M2 MacBook Air VS M2 MacBook Pro - DON'T BE FOOLED! 

Bought the M2 Air as a portable work laptop with some gaming, returned it a week later to get the M2 Pro. I don't game very often, but when I do, it would be a 2-3 hour session of DOTA2. The Air got hot after 30 minutes and the longer I played the more it slowed down the frame rate. Considering I played casually once or twice a fortnight, I figured the longevity of my M2 Air with my usage constantly heating up would be bad. The M2 Pro still gets warmer when I have my gaming sessions, but the impact is minimal on performance. Miss the form factor of the M2 Air, but honestly for me, I love this compact old MacBook Pro design and am ok with it.

From this video MBA are designed for everyday use and light video rendering etc. MBP are designed for everyday use and for more robust rendering and intensive use. Great vid.

Doing some gaming and I like the touch bar a lot. So pro seems the better option. I do wonder if gaming and heating on the air would have a detrimental effect over the long term.

Espresso, love yours and Max Tech videos. I really enjoy both of your hard work you put into each video.

Very helpful video, and I got new base m2 air at a discounted price. The only thing that concerns me about my choice is fixed ram at 8gb and fixed ssd at 256 gb. However, the next levels up meant that you were bordering on 14" mac Pro at base (and that is too much money and too heavy)

The Mac Book Pro is much better if your using your laptop for hours at a time for music editing. The Air therm throttles considerably after three hours using Logic Pro and gets extremely hot.

Very nice detailed video, I could notice a significant difference with the screen quality between the two, not sure if it was lighting however it did seem like the MBA had a more vivid color to it, nice to see the change, based on your tests, it's clearly dependant on the workload and environment, fan vs fanless, in a hotter climate it would be better to use fan model, in a more controlled environment, air-conditioning /cooling / office. I didn't catch the battery spec results post test - would have been nice to see the impact of the fan with battery life. I currently use the 2018 intel MBP with TBar and it has had some heating issues on the left of the panel next to the trackpad below keyboard and I wanted to know if there was a similar heating problem with the M2 MBP? I have used hand held thermal scanner to measure this, maybe you could do a test ? demo the exact heat difference between the two, it does sometimes get so hot I have to take my hand off, already told apple, sent in my unit but all they did was change the old malfunctioning keyboard ... did they change the keyboard on these new units ? would be great to have feedback ... oh and dude, I love my espresso in the morning ... ☕😃

I'm looking for my first Macbook, I think macbook pro M2 is my best option right now based in my budget and needs as software developer. Thanks for that video!

I have a question concerning the fans: I am in music production, so, do the fans spin loudly or are they spinning at all? On the M1 Macbook Pro they usually aren't needed in my everyday medium workload tasks. Is it the same with the M2?

Thank you so very much for benchmarking a 3d render. That was amazing.

I use a Moka Pot to make kind-of-espresso. I just bought a M2 MacBook Pro 256gb 24gb Ram. I put the money for the HD upgrade into the RAM upgrade. The M2 Pro is only around ~$100 difference than the air. I would’ve waited for the larger screen M2 pros but could not pass up the $150 edu discount and the $150 back to school promo (and 0% interest). Since when can we get 20% off brand new Apple tech on launch day? I also ordered the M2 Air for my daughter’s upcoming college freshman year. I think the 512gb version is the absolute best college laptop. Thank you for the great review and content!

Am from Malaysia. LOVED WATCHING YOUR VIDEO..SIMPLE AND CLEAR COMPARISON.. Thanks buddy for your video.. Cheers 🍻

Thanks the review been looking for.....since air and pro m2 looking same performance just the fan

I really wish we could see a video comparing M1 to M2 MBA for the users these laptops were made for. A huge percentage of users only watch videos, do email, gdocs or MS Office, take video calls etc. I just think there are so many videos talking about thermal throttling, ssd speeds etc for users who should just buy a MBP. With the sales on the 14” MBP it is only $150-$200 more than a similarly spec’d M2 Air. My 2 cents…. I love my espresso and being a long time subscriber to Greg’s Gadgets, I find the humor has gotten better and better especially lately! Great vids!

