Apple has announced that the second Mac computer powered by the new 2nd generation Apple Silicon system on a chip is now available for pre-ordering. In this article, we explore whether this redesigned M2-powered laptop will make a useful portable studio computer.
M2 Announced At WWDC 2022
The M2 System on a Chip (SoC) has the same number of cores as the original M1 chip (8) with 4 high-performance cores and 4 high-efficiency cores as does the M1 but on the M2, the shared L2 cache on the performance cores, has been increased from 12MB to 16MB, and the clock speeds have been increased a little too. When it comes to the efficiency cores, they have the same cache size as the M1 but have been given other architectural improvements, like higher peak clock speeds and faster memory access.
These changes mean that the M2 runs faster and comes with more graphics cores, with 9 or 10 GPU cores, up from the 7 or 8 that came with the M1. The M2 SoC has 24GB of unified LPDDR5 memory, up 8GB from the M1.
M1 To M2 Performance Boost
Built using second-generation 5-nanometer technology, TSMC’s next-generation N4P process is an enhanced version of the 5-nanometer process and is designed to deliver about 11% more performance and almost 22% more efficiency compared to the conventional 5-nanometer process used for the production of A15 and M1, M1 Pro and Max). Apple’s M2 takes their performance per watt of M1 even further with an 18% faster CPU, a 35% more powerful GPU, and the Neural Engine can process up to 15.8 trillion operations per second — over 40% more than the M1.
M1 To M2 Memory Boost
It also delivers 50% more memory bandwidth compared to M1, and up to 24GB of faster unified memory, up from 16GB with the M1. M2 brings all of this, plus new custom technologies and greater efficiency, to the completely redesigned MacBook Air and updated 13-inch MacBook Pro.
M1 To M2 GPU Performance Boost
M2 also features Apple’s next-generation GPU with up to 10 cores, which is 2 more two more than the M1. Combined with a larger cache and higher memory bandwidth, the 10-core GPU is designed to deliver a boost in graphics performance, bringing up to 25% more graphics performance than M1 at the same power level, and up to 35% better performance at its max power.
M2 Secure Enclave, Neural Engine And Media Engine
M2 brings Apple’s latest custom technologies to the Mac, enabling new capabilities, better security, and more…
The Neural Engine, while still 16 cores, can perform up to 15.8 trillion operations per second, more than 40% more than the 11 trillion operations of the Neural Engine in the M1.
The media engine includes a higher-bandwidth video decoder, supporting 8K H.264 and HEVC video, which the M1 chip didn’t have.
Apple’s powerful ProRes video engine enables playback of multiple streams of both 4K and 8K video.
Apple’s latest Secure Enclave provides best-in-class security.
A new image signal processor (ISP) delivers better image noise reduction.
As well as announcing the M2 chip during the WWDC 2022 keynote address, Apple also announced 2 new laptops, powered by the M2 SoC, a redesigned MacBook Air and an upgraded 13-inch MacBook Pro.
You can already order the M2-powered 13” MacBook Pro and in our article Thinking Of Buying The M2 MacBook Pro? Read This First, we looked at a number of reasons for thinking twice about buying the M2 MBP…
Lacking In Ports - One of the challenges of the 1st generation of M1-powered computers was the limited number of ports. Because the M2 MacBook Pro is the same design as the 1st generation M1-powered MacBook Pro, with just 2 Thunderbolt 3/USB 4 ports and a headphone socket. You also have to charge your laptop using one of the two Thunderbolt ports so in reality you only have one port, so some kind of Dock becomes essential.
It Is An Older Design And Display - The 13-inch MacBook Pro design predates the M1-powered model and although it is a classic design, Apple shook things up with the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops, which means the M1 and M2 13” MacBook Pro design is long in the tooth to say the least, and this is emphasised when you put it up against the new M2 MacBook Air.
The Camera Is Still 720p - Although for audio work, this is less of an issue, because the M2 MBP uses the same design as the 1st gen M1 MBP, the M2 version comes with a 720p FaceTime HD camera. as with other features we have looked at the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops, as well as the M2 MacBook Air, all come with a 1080p sensor in the FaceTime camera.
Audio Features - When it comes to audio features, the new M2-powered MacBook Pro doesn’t come with the four-speaker sound system that you will find in the M2 MacBook Air, however, the M2 MBP does come with support for Apple’s Spatial Audio when playing music or video with Dolby Atmos including dynamic head tracking when using Apple’s AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, which it’s M1-powered predecessor didn’t have.
Who Wants A MacBook With A Touch Bar? - The M2 MacBook Pro becomes the only Apple laptop that retains the Touch Bar. Consequently, this is likely to be the last Apple laptop that comes with the Touch Bar. Now, this may be a good thing or a bad thing depending on where you stand on the usefulness, or not, of the Touchbar.
