15” M2 MacBook Air Review - FINALLY!
Вставка
- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- My review of the Apple 15-inch M2 MacBook Air compared against the 13" M2 MacBook Air and 14" MacBook Pro
If you want to support the channel, consider a Dave2D membership by clicking the “Join” button above!
/ dave2d
/ dave2d
/ discord
Purchases made from store links may give me some money.
(It doesn’t cost you extra, so please buy everything)
Follow me:
/ dave2d
/ dave2d - Наука та технологія
Finally, a Big Screen MacBook that doesn't cost $2k lol
1:41 amazing subversive diss right here
Felt the same way for the iPhone 14 plus, no longer have to play pro max price for just a larger phone screen
For a usable 16GB 500GB version, it does cost $2000 in everywhere but USA
Just bought a ThinkPad instead with 32GB RAM for like $1300
Still costs $1699 for 16 GB Memory and 512 GB Storage and you know what... it sucks... No Windows laptop of this price range offers 256 GB Storage and very rare of them have 8 GB RAM... This is just Apple's Marketing Fooling You. But still if you're trapped in Apple's Walled Garden, it might be a good deal for you...
In Europe it's around $1800 for the base model and $2200 for a usable configuration...
I'll stick to my ThinkPad.
That sound comparison segment was crazy good
song name
@@kthmtchll Thanks. I always check the comments when I'm searching for a featured song
Kudos for the RAM vs Storage advice, other reviewers are suggesting a storage upgrade if you need to choose, RAM upgrade does make more sense in the long run
Other reviewers are idiots lol. They are happy paying the Apple tax or really don't anything about tech.
Also more RAM capacity reduces the stress to storage chips, because with bigger RAM, the system doesn't have to continuously dump the background process cache to storage (swap file) so it could help increase storage lifespan
Hitting ssd swap is way easier than Dave mentioned, swap can hit with 8GB with like 10 chrome tabs and apple music running. I have 16GB ram and my machine still swaps shockingly early. And extensive tests show the ssd swap on the upgraded ssd is almost just as fast as ram now because of SOC. And ssd lifespan is technically shorter, agree there, but these last way longer than old ssd tech, it’s still very likely to last the lifespan of your computer which you’ll probably replace after 4-6 years anyway
@@jmunt my old computer with hdd in it is over 10yo. If ssd die before an hdd do then I don't want it
@@jmunt So you're saying get the upgraded SSD? Nah dude. Get the RAM
I love how dozens of UA-cam videos talk for 10 minutes each about whether to choose 8 or 16 GB of RAM and what the difference is between the different SSDs, and Dave manages to squeeze it into two sentences. Amazing
free palestine
I’m so happy Dave is real. Other channels are like omg the ssd is slower it’s slower it’s bad don’t get it. When in reality most consumers would never notice the difference
Love Dave!
@@FactFlix3 nope
He’s wrong though, max tech showed it is very easy to use up the memory and start hitting ssd swap; with just like 10 tabs and music going the performance tanks. Meanwhile an upgraded ssd swap is so fast there’s very little benefit to more ram in their extensive tests.
Some people would like to actually know whether to buy an 8 GB or a 16 GB for their use case. They would like to have a detailed discussion. Other people just listen to famous UA-camrs for 5 minutes and make up their mind. Don't be S**p to dave.
The editing in the sound comparison segment was flawless.
Battery King, Easily work 2 days or 16 hours on single charge, I charged the laptop to 100% at 10.00PM, then closed the lid without turning it off, then on next day morning at 11.00AM I started working on website development with 50% brightness [ no music etc. running in background ], then stopped for 2 hours from 4.00PM to 6.00PM again closed the lid didn't turn off, then again worked from 6.00PM to 9.00PM, and closed the lid with 55% battery left, then on next day again started work again at 11.00AM with same schedule and at 7.00PM battery was at 10% plugged the charger by the time I am done working battery was again at 100%
I've pointed out in other reviews, but the problem is that once you upgrade the RAM and SSD, it's very close to the 14 inch Macbook Pro where you give up an inch to have a superior display, better performance, and better i/o which can save you further cash. The older generation 14 / 16 inch pros are even better deals.
Pro also has mini LED display with proMotion. Which is awesome
I think for students $100 or 2 do add up and also my 14inch M1 MBP feels a bit heavy to me as a student walking around with textbooks and stuff.
@@jasonpoler the 15 inches MBA and the 14 inch M1 MBP weight are very similar.