What I would like to know is the difference between Retina and Liquid Retina. Would it be ok to choose the new MacBook Air M2 with Liquid Retina ?? Thanks.

How much of a difference would it make if you had a macbook air but with a cooling pad underneath it? Cant seem to find a review that mentions that, any help is appreciated thanks!

It wouldn't fix the air, but it would enable someone to actually place it on their laps & use without burning themselves, especially a few years down the road, when cpu/gpu loads would be heavier to match the technology, as it always turns out.

Thanks…I enjoyed your video: very interesting. Blessings on your day.

espresso. nice videos. very practical and realistic reviews, keep they coming

Another note- will you test an Air M2 8-CPU, 10-GPU, 24GB/1TB? Would this make a difference in speed? ALSO- what about a cooling pad or perhaps a block of ice under the AirM2... seriously... would these things cool the AirM2?

Hi , what do you think of 16 gb ram 512 SSD for M2 air , I need it for full-stack development .

There are a lot of tubers out there for tech and pc opinions but i always find myself back on your page for confirmation and the final word. Thanks and keep up the great work! Macbook Air for me. Anytime we in the same town an espresso on me!

You would think that Apple would have designed some ventilation vents along the back of the chassis on the MBA since they don't have any cooling at all.

Would you recommend an M2 512 GB, or an M1 base model. And will the heat be an issue with the M2 512. My daily usage are heavy browsing tabs lots of writing and apps and some light 4k videos editing. Hope i get an answer from you.

I think that the pro model would be excellent for those who use it for work. Something powerful that can support external monitors would be beneficial, but at the same time they might just opt for the 14 inch. I think the average consumer would be better off with the Air. Especially college students or those doing simple computing. Espresso. I don’t drink them but I hear people like them.

Expresso, great video man really helped me narrow it down to the Macbook Air M2.

Which one do recommend for a graphic design student? Pro or Air

I guess if all software later comes optimized, then there is no issue of CPU throttling. Then M2 Air would be the best choice.

Espesso - very nice review! Just bought the MacBook Air at the U of Minn bookstore as stock just arrived. Beautiful machine!

I got 8 core 16BG RAM 512 SSD and the 35w adapter (♡). Glad I got the 16 GB. Was running above 8 per the activity monitor with only a few things open. One low end game I played made the bottom of the laptop quite hot. Espresso may not be the answer but it is worth a shot. I am glad to be rid of the touch bar on MBP 13" M1, and get the function keys back.

Cool test!🤩 How is the degradation on the macbook air in long terms you think, do you think the "heat problem" would have an impact? 🤔 is the m2 mabook Air going to be damaged because of the heat? And how fast is it heated up? Will it heat up if you just use it for school/studying. I need a new one after summer for school. Which do you recommend???🤔🙏🤞🤞 if you could help me, i'll celebrate it with an espresso😉

I think not putting a fan in any laptop is wrong, it might work fine for now, but as times goes maybe in few years the OS and apps might be more resource demanding then the air definitely will heat up and throttle. Why would we pay so much money for a laptop that can’t keep its performance up even for a 5 minutes? Heat is not good for any electronics no matter how normal they might make it look like. I’m still using mid 2012 MacBook Air which was great when it was new. But now can run hot from streaming few videos.( it’s clean inside thermal paste has been changed too) the hardware can’t keep up with the current software demands. It’s fine for old laptop but not the new one

Thanks for adding perspective to the differences/similarities between these two machines. Should I get an espresso now?

im looking for really good performance, so im probably going to get the macbook pro 13 inch 2022. and i plan on keeping it a very long time. so i plan on maxing out the computer.

Excellent well rounded video, I thing a celebration with an espresso is required

Thanks for the fantastic review and totally practical. For Xcode coding for hours do you think that would max out Air compared to Pro? Mainly going to use for coding. Is the temperature on Air too much ? What is the difference ?