The MacBook Air Is The Same Price - All in all the new M2-powered MacBook Air looks the better bet. It is a new design taking on board a number of the features that the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops have. It has a MagSafe 3 charging port plus 2 Thunderbolt ports, it has a larger 13.6” Liquid Retina display with True Tone, it has a 1080p FaceTime camera, it has a fast charge option, charging up to 50% capacity in 30 minutes and it has a new keyboard design all for the same price as the M2 MBP.
Learn more - If you want to know more about these factors then read the full article Thinking Of Buying The M2 MacBook Pro? Read This First for all the details.
Then we learnt that there is an issue with the base model with a 256GD SSD. Two Youtubers have tested the cheapest M2 MacBook Pro, which comes with 8GB of unified memory and a 256GD SSD and found that the SSD is much slower than the SSD with the same capacity on the original M1 13-inch MacBook Pro.
It’s not a small difference, we are looking at around 50% lower read speeds and 30% lower write speeds. When Max Tech took the machine apart they found out why. The 256GB SSD comprises of one 256GB NAND flash storage chip. The previous M1 model’s 256GB SSD is made up of two 128GB SSDs and the key here is that two chips performing read/write functions are faster than a single chip doing the same thing.
What makes this worse is that when an Apple Silicon-powered computer runs out of unified memory, it effectively uses the SSD as what we used to call virtual memory and is now called a swapfile. The problem is that if the SSD is slower then it takes longer for the SSD to do the swapfile and that will impact the computer’s overall performance.
M2 MacBook Pro Or M2 MacBook Air?
There is no doubt that with the performance benefits of the M2 chip the new 13-inch MacBook Pro has closed the gap between the 13’ model and its larger cousins. But if you are in the market for a 13-inch Apple laptop right now then do take a close look at the new MacBook Air, the Air’s redesign means that it comes with a number of features you cannot get with the M2 MacBook Pro.
So let’s take a closer look at the M2 MacBook Air and see what it has to offer.
The new MacBook Air brings a new design to the range, and Apple has dropped the traditional wedge-shaped chassis and now the MacBook Air is flat and not dissimilar to the latest 14 ad 16-inch MacBook Pros That said, the MacBook Air is thinner and measures just 11.3mm and weighs in at just 2.7 pounds.
It comes in four colours, in addition to silver and space gray, the 2022 MacBook Air is now available in two new finishes — midnight and starlight.
The new MacBook Air comes with two USB-C ports, Magsafe charging, Touch ID, Face ID and by reducing the bezel size and implementing a ‘notch’ similar to the 14 and 16-inch MBPs means Apple has been able to stretch the screen to a 13.6-inch Retina LCD display.
When it comes to power on the go, the 2022 MacBook Air offers up to 20 hours of battery life. The new Air offers a number of charging options, including an all-new 35W compact power adapter with two USB-C ports, so users can charge two devices at once. And for the first time, MacBook Air supports fast charge for charging up to 50% in just 30 minutes with an optional 67W USB-C power adapter and what’s more, it’s a fanless laptop making it great for recording with the computer in the room.
For pro-audio users, there is also good news in that the MacBook Air’s headphone jack supports high-impedance headphones.
Additionally, the Magic Keyboard features a full-height function row with Touch ID, and a spacious, industry-leading Force Touch trackpad.
The new 2022 MacBook Air includes a new 1080p FaceTime HD camera with a larger image sensor and more efficient pixels, designed to deliver twice the resolution and low-light performance of the previous generation. Combined with the processing power of the advanced image signal processor on M2, users should look great on video calls.
The new MacBook Air also features a four-speaker sound system. To fit inside such a thin design, the speakers and mics are completely integrated between the keyboard and display, all while delivering an even better audio experience. A three-mic array captures clean audio using advanced beamforming algorithms, while the speakers produce improved stereo separation and vocal clarity. The new 2022 MacBook Air now supports immersive Spatial Audio for music and movies with Dolby Atmos, which its predecessor did not.
MacBook Air M2 performance:
For intensive workloads like editing complex timelines in Final Cut Pro, performance is nearly 40% faster than the previous generation, and up to 15x faster for customers that haven’t upgraded to Apple silicon.
Apple claims that applying filters and effects in apps like Adobe Photoshop is up to 20% faster than before, and up to 5x faster for customers that haven’t yet upgraded to Apple silicon.
And even with a larger display and increased performance, MacBook Air has been designed to deliver the same great, all-day battery life as before, with up to 18 hours of video playback.
The first 2022 M2 MacBook Air Geekbench 5 benchmark!https://t.co/JJQLRq5sX3 pic.twitter.com/lU4aTAKw0n
— Mr. Macintosh (@ClassicII_MrMac) July 8, 2022
First M2 MacBook Air Geekbench Score Appeared
The first benchmark for the M2 MacBook Air (Mac14,2) has surfaced and it looks to be almost identical in Geekbench to the M2 MacBook Pro (Mac14,7).
