core GPU for $1,099/£1,149 (reduced from $1,199/£1,239, and a top-of-the-range M2 MacBook Air with 10-core GPU for $1,399/£1,449 (reduced from $1,499/£1,549). Read about why if you can afford it then you should buy the $1,399/£1,449 MacBook Air in the $1,099 M2 MacBook Air isn’t as good as it looks.

The new model offers an M2 processor with more GPU cores, a bigger screen, and a brand-new design for just $100/£150 more than the M1 model.

The decision is pretty simple really. The newer MacBook Air only costs a small amount more than the older model and for that $100/£150 extra you get a lot more.

There is only one reason to consider the M1 MacBook Air–it may not be on sale for much longer. If you want the older style MacBook AIr then time may be running out to buy one.

M1 vs M2 MacBook Air: Our recommendation

The MacBook Air with M2 is in many respects a significant improvement over its predecessor. It offers better performance, a more modern design, an improved display, and some smaller but notable improvements.

If you are one of those users who use the MacBook primarily for everyday tasks, such as surfing the web, reading emails or watching videos, you may be attracted to the cheaper $999/£999 M1 MacBook Air. A M1 Macbook Air will be able to handle all these tasks without any problems.

However, if you want to save money, rather than buy an M1 MacBook Air we recommend looking for a deal on the M2 MacBook Air. If you look around you may be able to get an M2 MacBook Air for as much as, or less than, the M1 model. See our round-up of MacBook Air deals.

If you do more with your MacBook or use it for professional applications such as video editing or photo editing, the M2 MacBook Air is definitely worth the extra money compared to its predecessor. In fact, if your budget allows, we recommend jumping to the higher-end model with a 10-core GPU, extra storage and better graphics. And as always, you should buy as much memory as you can afford.

The M1 MacBook Air is still a good machine, even as it heads for its third anniversary, but you’ll be much happier with the newer MacBook Air in a year or two.

The best prices for the MacBook Air M1, usually $999/£999 are below.

MacBook

Best Prices Today: Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (2022, M2)

The M2 MacBook Air went on sale in July 2022. Compared to the M1 MacBook Air that launched in November 2020, it was completely revised, not just on the inside, but for the first time in years, also on the outside. The 2022 MacBook Air has a better chip, a bigger display (13.6-inch, up from 13.3-inch), and a brand-new design. But if you look in the Apple Store you will notice you can still buy its predecessor (at least for now). Is it worth spending more to get the new model?

In this article, we look at how the 13.6-inch MacBook Air, M2 compares to the 13.3-inch MacBook Air, M1 from 2020, examining how much more powerful the new model is, and whether that extra oomph is worth the higher price. For even more information, check out our full reviews of the M1 MacBook Air and M2 MacBook Air. We also evaluate which Mac laptop is best in our separate buying guide.

Since we first wrote this article in July 2022, a couple of things have changed: in June 2023 Apple introduced a larger version of the M2 MacBook Air with a 15-inch screen. At the same time, the company dropped the price of the M2 MacBook Air with 13.6-inch screen by $100/£100. The new price for the entry-level M2 MacBook Air is now $1,099/£1,149, which is just $100/£150 more than the price of the older M1 MacBook Air that remains on sale.

M2 MacBook Air vs M1: Design

The 2022 MacBook Air is certainly an eye-catcher and stands out clearly from its predecessor. This MacBook Air gained a brand new design that includes a bigger screen as well as new color finishes. But it still has a similar footprint to the M1 model:

13.6-inch MacBook Air, M2, dimensions

• 0.44in x 11.97in x 8.46in
• 1.13cm x 30.41cm x 21.5cm
• 2.7 pounds (1.24 kg)

13.3-inch MacBook Air, M1, dimensions

• 0.16–0.63in x 11.97in x 8.36in
• 0.41–1.61cm x 30.41cm x 21.24cm
• 2.8 pounds (1.29 kg)

The 2023 15-inch MacBook Air is larger and heavier, as you would expect.

The width of the two laptops is the same, which makes sense because it allows for a full-size keyboard. The M2 model is a few millimeters deeper to allow for a larger screen and on average, this model is narrower than before – although it’s not tapered so the smallest edge isn’t as slim as it was.

While the tapered design allowed Apple to make a light laptop, it was also a disadvantage, as it meant less space for ports on the outside and limited space on the inside for heat dispersion. Despite the difference in design, however, both models are fanless, which could be a disadvantage to power users.

Rumors that the 2022 MacBook Air was losing its tapered design proved correct, but any hopes that this would mean more ports have been scuppered. The M2 MacBook Air has the same two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports as its predecessor and doesn’t have an HDMI port like the 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro. The new model adds MagSafe for charging to free up a Thunderbolt port, but otherwise, both models are the same: Touch ID, two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, 802.11ax, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.0.

