The new Macbooks will not be available until July, but Apple’s selection is already causing problems for some users.
If you click on the updated Mac page in the Apple Store, the manufacturer presents three entry-level models of its MacBook in the first comparison: the Macbook Air from 2020 with M1 for 1,199 euros, the Macbook Air from 2022 with M2 for 1,499 euros and the Macbook Pro from 2022 with M2 for 1,599 euros.
If you only go by the price, the Macbook Air M1 is certainly the first choice. With Apple’s prices, one can expect that the third-party dealers will soon come with discounts and the price will drop again by a few percentage points. But with the M2 computers you have to rack your brains more intensely. The Macbook Air has the same processor but offers a better screen, better Facetime camera, Magsafe connector and a fast charging function. And even costs a hundred euros less than the new Macbook Pro!
The comparison with the 14-inch Macbook Pro is even more difficult: Apart from the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, which deliver more power, the new Macbook Pro has to make compromises in terms of the display (Retina vs. Mini-LED), working memory and Storage, connections (Thunderbolt 4 vs. 3) and again fast charging, but these differences cost 650 euros more.
The performance makes the difference
But the Macbook Pro M2 will also be worthwhile as a work computer: Unlike the two newer computers, it shines with its unbeatable battery life: Two hours more battery than the new Macbook Air, three to six hours more than the Macbook Pro 14 inch. The battery life comparison with the 14-incher is particularly insane: Apple has managed to improve the battery life by several percentage points and at the same time make the battery smaller: The Macbook Pro M2 has a battery with a capacity of 58.2 watt hours, the Macbook Pro 14 inch – a battery with 70 watt hours! We’re not sure if there isn’t black magic involved…
Our author Stephan Wiesend also speculated that the Macbook Pro will be slightly faster compared to the Air. This benefit comes from the active cooling system, which increases the flow of cold air to the processor during peak performance, preventing thermal throttling.
Touchbar fans will probably blindly reach for the Macbook Pro M2, because those who are said to be dead live longer. The touch bar has been predicted to die for at least two years, but with the latest model, the interactive strip on the keyboard will surely have another two to three years to come.
But despite all the advantages and especially in comparison with the current Macbook 14 inch, the new device does not deserve its “Pro” label. We don’t know why Apple doesn’t continue its winning line of entry-level devices with its Macs. Because the current Macbook Pro M2 is a classic SE device: powerful inside, with the latest chips, with some hardware compromises and at an unbeatable price. We’ll order the Macbook Pro M2 as soon as it’s available, but we wouldn’t shy away from a Macbook SE either.
Tag: macbook issue, macbook pro, macbook release, macbook macos