I am super proud of my NEW wallpaper pack in honor of the iPhone15 lineup launch! The same wallpapers are also included for your iPad and Mac! 👉 Get it here: patrickrambles.gumroad.com/ Only for you watching this video, I have created a 15% discount code to say thanks :) Code: SHORTS Your support means everything! ❤
quick question, I bought the MacBook Air M2 8 GB RAM but notice when multiple tabs are open the rainbow wheel comes back into the screen. Can I fix this by closing multiple tabs before I edit for example short-form video via capcut or should I upgrade to a 16 GB RAM. I would love to hear your expertise
People forget the base version of the MacBook Air used to be a core i3 intel model right before the first Apple Silicon macs. The target audience of the Air are lucky these machines can now edit 4K videos.
An honest review from a real user. So many RUclipsrs could learn from this. Thanks for putting out quality REAL content. No gotcha stuff or clickbait BS! Bravo, Sir!
Agreed Thanks, I just purchased this from best buy for my mom and have been freaking out with all of these RUclipsrs bashing the base model. I have a 2022 M1 Pro macbook pro myself and thought a m2 15in base would be prefect for my mom. Still debating on returning it as soon as I receive it to get the 16Gb 512gb model
I bought this laptop for my niece last year on her birthday, due to being an excellent student den and taking college classes in high school. Let say she love taking it everywhere, and doing both her class work and homework on it. For young students is a perfect fit for their work, specially if they use an IPHONE.
You had me at "no shit". 😄 I purchased a base model M2 MBA last October when Amazon had it on sale with a $150 US discount. I haven't been disappointed because I knew what to expect going in, and like you I use it primarily for travel (I have a Mac desktop computer in my home office that does all the heavy lifting). Thanks for another great video.
You’re always so realistic and right. A lot of RUclipsrs can be detached from the audience that they’re making the video for. You’ve always stuck by us with your honesty. Please review the hub! That joint looks sick.
Sad that he has almost 2 minutes of advertising in this video 10seconds for the case and 1.50 for the hub. Owh and then UPDF didnt even watch the whole video yet this video is just a commercial
This is how you make videos that connect with the audience and consumers. Many big-time RUclipsrs think that anything short of an M2 Max MacBook Pro is weak, and wouldn't touch the base model. For most people, the base of the MBA is pretty sick awesome quality. No other laptops in that price range comes close. I could also say the same for the Mini, actually. Just for context, I got the base model, but upgraded to 16GB ram instead.
Could I ask what you use the MacBook for in school? Because I'm getting mine to learn programming in school and I haven't seen real tests of using this as a programming tool
@@StampleD2147AI I'm doing my major in statistics. So it's mostly statistical computation, graphing and some projects based on large data sets. Never did any sort of programming or coding.
@@m9xi_ I'm doing my major in statistics. So it's mostly statistical computation, graphing and some projects based on large data sets. Based on my usage, it never got to the point where it over heats or throttle.
I honestly lost what respect I had any of those reviews that were saying the MacBook Air m2 was bad because it couldn’t do something it wasn’t designed for. Considering on compact it is on top of having no fan, I’ve been impressed with mine. Great battery life, good keyboard, and very portable for moving around. What’s not to love?
Same I love mine ! I bought it for pleasure. I ended up neglecting my PC in the process. So I sold my PC. Now my MBA is my main computer. I’ve also been able to stream for it on twitch! I didn’t even buy it for that. Nor did I think it was capable ! The thing has paid for itself !
I was originally going to get this an upgrade the ram and the SSD and decided to just get the base. It’s really a great machine. I will take it on the road with me when I travel along with my work laptop. My surface pro seven will die in about three hours. I’ve used this on and off for three days without charging it, and never run into any issues
Thank you for the realistic macbook air review..... I decided to to get the macbook air m1 and I have not had any issues even with the M1. However, I purchased it for 749 and I basicly just do basic functions. Works like a dream for web surfing, web apps, emails etc.
I just ordered one with 16GB and 1 TB. Can’t wait. I’m “downgrading” from my 27 inch iMac. Will probably use an external monitor to get bigger edits done.
Honestly, the first & only video review of the MacBook Air that *didn’t* make me want to pull my hair out out of frustration. I literally saw a video comparing an air computer to a MacBook Pro of similar size (13” Air to 14” Pro & 15” Air to 16” Pro). Like, if you’re needing to compare the air to the pro… just get the pro. I also appreciated the fact that you gave real world examples of how you used this computer. I’m planning on getting the 13” MacBook Air (most likely base model because I’m broke as hell 😅) so I can go back to college & finish my degree in a business field dealing with a lot of excel stuff and office work, so it’s nice to know that I won’t be struggling with that. Seriously, those basic office/classroom tasks are almost never talked about. Even on videos specifically for “MacBook Air for students” they still only talk about rendering videos and stuff. Like tell me how having a few safari tabs open for a research project, a word document, & a video/ music player (Hulu, Netflix, etc or Apple Music or Spotify) in the background will affect my experience. Sorry for the rant, it just sucks never getting to hear your specific needs… the entire reason why you’re getting your first computer in half a decade 😤
Crazy your channel isn’t at 1 mil subs, your takes on just about everything are so based and logical. Straight to the point, informative, and entertaining. Keep at it man, so glad I found your channel! Edit: Also, all the little things you type in or “hide” in the video are pretty good laughs
I agree! His video showed up after iJustine, so it makes sense to check his video out I was blown away and I liked how he connected with the audience on which MacBook would be suitable for them, instead of choosing the ones that don’t benefit them. 👍🏽😇
Thanks for doing a followup on this! I was in the market for a midnight colour air so seeing how the finish holds up over this long of time was important to me.
While perhaps unrealistic, the expectations placed on the M2 Air were due, in part, to how well the M1 performed on those same tasks. The biggest gripe about the M2 is not just the single NAND chip storage. Primarily, it was the resulting performance downgrade on several tasks due to the single NAND Chip with a marginal SOC upgrade not making up the difference, and add to that a $200 price hike. While there were other upgrades included like an improved display, it’s a hard pill to swallow to hit performance issues on tasks the M1 Air could handle on a more expensive machine. It’s by no means a bad computer, but the initial pricing was… questionable. Honestly, I think there would have been a lot less fuss if it were originally priced at $1100 or $1150. Still less overall performance in *some* cases for a higher price, but $100-150 more is a much easier pill to swallow with the added value of the better display and processor. $200 more would have been fine with dual NAND chips. $250 more though, even with dual NAND, probably would have landed Apple with bad press. Apple always prices new designs higher, but that took a gamble releasing a single NAND chip model. The base model M1 Air is hard to compete with, even for Apple themselves.
Agree 1000% still rocking my base M1, still editing my YT vids even 4k, no sweat, no stutter, smooth as butter. Base M2 15, not so much. It's all down to Apple choosing cheaper single 256 nand vs slightly more expensive (but 40%+ faster) 2x128 nand chips.
I just got a base M2 Macbook Air and I've been using it for editing photos in lightroom. There can be a slight lag at times but it still handles editing just fine for my needs. It did slow down a bit after about 2 straight hours of editing but that was a non issue for me. Plus the battery life has been great! I'm sure you saw that Apple just announced Final Cut Pro for iPads using M1 and up. I don't understand how the people that were complaining about the M2 Macbook Air overheating and throttling have been demanding to edit their 4k footage in final cut on iPads. Makes no sense to me.
