Apple will continue selling the M1 Macbook Air alongside the M2 model

AppleInsider

The new M2 MacBook Air starts at $1199, and Apple will keep the M1 model available to remain at the $999 price point.

At WWDC 2022, Apple has announced that the brand-new M2-powered MacBook Air will be sold alongside the M1 variant, with the latter's price and configuration options unchanged at $999. The 8-core GPU configuration for the M1 version has been removed from sale, leaving only the binned 7-core model as the sole GPU option.

The 8GB or 16GB unified memory options, as well as the storage, keyboard, and software add-on options remain untouched and available for the exact same price as at launch.

The new M2 MacBook Air features a larger and brighter 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display that now features rounded corners. The 8-core GPU is now standard as part of the faster M2 processor, with the option to configure to a 10-core GPU.

M2 also supports up to 24 GB of unified memory, which is now available as a $400 upgrade from the standard 8 GB, and $200 from the upgraded 16 GB memory model. It also has a dedicated media encoder, which the original M1 lacks.

Paired with a higher-resolution 1080p FaceTime camera, the new M2 MacBook Air features a new four-speaker sound system, spatial audio support, and a new headphone jack with support for higher impedance headphones.

Both M1 and M2 models start at a 8-core CPU and a 16-core Neural Engine, 8 GB of memory, and 256 GB of flash storage. The only spec difference is the M2 now starts with an 8-core GPU instead of the 7-core standard of M1.

While the new MacBook Air offered many more features, it also carried a higher price tag. Certain buyers may prefer to go with a more budget-friendly M1 model. AppleInsider has partnered with Adorama to offer buyers up to $150 in savings when they use this cost-saving link with promo code APINSIDER to shop for an M1 MacBook Air.

Shoppers can compare the best MacBook Air deals in our M1 MacBook Air Price Guide and M2 MacBook Air Price Guide.

The original Apple Silicon MacBook Air debuted in November 2020 as the first Mac centrally powered by an Apple SoC.

Read on AppleInsider

caladanian

Why would people buy the M1-Air with so little price difference?

stabitha_christie

caladanian said:

Why would people buy the M1-Air with so little price difference?

Two hundreds dollars isn’t small about for everyone. 

mpantone

caladanian said:

Why would people buy the M1-Air with so little price difference?

Some people have a budget in mind.

You save 16.7% buying the M1 versus the M2 ($999 versus $1199). If you were a purchasing agent buying 300 of these, that's $60,000.

The education market in particular is very sensitive to pricing (which is why Apple offers a $100 discount to that market).

edited June 2022

m68000

caladanian said:

Why would people buy the M1-Air with so little price difference?

Maybe they don’t want the notch 

beats

Did M1 not get a price drop?

ofer

Beats said:

Did M1 not get a price drop?

Sadly no! Instead, we get a price increase on the M2. I guess that makes sense considering the global supply chain issues and global chip shortages 

beats

Ofer said:

Beats said:

Did M1 not get a price drop?

Sadly no! Instead, we get a price increase on the M2. I guess that makes sense considering the global supply chain issues and global chip shortages 

Yeah, that’s not gonna help school and some commercial adoption. 

mpantone

Beats said:

Did M1 not get a price drop?

Why would it?

Are you not aware of component cost increases, supply chain issues, and general inflation?

One dollar in June 2022 is worth less than the same dollar in October 2020.

And Apple still needs to put the damn thing on an airplane to get it to you. And how is the price of petroleum today vis-a-vis a year ago?

And this is not specific to computing products.

Have you seen the price of lumber over the past two years? It affects everyone making cardboard for boxes to coffee cups at your local cafe. And like I mentioned earlier, everything gets thrown on a truck for final delivery. It's not like internal combustion engines have gotten 30% more efficient in the past six months to compensate for it.

edited June 2022

crowley

mpantone said:

Beats said:

Did M1 not get a price drop?

Why would it?

Are you not aware of component cost increases, supply chain issues, and general inflation?

One dollar in June 2022 is worth less than the same dollar in October 2020.

And Apple still needs to put the damn thing on an airplane to get it to you. And how is the price of petroleum today vis-a-vis a year ago?

And this is not specific to computing products.

Have you seen the price of lumber over the past two years? It affects everyone making cardboard for boxes to coffee cups at your local cafe. And like I mentioned earlier, everything gets thrown on a truck for final delivery. It's not like internal combustion engines have gotten 30% more efficient in the past six months to compensate for it.

