M2 MacBook Air 10 CORE VS 8 CORE GPU (This is not good...)
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- Опубликовано: 6 июл 2024
- One of the decisions you need to make when buying a new M2 MacBook Air is if you should choose between the M2 chip with the 8 or 10 core GPU. Naturally you would assume a 10 core GPU would give a nice boost in graphics performance, but should you actually avoid this $100 upgrade and just how much does the faster SSD on the 512GB model affect performance?
0:00 Intro
1:40 CPU is the same
2:34 Disk Speed Test
3:24 256GB VS 512GB File Transfer
5:27 Video Export Test
8:18 GFX Aztec Ruins Benchmark
9:02 Gaming (Shadow of Tomb Raider Benchmark)
14:50 Conclusion (Which MacBook Air config is the best?)
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I had a suspicion that Apple was pushing it with the 10 GPU cores, so I ordered the 8 core for this exact reason. Feeling a lot better about my decision now. I want my Air to get as much battery life as possible and run relatively cool, so I really didn’t think the 10 cores was necessary for this type of machine.
Wow excellent point to be noted ...
I'm happy with my choice, I ordered the 8 core GPU but upgraded my SSD to 512gb based on your pre release videos :) so thanks to you haha, you predicted this would be the case
That would be my top recommendation, good choice!
With 8 GB ram or 16?
@@Isengardtom I assume 8, that would make the most sense
What about ram?
I got the same
Happy with what I ordered so far -it arrives tomorrow. Not a gamer, and my heavy lifting done on my Mac Studio. This is for portability, and testing web design. I ordered 8 core, 16 GB RAM, 512 SSD and the 35 w charger. If Apple ever upgrades and releases the 12" Macbook again, I will be first in line to get another one.
If the 12 ever get the same upgrades as the air then definitely the “Air” worthy of a name. Wouldn’t be surprised if they call it the air mini and they make a bigger one named air max
Interesting! I opted for 10 core GPU and 512GB. I'd be curious to see your exact same test, but the 10 core GPU Mac utilizing a laptop cooling pad - just to see if keeping it cool avoids any throttling and what the performance gains might be in that case.
I think the advantage of the Air is that its small and very light, if youre gonna buy fans or coolpads for it I think it kinda defeats the purpose and you might as well go for the slightly bigger MB Pro
That was a shock! Great explanation with naive v Rosetta. Let’s see if Ventura or Monterey 12.5/6
tweak 10-core wattage curve to make it add value over 8-core beyond exporting Pro-Res footage. Luke Milani tests showed some 10-core advantages
That's really interesting in your testing, i think the fanless design still had limitations
I remember the days when you could only afford 1 device, now you have 2.
Our little Greg has grown up into a rich man 🥺❤️
I'm fortunate, but I am not rich 😂
He orders them and returns within 14 days
Finally, someone testing out the thermal throttling effect of 10 vs 8 gpu core. Would’ve been nicer if the ssd of both system was the same, then you’d have a better battery comparison if the ssd is not working multi folds longer but better than nothing.
Thanks a lot 😊 your video helped me decide go for the 8core GPU with 512GB storage. Great informative video work 👍
Wow! I did not expect that. Good idea would be to get the 8core GPU with 512SSD and maybe, if necessary, 16GB RAM..
Appreciate the video and your honesty. You saved me from getting the 10 GPU. I was in the fence. Question for you. Being that the M2 seems to be plagued with issues I would not be opposed to getting the M1 Air. However my fear is since it’s 2 years old and in tech world that translates into 20 years, will the M1 still be relevant in say 4-5 years from now? I respect and rely on your expertise. I’m just a regular user, no tech junky no content creator, no source code ninja. Thanks I’m advance.
man this is the video ive been waiting for. Thanks a lot
For future reference, you could be using Amorphous Disk Benchmark, which pretty much duplicates the functionality of Crystal Disk Mark, only for Mac. Also, it has official permission to replicate the UI appearance of Crystal Disk Mark. Though the Dark Mode appearance could use some work.
I have used both and all that really happens is you get higher read and write figures CDM than BMD and of course the random stats
Thank you, Greg! I was wanting this EXACT comparison that rules out RAM differences
Thank you so much for this great video...it was really enlightening!