I’m looking at the base m2 air for photo editing. Are you still using the base model? Will I be fine with the base or should I look at getting 16gb ram?
@@Jra362 I would recommend getting the 16gb of ram if you can afford it. Helps future proof it longer. The base model works great for me though and I have no complaints.
Hi Are you editing high resolution photos? (and what camera are you using) And how many photos at a time (in my case it would be between 20 and 100 photos - I use Lightroom)
I get that memory doesnt really work of inbetween numbers but if the base model came with around 10/12 gb of ram. I feel that would be the perfect amount for entry level needs. Video editing and coding or photo edits will always need more. But running youtube and watching movies and several safari tabs open shouldnt need to stress out avg consumers and make them panic upgrade into 16/24 gb of ram. Now 256gb of storage is a slap in the face and really needs to change, but external drives are a thing and very accessible to avg consumers for much cheaper than upgrading it internally via apple. And while the speed trade offs are big, an avg consumer wouldnt notice and arent editing off external drives in the first place. The m2 air is really perfect for what it’s supposed to be. Just the ram is a bit too low and storage in 2023 really ought to be more. While this could easily be fixed if apple just made 16gb ram and 512 storage default, i feel that itd be too good and no one would really upgrade higher. So i get it 😅😂
bought a base model mba in thursday. It does everything i need. I havent had to use swap once yet. I was worried but thankfully i had found your other video and yeah you absolutely are right. this machine is perfect for what it is intended to be and is capable of much more.
I love your balanced, fair, practical videos. You have an easy to listen to delivery and warm style. I have a base model M2 Mac Air in Starlight and love it for all the reasons you cover. I am looking forward to your next video!
I think reviewers should be more critical eg. 256G is completely inadequate, upgrading it doesnt make sense for the price range it takes it to and all ssd's have a finite life so when it does fail you have to throw the whole thing in the bin, criminal for a device capable of a decade plus life span otherwise.... It completely lacks enough ports and adding a dongle takes away from its portability. For all of these reasons I went for the M1air which has all of the same problems for much less money.
Hi, I'm planning on getting this, I've never used macbook my whole life. I do digital marketing, running Facebook ads on browser and edit with canva most of the time. Is the 8gb ram enough?
I just bought the M2 MacBook Air 15” 1TB + 24gb unified memory and I absolutely love it !!! Do I need the extra memory? Nope… but I wanted it… Just Because…
Personally, I use the M2 Air, and it suits me just fine. I can multi-task on an ultra wide monitor just fine with many tabs and apps open, and still have enough left over to watch videos, or use spotify. I have no idea what people are doing where the base model is not enough. I get it if one is editing/processing 4k videos all day long, but as for me, I can still edit photos in Rawtherapee and use GIMP and it's just fine. The thing I look at a lot is the memory pressure. At 6.50 GB, I am still in the green and I have rarely ever got into the yellow, and that only happens during the spike when I am processing a photo, and it's a quick spike. Anyways, that is my 2 cents :)
@@likhtiikalam4264 Hi, as for coding and programming, I am not sure, however, these machines are phenomenal; even at the base model specs. I only use it for my photography work, and a batch edit is the extent of how much I will push the CPU and RAM. My suggestion is to do as much research as possible before making a purchase. There are plenty of videos from programmers about this model. I hope that helps direct you in your research on this laptop.
@@shannonrae9955I’m hoping I can just use the base version for my photo editing needs on occasion and the majority of the time just doing daily tasks like spreadsheets, email, watching videos, internet usage. Wondering what size files you edit? I have a Fujifilm X-T1 and planning to get an older Nikon D700 with 12 Megapixel photos. The Fuji files are 16MP. Shouldn’t be much strain on a processor with lower resolution photos I hope. Wondering if you have a perspective based on your own photography workflow? I use Lightroom, Affinity Photo, and occasionally Luminar.
As a teacher, the battery life is why I will always go Macbook Air over other laptops, that and the weight. The fact I can get through a whole day teaching without charging is sensational.
I am still using my 2015 MacBook Pro everyday and the battery runs all day. It is the original battery. I've never repaired the computer. I have not shut it down in years.
The main problem is the 14" M1 pro can now be found for around 1600. Because of the price the air is now more or less obsolete and you should just get the MBP14 with better screen more ports etc.
@@PatrickRambles Agreed but that is it, it is much more of a “goog looking” device then it is a sensible purchase. I own a MBA M1 with 16GB ram and as a software developer haven’t felt the need to upgrade. I think for a lot of people the MBA M1 is still more then they need and again at current prices these M1 MBA’s can be a real steal. I think you have a nice take on it, but if you are running the numbers and compare this laptop to its closest Apple rivals it’s a hard sell. But oof it is looking sooo good. 😄
@@SanderE39 People don't just buy things because of the "numbers" though. Aesthetics plays a major part in purchasing things. I do wish the MBpro's came in starlight or god forbid Black though 😅
@@ethansteiner it’s £695 for 8gb ram/512gb storage UK online “rarely/good” used. Am not 100% sure if i will buy and go for it. I might do an offer to the seller for like £650 lol
I upgraded to the 8/512 just cause of storage and im pretty sure its gonna run the same as 256 model and i sometimes edit photos and vids and it easily runs smoothly even tho sometimes it over heats but i think its because ive been using it for a long while, but if you want heavy editing get the 16gb model my sister has it and its way faster than mine
Just picked up the m2 15in air with 16gb and 512gb. Glad I got the more RAM and storage. Ran a basic test of having a safari tab open playing a RUclips video and nothing else running and it was using 11gb of RAM! Would definitely recommend having at least 16gb or RAM for sure. Also battery life is amazing after watching a 2 and a half hour long movie at full brightness went from 100% to 75%! Amazing
Thank you for the no b.s. long term review!! Helped make my purchasing decision a lot easier. Also a master class in seamlessly integrating affiliate products. Keep killing it!!
I do Ableton Live audio recording, nothing major, 6-7 tracks per song, sends channels with FX, plug ins, synth work, drum machines, etc and my base M2 handles all of that like a walk in the park. My advice to ppl looking into buying an MBA M2: know your needs, make sure you pick the right configuration and you will never regret your purchase. DO NOT purchase the base model for 8K video editing or serious audio recording (ie 50 tracks, multiple layers of sound, tons of FX...) and likewise don't waste your money buying a spec-ed up machine if you only need one for day to day tasks - web browsing, writing, emails, Netflix, spreadsheets, Photoshop/Lightroom photo touchups etc.
Need ur advice. Im graphic designer and im windows and mac user when i was in company, but my personal rig is pc. And i want to sell my pc. Just confusing about to pick base model or windows laptop with the same price with oled i7 12/13 gen with 16gb with rtx 3050 ti. I used to have many tab on chrome and open potoshop and illustrator same time. Not much editing video in premiere and after effect and i dont mind with battery life performance. What would you choose ? Thankyouu
I get one of those with 16GB of memory, NEVER get to use 80% of memory even with 2 browsers with 10 tabs each, MS 365 tabs (witch is pretty intense memory consuming), office, many apps open and so on. And I never get to use more than 50% of the cpu, in my daily work, usually uses about 25%. When I was searching for a new laptop I was looking for some Asus ROG with Intel 12th, but it comes with heavy weight to carry on (both laptop and power source). For now, so far, so good for me.
Hey Patrick, thank you for the review, nice work! I do have a question for you - even though I realize the M2 air is for light use, could it still occasionally be used for some more demanding stuff? Nothing crazy, but still - editing a 5-10 min 4k video, music production, photo editing? Thank you!
