MacBook Air with M2: Hands-on with Apple's new laptop
Two years after introducing the first MacBook Air with its own in-house processing chips, Apple is ready for the summer sequel.
On Friday, Apple releases the 2022 model of the MacBook Air, which will become the first laptop available with the tech giant's M2 processing chip.
Consumers eager to bump up to a new MacBook Air get more than a zippier laptop but one with subtle tweaks including a better camera, slightly upgraded display and improved audio.
Having spent some time with MacBook Air, I found Apple's new laptop was lightweight and blisteringly fast. Here's everything to know about the MacBook with M2:
Recall problem: Turns out we don't remember many phone numbers any more
Are old iPhones worth anything?: Trade-in values drop depending on software, C-band frequency
When is the new MacBook Air coming out?
The new MacBook Air is available this Friday at Apple stores and through the company's website. It starts at $1,199, but if you go for all the hardware bells and whistles, you could spend nearly $2,500.
The starting model includes a USB-C to MagSafe charging cable and USB-C adapter.
What's new with MacBook Air 2022?
The star of this year's MacBook Air is the M2 chip. Consumers upgrading from MacBook Airs that still use older Intel chips should notice a major performance boost. For example, if you use filters and effects in photo editing tool Photoshop, Apple said its M2 MacBook Air performs five times faster than an Intel-powered Air.
But the M2 seems to handle any and every task with speed and efficiency. Websites load almost immediately when browsing on Safari. Apps pop up super fast, and switching between different apps feels zippy.
The display is slightly larger compared to the 2020 MacBook Air at 13.6 inches. It also boasts a better 1080p FaceTime HD camera, and a four-speaker sound system with support for spatial audio, which provides a surround sound effect when listening to music, movies, or TV shows. Streaming video through the new MacBook Air was pleasurable.
Battery life is roughly the same, but the M2 MacBook Air supports fast charging when using a 67-W USB-C adapter, included with the higher-end Air model or sold separately for $59. The adapter can charge the MacBook Air from zero to 50% battery in 30 minutes.
Is new MacBook Air worth upgrade?
What I appreciate most about MacBook Air is it does almost everything you would need from a laptop and it's under three pounds. It also packs an absolutely gorgeous screen with really impressive sound. Plus, the M2 chip is going to provide versatility when it comes to the types of apps you want to run, whether it's a simple email or heavy-duty tools like video editing software.
If you own an older MacBook Air (the models with an Intel chip) and are looking for something new, the M2 models are well worth checking out. If you just bought the MacBook Air from 2020 with the M1 chip, the gap in performance is much smaller. Don't fret, that two-year-old MacBook is just fine.
Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.