Glad it was helpful!
The M2 with additional cores just does not seem like the best fit for the chassis of the Air. It would most likely be great in a mini\mini pro with better cooling. Go for the MBP if you need better performance than the Air can deliver. I think Apple is pushing you in that direction anyway with the pricing of the higher spec'ed Airs.
Could you do a test with a MacBook Air on top of a cooling stand? I'd like to see what difference that would make and see if it's significant or not. It would obviously be worse than internal cooling but if it's enough it could be good for people who only do extended workloads at home.
Man I love your videos bro you just go straight to the point no bullshit it’s always fun to watch your content
Thanks for this helpful video @GregsGadgets. I thought the fanless design wouldn't work for the 10 core GPU option.I'm looking for a new laptop that's silent when editing 4K video and recording voiceovers. Would you recommend the new M2 Macbook Air or would I be better off buying the M1 Macbook Air models and saving some money?
I have a mid 2012 MBA and have been waiting for the new Air to come out. Also was waiting for the M2, over the M1. Portability is important. My use is standard, some videos, music, zoom, docs etc. I am stymied by the tech reviews. Thought I had my mind made up for an M2 10Core, 16 Ram, either a 512 or 1 TB storage. HELP, what to get? This throttling issue is confusing me.
Thanks for an interesting test . Do you think video conference calls such as zoom with background image or Microsoft meeting meet will cause the air to throttle ? There is a big issue with MS meeting video calls when using with external 4K camera that actually kills my intel MacBook Air , it seems to be a common problem and not many are talking about and I’m wondering if the m2 air is past that problem .
Getting mine today. I ordered an 8gb/512gb model because I plan to use this machine as my main laptop for at least 5-7 years at least.
This was extremely helpful and so simple to follow, thankyou :)
Thanks for watching! Glad you found it helpful!
I am curious if anybody else has seen this on the new M2 MacBook Air. I went to the Apple Store and I saw this online but I noticed it actually myself is two things. I would assume this has to do with it being so thin but the keyboard felt different it felt squishier if that makes sense I didn’t really mind it but it definitely felt different than the old MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro 14 and 16.
The other thing I noticed in again I think this has to do with the thickness is the trackpad didn’t feel as responsive maybe is the right word. I’m just curious I mean it might just be me I mean seriously I was just curious if anyone had this experience. Not bad just different.
I was going to pick 8 cores + 16gb ram + 512gb ssd but the difference was $30 if I was going to pick the free 67 fast charger! So, I switched to the 10 cores to get the charger for free! I was wrong! Because battery life for 8 cores is better and it generates less heat too.
This is only one test and it may not affect your personal workflow at all. Lets wait for more tests.
@@ArminDressler Max Tech made a solution to dissipate heat and minimize thermal throttle 👍🏼
@@HD13POWER only in the first 15 minutes. That would not really help for gaming. But its a nice hack, including loosing your warranty in the worst case.
@@ArminDressler Thanks for reminding me about the warranty. I think the throttle happens only during a very specific case scenarios! I will try it without modifying it and will see if it keeps up with my daily tasks.
@@ArminDressler I have cancelled my 10 cores GPU order. I switched to 8 GPU/ 16 RAM / 512SSD. More efficient and Less Heat. I have also changed the color from Midnight to Silver. Thank for your reply as well thank to Max Tech. I also saved $100 difference in price. 👍🏼
I did not order this machine (I am waiting for the 15" machine) but this video & the results will stay with me as a mental note that whenever the 15" machine is released if there is a binned GPU version, get that machine & not waste money on more GPU cores that (if the 15" machine remains fanless) will essentially go unused & be a waste of money. Thank you for the video.
I wonder if modding the 10 core and adding a cooling pad will help
Some excellent real world tests Greg. However as a non gamer the 10 core would have some advantage for me exporting video so it's not such a dramatic find for me.
I love this comparison! Great work! 🔥🔥🔥
Great performance comparison - thanks!!!
The base M2 air has one 256 GIGs chip for storage, and 8 GIGs chip for ram.