Mine's over a year running FCP, Logic Pro, Apple's Motion, Adobe PS, Camtasia, and other heavy apps. I know the device limitations and I've kept my computing needs within a reasonable pace. I've used MacBook Pros and when you get overconfident to go beyond the device extremes you're bound to have issues like thermal for starters.
I have the m1 Air and only thing I wish was different was we got MagSafe too. But that’s small.. other then that, it’s been fantastic. If I had needed a laptop this year though.. of course I’d have got the m2 over the M1 but that’s only because I keep laptops ~10 years.
At the Apple Store, the employee said the 512gb ssd has faster performance than the lower or even higher counterparts. So he suggested getting that and using external storage. And if it performs faster would be better for swap too
It is faster as it uses two SSDs essentially set to Raid0. The external storage is a very workable idea. One thing I've noticed with the Apple Silicon machines when compared to Intel is that they seem to swap far less. (My 32GB Intel creates much larger swap files than my 16GB MBA when performing similar tasks)
I really do think that other creators are thinking that the m2 air can be capable of pro tasks but in the real world, many people buy this for daily web browsing and occasional editing and with the recent release of the 15', this laptop would be the laptop to get for 90% of people
I just bought a 2023 model with 516GB and 8GB and 15" screen. I like it a lot. I don't do heavy editing for videos and RAW pictures, therefore, it works really fast and perfectly fine. I could have bought the 16GB to be future proof but they do sell external USB C Ram and it should be perfectly fine. Besides, it is an Apple, expect it to work very well unlike the Microsoft based garbage. My 12 year old MacBook Air still works fine for my wife, However, I don't do any iOS upgrades because it doesn't support them anymore.
I work in a big dev company where they give MacBook Air's to developers. They run tons of heavy apps on them even while on the call with others with screen share. Very heavy multitasking etc. I never heard from any of my colleague a single bad word about Air. They run very well. I personally still use an old Dell though. so... Windows guy ^^
I watched your video review of m2 air before and get base model. Totally satisfied with my just reguler use not playing game, just watch film, edit photo, not edit 4k video. Very NICE laptop.
Just picked one of these up for about half of what they are new and wanted some opinions on it....low and behold you popped up thankfully. Thanks Patrick!
Thanks for your take on this. You explain your thoughts very well. Very logical. A lot of similar videos on YT but yours are the best. Very trustworthy.
Watching from a 2018 Macbook Air base model. Six years in as my only notebook, used to do office stuff (sheets, powerpoints, internet, chat, etc). Battery has been fried for two years now. It`s also showing signs of slowing dow. Did I full factory reset for the first time, but don`t really feel it brought anything to its performance. And I have 216 gb free space at the HD (of its 256gb). It served me really well. But honestly, I was expecting it to last a little longer than this. Paid USD 1k for it back in 2018, at a B&H in New York. Curiously, I had Macbook Pro before it. That was bought in 2012. And I also changed it after 6 years of the same kind of use. The only upgrade there was a SSD, it really improved performance a lot. I wonder if this baby of mine here will get to see 10 years while still not driving my nerves to load things and tabs and etc
hi, i’m currently considering buying another macbook and on a budget. i have a mb pro 2013 for almost 10 years now, and for its price back then, it’s something super worth it that it can last as long and as strong as it is. do you think this m2 mba would last as long as a pro? i just want to make sure i invest in the right laptop :) thank u!!
Agree, I just bought the base model M2 Air in midnight to use for presentation and as a general laptop. My M1 Mini with 16 GB and 512 GB is still just fine for my video editing needs. I don't need more than 1080P and if I did I would get a studio. I was going to buy an M Air but the M2 Air base model from the Mac refurb store here in Australia was only a bit more than the older model. I do use it for Zoom so the 1080p camera was worth the extra I paid for it. And the full size Function keys are better. So I'm happy. Besides the midnight version is just the best looking computer I've ever owned and my first one ran DOS 1.1. I am immediately ordering a sleeve. Good tip!
My m2 air key board stopped working three months out of warranty. Apple said I need to pay the repair costs. Really sucks for such an expensive product. I had no physical or liquid damage
Thanks man. Yeah I think a lot of people jumped on the hype wagon to bash the base model. Yes it can run into memory swap issues because of the single NAND chip but you'd have to press it pretty hard and most casual users will never notice any issues.
I’m planning to get the m2 MacBook Air 15 and dk if I should upgrade the ram from 8 to 16gb or upgrade the storage from 256 to 512 gb because my budget is limited:( If I could pick only one, which one should I upgrade from the two for most use cases. I'm a computer science student by the way
I just received mie yesterday and alongside my iPad and refurbished iMac it is one of my best investment ever made this machine is amazing . IfI want more power than I will go to a MBP M3 . Amazing machine for artists.
I really appreciate the points you've made with this video. Specifically the point where other content creators bashing the base model by pushing the laptop under extremely heavy load. At that point, the Pro lineup would suit those needs. The base model is still very snappy with multiple active tabs open and moderate workload, more than enough for an average user, as long as I don't export photos in Lightroom with 50 tabs open which I won't with a MacBook Air to begin with...
I’m going to start college majoring in design and marketing, do you think the MacBook Air m2 512 gb will be good for me or should I consider the pro , I really like the weight of the air and how easy it is to carry , pls do suggest me Thanks
Am planing to get my first MacBook I ll use the MacBook Air for 1. Multiple tabs in browser - article reading and RUclips videos. 2. Content viewing. 3. Ppt 3. Since am planing to get iPhone 15 pro, may be learn to do minor photo & video editing ( tour videos). 4. Teleradiology ( viewing and very minor graphic processing 2D to volume rendering) _ bigger screen is better here. 5. Use my iPad as sidecar in reporting. 6. May connect a monitor in future. With these uses, Since MacBook Air is well built am planing to use for atleast few years 5plus Should I get 8 or 16 gb ram keeping in mind on the works and future proofing for macOS updates.
Great video and thank you for sharing your honest opinion. I'm making the switch from PC to Mac and worried on the base MBA M2 with only 8GB/256GB. I'm not a gamer or a video editor and this machine will be solely for everyday use browsing, paying bills, and watching RUclips videos like yours. Only difference is I'm going with the 15" instead of the 13".
As a college student that just bought, Doing Excel, Word and Powerpoint and most of the time i use my phone to take a note. while doing zoom for hours at a time. Is good. for 928.60$ ? Is way good. I do some editing for a video, It is the best laptop for its price.
I do not edit videos but use my base MacBook Air for presentations (Keynote), writing (Pages) and working with spreadsheets (Numbers). I tend to have multiple tabs on Safari open at the same time with Spotify in the background, Mail, Notes etc. I do run out of RAM at times and I can tell when the computer is under heavy pressure but, for the most, it runs perfectly fine. I do not understand the expectations people have and how it is possible that a 2022 M2 MacBook Air does not meet them (unless you do heavy editing etc, but then that's not the laptop for you). My MacBook Air is the early 2014 version...
Great video! I am deciding on my first macbook ill just be doing college work so basically having word excel and powerpoint. the video shows that this one is definitely a solid choice
Thanks Patrick for your honest reviews, I always enjoy them! I am personally still very happy with the base model (bought it in June 2023). I use it for making music with Ableton Live, some Graphics stuff, Media consumption. And for these use cases it's the perfect device.