I hope to see the MBA M2 with 16GB ram and 512GB disk compare with MBP 14" M1 with 16GB ram and 512GB.

Nice, Can u compare them and put a cool pad fan under air?!

Would like to see this test performed again with the MacBook Air with the thermal fix. Great video though.

Was looking for your review 😭ty!

Honestly, since they both cost the same for me it all comes down to MagSafe vs. proper cooling (I don't care about Touch Bar or any other gimmicks).

Great video comparing the major differences with the fan which is probably the biggest differentiating factor for me. Definitely would go with the pro and get a couple extra hours of battery life 🙏🏽

Which one is better on battery that’s my question

Espresso! That was a great video my dude

Very helpful video , tired of watching useless videos , great!! Just got MacBook m2 - I think I’m going to keep it , tks!!!!

I would love to see the difference with 24Gb of RAM. I’m a Logic Pro user and don’t use a laptop for most of my work. I had a M1 MacBook Air with 16Gb of RAM and it left much to be desired. If Apple made pro apps for iPad Pro, that would be a game changer.

I had to return the Air after I remembered I had a Steam account from 10 years ago and played some Civ V. Got VERY hot so I sent it back and got a 13" Pro instead. For most people the Air is fine but sustained loads from gaming really need a fan in the Pro models.

Hey Greg, I usually have longer zoom meetings, three hours on average with desktop sharing on, OneNote and Preview are open side by side, and would sometimes open safari. Would the MBP be a better choice over the MBA? I would really appreciate to hear your thoughts.

As a retired electrical engineer, the Arrhenius equation comes to mind. Briefly stated, in Silicon devices every 10°C increase in temperature reduces component life by half. That is why Apple must underclock the M2 chip in the MacBook AIR when doing CPU intensive tasks.

Espresso. But Midnight tho… 😜. Seems like the MBP M2 is like the MBA M1 - the lower-end version option for the lower price point to capture that audience. There will always be trade-offs between similar-performing models (like iPad Air vs. iPad Pro 11”, or iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 13 Pro) with some distinct features you’ll have to give up. For the MBA M2, I think all the review comparisons and “issues” with heat throttling, the slower performance of base model, etc. are expecting A LOT for MBA given that it’s the most popular for the regular consumer. Performance for heavy tasks really is in the Pro line-up.

I purchased Macbook Pro M2 today...it's great!! Cheers!

Coming from a Macbook Pro 2017, 2,3 GHz Intel Core i5 will it make more sense to go for a base MBA M1 or a MBA M2? Main use: Discord, email, web browsing (lots of tabs though), some sql, notion and some light video editing. Thanks in advance!

Which one would last longer years? I am a coder and want to use my first mac as long as possible

I like videos in the start when someone puts so much effort to make it 👌

For me the unanswered question is, does either machine get too hot to use it on your lap?

Which one will be better for using logic pro x?

Intersting thoughts on the unexpected interest of the old MBP design, espresso notwithstanding.

I have MacBook Pro 13 2017 Intel chip. Replaced the battery 6 month's ago and the replacement battery after 300 charges dies after 95%. I am trying to hold out for the M3 Air but if I can't will probably go for the M2 Air. A little concerned with the overheating. When I replaced the battery in my Pro apparently the fan was clogged with dust and I had to pay more to have it cleaned so having an Air with no fan also means no dust. It could of course also be salesman BS.

im very interested in the performance as i'm a ios developer and work on some big projects, which push my actual m1 air to the limits and heats up a lot. So the pro m2 might be my choice, but i'll miss all the good fancy new things i guess.

I am more curious about the fan? Would the lifespan of the machine be impacted by the lack of fan for MacBook Air?

What is the speed of the 256GB drives in the Air and Pro. Is the Air slower?

Espresso! I prefer MBA since it's newer design and thin & light. If you really need a more sustain performance, you can actually thermal mod the MBA. the performance is very comparable to MBP.

My choice is MacBook Air M2 for thé hardware benefits and mostly thin and lite. Performance shortage is minimal to me. Enjoy your espresso coffee. Thanks again for the very informative videos you provide.