I own MBP 14, definitely worth it, I can never go back to 60hz or 8GB ram on a macbook
This is the consequence of Apple making its RAM and storage upgrades so expensive. I don't think they mind for a sec that the price for the 16gb/512gb MBA15 makes people tempted to get the MBP14. Personally I'd still go for screen real estate. That's why I got an LG Gram - you can't get more screen real estate than 16 inches at 1.2kg!
Amazing straight to the point review. I'm still rocking the mid-2012 13" i5/8GB Air!
It still makes a great Zoom conferencing laptop. Use it for documents, emails and Zoom. Replaced the 10 year old battery myself and it's still going strong!
those era macbooks were bulletproof. have two which are still completely adequately functional, crazy!
My 13" Pro just got run over by a car and it's still alive, I watched this video from it
Great video. Straightforward, to the point and gave genuinely good advice on the RAM vs SSD debate, rather than just explaining the debate as I've seen many other tech UA-camrs do.
@Dave2D - great content as always - a tiny observation on the units for the screen comparison @2:08, I believe it should be centimetres/cm rather than millimetres, otherwise the screens would be comparable to an Apple Watch.
Imagine wearing a macbook around your wrist
Oops lol. Ya it’s cm
Man, nobody ever properly showed why they were amazed by the speakers until you compared it to the competition. Like, holy lol, no wonder everyone says Apple dominates the market in that section.
Still weird to have a 15 inch laptop with only two ports.
Love that all your videos are on point, no BS. Please never change
Dave2D and MKBHD menstrual cycles are in sync😂
I was going to go for the 14 inch pro, for the larger screen, but wasn't jazzed about the price, this will probably be everything I need in a laptop without too much modification.
I have found some 16 inch M1 Max / Pro and 14 inch ones on the second hand market that are VERY good deals. I recommend checking those out. You're starting with more RAM and storage.
A bigger Air & a mini iPhone. That's all we want, Apple.
Is that so hard to get?
I guess the bigger screen makes the notch look smaller..., so that's something....
I haven't been on this channel for perhaps... 6 months? Dave be looking like a mad scientist
Ya know what I’m just gonna say it. Dave2D is the best tech reviewer on UA-cam.
Side note: I love the waveform that shows how the speakers perform across the frequency spectrum. ❤
@Person Don’t get me wrong, MKBHD is great. But he doesn’t cover laptops (other than Apple). Dave covers just about anything tech and does a great job on all of them.
Wow, i really love how concise your reviews are. Thanks.
Amazing. The 15 inch is bigger than the 13 inch. You should do a whole video about how larger numbers are bigger than smaller numbers.
Dave looks younger with that hairstyle lol and i am probably gonna pick up m3 macbook air 15 when it comes out next year
They had an open box 15 inch MBA with 512GB/16GB for $1300.00. Ended up getting it along with Apple care plus. Totally worth it.
You can literally make a grammy winning song, edit a 4K feature, code applications, and do all your schoolwork on the cheapest M1 MacBook Air. Anything above the stock M1 is a bonus. Now with a bigger screen for increased screen real estate for multitasking, you'll be unstoppable. The Air is the computer for 85% of all computer users. I paid $1700 back in 2009 for my first MacBook Pro 15" and it was no one near as fast or capable as the stock M1, let alone the M2. (that was a hugggge purchase for me back then, and that 2009 Mac is still running). What a time to be alive for computing!
yooo i didnt know Astro Boy was reviewing laptop on your channel too....dooopee🔥🔥
I appreciate that your videos value my time.
3:55 I don't get 'M2 MBP' and '14" MBP', like what's the difference? Can't you just use full forms with the complete configuration? We don't have a problem with having smaller graphs...
I had headphones one while listening to the video and it was really surprising how good the speakers on the m2 15" MBA are.
It is lovely. Too big for me personally (I think 13" is the perfect laptop size) but amazing for those who want it.
Also for a non-pro device, my M2 base-model Air handles 'Pro' tasks shockingly well, crank up the RAM and you have a device that is professional enough for many.
"Apple be like: 'iPhone 14 Plus? Look at the sales! 👀 Let's spice things up with a MacBook Air 15 inch!'
The irony, has to be addressed, they are not making a 17" MBP, but they took long enough to make a 15" air? It's a bit too little too late. Air is supposed to be their thinnest, lightest and most general purpose capable notebook. It's counterintuitive to make a bigger screen for an Air but not an even bigger 17" for a desktop replacement pro notebook? Ironic.
When I think Air. I think 11 inch to 13 inches. When I think Pro I think 17" to 19".
Only thing that limits me from buying it is you can only use 1 external display (without some cumbersome expensive workaround).
