Poll: *** The official 2022 MacBook Air/13" MacBook Pro thread (it has the M2 chip, MagSafe and everything!) ***

What 2022 M2 notebook will you get?

  • MacBook Air

    Votes: 35 87.5%
  • 13" MacBook Pro

    Votes: 5 12.5%

  • Total voters
    40

LiE

LiE

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The M2 MBP is thermally throttling, so what hope is there fore the Air? it may be fine for short bursty use, but anything with a longer thermal envelope and the M1 may actually equal it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVIknUcCjiQ
I haven’t watched the video but people using the Air won’t be doing sustained CPU or GPU intensive tasks. If they are, they have already skipped the M2 pro and got the 14 or 16 Pro.
 
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I haven’t watched the video but people using the Air won’t be doing sustained CPU or GPU intensive tasks. If they are, they have already skipped the M2 pro and got the 14 or 16 Pro.
You say that, but some people cant and wont stretch that far, plus apparently the MBP 13 inch is Apples second best selling laptop after the MBA

It is now unfortunately becoming clear that the increase in CPU performance with the M2 comes mainly from an increase in the power envelope, which is resulting in thermal throttling in a fan cooled chassis, and the M1 is out-performing the overclocked ship when pushed. The MBA has no fan, but it does have a new chassis, so assessment will be interesting. Don't get me wrong, I am an Apple guy nowadays, but this doesn't look fab (pun intended).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srnXkD5gIOk
 
Soldato
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It is now unfortunately becoming clear that the increase in CPU performance with the M2 comes mainly from an increase in the power envelope, which is resulting in thermal throttling in a fan cooled chassis, and the M1 is out-performing the overclocked ship when pushed. The MBA has no fan, but it does have a new chassis, so assessment will be interesting. Don't get me wrong, I am an Apple guy nowadays, but this doesn't look fab (pun intended).

Agreed. It's looking like most of the M2 gains in performance are a direct result of the higher frequencies and power usage rather than improvments in design or efficiency. Be interesting to see how the new fancless M2 Air chassis handles the additional heat of the M2 chip.
 
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Agreed. It's looking like most of the M2 gains in performance are a direct result of the higher frequencies and power usage rather than improvments in design or efficiency. Be interesting to see how the new fancless M2 Air chassis handles the additional heat of the M2 chip.
Yes, the M2 may be best suited to a Mac Mini, if they maintain a decent cooler and volume on it. That will be interesting to see.
 
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All those people who said they won’t buy an M1 because Apple never get the first gen right…

M2 is throttling, overheating and has an SSD that’s half the speed of the M1.

What was that about first gen products again? :cry:
 

LiE

LiE

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All those people who said they won’t buy an M1 because Apple never get the first gen right…

M2 is throttling, overheating and has an SSD that’s half the speed of the M1.

What was that about first gen products again? :cry:
I guess that’s what happens when you shoe horn it into a dated chassis :D
 
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All those people who said they won’t buy an M1 because Apple never get the first gen right…

M2 is throttling, overheating and has an SSD that’s half the speed of the M1.

What was that about first gen products again? :cry:
To be fair Apple's record for first gen products isn't that great (iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, etc), but there have also been some exceptions like AirPods, HomePods, and now M1 macs which were the best of them all.
 
Soldato
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The M2 MBP is thermally throttling, so what hope is there fore the Air? it may be fine for short bursty use, but anything with a longer thermal envelope and the M1 may actually equal it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVIknUcCjiQ
It didn't even throttle at any noticeable level, all Cinebench runs were between 8500 and 8600, so all within ~1% of each other. And the 3DMark stress tests were all between 6700 and 6900, so within ~2% of each other. And the fastest runs didn't even correlate with the lowest temperatures during the test. These are all within the margins of error and expected variation between runs. The chip runs hot, but isn't throttling (at least according to these tests).

Seems like Apple got the fan curves really where they wanted them to be (minimum noise while maintaining highest performance), this YouTuber is just too much of an idiot to notice this.
 
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It didn't even throttle at any noticeable level, all Cinebench runs were between 8500 and 8600, so all within ~1% of each other. And the 3DMark stress tests were all between 6700 and 6900, so within ~2% of each other. And the fastest runs didn't even correlate with the lowest temperatures during the test. These are all within the margins of error and expected variation between runs. The chip runs hot, but isn't throttling (at least according to these tests).

Seems like Apple got the fan curves really where they wanted them to be (minimum noise while maintaining highest performance), this YouTuber is just too much of an idiot to notice this.
Easy to cherry pick results from the videos, but overall it is not looking like a great machine with the M2, poorly balanced and poor value, especially compared to the M1.
 
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Another return stint to the clockers forums for me, let’s see how long this is for again. Anyway, apple forums is a good a start as any I think!

I’ve got more apple products that I could ever actually use or need so will be taking the steps to slim everything down and to consolidate. The m2 air was right up there as I don’t use the full capacity of my m1 max 16”, it’s a little on the large side and my m1 air runs in to ram shortages from time to time rendering it pointless too.

I believe that for the day to day and the times where I need the power the m2 air is probably going to tick all the box’s for a new purchase with its new up to date design and its available power on tap however I have a few concerns from these m2 pro reviews.

I don’t need more than 256gb SSD as I work (hobbie work, not day to day) from an 8tb external SSD so have no need for it. I do however need more than 8gb of ram, probably 16gb will be good to go for a few years but the throttling on that m2 pro is rather concerning as the m1 didn’t seem to do it. Further more, on the 256gb arrangement, I hope they use two NAND chips instead of the one as the ssd speeds have taken a right nose dive!! Upgrading to a 512gb ssd, the cpu to a 10 core GPU (will check on that with reviews) and getting 16gb of ram on the go adds £500.. that’s m1 base spec 14” pro territory and it obviously has its advantages with its much faster ssd, incredible display and better connectivity.