Another big difference is the color options. The M2 models have a choice of Midnight (bluish-black) and Starlight (pale gold), as well as space gray and silver (which looks slightly paler than the previous shade). The 2020 MacBook Air comes in space gray, silver, and gold.

The other eye-catching difference between the M1 and M2 models is the addition of a notch for the camera. Like the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, the M2 MacBook Air has very slim bezels that can’t quite fit the camera. When the notch arrived on the larger MacBook Pro models in 2021 there was some criticism, but if you consider that Apple has added screen space on either side of the notch and made the display taller, you’re not actually losing any space.

M2 MacBook Air vs M1: Display

The display size is the other key difference between the new M1 and M2 MacBook Air. The 2022 model has a 13.6-inch display, compared to the 13.3-inch display on the M1 model. The new model is also brighter:

• MacBook Air M2: 13.6 inches, 2560 x 1664, 500 nits brightness
• MacBook Air M1: 13.3 inches, 2560 x 1600, 400 nits brightness

The brighter screen brings it into line with the 13-inch MacBook Pro, but places it far below that of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with 1,000 nits of max brightness. It also lacks the ProMotion technology of those models.

The M2 MacBook Air has a Liquid Retina display, rather than the Retina display of the M1 model (and the M2 MacBook Pro). The main difference is that the Liquid Retina display has better contrast ratios, support for more colors (a billion, rather than millions), and more pixels per inch. The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro go a step further with the superior Liquid Retina XDR display.

Thanks to these changes the display of the M2 MacBook Air isn’t only better than its predecessor—it’s also better than the 13-inch MacBook Pro. In everyday life, however, these differences will rarely be noticeable, although the increased brightness is a plus. The better color representation, on the other hand, will be a benefit for professional design work.

If a big screen is what you are after you might be interested to learn about the 15-inch MacBook Air which launched in July 2023.

M2 MacBook Air vs M1: Processor, RAM, and battery

Apple currently sells five MacBook Air models: one M1 13-inch model and two M2 13-inch models and two 15-inch MacBook Air. There are also a number of build-to-order options. All the M2 MacBook Air models have identical specs, so we won’t list the 15-inch specs separately.

• MacBook Air M1 with 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage: $999/£999

In terms of upgrade options, you can add 16GB RAM for $200, 512GB storage ($200), 1TB storage ($400), 2TB storage ($800). The 8-core GPU option is no longer available for this model.

• MacBook Air M2 with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 8GB memory, 256GB storage: $1,099/£1,149

In terms of upgrade options, you can add 16GB RAM for $200, 24GB ($400) 512GB storage ($200), 1TB storage ($400), 2TB storage ($800).

• MacBook Air M2 with 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 8GB memory, 512GB storage: $1,399/£1,449

In terms of upgrade options, you can add 16GB RAM for $200, 24GB ($400), 1TB storage ($200), 2TB storage ($600).

We’ll look into those components in more detail below:

CPU

Like the M1, the M2 has four performance cores and four efficiency cores, for a total of 8 CPU cores, but the efficiency cores have been enhanced and there is a larger cache (16MB rather than 12MB). As a result clock speeds can be faster and you can expect improved multithreaded performance compared to the M1. In our testing, the M2 has an 18 percent faster CPU than the M1.

The new chip doesn’t just mean that the new Macs can accomplish more though, they use less power doing so: Apple promises an increased CPU performance of 18 percent with the same energy consumption thanks to various optimizations.

We originally ran Geekbench 5 to see how the new CPU performed. Since then Geekbench 6.1 has arrived so we have run benchmarks again, which can be seen below.

Our original Geekbench 5 scores showed that the M2 MacBook Air delivered peak performance in line with the M2 MacBook Pro, and was a bit better than the M1. It’s not going to beat the higher-end M2 Pro and Max processors in the MacBook Pro though.

We also ran the Cinebench R23 benchmark, here it was more obvious that the active cooling of the MacBook Pro makes a difference despite the same M2 chip being used. But the 2022 MacBook Air was 15 percent faster than the M1 model.

GPU

The higher-end M2 with 10 GPU cores offers a 35 percent more powerful GPU than the M1, based on benchmarks. However, the base model of the M2 Air has a slightly lesser GPU with only 8 GPU cores, so we expect the gains to be less with the $1,099 model.

Another factor aiding the M2’s graphics prowess is the addition of engines specifically for video editing in the M2. Plus Apple claims that the Neural Engine is 40 percent faster than in the M1.

We ran the Geekbench 5 Compute test on the 10-core GPU MacBook Air. This model was almost 60 percent faster than the old 7-core M1 MacBook Air (which is no real surprise), but they were also about 40 percent faster than the 8 GPU cores in the M1 MacBook Pro and on par with the same M2 chip in the MacBook Pro.

In our tests the M2 MacBook Air, with a full 10-core GPU, was also roughly 40% faster than the M1 Air with 7 GPU cores in Rise of the Tomb Raider, and between 20-50 percent faster in Civilization VI, depending on the settings.