If I’m planning on using one of these for video editing could I get away with using the Mac book air or would I have to get the pro?

Is it better to get the 8 core GPU macbook air with 512ssd or 16gb of ram?

I didn't mind the lack of bells and whistles on the Pro (that's what they are, really). In the end, I need a laptop that lasts and has durable battery life, and the Pro gives me that. I can live with an outdated design so long as it lasts a long time and works.

Planing on gaming Cities Skyline on my MacBook, therefor I’m looking at M2 MacBook Pro 13 to buy. But I was wondering if actually MacBook Pro 16 from 2019, would be a better choice? 🤔 How the 10 core GPU compared to AMD graphics from 2019? P.S. The praises are actually really good on those old machines right now.

Which one would be better for software engineers?

In Norway the price for both of them with tha same amount og memory and disk space costs almost the same as Macbook 14 Pro and has better display, more ports, better speakers etc. That makes it an easy pick.

Thank you for the comparison video. Double espresso for me.

Those game benchmarks show the advantages of active cooling, but the fanless MacBook Air still did amazingly well. I would probably go for the more modern looking MacBook Air - but then I really like MagSafe.

Gonna use for video editing

I buyed MBP 13 m1 and its great, I love everything about it, performance, speed, cooling fan, touch bar is great, idk why people dont like it. I think m2 is too expensive for that performance. In my country Macbooks are really expensive and i thought about getting MPB 14 but starting price was 2100 dollars so i choose MBP m1. I game often and its great.

Can you do a video between m2 MacBook air 8core Gpu 512 gb vs 10core Gpu 512 gb Speed test based on file transfer, video editing, benchmark, Gaming same as the previous video pls

how about black light dose m2 air have better blacks on screen

I am a 1st Year B. Tech CSE student in India. So, I am going to get my first Macbook. I have been a Windows user lately but I am planning to get a Macbook. But I am confused between M1 AIR, M2 AIR and M2 Pro. And which storage will you recommend me 256GB or 512GB? And see I am planning to use it for a long run for a minimum of 4 years. So, looking from productivity perspective which one would you recommend? I would be using it for Coding, Programming, DSA, Machine Learning, etc. Please recommend me the best option. And I checked the M1 Pro 512GB. Apple doesn't sells it anymore in Inida. They have removed it from Apple India website. And the M2 Pro is quite out of my budget. I have a budget of around 1-1.5 lakhs INR. So, kindly help me and tell me which one should I get.

Hmmm, I wonder how they compare with the adobe suite? Graphic design tasks.

How was battery life on both machines? Espresso.

Loved your video! I'm in the 95%! All the way! Also, love the air color options! 😍Espresso is awesome 👌 👏 👍 😍

I’m not really an espresso guy per say but I like the new MacBook Air m2 design! I’m still on the fence about it. I want to love it but not having a pro res 120hz screen or an sd card slot is why I’m debating waiting for the m2 pro MacBook Pro. I’m a photographer so I think the MacBook Air is plenty capable for Lightroom and photoshop but I would also like to be able to edit 4k videos for vlogs so the video core is a welcomed addition. All that said the thermal throttling is still something that worries me for heavier work loads. And I’d like to be able to game from time to time as well. Normally I think the MacBook Pros are over kill for most people but it would be nice to have those extra ports without having to have a dongle. The screen is what gets me the most. Apple can put pro res 120 hz on an iPad and iPhone but not on a MacBook Air? Would love to hear feedback

I bought the 13in macbook pro with 16gb ram and 1tb ssd. I bought it a year ago. It was a good decision at the time. My windows laptop had become slow for certain tasks and I needed to move on. If I were buying one today I'd get some configuration of the M1 14in Macbook pro. For the small desk I have and for my needs, the M2 Macbook Pro has been good. The webcam thing is a non-issue because you can use your iphone as webcam wirelessly nowadays. Usually that feature works fine. And when it doesn't work, it's fine using a 480p webcam because most people, in general, still don't have a 1080p one

March (2021) my company got me the M1 Air, last week it wouldn't turn on. Took it into Apple and they said I need a new logic board, the heat from sustained 10+ hour work days with heavy usage killed it. I was so tempted with the new MacBook Air, it's a better computer in almost every way, but I got the 13" Pro for the active cooling and haven't looked back. This thing keeps on keeping on, 10 hour heavy workload is no problem. The 13" Pro is just that, it's made for Professionals like me who need a small laptop that can take heavy work-loads for long periods. If you're not a Professional don't get the Pro, but if you are a Pro the Air is going to limit you, and you may just kill it like I killed my Air by pushing it too hard for too long.