M series processors use NAND chips when they needs ram more than what the base 8 can provide. Traditionally, M2 would have used 2 chips for swap (128+128), however now that it's got only one chip, the write cycles of the chips gonna fill up faster(SSD have fixed life cycles). And overtime it's gonna reduce the life of SSD by half.
Now I know 256 chip has more write cycles than 128 but bear in mind that you'll be using the same chip for storage as well.
What do you guys think? Is this another reason to get M1 over M2?
It's worth waiting for the M2 Max or Pro.
In my opinion it is better to get the m1 air over the base model of the m2 air . It is cheaper( I saw it today on adorama for 900. That is $300!) , the SSD is faster and will likely have a longer life span.
If you add ram and storage to the m2 air then you are looking at 14 inch m1 pro territory ( with current sales of $200 off ).
For me that becomes a hard buy.
If you want to spend $1000, get M1 MBA. $1,400, get M2 MBA w/512 SSD, $2000 (on sale ATM for $1,800), get the M1P 14” MBP. All the configurations make the decision making process messy. Tune out the noise, consider you needs/budget, and be happy!
@@GoFastGator @ 1400 then you are still stuck with 8gb of unified memory . Longevity concerns.
@@ziich1 which is why mine will have 8/8,16GB/512. I also plan to play with Parallels so 8GB was never on the table for me. But any of the 256 GB machines are going to be hobbled doing anything that is disk intensive. Luke Miani just pushed out a vid showing the base M2 MBA vs a 8/10, 8GB, 512GB M2 MBA. Exporting out of FCP and using a tiny bit of swap mem, the base M2s suffered greatly.
There has to be other variables as to why there’s a discrepancy between 8 and 10 on the game benchmark. I think it has to do with Air being fan-less, so the built in throttling is impacting the 10 core more. No excuse, just saying
The 10 core heats up more quickly and Apple’s cooling algorithm throttles it more aggressively. I’m certain If the 10 core could be kept cool enough, e.g., by using thermal pads to let the chassis dissipate heat, the 10 core would perform better.
@@j340_official Wow. Thanks for your resumee.
Not only they did not add a fan in this macbook but also they did not even add a proper passive cooling. There is no proper heat sink in this macbook. What a joke.
I totally agree that the base should not have a slower disk speed at all and that is shitty on Apples part, however people who are buying the base model aren't interested in the fastest read/write speeds. I was very hesitant on buying a new MBA from spending hours of watching videos on the M2 MBP and was going to just buy a refurbed MBP14 as I was going to spec up my Air to that price point anyway. Then on launch day they had base models in stock and I grabbed one and I have no complaints at all and will be keeping it as my daily driver.
A lot of these videos make you think the MBA M2 is going to be running like an N6000 on Windows 11 lol.
@Garrus Vakarian well you fell foul of your own argument there at the end.
Again, the majority of MBA entry level users don’t even know what a GPU is.
Thank you so much with this video. It helped me decide which upgrade to go with.
The ssd speeds of the base 256gb gets slower as you start to fill up the storage substantially more than 512gb
Wow this video came at the right time. I was rethinking if I made the right decision to cancel my 10 core GPU with 8 gb of RAM order for an 8 core GPU with 16 gb of RAM. Now, I’m fully contented with my order.
maybe the 16g produces even more heat... lol
@@fdsaffff why would a greater RAM produce more heat?
@@jonathanmanuel9986 run fasyer
Interesting... great video Greg!
Great video. I waited before ordering just to see these types of comparisons.
Excellent testing Greg. I think Apple dropped the ball with M2 - one of the biggest advantages over intel was performance efficiency, and yet they've completely messed up the temperature management because of simply making an overclocked M1 from the looks of it. Good thing the Air is a looker at least
It has no fan, so your expectations seem unreasonable. I feel that the M2 Max will be a beast and with proper cooling, a powerhouse. The Air is fanless and an ultrabook. Just do these same tests on a Galaxy Book 2 pro and see how much that sucks and then you will realise how good the Air M2 is! It is sad that only Apple gets stress-tested this hard. I suppose YT creators have deals with Windows OEMs meaning they cannot stress test them?
@@andyH_England I think it's more like not so many people care for these windows ultrabooks so the price would not justify making a video that wouldn't get this many views.
