Apple has completely revamped its most popular laptop. It is the first change in the family MacBook Air after incorporating the Apple M1 chip for the first time, the first processor made by the company itself so as not to depend on the slow progress of Intel.
The 2022 MacBook Air incorporates the new M2 processor, which, unlike the other more powerful versions of the M1, represents an improvement in architecture and manufacturing process. Apple said during WWDC 2022 that the goal when upgrading your processors will always be to increase power and reduce consumption at the same timeand that is precisely what they have achieved with the new generation of the SoC.
The M2 integrates an 8-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU. In the second section, then, it could have two additional cores compared to the previous generation. The new Apple M2 chip is a 20% more powerful than the Apple M1 and its graph is 25% faster when performing calculations. Its improvements are limited to an optimization in the internal bandwidth and its architecture, since it maintains the 5-nanometer chip manufacturing process.
According to data provided by Apple, the new MacBook Air is up to 1.4 times faster than the model with M1; Y 15 times faster than the old Intel processor variant. Consumption is not far behind, as it offers autonomy that can be extended for 18 hours.
Not only the processor is renewed. Another notable improvement is found in the 13.6-inch screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1664 pixels. Yes, it is now slightly larger, but without increasing the size of the equipment (30.41 cm long x 21.50 cm deep x 1.13 cm wide). All thanks to the controversial design with notch —inherited from the MacBook Pro— where the new camera is integrated, which is finally Full HD. The panel has True Tone technology and a maximum illumination of 500 nitsso it can be viewed correctly even outdoors.
This new MacBook Air with M2 chip includes several elements that until now were only available in Pro models, as is the case with the much-loved MagSafe. The latter, popular for its magnetic anchoring system, has also been included. In addition, it sports the same color as the laptop -regardless of the chosen tone-, so they are matching. It also includes two Thunderbolt ports and a 3.5mm jack output. for headphones. The keyboard, meanwhile, incorporates Touch ID on the power button.
It is a curious movement, since Apple makes the differences between ranges of equipment are reduced almost exclusively to the power of the equipment. Now consumers who want a good screen or the MagSafe connector will not have to resort to high-end equipment if they do not need that extra power.
In relation to sound, the new MacBook Air integrates a system of four speakers with support for Spatial Audio. Also has three microphones whose purpose is to capture what you are saying clearly no matter where you are. Obviously, to achieve the above, it also relies on multiple algorithms.
Can be configured with up to 24 GB of unified RAM and up to 2 TB of SSD storage. The processor can be upgraded with the 10-core version of the M2 chip on the graphics card.
The new 2022 MacBook Air with M2 chip will be available from €1,519 (or $29,999 in Mexico) in silver, space gray and the new “stellar white” or “midnight blue”. Due to the price increase due to the new features and elements of the MacBook Pro family, the MacBook Air M1 will continue to be available for sale for €300 less.
What the new M2 tells us about Apple’s strategy
We can look at Apple’s strategy. The architecture will be renewed every 2 years, and starting from that base chip, more options will be offered, increasing its power by joining several such as the M1 Pro, M1 Max or M1 Ultra options.
If Apple can join eight M1 chips without losing performance or boosting its consumption, in the future it will be able to join eight M2 processors and achieve, again, increase its performance. Any small performance improvements in architecture that are achieved in the future by following the UltraFusion process will have a big impact. impact in the overall performance of future teams.