Espresoooooo! I am a music producer. For the past 7 years I have only gone for MBP. This time around I choose the MBA and down the line getting a mac studio. It’s out performing my intel based MBP by far !

great content. just like the espresso in my mug

How’s the screen? Do not know the difference between a Liquid Retina and Retina. It feels that the only downside of Air would be the fan but anything else is far better than Pro.

How are they for music production.!?

So I’m physically disabled. I was waiting for ages for the macbook air because i was hoping it would be lightest to carry. I had the macbook 12 but within months couldnt use it properly because the keyboard function kept breaking. It was covid and id wait for months to get it fixed and then that fix would only last a short while and it turned out there was a design fault and apple refused to address it despite me spending so long asking. I gave up and got an old macbook air that is too heavy for me and hurts my spine whilst waiting hoping the new laptop would be better. I do use it for work as i dont get a laptop from work and im part time. Im now nervous to get the new air because i dont think i could face yet more design issues so I’m stuck having wasted money on not good apple machines. Any advice? Can’t drink espresso

For my typical use the air with 512 ssd would be overkill.

Awesome comparison Thxs 👏👍 espresso ☕️

I just picket up my MBP M2 256GB 8GB at Bestbuy today for $1034.00 before tax today. Saved me $165.00 over a MBA M2. If want to use a Magsafe equipped Macbook, ill just power up my 08 Macbook.

Is it worht upgrading either of these to 16 gb

You damn right keep the Touch Bar LOL!!!

The MBA is ok to run Office (with or without an espresso). Unfortunately what I would like is a computer with a large screen at a budget price. The m1 iMac has a « medium size » screen… and the Studio is way over budget! Still hoping for a larger iMac… m3?

Nespresso! I think M2A hands down. If you gonna doing higher loads and more compute just get base 14mbp

I saw where the M2 Air was 40% faster than the 14 MBP. Is it 40% faster than the M2 MBP?

True story: I bought the 16" M1 base model thinking that I DO need all the power and crisp display. Returned it a week later. Got the 14" M1 base model instead cause the 16 is just not working portability-wise. 14 works fine but, there still some lingering buyer's remorse in the air. Returned it almost 2 weeks later. Got the M2 Air 16/512. PURELY because of this video. It simply make sense for my work flow and use. My advice is to go to the store and check everything out. I thought the M2 Air is just an after thought by Apple. But, actually they've thought about it THOROUGHLY. The price, the specs, the user, the flow, the everything. I edit 4-5 streams of 4k videos and render/export it 10 min length. Done in flash. The display is great. Sure, not mini LED. But, u'll forget about it and always be in awe streamin shit with it. Unless, you edit 4k/higher, multiple streams (6 above), intense Photoshop/Animation, portability is a MUST, etc, get the M2 Air 16/512. And you'll be good for another 4-5 years. Otherwise, the 14 M1 base model is for you. I was for sure the 14 M1 base model was IT. Bitch, that shit is heavy. Thanks Greg. (hugs) p/s exactly why I subbed to GG

Really wanted the 14 in but since it was a gift to me and my first ever MacBook. The m2 pro should be just fine.

Also trackpad and trackpad area is smaller on Air, screen is opened 5-10 degrees less than on Pro, and even on mild usage Pro has cooler chassis.

I wonder if you could use Siri to start the timer and eliminate any (minor) delay in starting the timer. Just a thought.

How long did you give the MBA to cool off between tests? Time for an espresso