@@andyH_England But still they have messed up the 10 Core model. (More money - Same/wore performance in intensive tasks).
@@infinity8beyond I would not buy the 10-core GPU in a MB Air M2 if you are gonna use it maxed out. I would only get the 10-core if you are doing something that does not need 10-cores but rather than pushing 8-cores, it will spread the load over 10-cores, so less heat and wattage as you are not stressing out all 8-cores. Again, if you are gonna be running benchmarks all day, get the MB Pro 13 M2 as that has a fan and can go longer and harder than the Air.
I think that you're right, but I'm pretty sure it's even better to upgrade the RAM to 16gb than upgrading the ssd. For my case, I dont transfer file that much and I use the iCloud. The RAM will bring me more speed at the end because it will reduce the SWAP a lot while using a lot of memory/applications. The ultimate way to go I think is to upgrade both ssd and RAM 16/512 ($$$$$). On budget, I will say RAM is more profitable (in my opinion). By the way, I use my computer as web developer so mostly coding and web browsing. For more heavy tasks I can be wrong! For the 10 core, its true that it's a waste in that computer! I ordered a MacBook Air m2 base model with 16gb ram addition I think is the sweat spot for me.
Agreed, for coders, 16/256 would be a sweet spot as most of the times it involves CPU/GPU intensive tasks instead of IO intensive tasks such as exporting to the storage.
I appreciate that you show some personality. It’s refreshing.
I remember reading something about a separate encode decode engine as part of the SoC and here is what I found:
Media engine:
Hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW
Video decode engine
Video encode engine
ProRes encode and decode engine
There is nothing telling consumers if the "media engine" are equal on each model.
I ordered the 8 core GPU based on hypothesis that extra cores would generate more heat and thermal throttle faster. Thanks for confirming this!
I still wonder how more RAM affects temp / power / battery life though.
That's interesting. My daughter likes to play Sims 4. Her 2015 MacBook Air was not strong enough to run it, and she still had bad results with the 2020 Intel MacBook Air. We got her the 8 core M2 MacBook Air, so that may end up being a better fit if she wants to try the Sims again.
512gb to 1tb SSD upgrade on the 14 inch macbook pro costs 200 dollars, 256gb to 512gb SSD upgrade on the M2 macbook air costs 200 dollars. Isn't that a bit strange.
Shocking. I am glad I ordered the 8 GPU model. I'm still on the lookout for two more tests: 10-core vs 8-core GPU with a thermal heat pad applied, and 8GB vs 16GB with 512GB SSD memory swap/heavy application test.
even the 512GB ssd is slower than in 14 inch MBP accord to the Tech Chap
Oh man, I went for the 10 GPU core model because I already planned to get 512gb SSD and the fast charger, so it was just a $80 difference so I thought why not. But this sucks.
Mee to bro , now regretting
@@gauravvg5824 it's still faster, it's just that one program tizy slower, look at 10min 4k render it's lot faster
Your analysis is spot on as always, but don't forget the 'Air' is not for the power hungry. Apple Silicon is so good we got spoiled. Love your channel from Ethiopia.
Can I second testing battery life between these two models? Does the 10 core use more battery is what everyone’s after🤔
that is crazy, i can believe this, thank for testing this mac
I expected this result that's why I ordered 8 core with 24GB RAM and 1TB SSD.
Thank you for your test. I am supported!
holy shit thats lot money
Same but with 2TB SSD.
In general (not just with M2 MBA) I would love to see how different Apple chips handle, say, Dolphin if you have some GameCube or Wii games laying around. That to me is the most exciting gaming you can do nowadays on a Mac.
i need 1Tb storage, what if i order a 8 core with that ssd?is it still better than the 10 core?
I think the fact that your using a beta software with macOS Ventura might be having an effect since beta’s tend to be very inconsistent.
If M2 CPU needs to emulate Intel, Air fanless design will generate more heat and in case of 10 core GPU needs to slow down. We should compare only native apps.
Great video!