So damn true!!! We all wanted a 16 inch but without the pro price tag. Finally!!
I love how your shirt matches the colors of the fish tank sitting behind you
Dave: MBA blablabla
Me: That left elbow been annoyingly itchy, huh?
I ordered the 16gb 512 midnight one. I could have bought the Pro but for some reason I prefer the Air.
If you think memory upgrade is expensive in the US, take a look at the Brazilian prices, you will be amazed.
I'm happy for others. I'm personally thinking of upgrading to a 14inch MBP (or possibly M3) when M3 launches or depending what I find on refurb sites. You can get it for likely around $1400 now so I get a bigger screen with better specs, better screen (mini LED), better ports, etc. while still having that great balance between size, weight, and portability. That's my dream mac at the moment.
Different markets but you can get the 16" m1 pro for 1500-1600, and the 14" for even less. Truly remarkable amount of laptop for the money
edit: I still wish the Pro models had that starlight color. gorgeous
I know the pros are probably better buy for video editing but im tempted to buy a fully loaded 15 air just for the perfect middle ground size between the 14 and 16 and lightness.
Hey Dave, when are you reviewing the Legion Slim 7i and also the new Asus devices?
Thanks for showing the computer and making it a short video to the point unlike iJustine LOL
Bro your Hair is the coolest, you gotta show us how you style that shit.
That’s all i need to know. Period. Thank you, Dave 🙏🥰
agree with Dave regarding upgrading RAM > SSD
Are we just not gonna talk about Dave's bangin hairstyle?
Perfect. Now the wait begins for the truly revolutionary device, the 14" M3 Max Macbook Pro. The 3 NM chip could make that device a beast that can take on the Ultra lineup, and future proof it till 2030, easy
I don’t see the appeal of the larger air - portability is far more important than a little extra screen size.
Talking about storage and RAM, wondering a lot now when the storage discounts could be coming to the Apple devices. the 2TB 980 Pro SSD I bought last year has dropped almost 40% in price. There's no way Apple is still paying what they used to in order to charge $200 for 256GB more storage.
I personally don't get why people want a bigger screen on a "regular device." I've always come from this place where 15 inch meant "workhorse" and 13 inch laptops means good enough for word processing and internet.
Currently have a 12 inch laptop and then dual 24 inch monitors for my work desktop. Maybe it's just me 🤷🏽♂️
Put that on a shirt “I lean on RAMM” 5:00
Agree, casual user or people who are not power user which is the main target audience of macbook air wont benefit from faster ssd (not capacity) unless it is absurdly slow like slower than sata ssd . Casual users are more likely to feel the benefit from ram upgrade than faster ssd ,
Honestly the legit review of mac i have ever seen Love this review❤
Love your hair Dude!
I'm struggling to beileve that the 15 inch air has that much bass. There was actual sound coming from my subwoofer during that clip.
Song: Push Back by I Am Fowler
i wish the macbook air 15inc came out with M3 chip, i guess i have to wait
Why is no one talking about Dave's hair? It's starting to look like a french philosopher with a DJ side job
I hope they will at least 90hz the next 13” 15” MacBook Airs
I would have like if they added one more usb port.
LG Gram: *chuckles* I'm in danger!
I really like my 17" gram for exactly this reason. The larger screen with low weight is great for quick grab and carry with huge real-estate.
lg gram is cheaper though
I'll be getting it. I hate how heavy the 15 inch MBP is
Great video as always ❤
What I learned from this video:
Not many updates on the 15 just a bigger screen
Macs better have good speakers and battery
The unified memory is not the same as a regular ram. 8gb reunified is technically compared to a 12 gb ram. Just buy external storage.
No need to pay $1600.
I bought my MacBook Air M1 for 850 or something like that with as student discount.
They are offering 2 inch bigger MacBook Air now for1300 pre taxes) .
It definitely sounds like a bad deal to me
Thanks Dave
Those are some sick white bookshelf speakers Dave! Details please 😅
The display on this is garbage though compared to a 14”
I pre-ordered this but dang I might opt for the 13 inch instead
I get that the Air is a better option than the pro, but my dilemma falls here. At the moment for me the pro is 200€ cheaper than the air. Macbook Pro 13” M2 512gb ssd is 1699€, and the Air 15” M2 512gb ssd is 1899€. If one keeps in consideration that price difference is the air still preferred on the pro? I need your opinions! 😅😅
Now I need someone to compare the 14" MacBook Pro with the 15" MBA.
8 GB RAM in 2023 is an insult.
+200$ for extra 8GB is a spit in the face. F. Apple.