Memory and Storage

While the standard memory offered by both the M1 and M2 MacBook Pro is the same: 8GB Unified Memory, the performance is not the same. According to Apple, the M2 delivers 50 percent more memory bandwidth compared to M1 (100GB/s memory bandwidth) so there should be some noticeable improvements.

But the biggest difference is the amount of memory. Where the M1 MacBook Air tops off at 16GB memory, the M2 MacBook Air can take as much as 24GB. That’s still less than the 32GB of the M1 Pro models, but it’s an improvement and will no doubt please those who were concerned that 16GB wasn’t enough.

As for storage, both the M1 and M2 MacBook Air ship with 256GB as standard and max out at 2TB for up to $800 more.

Webcam and Speakers

The webcam in the M2 supports a resolution of 1080p, which is significantly better than the low-grade 720p FaceTime HD camera in the M1 MacBook Air. That leaves the M1 MacBook Air and M2 MacBook Pro as the only laptops with the old camera.

The speakers have also been updated in the M2 MacBook Air. Instead of relying on a stereo system, the 2022 MacBook Air features four speakers with support for 3D audio, aka Spatial Audio. In addition, the 3.5mm headphone jack offers advanced support for high-impedance headphone.

Power and battery

With a new 67W power supply (sold separately for $20 with the 8-core GPU model, or a free option with the 10-core GPU model) you can quickly charge the M2 MacBook Air to 50 percent charge in 30 minutes. The M2 MacBook Air charges via the magnetically attached MagSafe port, so you no longer have to worry about pulling your MacBook off a desk when you stumble over the cable. There’s a 30W USB-C Power Adapter (included with the 8-core GPU M2 and the choice of a more compact 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter (with the 10-core GPU M2).

The M2 MacBook Air has a larger battery than its predecessor: a 52.6-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery rather than the 49.9-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery of the previous generation. Coupled with Apple’s claims that the M2 means the 2022 MacBook Air is more power efficient might lead you to suppose that the new MacBook Air would have better battery life, but Apple states that battery life is the same 18 hours.

In our own battery tests the battery lasted 17.5 hours, which was very close enough to Apple’s 18-hour claim. In our tests the M2 MacBook Air battery beat the M1 MacBook Air and M2 MacBook Pro by almost an hour and a half.

We also ran our Movie playback battery life test on the two sizes of M2 MacBook Air and the M1 MacBook Air, and found that the difference between the two M2 models isn’t as big as you might think, given the larger battery in the larger MacBook. Bith are better than the M1 MacBook AIr, and on a par with the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

Read our roundup of the best chargers for MacBook Air.

M2 MacBook Air vs M1: Price

If you are considering buying a MacBook Air right now there are three models to choose from: the original 2020 M1 MacBook Air with a 7-core GPU for $999/£999, a 2022 M2 MacBook Air with an 8-core GPU for $1,099/£1,149 (reduced from $1,199/£1,239, and a top-of-the-range M2 MacBook Air with 10-core GPU for $1,399/£1,449 (reduced from $1,499/£1,549). Read about why if you can afford it then you should buy the $1,399/£1,449 MacBook Air in the $1,099 M2 MacBook Air isn’t as good as it looks.

The new model offers an M2 processor with more GPU cores, a bigger screen, and a brand-new design for just $100/£150 more than the M1 model.

The decision is pretty simple really. The newer MacBook Air only costs a small amount more than the older model and for that $100/£150 extra you get a lot more.

There is only one reason to consider the M1 MacBook Air–it may not be on sale for much longer. If you want the older style MacBook AIr then time may be running out to buy one.

M1 vs M2 MacBook Air: Our recommendation

The MacBook Air with M2 is in many respects a significant improvement over its predecessor. It offers better performance, a more modern design, an improved display, and some smaller but notable improvements.

If you are one of those users who use the MacBook primarily for everyday tasks, such as surfing the web, reading emails or watching videos, you may be attracted to the cheaper $999/£999 M1 MacBook Air. A M1 Macbook Air will be able to handle all these tasks without any problems.

However, if you want to save money, rather than buy an M1 MacBook Air we recommend looking for a deal on the M2 MacBook Air. If you look around you may be able to get an M2 MacBook Air for as much as, or less than, the M1 model. See our round-up of MacBook Air deals.

If you do more with your MacBook or use it for professional applications such as video editing or photo editing, the M2 MacBook Air is definitely worth the extra money compared to its predecessor. In fact, if your budget allows, we recommend jumping to the higher-end model with a 10-core GPU, extra storage and better graphics. And as always, you should buy as much memory as you can afford.

The M1 MacBook Air is still a good machine, even as it heads for its third anniversary, but you’ll be much happier with the newer MacBook Air in a year or two.

The best prices for the MacBook Air M1, usually $999/£999 are below.

MacBook