So apparently too this color scratches easily and you can see the aluminum underneath the coat too if you aren’t gentle plugging / unplugging the charging cables form the ports
See the price and yuo gone be very gentle with the divece
@@noway8233 for reals I’m getting a clear protective case and everything if I do decide to go for this particular model. I’m curious of the M3 series will also feature this color or kill it :(
Nice video Greg.
at this point, wouldn't it make much more sense to get the M2 Macbook pro if we want a 10 core? it's pretty much the same price
also, did you only run one test on each of these? or did you actually run each test multiple times to check for variance? I know you say that you tested them, but like how many times?
Will 10-core vs. 8-core GPU make any difference in how I notice normal desktop tasks working on a 4K 60Hz external monitor? That's what I'm most concerned about. I also sometimes to screen recordings of 5-40 minutes long for work.
Why do I get the impression the 10-core is thermal throttling more causing the SOC to slow down to compensate.
I traded in my M1 MacBook Pro for an M2 Air because I needed something lighter & more portable to fit into my backpack for school. I did a LOT of research before making the switch & decided on the 8 gpu cores, 16gb ram, 512gb ssd. I'm so glad I didn't do the 10 cores. Was trying to save money wherever I could, as I wound up paying more for my Air than I did for my Pro when I bought it. But to me, the weight of the machine is worth paying a little more. I literally only use it for school.
Haven't received my Air yet but I'm very excited to get it & see for myself! Great video! Makes me feel even more satisfied with my choice.
I'm thinking Apple thought they would be on 3nm architecture when the MBA was designed. Also, business people, lawyers, and 99.9% of MBA users will never notice the difference in GPU and SSD speeds. Charging the extra $100 for the 10 cores and hundreds more for RAM and storage is kinda criminal if you ask me.
IDK, the way base model uses the swap file, the difference between one or two SSD chips will show up. If they don't notice it, it's because they don't know what they are missing.
Nice Video Man Loved it
i actually purchased the 10 Core 8/512 Gb Starlight one
There seems to be something off with the testing methodology in the gaming test, according to the Notebookcheck review, where they did a 20 run Wildlife Extreme run, the 10 core should, given that they are running for the same duration, always be faster than the 8 core. Just have a look at their "Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry Review" in the section "GPU Performance". The 10 core will just throttle a bit earlier.
thx for the recommendation ☺️
Feeling very good about my decision to order the 8 core model maxed out in RAM and storage.
Just changed my order from the 10 to 8 core and save some money. I won't be gaming on this and will not likely see improvements with the added cores.
Maybe you Should have just purchased 14 inch Mac Pro at that point
@@jmp622 yeah he absolutely should have just ordered the 14 or even 16 M1 Pro which is a more powerful chip still anyway.
Ok go 8 core. But maxed out storage and ram? That would be £2,399 in UK you could get the M1 Pro 16 inch MBP for that.
What if he PREFERS the MBA M2 ?? You guys are annoying af spitting the same stuff again and again.
*Was the brightness of both the same? The 10 core GPU looked brighter, that's why it throttled more.*
Brightness was exactly the same with auto brightness turned off. It’s just the angle of the camera.
Good video. Could you Add some thermal pads over the m2 SOC for better heat transfer to the chassis, and see if or how that affects gaming performance?
Went for the 8 core with 16gb ram and 512gb ssd. Very happy with my choice now. Great video Greg.
Me to 😎
Same
How is it? Worth it?
@@Cianoflaherty10 i was very happy when I made the comment. Think I would go with a 15 inch if it was available when I bought mine. Overall great laptop though will last me another 5 years no problem
What about 16 GB ram vs 8gb?
Watching your videos, I think I make the right decision to get the base version. I will use it for basic student use (excel, word, tabs on chrome). It was a difficult desion because many people are saying that the base version has a bad performance but I would just use it for a base use, nothing crazy like this videos editing that they are doing the test. I hope I don’t repent to make this choice. And $200 for a SSD or RAM upgrade is big amount of money to spend and probably don’t notice the difference.
Good realization! The MBA are for users like you.
@@reign9771 thanks, I hope I don’t repent me. I have today a 8 gb RAM and 256 gb ssd i5 with windows. Probably macbook air m2 bese is much better than I have today. But of course depend in your. If my use change I will need to consider change it in the future buy nowadays don’t make sense to spend a lot of money in upgrade for me
Did you get it yet? I’m also on the fence if I should get the 512gb ssd or base model because I am also just a student and will be using it for school like you so if you could please reply telling your experience I’d really appreciate it mate 🤝
@@D5Boy1 you'll be fine with the air mate. Even with the 256. It's apples to apple comparison, it's still superb comparr to windows. So you'll be okay.