I have the m2 mba (8/512) in starlight and it’s pretty good. However I do wish I upgraded the ram to 16gb over 8 instead of the ssd to 512gb because it just isn’t enough for me. I always have multiple tabs open on chrome and safari, emails, zoom, Netflix/RUclips consummation. I would like to get the 16” MBP eventually 🙂
I’m enjoying my Mac Air M2 no disappointment here, I did however get up to fast not paying attention when my M2 Air was on the table and the cable came flying off MacBook stayed in place the magnetic is a nice feature, as always I enjoy PR input
Thanks for the ramble. I think you touched on some very obvious points that most "techtubers" overlook. It will be the same people complaining the electric car does not have enough range because they have not heard of the word "enough". For some people enough is never enough, the glass is always half empty. I use a 16" MBP M1 because of the screen, my eyes are older and so I can really appreciate the real estate. That is a choice I made and an investment in myself I decided on. People: The MBA is enough, I used to run the 16Gb M1 that is now in the hands of my wife, she is happy with it, and so happy wife... happy life.
I have a question. My question is just a little out of topic but very important. You are doing a lot of reviews, and maybe you can answer the question. Does MacBook Air Thunderbolt support a 4K 120 or 144hz refresh rate to an external monitor or 4K TV, which also supports 120hz?
Another great video! My base model M2 Air has been the perfect party laptop companion to my company-issued Lenovo ThinkPad for work. It's an awesome weekend laptop for personal productivity and consumption. Also, it looks bitchin' in Midnight.
Hi there. I plug in my laptop to an external monitor, uses MS Word (2 or 3 tabs opened at the same time), Apple note opened, Safari with at least 5 to 6 tab, and running Apple music for background music. I occasionally use Photoshop and Illustrator together. You reckons it will make the M2 hot? I am considering to by this M2 for Christmas
Hi I am a university student who doesn’t do much extensive work on it, I mainly use the office apps such as Microsoft word and PowerPoint. I am writing my dissertation next year so it will using PowerPoint a lot. I do use a lot of tabs, however I have been using the 2017 air and it was completely fine with all of my tabs as a base model, I don’t really notice the ‘specs’ because I’m just a casual user. I am thinking of purchasing the base model M2 just because of my budget as a student. Do you think this base model would be okay for me?
Hey I want to purchase a mac now and this will be my first ever apple product. I am really confused between base m1 air, m2 air 16/256 and m2 air 8/512. Which one should I choose? I am a college student and my basic work includes coding, excel, word, PowerPoint, surfing the web, zoom meetings etc. So what will be a good choice for me? Pls reply as I am really confused between the three of them!
April 2024. I had an old 2018ish MB air. Loved it. Got off Apple for a few years. (just kept iPhone13 and iPad Air gen4) A few weeks ago i upgraded the iPad to the IPad Pro 12.9 inch. Love it. Looks to be pretty much the MB Pro without the keyboard. A few days ago i decided i wanted another MB. Would be just for basic use so decided on the M2 air. I ordered an Apple refurb unit. Should be here in a few days. (of course i got the midnight color.)
Would a MacBook Air be fine for basic day to day stuff? I don’t do Any of that crazy stuff. I use like 10 chrome tabs for work while also running slack, email, excel, word and then basic document downloads. And then the occasional zoom. Right now I have a 2012 MacBook Pro. Battery doesn’t hold charge well, it could be a little faster so I figured an update would be worth it.
I love mine. (Well, my wife's actually). Compared to my work MBP (2019, i9, 32GB) the Air (M2, 16GB) runs circles around it in nearly everything. Video exports are MUCH faster on the Air. The M1/M2 Pro of course is much faster. But it is amazing how fast Intel has been outpaced. Actually the ONLY thing that gives me pause about the laptop is the 1 external display limitation. It's not a deal breaker, but it's a really silly limitation that just shouldn't exist.
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Only for you watching this video, I have created a 15% discount code to say thanks :)
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Your support means everything! ❤
Can this thing really not display to 2 monitors?
quick question, I bought the MacBook Air M2 8 GB RAM but notice when multiple tabs are open the rainbow wheel comes back into the screen. Can I fix this by closing multiple tabs before I edit for example short-form video via capcut or should I upgrade to a 16 GB RAM. I would love to hear your expertise
Sure, you can stop RAM hungry processes before starting another one, that will help.
Nope. Not on its own.
"When you love something a lot can happen in 9 months"
This comment was made 10 months ago, so the baby is one month old! 😅
@@JESUSISCALLINGYOU7 lmao 10 months 2 weeks now
@@MrHoWTuber 😁
After 9 months -
💻 🤰🏻🤱🏻👩🏻🍼
People forget the base version of the MacBook Air used to be a core i3 intel model right before the first Apple Silicon macs. The target audience of the Air are lucky these machines can now edit 4K videos.
Exactly
Agreed, that's crazy how much technology can evolve in such a short span of time.
But yet, still 256ssd/8gb base model which is silly in 2023. Upgrades are overpriced. Technology evolves.
@@PatrickRambles how much trash will you try to sell viewers during your old washed out review
Usually people who look down on base M1 MacBook Air, don’t even edit video in 1080p. They are just being judgmental.
An honest review from a real user. So many RUclipsrs could learn from this. Thanks for putting out quality REAL content. No gotcha stuff or clickbait BS! Bravo, Sir!
Ah thanks Chris, I appreciate that!
Agreed Thanks, I just purchased this from best buy for my mom and have been freaking out with all of these RUclipsrs bashing the base model. I have a 2022 M1 Pro macbook pro myself and thought a m2 15in base would be prefect for my mom. Still debating on returning it as soon as I receive it to get the 16Gb 512gb model
I bought this laptop for my niece last year on her birthday, due to being an excellent student den and taking college classes in high school. Let say she love taking it everywhere, and doing both her class work and homework on it. For young students is a perfect fit for their work, specially if they use an IPHONE.
You had me at "no shit". 😄
I purchased a base model M2 MBA last October when Amazon had it on sale with a $150 US discount. I haven't been disappointed because I knew what to expect going in, and like you I use it primarily for travel (I have a Mac desktop computer in my home office that does all the heavy lifting). Thanks for another great video.
Haha thanks Bryan!
You’re always so realistic and right. A lot of RUclipsrs can be detached from the audience that they’re making the video for. You’ve always stuck by us with your honesty. Please review the hub! That joint looks sick.
Thanks man, I really appreciate that!
Sad that he has almost 2 minutes of advertising in this video 10seconds for the case and 1.50 for the hub. Owh and then UPDF didnt even watch the whole video yet this video is just a commercial
@@tristan1805 na
This is how you make videos that connect with the audience and consumers. Many big-time RUclipsrs think that anything short of an M2 Max MacBook Pro is weak, and wouldn't touch the base model.
For most people, the base of the MBA is pretty sick awesome quality. No other laptops in that price range comes close. I could also say the same for the Mini, actually.
Just for context, I got the base model, but upgraded to 16GB ram instead.
Thanks very much, I appreciate the kind words!
Most RUclips rewievers only compare their own personal work flow - editing and exporting videos. That's not what most people do in real life!
16 gb ram is a smart move. I’ve always been of the mind where more RAM makes things run smoother. Smooth is good.
16gb ram is not the definition of base model ...
Bought my MacBook air m2 base version last January for school purposes. Till now the best purchase i ever made
It's awesome when a piece of tech just works, isn't it? Glad it's working out for you.
Could I ask what you use the MacBook for in school? Because I'm getting mine to learn programming in school and I haven't seen real tests of using this as a programming tool
A question, what work did you exactly use it for? and did it overheat or throttle at any point?
