Apple unveiled the new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro during WWDC 2022. Both upcoming devices have the new M2 processor. While we haven’t had a chance to test the chip ourselves yet, Apple has detailed the advantages of the M2 over the M1 chip and what the new processor can do for the company’s laptops.
Since both the MacBook Air 2022 and MacBook Pro 2022 have Apple’s latest silicon chip, it naturally leads to questions about which device is the best option. Given the “Pro” moniker, and the fact that it costs $100 more than the Air, you might be tempted to say the new Pro is the one to buy. However, the MacBook Air is better in many ways.
That’s why you should buy the MacBook Air 2022 instead of the new MacBook Pro.
low price
This one is very simple. The MacBook Air starts at $1,199 while the MacBook Pro starts at $1,299. Because of those deltas, the air will look more attractive. Both systems feature an M2 chip, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage for the Star, although the Pro has a better 10-core GPU.
| MacBook Air 2022 | MacBook Pro 2022 (13-inch) | |
| price | From 1199 USD | From 1299 USD |
| Show | 13.6 inches (2560 x 1664) | 13.3 inches (2560 x 1600) |
| CPU | m 2 | m 2 |
| RAM | 8 GB, 16 GB, 24 GB | 8 GB, 16 GB, 24 GB |
| GPU | Octa-core GPU | 10 GPU cores |
| storage | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB |
| camera | 1080p | 720 p |
| ports | 2 Thunderbolt 3 / USB 4, heaphone | 2 Thunderbolt 3 / USB 4, heaphone |
| Battery life (rated) | 18 hours video / 15 hours web | 20 hours video / 17 hours web |
| Dimensions | 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches | 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.6 inches |
| Weight | 2.7 pounds | 3 pounds |
As you’ll see below, there are other reasons to get the new MacBook Air over the Macbook Pro beyond their prices.
Smaller and lighter in design
As its name suggests, the MacBook Air line is Apple’s thinnest and lightest laptop. The new air volume is 20% smaller than the previous model, measuring 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches and weighing 2.7 pounds.
The new MacBook Pro is very thin and light in its own right, coming in at 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.6 inches and weighing 3 pounds. However, this is still larger, thicker and heavier than air. Both laptops are very portable, but the MacBook Air is the clear winner here.
bigger screen
The MacBook Air 2022 has a 13.6-inch (2560 x 1664) screen while the new MacBook Pro features a 13.3-inch (2560 x 1600) display. We can attribute the Air’s larger display to the thinner bezels, allowing for more screen space. The 0.3-inch difference might not seem like much, but if you want to get the largest possible width, you’ll need the MacBook Air on the Pro.
Apple says the two displays offer 500 nits of brightness, support for wide color (P3) and True Tone technology. This means that the Air has a screen as good as the Pro, only bigger. This is another win for Air.
Sharper webcam
This is another category where the new MacBook Pro fails to live up to the “Pro” name. Despite Apple’s claims that the M2 chip will provide improved image quality for this device, the laptop still has a 720p camera.
In contrast, the MacBook Air has a 1080p camera. If the M2’s processor is supposed to make the Pro 720p camera look better, the same should apply to the Air. But even without considering the M2, a 1080p camera is better than a 720p camera. Obviously, we need to test both cameras for ourselves to see how they stack up, but this seems like another easy victory for the Air.
Strong enough performance M2
Both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro have Apple’s new M2 processor. Although this new chip may not be as powerful as the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, it still offers a noticeable improvement over the M1. To that end, each of Apple’s upcoming laptops should be more performing than its previous iterations.
The new MacBook Pro will probably outperform the MacBook Air because it has active cooling, especially for heavy workloads. But even if the Pro outperforms the Air in terms of performance, the M2 chip should provide more than enough power for everyday tasks like web browsing and word processing.
MagSafe charging
MagSafe is back with the 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro, and we’re happy to see that the MacBook Air also has the beloved feature. Unfortunately, my MacBook Pro still charges via USB-C.
What’s so cool about MagSafe? For those who don’t know, the feature allows the power cable to snap into position and align itself perfectly. It also snaps with a quick pull, which can protect your MacBook from accidental tug-of-war. With MacBook Air, MagSafe also frees up the Thunderbolt / USB-C port, allowing you to use the two available ports to connect peripherals.
Both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro have two USB-C ports and one headphone jack. But since the Air includes MagSafe, you can argue that it has more ports available.
Reasons why you might consider a MacBook Pro
While it might be tempting to dismiss the 2022 13-inch MacBook Pro based on what we’ve seen so far, it has some advantages over the air.
Although both laptops have an M2 chip, the Pro offers a 10-core GPU as standard. If you want it on air, you’ll have to pay an extra $300. The Pro also has active cooling while the Air features a fanless design. For this reason, the Pro should reach even higher levels of performance. This is undoubtedly something video editors will notice.
The new MacBook Pro with its 58.2Wh battery should have a longer battery life than the MacBook Air. According to Apple, the MacBook Pro is rated for 20 hours of video playback and 17 hours of wireless web browsing. In contrast, the MacBook Air with its 52.6Wh battery is rated for 18 hours of video and 15 hours of wireless web browsing.
prospects
In a previous article showing us the MacBook Air 2022 versus the MacBook Pro 2022, Global Editor-in-Chief Mark Spoonauer said he’d rather get the Air over the Pro. I’m of the same mindset, based on everything we know so far.
Yes, the active cooling of the MacBook Pro should help it perform better than the MacBook Air. But unless you’re editing videos or music, you probably won’t need any of the performance boost that your MacBook Pro offers. I often surf the web, watch YouTube videos, or use various Google services at work. For this reason, you don’t need a particularly fat laptop. I suspect the same is true for most people who are looking forward to new MacBooks.
I don’t want to write off the MacBook Pro 2022 entirely, but as it stands, I’d rather use the MacBook Air 2022. The new design, much like the latest MacBook Pro released last year, is attractive — as is MagSafe charging, a larger screen, and a sharper webcam. Its thinner and lighter body is also another advantage. Right now, the new MacBook Air looks like a laptop from Apple.
But we’ll see how the new MacBooks stack up against each other when we review both devices. Stay tuned!
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