Oh crap.....just when I was going to re-order a maxed-out MacBook Air M2 (I ordered it on pre-order day, then cancel it Friday after going to the Apple store. Did not like the new color). I was just about to place my order for a maxed-out silver MacBook Air M2....but this video put me on the sideline again. I'm looking forward to the next video. I am going to have to look at the base model MBP 14 inch again. I lIke to see a battery test with the two different CPU. I saw one video with a MBP 14in M1MAX only had a battery life of 5 hours, which made me conclude that if you want battery life, don't upgrade the CPU. Your findings in the video confirmed what I am suspecting. My 2010 MBP (16GB with 2TB SSD) is going to be used for a little longer. Thank you for all the tests you are providing us.
Thanks for sharing. I appreciate your thoughts. Blessings on your day!
Ordered the top spec version with 10core 24ram 2tb ssd. Hope it doesn’t suck
Same. My order is arriving in 2 weeks. If you have stuck with your order and have used your top end M2 Air for a few months now... would you say it it has been worth it? Dying to know! Thanks a tonne!
From the many YT vids such as yours, I figured the chips cannot be maximized in Air models due to thermal throttle thus why get 10 core. My purchase based on form factor was the binged 8 core M2 Air with SSD upgrade. Thank you for verifying my purchase decision.
It can handle it in relatively shorter spurts, so say a 4 min render, it will be fine. I doubt many people using a MB Air will be rendering big projects and if they are then that is they're bad; they should be getting a pro machine. So, no, I disagree, for the hobbyist the 10-core will be worth it, but for most of us, me included, it is not really value-added.
Could you suggest if the base model M2 air is good enough for students? And basic average tasks like browsing, watching videos and doing excel
Yes it’s perfect for those tasks and more.
@@GregsGadgets And what about 3D rendering (using the base model but with 512 GB)? Could be the M2 MBA good enough? Because the i3 one surely isn't :(
I would like to see if there is a similar performance difference across more games than just SOTTR.
For me personally for an MBA I would have no need anyway for the 10 vs 8 core GPU, so I’d go with the 8 with the faster storage and at least 16GB of memory. But yeah, these thermal issues are not great.
My take away is: 10 GPU cores are the same or better than 8 GPU cores. There are situations in other testing where the 10 GPU cores are 15% to 25% faster - if a hundred dollars matters that much, get the M1 with 16GB and a 1TB drive - for most every day tasks it's just as good as the M2 and a 1TB drive eliminates a lot of hassle struggling with insufficient storage. There are a number of other videos that suggest 16GB of RAM is also worth doing. If I was on a tight budget I'd get an M1 Air with 16GB, 1TB and never look back. If I had the money for an M2, I'd get the 10 core 512GB unit upgraded to 16GB. But at that point the 14" M1 Pro with 16GB and 512GB can be had for a discount that makes it extremely attractive with all the extra ports, a cooling fan and the better display.
I think It is not about the hundred dollars but more about whether it will get worse while paying for the extra two core “upgrade”. With the throttling issue and thermal problem on this, you may actually benefit with a 8 core gpu depending on your usage. I personally would prefer a less hot and consistent performance machine over a powerful one with unsustainable heat issue requiring continuous thermal throttling. That is why this test is totally relevant not just for the 100 dollar difference but in fact the 8 core can be more beneficial than 10 core for some type of users.
You forget better speakers, more than one external display support, thunderbolt 4 instead of 3, and yes MUCH better display.
@@chromaticvisuelle True.
If you’re considering 512 gb model and a faster power adapter (+ $20), it will technically make the cost of 2 more gpu cores only $80. So you pay $100 more and get 2 more cores and faster charger. This is even a greater dilemma whether it’s worth it or you just buy $20 power adapter
Is it a longer delivery time for the custom config (8-GPU w/ 512GB SSD)? It is for me.
Greg, you only test one game. You need to do some more game tests for this comparison.