@@StampleD2147AI I'm doing my major in statistics. So it's mostly statistical computation, graphing and some projects based on large data sets. Never did any sort of programming or coding.
@@m9xi_ I'm doing my major in statistics. So it's mostly statistical computation, graphing and some projects based on large data sets. Based on my usage, it never got to the point where it over heats or throttle.
I honestly lost what respect I had any of those reviews that were saying the MacBook Air m2 was bad because it couldn’t do something it wasn’t designed for. Considering on compact it is on top of having no fan, I’ve been impressed with mine. Great battery life, good keyboard, and very portable for moving around. What’s not to love?
Same I love mine ! I bought it for pleasure. I ended up neglecting my PC in the process. So I sold my PC. Now my MBA is my main computer.
I’ve also been able to stream for it on twitch! I didn’t even buy it for that. Nor did I think it was capable ! The thing has paid for itself !
I was originally going to get this an upgrade the ram and the SSD and decided to just get the base. It’s really a great machine. I will take it on the road with me when I travel along with my work laptop. My surface pro seven will die in about three hours. I’ve used this on and off for three days without charging it, and never run into any issues
Thank you for the realistic macbook air review..... I decided to to get the macbook air m1 and I have not had any issues even with the M1. However, I purchased it for 749 and I basicly just do basic functions. Works like a dream for web surfing, web apps, emails etc.
Love my M2 Air. I upgraded to 16GB and 512 drive and it is an amazing and portable machine. Love it. Thanks!
That's awesome!
I just ordered one with 16GB and 1 TB. Can’t wait. I’m “downgrading” from my 27 inch iMac. Will probably use an external monitor to get bigger edits done.
It's upgradable? if u buy 256 it is possible to upgrade into 512gb?
@2JZ-it8ug sadly, no. Apple locks that down completely.
@@PatrickRambles what you recommend a 24gb Ram and 256gb SSD or a 16gb/500gb SSD? For software developer
Honestly, the first & only video review of the MacBook Air that *didn’t* make me want to pull my hair out out of frustration. I literally saw a video comparing an air computer to a MacBook Pro of similar size (13” Air to 14” Pro & 15” Air to 16” Pro). Like, if you’re needing to compare the air to the pro… just get the pro.
I also appreciated the fact that you gave real world examples of how you used this computer. I’m planning on getting the 13” MacBook Air (most likely base model because I’m broke as hell 😅) so I can go back to college & finish my degree in a business field dealing with a lot of excel stuff and office work, so it’s nice to know that I won’t be struggling with that. Seriously, those basic office/classroom tasks are almost never talked about. Even on videos specifically for “MacBook Air for students” they still only talk about rendering videos and stuff. Like tell me how having a few safari tabs open for a research project, a word document, & a video/ music player (Hulu, Netflix, etc or Apple Music or Spotify) in the background will affect my experience.
Sorry for the rant, it just sucks never getting to hear your specific needs… the entire reason why you’re getting your first computer in half a decade 😤
Thanks dude and for the rant 😅. I feel ya.
Crazy your channel isn’t at 1 mil subs, your takes on just about everything are so based and logical. Straight to the point, informative, and entertaining. Keep at it man, so glad I found your channel!
Edit: Also, all the little things you type in or “hide” in the video are pretty good laughs
Haha thanks man, I appreciate that!
I agree! His video showed up after iJustine, so it makes sense to check his video out I was blown away and I liked how he connected with the audience on which MacBook would be suitable for them, instead of choosing the ones that don’t benefit them. 👍🏽😇
@T3XACAN0 thank you 🙏🏻
Thanks for doing a followup on this! I was in the market for a midnight colour air so seeing how the finish holds up over this long of time was important to me.
While perhaps unrealistic, the expectations placed on the M2 Air were due, in part, to how well the M1 performed on those same tasks. The biggest gripe about the M2 is not just the single NAND chip storage. Primarily, it was the resulting performance downgrade on several tasks due to the single NAND Chip with a marginal SOC upgrade not making up the difference, and add to that a $200 price hike. While there were other upgrades included like an improved display, it’s a hard pill to swallow to hit performance issues on tasks the M1 Air could handle on a more expensive machine. It’s by no means a bad computer, but the initial pricing was… questionable. Honestly, I think there would have been a lot less fuss if it were originally priced at $1100 or $1150. Still less overall performance in *some* cases for a higher price, but $100-150 more is a much easier pill to swallow with the added value of the better display and processor. $200 more would have been fine with dual NAND chips. $250 more though, even with dual NAND, probably would have landed Apple with bad press.
Apple always prices new designs higher, but that took a gamble releasing a single NAND chip model.
The base model M1 Air is hard to compete with, even for Apple themselves.
Agree 1000% still rocking my base M1, still editing my YT vids even 4k, no sweat, no stutter, smooth as butter. Base M2 15, not so much. It's all down to Apple choosing cheaper single 256 nand vs slightly more expensive (but 40%+ faster) 2x128 nand chips.
@@SideTripLifei wanted m1 but ended with m2 just because of the slightly bigger and better screen. An expensive screen....
I just got a base M2 Macbook Air and I've been using it for editing photos in lightroom. There can be a slight lag at times but it still handles editing just fine for my needs. It did slow down a bit after about 2 straight hours of editing but that was a non issue for me. Plus the battery life has been great! I'm sure you saw that Apple just announced Final Cut Pro for iPads using M1 and up. I don't understand how the people that were complaining about the M2 Macbook Air overheating and throttling have been demanding to edit their 4k footage in final cut on iPads. Makes no sense to me.
I’m looking at the base m2 air for photo editing. Are you still using the base model? Will I be fine with the base or should I look at getting 16gb ram?
@@Jra362 I would recommend getting the 16gb of ram if you can afford it. Helps future proof it longer. The base model works great for me though and I have no complaints.
Hi
Are you editing high resolution photos? (and what camera are you using)
And how many photos at a time (in my case it would be between 20 and 100 photos - I use Lightroom)
I get that memory doesnt really work of inbetween numbers but if the base model came with around 10/12 gb of ram. I feel that would be the perfect amount for entry level needs.
Video editing and coding or photo edits will always need more. But running youtube and watching movies and several safari tabs open shouldnt need to stress out avg consumers and make them panic upgrade into 16/24 gb of ram.
Now 256gb of storage is a slap in the face and really needs to change, but external drives are a thing and very accessible to avg consumers for much cheaper than upgrading it internally via apple. And while the speed trade offs are big, an avg consumer wouldnt notice and arent editing off external drives in the first place.
The m2 air is really perfect for what it’s supposed to be. Just the ram is a bit too low and storage in 2023 really ought to be more. While this could easily be fixed if apple just made 16gb ram and 512 storage default, i feel that itd be too good and no one would really upgrade higher. So i get it 😅😂
bought a base model mba in thursday. It does everything i need. I havent had to use swap once yet. I was worried but thankfully i had found your other video and yeah you absolutely are right. this machine is perfect for what it is intended to be and is capable of much more.
So glad it's working out for you 💪
I have a 2013 MacBook Air. I’m getting this and I’m excited for it I’ll mainly use it for music and save my pictures on as well as light use
I love your balanced, fair, practical videos. You have an easy to listen to delivery and warm style. I have a base model M2 Mac Air in Starlight and love it for all the reasons you cover. I am looking forward to your next video!
Thank you, I appreciate that!