I’m not holding my breath but I am hopeful that the SSD can remain as is and it turns out to be as the m1 at least As it’ll save a couple of hundred and bring the new air back in line with what I’d be happy spending on it. I just then need to see how thermals are as I don’t do enough to cause any issues but when I do put a 10 min render out I’d like it if it wasn’t hitting in excess of 105c like the new m2 pro seems to be doing!

I think I’ll go for silver or space grey, the new blue and yellowish colours lol nice no doubt but finger print magnets and more likely to notice chips etc would make me more anxious in using it than it’s worth. That should give me an advantage in the eta at least.

Anyone else in a slim down and revamp position doing similar?
 
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Nope. You'd have to prize my 16" M1 Pro out of of my cold dead hands.

As you say, likely overkill for what I need (for now anyway) but that screen...
I may very well keep it and just move out the iPad Pro’s, m1 air, m1 mini some of the unused previous gen watches and the old phones gathering dust in a drawer.

2 systems with a phone, watch and the headphones would still be doable but I’d then have that guilt after promising I’d move the unused kit out..
 
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Easy to cherry pick results from the videos, but overall it is not looking like a great machine with the M2, poorly balanced and poor value, especially compared to the M1.
It's an awful product compared to the new Air. People should just save money and get the M1 or get the new Air or 14"/16" Pros. This SKU has no reason to exist. Probably only there to keep some corporate users happy.
 
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It's an awful product compared to the new Air. People should just save money and get the M1 or get the new Air or 14"/16" Pros. This SKU has no reason to exist. Probably only there to keep some corporate users happy.
Agreed, apparently it is the second best selling Apple laptop, because the big corporates buy 1000's. or even 10000's. Apple wont kill it when it sells, and likely with a large margin.

Have to see how the Air performs, hopefully the new chassis alleviates the MBP M2 issues.
 
Soldato
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@Andrew Moore the issue with only having a 256gb SSD will be resale - when you come to upgrade, it won't be as easy to move on.
One thing which also concerned me, that I read on another forum, was that on the 8Gb version in particular it'll be more likely to page out memory to the SSD virtual disk to cache data. So the performance when multitasking on the 8Gb model in particular could take a noticeable hit if the SSD is slower than before and isn't up to scratch in terms of read/write transfer speeds.
 
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@Andrew Moore the issue with only having a 256gb SSD will be resale - when you come to upgrade, it won't be as easy to move on.

I think on my m1 air it’s a none issue as it’s performance is great when compared to the m2 pro model which is running at 50% speeds due to a change in chip arrangement.

If the new air is the same I’ll be incredibly disappointed as that pushes for a £200 upgrade from the start with the 16gb ram to then require the £200 for the SSD to ensure you are not getting your performance crippled is rather poor. If I was to then add the cpu on top of that I am at £1750 and that’s with current Amazon prices the cost of a base m1 pro 8/14 14” model with the better screen, more ports and greater performance. At that point I’d probably bin the lot off and go for an 14” 10/24.


One thing which also concerned me, that I read on another forum, was that on the 8Gb version in particular it'll be more likely to page out memory to the SSD virtual disk to cache data. So the performance when multitasking on the 8Gb model in particular could take a noticeable hit if the SSD is slower than before and isn't up to scratch in terms of read/write transfer speeds.

It’s an issue I already face with the m1 air so that would be exasperated further with a 256gb ssd that performs as the m2 pro does. Some YouTube reviews show the m2 pro is faster than the m1 when both have 8gb (who would have guessed) however if you load the ram up and it’s pages out it becomes 15%+ slower if not more. That’s very poor from apple imho.

If I had 16gb it would be fine I believe but I have 8gb so I’m eating at the SSD with it on the m1 air. I was contemplating switching out the the m1 air with 16gb of ram before this was announced but I certainly won’t be now. That’s a ticket guaranteed to waste your money!
 
Soldato
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I’ve got more apple products that I could ever actually use or need so will be taking the steps to slim everything down and to consolidate. The m2 air was right up there as I don’t use the full capacity of my m1 max 16”, it’s a little on the large side and my m1 air runs in to ram shortages from time to time rendering it pointless too.

I believe that for the day to day and the times where I need the power the m2 air is probably going to tick all the box’s for a new purchase with its new up to date design and its available power on tap however I have a few concerns from these m2 pro reviews.

Upgrading to a 512gb ssd, the cpu to a 10 core GPU (will check on that with reviews) and getting 16gb of ram on the go adds £500.. that’s m1 base spec 14” pro territory and it obviously has its advantages with its much faster ssd, incredible display and better connectivity.

Anyone else in a slim down and revamp position doing similar?

Maybe not exactly the same but I currently have 2019 13" Macbook Air and a 6 year old desktop PC. I'd like to ditch my desktop PC but I'm finding the 2019 MBA isn't really powerful enough for my needs. So my current plan is to sell the 2019 MBA and buy either a new M2 Macbook Air (16Gb/512Gb) or a 14" Macbook Pro (16Gb/512Gb). I have a 34" (3440x1440) monitor which I'd dock with a future Macbook so I can use it as a desktop relacement when I need a larger screen.

Trying to decide whether I'd be better off with a Macbook Air M2 or a 14" Macbook Pro M1. I'm erring towards the M2 MBA as I prefer the lighter form factor and it's likely to have a better battery life. I'm wondering how long it'll be before Apple update the Macbook Pro with an M2 Pro chip? I'm thinking that's probably another 5-6 months away though.
 
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