You attribute the thermal throttling solely to the extra GPU cores. That’s very likely correct, but the GPU is not the only variable. There is also the extra physical nand memory module in the SSD. Those can run hot. You haven’t excluded that.
Hey. I’m am buying the m2 mba with the 16gb of RAM and 512gb of storage. Do you think this will be good for a student. I do light editing, school work ofc, and some gaming😎lol. Or could i bump the memory down to 8gb to save some money?
Get a second hand 14". Much better in every aspect.
You rock man!.This is the exact test and review I need to make my decision.
Do you find the 8 core gpu model to be cooler than the 10 core one? It would be also great if you can compare the battery life between the 10 core vs 8 core gpu, I think that would be an interesting information.
What about a fully maxed out M2 Mac Air AND the M2 MacBook Pro? 24 GB ram, and 2 tb storage. Would it be good for editing Fujifilm X-T4 RAW files, and 4K video editing? More interested in the Air version. HATE the touchbar.
what about the RAM?
Do I get the 8 GPU 512Gb with 8 or 16 RAM?
Can i use base model macbook air m2 for computer engineering. I will go to a university so it will be my first laptop. Do you guys suggest me that
Damn they even brought up gaming in the keynote. You should definitely try a metal optimized game like WoW or Divinity Original Sin to see if that still happens.
I really want to test Resident Evil 8 when it comes out for Mac. I feel like that would be a good test to see how much optimization makes a difference.
M2 MacBook Air with:
1. 35 Watt dual USB-C port compact power adapter.
2. 16 GB RAM
3. 512 GB SSD
4. 8 core GPU
5. Silver color.
Should I go for the above specifications? Will I benefit from the increased RAM of 16 GB instead of the standard 8 GB ?
Please advise
Definitely would only get 16gb and nothing lower
Beware the 35 watt is shared among two devices. It is documented on apple support page. If you are charging iPad and MacBook Air at the same time, you are getting 17.5 W each.
I drop this idea after knowing this.
If I am exporting to RUclips, I won't be doing it to prores. I'll be doing it in h.265, which has become common. Is there a reason that this was not compared?
The extra $200 was a bit much for me, but I’m not a pro user editing huge files. I dabble in simple video editing and my file transfers are measured more in megabytes than gigabytes. I’m happy with the base model for my needs. Still think it will be lightning fast, considering I’m upgrading from a 5 year old Dell laptop with a standard hard drive.
i managed to snag the base model on release date 8core gpu and 8gb ram with 256gb. I am doing graphic design on it with no problem and using 4k footage for my student media classes on it and it has been lighting fast and has not been hot either. Its great!
@@cburbidge8722 does it get hotter for past few hours?
compared to a standard HDD, even the slow 256GB ssd will be lightning fast.
I have come to a conclusion that I’ll be getting the MBA M2 512gb 16gb ram 8 cores. I dunno if I need the 10 cores gpu for graphic works but my M1 Mac Mini base model seems to work just fine.
Another awesome video Greg. Can you test Parallels with the 256/512 SSD's ? It access the SSD VM constantly so I think I may need to return the 16gb 256SSD I ordered, and take your advice for the 8GB 512SSD.
In the country that i live in we don't have the 8core gpu model with any upgraded/upgradeable storage so ihave to get the 10 core version. Is the heat a problem when doing light lets say photo editing and some office work or is it the same as the base model?
I suspected after seeing earlier benchmarks and the MBA teardown, that Apple made 3 mistakes in the M2 launch. Two issues were known after the M2 MBP shipped, but those results suggested the third problem.
1. They are overpriced relative to the existing M1 machines (M1 MBA, 13” M1 MBP, and the 14/16” MBP).
2. The choice to use a single 256GB NAND flash chip in the base models is a big mistake.
3. The thermals are poor on these first M2 machines. Apple still doesn’t grasp thermal design (or is unwilling to make the necessary compromises to dissipate heat), even after changing from Intel to AS, with drastically lower power consumption and heat, they are still not dissipating heat adequately. The M2 MBA NEEDED heat pipes to get that heat away from the SOC, but Apple didn’t use a heat pipe solution.