I think reviewers should be more critical eg. 256G is completely inadequate, upgrading it doesnt make sense for the price range it takes it to and all ssd's have a finite life so when it does fail you have to throw the whole thing in the bin, criminal for a device capable of a decade plus life span otherwise.... It completely lacks enough ports and adding a dongle takes away from its portability. For all of these reasons I went for the M1air which has all of the same problems for much less money.
Hi, I'm planning on getting this, I've never used macbook my whole life. I do digital marketing, running Facebook ads on browser and edit with canva most of the time. Is the 8gb ram enough?
It should do the trick yes. If it’s in your budget, upgrading to 16 is always a good idea.
I bought the basic silver version and it runs great. I bought the 14pro a year ago, but use this M2 on most cases
It's fun to use.
I just bought the M2 MacBook Air 15” 1TB + 24gb unified memory and I absolutely love it !!! Do I need the extra memory? Nope… but I wanted it… Just Because…
Personally, I use the M2 Air, and it suits me just fine. I can multi-task on an ultra wide monitor just fine with many tabs and apps open, and still have enough left over to watch videos, or use spotify. I have no idea what people are doing where the base model is not enough. I get it if one is editing/processing 4k videos all day long, but as for me, I can still edit photos in Rawtherapee and use GIMP and it's just fine. The thing I look at a lot is the memory pressure. At 6.50 GB, I am still in the green and I have rarely ever got into the yellow, and that only happens during the spike when I am processing a photo, and it's a quick spike. Anyways, that is my 2 cents :)
Can i use base model for coding (im a student)
@@likhtiikalam4264 Hi, as for coding and programming, I am not sure, however, these machines are phenomenal; even at the base model specs. I only use it for my photography work, and a batch edit is the extent of how much I will push the CPU and RAM. My suggestion is to do as much research as possible before making a purchase. There are plenty of videos from programmers about this model. I hope that helps direct you in your research on this laptop.
@@shannonrae9955I’m hoping I can just use the base version for my photo editing needs on occasion and the majority of the time just doing daily tasks like spreadsheets, email, watching videos, internet usage. Wondering what size files you edit? I have a Fujifilm X-T1 and planning to get an older Nikon D700 with 12 Megapixel photos. The Fuji files are 16MP. Shouldn’t be much strain on a processor with lower resolution photos I hope. Wondering if you have a perspective based on your own photography workflow? I use Lightroom, Affinity Photo, and occasionally Luminar.
I use my macbook air M2 base model to create some 3D desings in fusion 360 en yes! It does perfectly fast!
As a teacher, the battery life is why I will always go Macbook Air over other laptops, that and the weight. The fact I can get through a whole day teaching without charging is sensational.
I am still using my 2015 MacBook Pro everyday and the battery runs all day. It is the original battery. I've never repaired the computer. I have not shut it down in years.
The main problem is the 14" M1 pro can now be found for around 1600. Because of the price the air is now more or less obsolete and you should just get the MBP14 with better screen more ports etc.
I agree wholeheartedly. However, there is a large subgroup of users that love the air for its portability and looks.
@@PatrickRambles Agreed but that is it, it is much more of a “goog looking” device then it is a sensible purchase. I own a MBA M1 with 16GB ram and as a software developer haven’t felt the need to upgrade. I think for a lot of people the MBA M1 is still more then they need and again at current prices these M1 MBA’s can be a real steal. I think you have a nice take on it, but if you are running the numbers and compare this laptop to its closest Apple rivals it’s a hard sell. But oof it is looking sooo good. 😄
Hard sell indeed.
@@SanderE39 People don't just buy things because of the "numbers" though. Aesthetics plays a major part in purchasing things. I do wish the MBpro's came in starlight or god forbid Black though 😅
@@SanderE39What other laptops would you consider?
Very clear and honest review no to bashing the air like others! HANDS UP TO YOU! 🙌
Thanks!
got mine in from amazon yesterday and I have absolutely zero regrets, went for the base model as well but in silver
Sweet!
How much mate?
@ it’s originally $999 but is on sale for $749
@@ethansteiner it’s £695 for 8gb ram/512gb storage UK online “rarely/good” used. Am not 100% sure if i will buy and go for it. I might do an offer to the seller for like £650 lol
@@ethansteiner ok cool how was the performance mate? How’s the display?
Starts at 5:32
Thank you for defending my choice of model. I’m a teacher and this is more than enough for my work.
100% - this machine is made for users like you.
Would the base model be sufficient for basic use Plus a small amount of photo editing and file transfers to external drives ?
I upgraded to the 8/512 just cause of storage and im pretty sure its gonna run the same as 256 model and i sometimes edit photos and vids and it easily runs smoothly even tho sometimes it over heats but i think its because ive been using it for a long while, but if you want heavy editing get the 16gb model my sister has it and its way faster than mine
And files transfers do take a bit of time its the sametime as the m1 air
As per usual, you've boiled it down perfectly 'there's a reason that one is called the Pro and this one is called the Air.'
Thanks Sarah!
Ram, ram, ram. I made the mistake buying a Mac mini with 8gb of ram. It’s constantly using swap. Can you say hard drive failure in my future.
same here, what can we do about it?
Just picked up the m2 15in air with 16gb and 512gb. Glad I got the more RAM and storage. Ran a basic test of having a safari tab open playing a RUclips video and nothing else running and it was using 11gb of RAM! Would definitely recommend having at least 16gb or RAM for sure. Also battery life is amazing after watching a 2 and a half hour long movie at full brightness went from 100% to 75%! Amazing
That's awesome!
The people that need a Pro will understand what he’s talking about. If any of the lingo doesn’t make sense, enjoy your Air - it’s perfect for you.
😂
Really great and down to earth review. Much appreciated Patrick ;)
Thank you for the no b.s. long term review!! Helped make my purchasing decision a lot easier. Also a master class in seamlessly integrating affiliate products. Keep killing it!!
Thank you 🙏
I do Ableton Live audio recording, nothing major, 6-7 tracks per song, sends channels with FX, plug ins, synth work, drum machines, etc and my base M2 handles all of that like a walk in the park. My advice to ppl looking into buying an MBA M2: know your needs, make sure you pick the right configuration and you will never regret your purchase.
DO NOT purchase the base model for 8K video editing or serious audio recording (ie 50 tracks, multiple layers of sound, tons of FX...) and likewise don't waste your money buying a spec-ed up machine if you only need one for day to day tasks - web browsing, writing, emails, Netflix, spreadsheets, Photoshop/Lightroom photo touchups etc.
Will 8gb/256gb enough for only office work related to documents ?
@nehaparashar4205 yes.
Need ur advice. Im graphic designer and im windows and mac user when i was in company, but my personal rig is pc. And i want to sell my pc. Just confusing about to pick base model or windows laptop with the same price with oled i7 12/13 gen with 16gb with rtx 3050 ti. I used to have many tab on chrome and open potoshop and illustrator same time. Not much editing video in premiere and after effect and i dont mind with battery life performance. What would you choose ? Thankyouu
Thanks! This is excellent - it really helped me get closer to my decision.
I get one of those with 16GB of memory, NEVER get to use 80% of memory even with 2 browsers with 10 tabs each, MS 365 tabs (witch is pretty intense memory consuming), office, many apps open and so on.
And I never get to use more than 50% of the cpu, in my daily work, usually uses about 25%.
When I was searching for a new laptop I was looking for some Asus ROG with Intel 12th, but it comes with heavy weight to carry on (both laptop and power source).
For now, so far, so good for me.