By any chance you may reply me lol, wonder where did you get your Mac Air 13 cover in this video? It looks so amazing!!! Thanks!
It would be great if you can do a video on ML/AI/LLMs entry-level laptops for students or those who wants to get into learning AI/LLMs and Coding.
Boom, straight to the point. Thanks!
I like the look of the new 15" Air.
the speaker comparison was absolutely amazing
Ram. If you’ll spend on an upgrade, it’s the RAM. Got it, Dave. Thank you.
RIP Apollo 💔
i was thinking 15 air best for me, right now I am returning it because it is way bigger than 13' and you can feel it is bulky. I usually use my laptop on bed or top of my lap. I came from m1 air to m2 15 air. speakers are great and have strong deep sound but stereo not good as m1 because speakers look towards to hinge.
Hey Dave, looking to buy a base model mac air for high school. Not gonna be using it for anything super stressful but just wondering if the m2 13 is worth it over the m1. Would very much appreciate a reply, love your stuff man!
Today I bought the base model MacBook Pro 2023 for 1600 EUR, so I guess there is a better deal ... :)
Ackshually........ this 15-inch Air is only 1cm longer and wider than the old, old 13-inch Air. Today's laptops are too small for large-handed folks like me, this new 15-inch Air is fantastic.
Yo as a power user with only 256GBs I'd say this much storage is something of a joke 😅
great video. so what is your advice for daily use not heavy user : buy 13 and upgrade ram to 16 gb or buy 15 with the default spec? as they are same price
2:21 goodbye Apollo
A bit disappointed when the bigger chassis doesn’t help with passive cooldown. I’ll by the m2 pro. But this year apple make all base model has lower ssd speed. Makes it really difficult for those like me who just want more ram, not ssd. For the long run, I wonder if the slow ssd will affect the usage.
It should not unless they are heavy or power user which is not target audience for macbook air
Apple needs to increase storage on the MacBook Air. I would pay the price if it was possible to get at least 5TB of Storage and fastest SSD. Keep the 8TB or make it 10TB for the pro laptop. But Air should be at least 5TB of storage.
The low-power mode performance must be great
I just a casual person who just joined the apple ecosystem that needs a MacBook laptop for basic needs …..internet…..update a resume……update some devices that’s pretty much it is this the MacBook I’m looking for ?
MBP speaker is awesome holy s
I want a 15inch with a fan, but not the Pro model.
WHY DIDNT THEY ADD 1 more USB C port on the other side...damnnnnn
My 2015 MBP have the worst speakers I ever experienced in any laptop
only review that matters 👍
Am I the only one who missed what the actual benefits were? @ 4:15. Because from what you said, it was only the bigger screen. Thermals, battery, performance were pretty much within margin of error from one to another. So what were “all the other benefits you get for $100?”
$100 for 13 to 15 inch upgrades seem the industry average. Samsung has a similar upgrade cost, others may be more expensive. What were you expecting?
so mad that the mba 15 came so late, 3 months ago i got the 14 pro
No reason to be mad.
The thing is that for basic tasks Mac CPU's are an overkill. Paying 1000+ for power you do not need is just stupid.
I bought 2 years ago a new laptop for my father. 15 inch FHD ips (fhd perfectly fine for most 40+ people), small bezels, aluminiun unibody, 8/256gb, i3. Works as well as any high-end laptop for basics for just $400 - sure you compromise on some things (no back-lit keyboard, average speakers...) but you also gain others (ports...).
It is not stupid. According to Apple’s own data consumers upgrade every 5-7 years so having the best chip on day 1 is the opposite of stupid, it is intelligent and means in 5+ years your Mac will still be relevant. That is just ant-Apple nonsense. Comparing a mid-range Windows laptop with a premium Mac is not logical as they are aimed at different buyers.
@@andyH_England But then again having 8gb of Ram in 2030 is going to be awful so it is not really future proof anyway... unless you pay a kidney for 8gb more.
Of course it is different customer but Air is often touted as "best laptop for basic use" while really being way too pricey for that "basics" segment
@@ikuturso7570 Yes, I am with you, 16GB for future-proofing is a wise move. It is expensive but if you are keeping for 7 years, that £200 extra will not be bad value. Of course, we don’t see it that way as we have to pay the £200 upfront. As you say, buy the extra RAM if at all possible, you will not regret it.
Its all so expensive, im looking for an upgrade since im a CS student and my current windows dell laptop is dying
im not buying a MacBook until the come in matt screens, no way im switching to a glossy screen.