MacBook Pro M2 vs MacBook Air M2: comparison and differences

Differences between screens

To begin, let's look at the case of screens. The first difference that strikes the naked eye is obviously the notch of the MacBook Air M2 which does not feature the design of the MacBook Pro M2. The result is a slightly larger panel on the MacBook Air M2, which offers13.6 incheswhere the MacBook Pro M2 is content with13.3 inches. Quite logically, the definition is also different with 2,560 x 1,664 pixels for the MacBook Air M2 compared to 2,560 x 1,600 pixels for the MacBook Pro M2, which is entitled to IPS technology.

Bilan MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Pro M2 (écran): overall, the differences between the two screens are minimal and should not be considered as a purchasing criterion for us. If you're really looking for a bigger screen, it's best to look atthe MacBook Pro 2021 comparison.

Performances : MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Pro M2

The MacBook Pro M2 and the MacBook Air M2 are therefore both powered by the same processor. The M2 is made up of an eight-core CPU and a 16-core Neural Engine for artificial intelligence. The only difference here is actually thatthe MacBook Air M2 may only offer an eight-core graphics card, while the MacBook Pro M2 comes standard with its ten-core version.

If we now compare the amount of RAM under the hood, it is a minimum of 8 GB but can increase to 16 GB for an additional 230 euros or to 24 GB for an additional 460 euros. The configuration is identical here on MacBook Pro M2 and on MacBook Air M2.

Bilan MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Pro M2 (performances): unsurprisingly, the MacBook Pro M2 is the most powerful in our comparison. But the performance gap with the MacBook Air M2 is relatively small and only concerns imaging, which is quite surprising. The difference between the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air ranges is therefore becoming increasingly fine, and here again you should look to other MacBook Pros if you really want to get a good deal compared to the MacBook Air M2.

Design

Now let's compare the format of the MacBook Pro M2 and that of the MacBook Air M2. THEdimensionsThe exact specifications provided by Apple are as follows for the MacBook Pro M2:

• thickness: 1.56 cm
• length: 30.41 cm
• width: 21.24 cm

And here are the official dimensions for the MacBook Air M2:

• thickness: 1.13 cm
• length: 30.41 cm
• width: 21.5 cm

For weight, the difference is minimal although notable on this scale:1.24 kg on the counter for the MacBook Air M2vs MacBook Pro M2 with 1.4 kg. On the aesthetic side, you will also note the narrower edges around the screen of the MacBook Air M2 compared to those of the MacBook Pro M2, thanks to the notch of course. The colors are also different: the MacBook Pro M2 is only available withSpace grayorArgent, while the MacBook Air M2 is entitled toMidnight,Starlight,Space grayorArgent.

Bilan MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Pro M2 (design): more focused on professionalism, the MacBook Pro M2 has overlooked certain undeniable physical advantages of the MacBook Air M2 such as its more interesting size/screen ratio. The MacBook Air M2 is also the best laptop for nomads at Apple, because it is the lightest but also the thinnest. When traveling by plane, it will therefore take up less space in your bag and save you from possible additional baggage costs.

While the 14-inch MacBook Pro was surprisingly less durable than the MacBook Air M1, the MacBook Air M2 does less well than the MacBook Pro M2 in this regard. Count like this untilfifteen hours straight of wireless web browsing for the MacBook Air M2 compared to seventeen hours maximum for the MacBook Pro M2. Measurements to obviously be considered with some caution, given that Apple offers us here figures obtained with very specific laboratory tests. We imagine, for example, that to achieve this score, the sound was at a minimum and no video was played over Wi-Fi.

Going even further, Apple is talking about twenty hours of battery life on Apple TV+ with the MacBook Pro M2 compared to eighteen hours with the MacBook Air M2.

Bilan MacBook Pro M2 vs MacBook Air M2 (batterie): the difference of two hours of battery life when comparing MacBook Pro M2 and MacBook Air M2 is significant, especially when we know that the MacBook Air's screen is larger even though this component consumes the most energy. Another major argument for those who travel regularly.

Other key differences

Before finishing with the prices, let's take a look at the audio and video capabilities of the new MacBook M2s. For the camera, surprise:MacBook Air M2 sensor looks better with 1080p HD resolution, while the MacBook Pro M2 makes do with 720p. For a range above, it's pretty bad, that's obvious.

The sound is also different. Compared to those of the MacBook Air M2 which are not entitled to them, the three microphones of the MacBook Pro M2 are thus announced as being “studio quality with high signal-to-noise ratio“. The speakers are also stereo and high range.

Let's finish this part with the keyboard, which preserves theTouch Baron the MacBook Pro M2 while it is unavailable on MacBook Air M2. It's up to you to see an advantage or a disadvantage: it's rather practical, especially with third-party apps, but it's far from being essential. Not enough to justify a higher price in any case, but that is the case here.

Price comparison

Indeed,the MacBook Air M2 starts at 1,499 euros while the MacBook Pro M2 costs 1,599 eurosat a minimum. The MacBook Pro M2, however, has a lower repairability index than the MacBook Air M2 (5.6/10 versus 6/10), so you risk spending more on spare parts in the event of a problem.

Bilan MacBook Pro M2 vs MacBook Air M2 (prix): one point for the MacBook Air M2.

Our opinion

To conclude this comparison, we can only advise youthe MacBook Air M2 which clearly has little to envy of the MacBook Pro M2. In fact, it is almost as powerful and can also last more than a day on (on paper). Certain key features are also to its advantage, including its light weight and its better price which make it a brand choice for getting started on a Mac. The difference in camera quality is also worth noting, especially at a time when video calls have become the norm in many companies that favor teleworking.

If you want a MacBook “Pro”, the real difference will therefore be in the models released at the end of 2021 which are much more efficient with their M1 Pro and M1 Max chips. As for small budgets, they can also opt forthe MacBook Air with M1 chipwhich is still available: it starts from 1,199 euros, or 300 euros less than its successor.