If you're saying this, i might consider the base model and no need to add more money for 16gb hahaha
One of the better audio comparisons I've seen (regardless of models.) Kudos
Thanks!
Got a max spec M1 air happy days never gets hot
Hey Patrick, thank you for the review, nice work!
I do have a question for you - even though I realize the M2 air is for light use, could it still occasionally be used for some more demanding stuff?
Nothing crazy, but still - editing a 5-10 min 4k video, music production, photo editing?
Thank you!
Yes
Mine's over a year running FCP, Logic Pro, Apple's Motion, Adobe PS, Camtasia, and other heavy apps. I know the device limitations and I've kept my computing needs within a reasonable pace. I've used MacBook Pros and when you get overconfident to go beyond the device extremes you're bound to have issues like thermal for starters.
I have the m1 Air and only thing I wish was different was we got MagSafe too. But that’s small.. other then that, it’s been fantastic. If I had needed a laptop this year though.. of course I’d have got the m2 over the M1 but that’s only because I keep laptops ~10 years.
Should I buy the m1 or m2 air then? I’m heading into college
@@nanidesuka1591m2
@@nanidesuka1591 Or wait for M3 if possible
At the Apple Store, the employee said the 512gb ssd has faster performance than the lower or even higher counterparts. So he suggested getting that and using external storage. And if it performs faster would be better for swap too
It is faster as it uses two SSDs essentially set to Raid0. The external storage is a very workable idea.
One thing I've noticed with the Apple Silicon machines when compared to Intel is that they seem to swap far less. (My 32GB Intel creates much larger swap files than my 16GB MBA when performing similar tasks)
I really do think that other creators are thinking that the m2 air can be capable of pro tasks but in the real world, many people buy this for daily web browsing and occasional editing and with the recent release of the 15', this laptop would be the laptop to get for 90% of people
I just bought a 2023 model with 516GB and 8GB and 15" screen. I like it a lot. I don't do heavy editing for videos and RAW pictures, therefore, it works really fast and perfectly fine. I could have bought the 16GB to be future proof but they do sell external USB C Ram and it should be perfectly fine. Besides, it is an Apple, expect it to work very well unlike the Microsoft based garbage. My 12 year old MacBook Air still works fine for my wife, However, I don't do any iOS upgrades because it doesn't support them anymore.
I really liked ur video & style, couldn't skip to other video. Just wanted to listen to u. Subscribed with all notifications. From India.
Thank you so much 🙂
The way my jaw dropped when you popped the hub off of the base station 😮
Always pleased with your videos, thank you
Thanks man, I appreciate that 🙏🏻
Just subscribed because of this realistic video!
🤝
I work in a big dev company where they give MacBook Air's to developers. They run tons of heavy apps on them even while on the call with others with screen share. Very heavy multitasking etc. I never heard from any of my colleague a single bad word about Air. They run very well. I personally still use an old Dell though. so... Windows guy ^^
I watched your video review of m2 air before and get base model. Totally satisfied with my just reguler use not playing game, just watch film, edit photo, not edit 4k video. Very NICE laptop.
Glad you're enjoying it, man!
I love mine. I love the smudges. Gives it a camo look.
Haha never looked at it that way.
Just picked one of these up for about half of what they are new and wanted some opinions on it....low and behold you popped up thankfully. Thanks Patrick!
Haha nice to see you here 🤝
@@PatrickRambles I've watched quite a few of your vids. Always good stuff
Thanks man, much appreciated.
Thanks for your take on this. You explain your thoughts very well. Very logical. A lot of similar videos on YT but yours are the best. Very trustworthy.
I appreciate that!
Watching from a 2018 Macbook Air base model. Six years in as my only notebook, used to do office stuff (sheets, powerpoints, internet, chat, etc). Battery has been fried for two years now. It`s also showing signs of slowing dow. Did I full factory reset for the first time, but don`t really feel it brought anything to its performance. And I have 216 gb free space at the HD (of its 256gb). It served me really well. But honestly, I was expecting it to last a little longer than this. Paid USD 1k for it back in 2018, at a B&H in New York. Curiously, I had Macbook Pro before it. That was bought in 2012. And I also changed it after 6 years of the same kind of use. The only upgrade there was a SSD, it really improved performance a lot. I wonder if this baby of mine here will get to see 10 years while still not driving my nerves to load things and tabs and etc
hi, i’m currently considering buying another macbook and on a budget. i have a mb pro 2013 for almost 10 years now, and for its price back then, it’s something super worth it that it can last as long and as strong as it is. do you think this m2 mba would last as long as a pro? i just want to make sure i invest in the right laptop :) thank u!!
Agree, I just bought the base model M2 Air in midnight to use for presentation and as a general laptop. My M1 Mini with 16 GB and 512 GB is still just fine for my video editing needs. I don't need more than 1080P and if I did I would get a studio. I was going to buy an M Air but the M2 Air base model from the Mac refurb store here in Australia was only a bit more than the older model. I do use it for Zoom so the 1080p camera was worth the extra I paid for it. And the full size Function keys are better. So I'm happy. Besides the midnight version is just the best looking computer I've ever owned and my first one ran DOS 1.1. I am immediately ordering a sleeve. Good tip!
This video solidified my decision, that the base model is enough for me, and no need to purchase any expensive update. Thanks!
Thanks :)
My m2 air key board stopped working three months out of warranty. Apple said I need to pay the repair costs. Really sucks for such an expensive product. I had no physical or liquid damage
Jeez, that's awful...
@@PatrickRambles yup and it’s an expensive repair so now I am contemplating a new MacBook
What version of the Mac book air would be the best for a college students in the long run?
I’ve had one for 6 months and love it!!
Hey :) What is it that makes is great for you?
@@PatrickRambles screen size, light, does everything I need it to do. The brightness is amazing.
Great review! Just what I needed before purchasing.
Thanks! Glad it helped.
Great content. I ordered this one but worried after watching some reviews. But your this review is a relief. Thanks.
Thanks man. Yeah I think a lot of people jumped on the hype wagon to bash the base model. Yes it can run into memory swap issues because of the single NAND chip but you'd have to press it pretty hard and most casual users will never notice any issues.
I’m planning to get the m2 MacBook Air 15 and dk if I should upgrade the ram from 8 to 16gb or upgrade the storage from 256 to 512 gb because my budget is limited:(
If I could pick only one, which one should I upgrade from the two for most use cases. I'm a computer science student by the way
Are you talking about the 15 or the 13?
I just received mie yesterday and alongside my iPad and refurbished iMac it is one of my best investment ever made this machine is amazing . IfI want more power than I will go to a MBP M3 . Amazing machine for artists.
I really appreciate the points you've made with this video. Specifically the point where other content creators bashing the base model by pushing the laptop under extremely heavy load. At that point, the Pro lineup would suit those needs. The base model is still very snappy with multiple active tabs open and moderate workload, more than enough for an average user, as long as I don't export photos in Lightroom with 50 tabs open which I won't with a MacBook Air to begin with...
Exactly 🤝
Hello , could you also do a review of the M3 MacBook Pro? The base model
I’m going to start college majoring in design and marketing, do you think the MacBook Air m2 512 gb will be good for me or should I consider the pro , I really like the weight of the air and how easy it is to carry , pls do suggest me
Thanks
Am planing to get my first MacBook
I ll use the MacBook Air for
1. Multiple tabs in browser - article reading and RUclips videos.
2. Content viewing.
3. Ppt
3. Since am planing to get iPhone 15 pro, may be learn to do minor photo & video editing ( tour videos).
4. Teleradiology ( viewing and very minor graphic processing 2D to volume rendering) _ bigger screen is better here.
5. Use my iPad as sidecar in reporting.
6. May connect a monitor in future.
With these uses, Since MacBook Air is well built am planing to use for atleast few years 5plus
Should I get 8 or 16 gb ram keeping in mind on the works and future proofing for macOS updates.