“No” would have been perfectly sufficient.

mpantone

crowley said:

mpantone said:

Beats said:

Did M1 not get a price drop?

Why would it?

Are you not aware of component cost increases, supply chain issues, and general inflation?

One dollar in June 2022 is worth less than the same dollar in October 2020.

And Apple still needs to put the damn thing on an airplane to get it to you. And how is the price of petroleum today vis-a-vis a year ago?

And this is not specific to computing products.

Have you seen the price of lumber over the past two years? It affects everyone making cardboard for boxes to coffee cups at your local cafe. And like I mentioned earlier, everything gets thrown on a truck for final delivery. It's not like internal combustion engines have gotten 30% more efficient in the past six months to compensate for it.

“No” would have been perfectly sufficient.

If Beats (or anyone else) was looking for an authoritative Yes/No answer, they should have just gone to Apple.com and verified it for themselves rather than seek out a possibly erroneous answer on an anonymous Q&A forum.

Beats has been on the Internet long enough to know this.

It's not like Apple hides the pricing of existing, shipping products.

edited June 2022

ravnorodom

MacBook Air has 2 Thunderbolts plus MagSafe port while MacBook Pro 13" has only 2 Thunderbolts but no MagSafe. Makes zero sense!

mpantone

ravnorodom said:

MacBook Air has 2 Thunderbolts plus MagSafe port while MacBook Pro 13" has only 2 Thunderbolts but no MagSafe. Makes zero sense!

M2 MacBook Pro 13" is not a true upgrade. The platform is the same, down to the 720p FaceTime camera, the derelict TouchBar and the same exact dimensions.

That's why Apple spent FAR more time talking about the MBA in the WWDC keynote. This is the new system.

The M2 MBP 13" is the old system with a silicon bump.

MagSafe will come to the MBP 13" in due time. Apple likes getting several years of service from its notebook designs.

edited June 2022

ofer

Beats said:

Ofer said:

Beats said:

Did M1 not get a price drop?

Sadly no! Instead, we get a price increase on the M2. I guess that makes sense considering the global supply chain issues and global chip shortages 

Yeah, that’s not gonna help school and some commercial adoption. 

Yeah, agreed! I hope the supply issues resolve soon. Sadly all signs point to this going on for at least another year if not a bit longer.

japhey

mpantone said:

ravnorodom said:

MacBook Air has 2 Thunderbolts plus MagSafe port while MacBook Pro 13" has only 2 Thunderbolts but no MagSafe. Makes zero sense!

M2 MacBook Pro 13" is not a true upgrade. The platform is the same, down to the 720p FaceTime camera, the derelict TouchBar and the same exact dimensions.

That's why Apple spent FAR more time talking about the MBA in the WWDC keynote. This is the new system.

The M2 MBP 13" is the old system with a silicon bump.

Good point. More evidence of this is on the Apple Store App where the Air is front and center at the top of the page, while the Pro is shown on a smaller card about halfway down. The Air is getting all the love, and the Pro is merely an afterthought. 

mpw_amherst

I am torn now. I'm a writer and been been waiting for this upgrade for a while to finally move on from my Macbook 12" (love the form factor, can't live with the keyboard). However, there are two things that give me pause and make me wonder if I should opt for the M1: 1) I had hoped the new M2 would match the Macbook weight, but it is still over 1kg and only marginally lighter than the M1 Air, and 2) I'd not thought of it before, but commenters mention the wedge design as much easier for typing. I have arthritis in my hands so am mindful of such things. I recall back in c2010 or so when I had a chunky Macbook Pro that the flat-edged base was less comfortable to type on and angling the hands than an Air or the Macbook. I wonder whether the height, or lift, of the M2 base is so slight as to be negligible or whether the M1 Air might still offer a more comfortable experience? Either way, I need to upgrade and will try them out in store. But interested in your thoughts.

japhey

mpw_amherst said:

I am torn now. I'm a writer and been been waiting for this upgrade for a while to finally move on from my Macbook 12" (love the form factor, can't live with the keyboard). However, there are two things that give me pause and make me wonder if I should opt for the M1: 1) I had hoped the new M2 would match the Macbook weight, but it is still over 1kg and only marginally lighter than the M1 Air, and 2) I'd not thought of it before, but commenters mention the wedge design as much easier for typing. I have arthritis in my hands so am mindful of such things. I recall back in c2010 or so when I had a chunky Macbook Pro that the flat-edged base was less comfortable to type on and angling the hands than an Air or the Macbook. I wonder whether the height, or lift, of the M2 base is so slight as to be negligible or whether the M1 Air might still offer a more comfortable experience? Either way, I need to upgrade and will try them out in store. But interested in your thoughts.