The first-generation MacBook Air with the M1 chip comes out with an average single-core score of 1,706 and an average multi-core score of 7,420. This makes the M2 MacBook Air up to 20% faster on multi-core performance compared to the M1 model.
The result also suggests that the M2 MacBook Air (or M2 MacBook Pro) outperforms the base model of a 2019 Mac Pro tower with an 8‑core Intel Xeon W processor costing some $5,000 more. Although it needs saying that this isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison, nevertheless it does give an indication of the performance of Apple silicon chips in more affordable Macs.
UPDATE: Avoid The 256GB SSD Model
It has turned out that the M2 MacBook Air with a 256GB SSD suffers from the same problem as the M2 MacBook Pro with a 256GB SSD. Unlike the M1-powered models, which used two 128GB chips to create the 256GB SSD, the M2 models use one 256GB chip. This makes them slower.
So our advice is to avoid any model with a 256GB SSD.
MacBook Air 2022 Pricing
There are two base options for the 2022 MacBook Air, one with an 8-core GPU and 256GB SSD and the other with a 10-core GPU and a 512GB SSD…
8-Core CPU
8-Core GPU
8GB Unified Memory
256GB SSD Storage
16-core Neural Engine
13.6-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone
1080p FaceTime HD camera
MagSafe 3 charging port
Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports
Magic Keyboard with Touch ID
Force Touch trackpad
30W USB-C Power Adapter
$1,199.00
8-Core CPU
10-Core GPU
8GB Unified Memory
512GB SSD Storage
16-core Neural Engine
13.6-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone
1080p FaceTime HD camera
MagSafe 3 charging port
Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports
Magic Keyboard with Touch ID
Force Touch trackpad
35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter
$1,499.00
MacBook Air Option Pricing
How Quickly Can I Get My M2 MacBook Air?
Within minutes of Apple starting to take pre-orders, delivery dates started to slip back from the first available date of July 15th.
At the time of writing, Apple was quoting at least a 2-week delivery delay on the US website. However, some options have a significantly longer delay. For example, a Midnight M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of unified memory and 1TB of SSD storage is the most popular option and the hardest one to get – with a current estimated shipment delay of 4-5 weeks from when you place the order.
But it doesn’t seem to be the colour alone that is the limiting factory as other Midnight options are currently taking around 2-3 weeks to be delivered. if you want an M2 MacBook pro quickly it seems that the Space Gray base model can be had with a 1-2 week delay.
Interestingly, based on the reports we have been seeing, adding more memory is likely to result in a shorter wait for your new MBA to arrive. For example, a Midnight M2 MacBook Air with 8GB of unified memory could be with you between August 10th and 19th, whereas the version with 16GB of unified memory could be with you between August 2nd and 9th.
One thing is for sure the longer you leave it to place your order, the longer you are going to have to wait for your MacBook Air.
The only other option is to get yourself to an Apple Store early on July 15th and bag yourself one in person.
What We Think About The M2 SoC And New MacBook Air
The extra 8GB of unified memory, is good news as those of us working in pro audio were concerned that the 16GB that came with the M1 wasn’t quite enough, so the option to have 24GB with an M2 chip is great news for a lower-cost studio computer solution.
On the downside, the tech specs on Apple's website confirm that the M2 MacBook Air officially supports just a single external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz just like the previous MacBook Air with the M1 chip, but it was discovered that multiple displays can be connected to the M1 laptops with the use of DisplayLink adapters, and it is expected that this workaround will still work on the new M2 Macs.
You have to go to the higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models to get support for up to two external displays with the M1 Pro chip, and up to four with the M1 Max chip.
It is interesting that the developments from the M1 to M2 aren’t in the CPU department. Instead, they are in the GPU, video processing, audio processing and neural engine departments, which is excellent for the growing number of machine learning and AI applications.
For those of us working with Dolby Atmos, the inclusion of spatial audio and Dolby Atmos support to the 2022 MacBook Air is great news.
If you are looking for a new apple computer for your studio or location needs and your budget cannot stretch to an M1 Pro or Max powered 14-or 16-inch MacBook Pro then the M2 MacBook Air has got a lot going for it.
We would recommend that you go for one with at least a 512GB SSD and preferably a 1TB, go for the 24GB of unified memory and choose the 67w fast-charge power adapter, which for the 512GB model brings the price up to $1,899 and with the 1TB SSD, the price will be $2,099.
What Do You Think?
Does the new M2 MacBook Air appeal to you? If so do tell us why in the comments below. If not, do share what it is about the M2 MacBook Air that rules it out for you and what you are considering instead.