What did you get...
@@likhtiikalam4264 16 gb 256 gb varient with 2 TB samsung T7 shield SSD which was on very good deal
This was super helpful!
Thank you, I appreciate it!
Great video and thank you for sharing your honest opinion. I'm making the switch from PC to Mac and worried on the base MBA M2 with only 8GB/256GB. I'm not a gamer or a video editor and this machine will be solely for everyday use browsing, paying bills, and watching RUclips videos like yours. Only difference is I'm going with the 15" instead of the 13".
Thanks! Sounds like you know what you need.
I’m deciding on the 15 inch MacBook Air M2 or the 14 inch MacBook Pro, does the air have enough power for Photoshop and developing
As a college student that just bought, Doing Excel, Word and Powerpoint and most of the time i use my phone to take a note. while doing zoom for hours at a time. Is good. for 928.60$ ? Is way good. I do some editing for a video, It is the best laptop for its price.
I do not edit videos but use my base MacBook Air for presentations (Keynote), writing (Pages) and working with spreadsheets (Numbers). I tend to have multiple tabs on Safari open at the same time with Spotify in the background, Mail, Notes etc. I do run out of RAM at times and I can tell when the computer is under heavy pressure but, for the most, it runs perfectly fine. I do not understand the expectations people have and how it is possible that a 2022 M2 MacBook Air does not meet them (unless you do heavy editing etc, but then that's not the laptop for you). My MacBook Air is the early 2014 version...
Great video! I am deciding on my first macbook ill just be doing college work so basically having word excel and powerpoint. the video shows that this one is definitely a solid choice
I bought a 15" M2 MacBook air with 8GB of ram and I'm worried I'm gonna regret it because I recently picked up an interest in video editing.
did you end up regretting it?
Awesome informative video!
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Thanks Patrick for your honest reviews, I always enjoy them! I am personally still very happy with the base model (bought it in June 2023).
I use it for making music with Ableton Live, some Graphics stuff, Media consumption. And for these use cases it's the perfect device.
Have you experienced any heating issues?
@@13thcherry No absolutely. Everything fine
Thanks man, much appreciated 🙌
I have the m2 mba (8/512) in starlight and it’s pretty good. However I do wish I upgraded the ram to 16gb over 8 instead of the ssd to 512gb because it just isn’t enough for me. I always have multiple tabs open on chrome and safari, emails, zoom, Netflix/RUclips consummation. I would like to get the 16” MBP eventually 🙂
Yep, RAM over storage. Thanks for sharing!
8gb isnt enough for a few browser tabs and youtube?
is 8GB RAM not enough for youtube and zoom?
I’m enjoying my Mac Air M2 no disappointment here, I did however get up to fast not paying attention when my M2 Air was on the table and the cable came flying off MacBook stayed in place the magnetic is a nice feature, as always I enjoy PR input
Thanks Jeff! Magsafe to the rescue 🙌
Another amazing video, Patrick! Thanks for sharing again!
Cheers from Brazil!
Thanks, Eduardo!
Thanks for the ramble. I think you touched on some very obvious points that most "techtubers" overlook. It will be the same people complaining the electric car does not have enough range because they have not heard of the word "enough". For some people enough is never enough, the glass is always half empty. I use a 16" MBP M1 because of the screen, my eyes are older and so I can really appreciate the real estate. That is a choice I made and an investment in myself I decided on. People: The MBA is enough, I used to run the 16Gb M1 that is now in the hands of my wife, she is happy with it, and so happy wife... happy life.
Haha that last sentence is the key to life 😂
I have a question. My question is just a little out of topic but very important. You are doing a lot of reviews, and maybe you can answer the question. Does MacBook Air Thunderbolt support a 4K 120 or 144hz refresh rate to an external monitor or 4K TV, which also supports 120hz?
Has to be one of my favorite laptops ever
It's so nice. Thanks for the visit, bro 👊
It’s the best laptop in the world love my MacBook Air m2❤
Another great video! My base model M2 Air has been the perfect party laptop companion to my company-issued Lenovo ThinkPad for work. It's an awesome weekend laptop for personal productivity and consumption. Also, it looks bitchin' in Midnight.
Haha it sure does.
Hi there. I plug in my laptop to an external monitor, uses MS Word (2 or 3 tabs opened at the same time), Apple note opened, Safari with at least 5 to 6 tab, and running Apple music for background music. I occasionally use Photoshop and Illustrator together. You reckons it will make the M2 hot? I am considering to by this M2 for Christmas
Hi I am a university student who doesn’t do much extensive work on it, I mainly use the office apps such as Microsoft word and PowerPoint. I am writing my dissertation next year so it will using PowerPoint a lot. I do use a lot of tabs, however I have been using the 2017 air and it was completely fine with all of my tabs as a base model, I don’t really notice the ‘specs’ because I’m just a casual user. I am thinking of purchasing the base model M2 just because of my budget as a student. Do you think this base model would be okay for me?
Hey I want to purchase a mac now and this will be my first ever apple product. I am really confused between base m1 air, m2 air 16/256 and m2 air 8/512. Which one should I choose? I am a college student and my basic work includes coding, excel, word, PowerPoint, surfing the web, zoom meetings etc. So what will be a good choice for me? Pls reply as I am really confused between the three of them!
Bro did you get your MacBook Air m2?? I am also having the same confusion. What should I do ??? 8/512 or 16/256
@@sunilkushwaha538 Yes bro I ordered 16/256 variant and its buttery smooth! Def go for the ram upgrade!
@@sunilkushwaha538im not a genius but 16GB 256GB is better, the RAM won’t be used up easily and you’ll be free with your 256GB.
April 2024. I had an old 2018ish MB air. Loved it. Got off Apple for a few years. (just kept iPhone13 and iPad Air gen4) A few weeks ago i upgraded the iPad to the IPad Pro 12.9 inch. Love it. Looks to be pretty much the MB Pro without the keyboard. A few days ago i decided i wanted another MB. Would be just for basic use so decided on the M2 air. I ordered an Apple refurb unit. Should be here in a few days. (of course i got the midnight color.)
Looks like you found your way back into the ecosystem 😅
I didn't realise i was watching an infomercial
You live and learn.
Would a MacBook Air be fine for basic day to day stuff? I don’t do Any of that crazy stuff. I use like 10 chrome tabs for work while also running slack, email, excel, word and then basic document downloads. And then the occasional zoom. Right now I have a 2012 MacBook Pro. Battery doesn’t hold charge well, it could be a little faster so I figured an update would be worth it.
Hey, did you buy M2 base model then? I am going to buy it in the following week. Should I go for it?
I love mine. (Well, my wife's actually). Compared to my work MBP (2019, i9, 32GB) the Air (M2, 16GB) runs circles around it in nearly everything. Video exports are MUCH faster on the Air. The M1/M2 Pro of course is much faster. But it is amazing how fast Intel has been outpaced.
Actually the ONLY thing that gives me pause about the laptop is the 1 external display limitation. It's not a deal breaker, but it's a really silly limitation that just shouldn't exist.