#1 & #2 are completely unforgivable errors, driven entirely by bad management decisions pursuing higher profits, and it’s going to cost them in sales.
#3 MAY be tied to a number of factors outside Apple’s control. The M2 and redesigned MBA may have been designed with the expectation of lower power consumption with the M2 moving to TSMC’s 4nm process, and due to a variety or reasons, including COVID, that didn’t happen. From the teardown, it appears there may not have left enough room in the M2 MBA to use a heat pipe (I could be wrong), so Apple may have been stuck with the choice of using the M2 without a heat pipe and using thermal throttling on longer duration tasks, or redesigning the case. Both are bad options, although the Shadow of Tomb Raider test shows Apple could/can certainly do a better job of managing the power/heat on these than they are right now, given that the 8gpu core version performed about 1% better than the 10gpu core version. That should simply never happen. The 10 core should always perform as well or better. Hopefully, Apple will issue an update that improves their power management on these by dynamically reducing voltage & frequency or reducing GPU cores in use to remain within the power/thermal budget.
Of course, if Apple had just planned on using a heat pipe solution on the MBA from the start, even if that meant the case had to be 0.5-1.0mm thicker, they wouldn’t have these issues. This obsession with “thin” has caused Apple many problems the last decade, and it needs to stop. I thought that was primarily being driven by Jony Ive, but he’s been gone for years, so can’t blame this M2 MBA issue on him. Clearly someone else with influence at Apple is part of the same bad belief system.
I agree with the conclusions you’ve come to. Also considering TSMC is still using a 5nm process and looking at power consumption between the M1 and M2 they essentially just cranked the clock speeds and wattage, made no changes to the cooling and called it a day. These were likely rushed out the door. People always gave intel a hard time for just cranking up the power consumption for better performance (also looks like Nvidia is doing the same thing on their 4xxx series GPU’s) but Apple is doing the exact same thing. At least with Intel and Nvidia they come with pretty good heat sinks and fans and if you need to you can always upgrade that part for minimal cost. Unfortunately with Apple you’re stuck with what it ships with.
I got the 10 core with 1tb ssd and 24 gigs of ram.
It is slightly disappointing to see these tests especially the game test. I got the higher config because I will occasionally play games while traveling.
That said, seems like the 10 core and 8 core perform about the same in games so instead of noticing the hoped for performance increase with the 10 core it will just be a wash. Not worth returning and saving $100 over.
I do wonder if the 10 core would surge ahead slightly (even with the throttling) coupled with 16 or 24 gigs ram.
Also, I would think apple would notice this and the complaints. Maybe there is a future software patch that could improve the 10 core performance?
That gaming test was a non-native benchmark running on Rosetta, so that is the baseline for the worst case scenario. I suspect native games and pro apps will use the 10-core GPU in a better way and you will see better results. See Luke Miani video with the same machines and the M2 10-core easily beat the 8-core in FCP.
Waste of money, should have gone for the 14".
I purchased the same specs, I think once software gets optimized this will be a different outcome. At least I hope so. The m2 is still at the beginning stage and so is the OS. Not sure if he was running the bata Ventura OS or not, but this could all change once the full OS is released.
@@garyvineyard4732 No. Won't change anything with the throttling. Should have got the 14".
@@chromaticvisuelle throttling doesn’t bug me for my work load. If I wanted a 14 I would’ve bought one. For me lighter and less noise is what I want and fits my need a lot better. Also the 14 would cost more by the time you add the upgraded ram and ssd. So why would I want the 14 over the air? Especially if I can get decent performance for less, and something that fits my needs. Plus the m1 went through some problems when it first came out. Now its mostly been fixed once everything got optimized for it. I expect the same will happen for the m2.
What about the battery impact of the 10 cores? Did you measure the battery remaining after both tests? Thanks for the video!
I dont think that 2 more core may a radical impact in power compsumption , as i dont expect a radical improve in gpu power/performace when yuo go from 8 to 10 gpu cores (its just a little better, not 20% more)
@@noway8233 if it throttles and gets so much warmer it could impact greately
Since its hotter it degrades the battery faster.
Luke Miani tested this and the difference was a tiny bit more battery drain with 10 core GPU
It makes a difference on the 14" model... not a ton but some.