The height difference between the 2 is only 0.72cm, when measuring the thin end of the M1. If you think that is significant enough to aggravate your arthritis, then go with the M1 with the added bonus of saving yourself a few hundred dollars. If your primarily using it just to write, the added muscle of the M2 would just be wasted anyway and the M1 is still a great machine that will give you years of service. If, however, you need/want the latest and greatest, then definitely try both out first to see if that 0.72cm is manageable. 

Sorry for rambling on there, and I hope that helps. One last suggestion…if you go with the M1, then definitely check Amazon or Best Buy first. They regularly sell them for much less than Apple does. I got my Air from Best Buy last summer for $849 new, and I love it. 

kidrock2199

That Midnight color reminds me of the Slate they used on the iPhone 5 and first iPad Mini. I had that Slate iPhone 5 and it was beautiful. It’s definitely in my top 3 of favorite colors. I wonder if they’re similar when seen in person 

mpw_amherst

Japhey said:

mpw_amherst said:

I am torn now. I'm a writer and been been waiting for this upgrade for a while to finally move on from my Macbook 12" (love the form factor, can't live with the keyboard). However, there are two things that give me pause and make me wonder if I should opt for the M1: 1) I had hoped the new M2 would match the Macbook weight, but it is still over 1kg and only marginally lighter than the M1 Air, and 2) I'd not thought of it before, but commenters mention the wedge design as much easier for typing. I have arthritis in my hands so am mindful of such things. I recall back in c2010 or so when I had a chunky Macbook Pro that the flat-edged base was less comfortable to type on and angling the hands than an Air or the Macbook. I wonder whether the height, or lift, of the M2 base is so slight as to be negligible or whether the M1 Air might still offer a more comfortable experience? Either way, I need to upgrade and will try them out in store. But interested in your thoughts.

The height difference between the 2 is only 0.72cm, when measuring the thin end of the M1. If you think that is significant enough to aggravate your arthritis, then go with the M1 with the added bonus of saving yourself a few hundred dollars. If your primarily using it just to write, the added muscle of the M2 would just be wasted anyway and the M1 is still a great machine that will give you years of service. If, however, you need/want the latest and greatest, then definitely try both out first to see if that 0.72cm is manageable. 

Sorry for rambling on there, and I hope that helps. One last suggestion…if you go with the M1, then definitely check Amazon or Best Buy first. They regularly sell them for much less than Apple does. I got my Air from Best Buy last summer for $849 new, and I love it. 

Thanks so much - that's helpful. I hadn't realised Apple are now only offering the entry level M1. To be honest, I'm rather disappointed in the new Air - to the extent that there is still no true-heir to the 12" Macbook. I'd been hoping Apple would finally make good on that machine's promise with a sub 1kg machine.

mpantone

mpw_amherst said:

To be honest, I'm rather disappointed in the new Air - to the extent that there is still no true-heir to the 12" Macbook. I'd been hoping Apple would finally make good on that machine's promise with a sub 1kg machine.

Forget it, the sub 1 kg MacBook 12" isn't coming back.

Apple wants to sell you an iPad Pro.

With changes to iPadOS 16 including the new Stage Manager, it's clear that Apple is on a trajectory to increase macOS-like functionality in the iPad.

edited June 2022

mpw_amherst

mpantone said:

mpw_amherst said:

To be honest, I'm rather disappointed in the new Air - to the extent that there is still no true-heir to the 12" Macbook. I'd been hoping Apple would finally make good on that machine's promise with a sub 1kg machine.

Forget it, the sub 1 kg MacBook 12" isn't coming back.

Apple wants to sell you an iPad Pro.

With changes to iPadOS 16 including the new Stage Manager, it's clear that Apple is on a trajectory to increase macOS-like functionality in the iPad.

I agree I can see them pushing such users to the iPad Pro. However, if you do a lot of text based work then you want a full size keyboard with the firmness of a laptop keyboard, with the weight on the keyboard rather than the screen. Also, I even considered the switch before from my Macbook but once you've bought an iPad or iPad Pro and added the keyboard you have both the cost and combined weight of a conventional laptop. I realise the 12" form factor isn't coming back but I had hoped the new Air might go for as light as the Macbook design.