On Monday night IST, Apple finally announced the long-rumoured and much-awaited MacBook Air, as well as the M2 SoC (system-on-a-chip) — the successor to the game-changing M1 chip.

In a slick presentation, Apple showed off a redesigned MacBook Air — its "best-selling" laptop. Gone is the iconic wedge-shaped design. The new MacBook Air looks very similar to the MacBook Pro — it's a flat device from all sides but still very thin.

Apple will sell the laptop in four colours — the well-loved space grey and silver, starlight (a pale gold colour), and midnight.

The M2 MacBook Air comes in four colours.

The screen size has increased — the ‘Liquid Retina’ display is now 13.6 inches long, 25 percent brighter, and supports up to one billion colours. The new Air comes with an iPhone-like wedge, which gives room for Apple to house a better camera for video calls.

Also read: WWDC 2022: Apple announces new MacBook Air, Pro running M2 chip

Meet the M2

Apple, on June 6, released the M2 chip, which it claims makes several gains compared to its predecessor or even the competition. According to Apple, the M2 helps the Air deliver a 40 percent faster performance. In terms of power, this translates into 18 percent more speed than the M1 and 35 percent better graphics performance.

M1 CPU vs M2 CPU.

M1 GPU vs M2 GPU.

Money matters

As with all things Apple, it's the price that's the catch. The M1 MacBook was launched at a fairly attractive price of Rs 92,900, with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of onboard storage. It has now been bumped up to Rs 99,900. The new MacBook Air starts at a steeper Rs 1,19,900 — Rs 21,000 higher. For 512 GB of storage, you'll have to shell out Rs 1,49,900. For the maxed-out version — 24 GB of RAM and 2 TB of storage — you will need to pay Rs 2,49,900. Almost the price of a small used car.

Apple still sells the M1 Air. As mentioned above, it starts at Rs 99,900 and maxes out at Rs 1,99,900, but with a maximum of 16 GB of RAM.

Here's a comparison of the prices of the two models with similar specifications:

The Apple store allows for customisation vis-à-vis RAM and storage. The M2 MacBook Air also has an option with a 10-core GPU as opposed to an 8-core GPU, but that will cost Rs 10,000 extra per configuration.

Also read: WWDC 2022: Apple announces iOS 16 with overhauled lockscreen, editable iMessages

Should you upgrade?

That depends. If you have a MacBook Air that was released before 2018, then your machine will not be getting the latest OS update — macOS Ventura. So, if you want the latest software on your computer and you have the cash to burn, then go right ahead. Pick your configuration and swipe that card. However, even if your device predates 2017, if your use-case doesn't extend beyond checking emails, watching videos and using word processing software like Pages or Microsoft Word, and it runs just fine right now, there really isn't a reason for you to upgrade.

If you have a compatible machine, then you might want to hold off on upgrading. The 2018 MacBook Air and early-2020 MacBook Air both run on Intel i5 processors and, even by today's demanding standards, are extremely capable machines.

If you have an M1 MacBook Air, why are you even reading this? The M1 MacBook Air is a superb laptop and is a very compelling option if you're looking to upgrade.

However, if you're firmly ensconced in the Apple ecosystem and simply must have the latest and greatest from the Cupertino giant, then your mind is likely made up and come July, you will buy the new MacBook Air.

So, there you are. These are the pros and cons of the new MacBook Air when compared to older models and should help you make up your mind.

Also read: WWDC 2022: All the major announcements Apple made

(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)

First Published:Jun 8, 2022 7:03 AM IST