The 2022 MacBook Air, which is powered by Apple’s in-house M2 silicon, is an ideal laptop to work from home – or anywhere else really. The M2 delivers just about everything you need in a work device like solid battery life, a large 13.6-inch display, a comfortable and functional keyboard, and enough power to handle everyday tasks easily.
Although there are still some upgrades to-be-desired like a higher than 120Hz refresh rate (the 2022 MacBook Air has a 60Hz refresh rate) and a better port selection, this MacBook is a perfect upgrade if you’ve been using an older MacBook Air for a while.
Have you been waiting to upgrade your MacBook Air? This year’s model may prove to be worth the price tag.
How much better is it than the 2020 MacBook Air? Aesthetically…
A direct successor to the 2020 MacBook Air which was powered by Apple’s first in-house silicon chips the M1, the 2022 MacBook is a worthy upgrade.
The new M2 Air model has been redesigned with tech-savvy individuals in mind. While previous MacBook Air models have come with a bottom half that tapers down in size from one end to the next, that isn’t the case with the M2 Air. Ditching the curved shell which was thinner on the keyboard end than the top, the staple of MacBook Air design is now a thing of the past. Instead of this, Apple went with a uniform thickness of 1.13 cm, while the 2020 model was 1.61cm on one end and 0.41 cm on the opposite end. If you’re someone who appreciates symmetry in their tech, the M2 Macbook Air won’t disappoint. At the end of the day, the new MacBook Air is still a very slim machine.
The fact that Apple updated the display from 13.3-inches to 13.6-inches makes the slim body of the latest MacBook Air even more impressive. Although a third of an inch may not sound like a lot, this can make a big difference aesthetically when it comes to ultra-portable laptops. In fact, users that have used the latest model are already noticing a difference.
Even with a thicker bottom edge, Apple still managed to cut down the weight of the M2 Air by 0.1 pounds (2.7 vs. 2.8).
Additionally, the M2 Air comes with a new camera notch that has a 1080p front-facing camera, ditching the 720p lens from the last model. But the fact that video calls look so much better than the previous model doesn’t only come from increased resolution. In previous Air models, the backlight shined on and subsequently washed out your face. That overbearing glare is a thing of the past with the new M2 MacBook Air. The sharper, more detailed, 1080p webcam has better color and contrast – and when combined with the M2 Air’s three-mic array, the new camera is perfect for video calls from anywhere. In fact, the lousy 720p camera was one thing that kept the M1 Air from getting a perfect score on many reviews.
The final physical change for this year’s MacBook Air comes from the addition of a MagSafe charging port alongside the two previously existing Thunderbolt (USB-C) ports. On top of that, it also comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack on the right side. Here are some last-minute basic specs for the 2022 M2 MacBook Air:
- Four colors: space grey, starlight, midnight, silver
- 13.6-inch display with 60Hz refresh rate
- 1080p front-facing camera
- 8GB, 16GB, or 24GB RAM
- 256GB to 2TB storage
- MagSafe 3 port, two Thunderbolt / USB-C ports, 3.5mm headphone jack
Consider the keyboard
Have you been stuck with the “butterfly” keyboard of an outdated MacBook for years now? The updated keyboard should be considered a major selling point for anyone stuck using the butterfly model.
Key inputs now feel substantial yet hardly make any sound. Pushing down on the keyboard now works more ergonomically akin to pressing a real button, instead of pushing on something stuck in molasses. Although the updated feel of key presses is a huge plus, the rest of the keyboard design is remarkably similar to the 2020 M1 MacBook Air.
But there is one more major change, which is that the function row along the top has now been extended so the keys are full-sized rather than half-sized like they were in the previous iteration. Although the escape key now feels large (the same size as Tab), this can come in handy for users with larger fingers. The Touch ID key has also been revamped and works seamlessly as a means to log in to your machine without having to input your password every time.
Many users are citing the keyboard as the biggest reason to update to this year’s model.
Lighting up the display
At 500 nits of brightness, the 2022 M2 MacBook Air’s display is 25 percent brighter than its predecessor which maxed out at 400 nits. On top of that, it has a 2560×1664 resolution which keeps images, videos, websites, and whatever else you’ve been working on looking sharp and bright. If you’re worried about running into problems with the display, hopefully, this eases your concerns.
Although the brightness and resolution are great, the display has one rather big caveat, the refresh rate. For a laptop that costs a minimum of $1,200 off the shelf, 60Hz leaves a lot to be desired, especially with dozens of laptops offering 120Hz from the likes of Dell, ASUS, MSI, Lenovo, Zenbook, Razer, HP, and more.
With that being said, as a work machine, the 2022 M2 MacBook Air functions more than fine at 60Hz. This refresh rate is adequate for streaming, browsing websites, and running most applications. Even if it won’t be as smooth as a machine with a 120Hz refresh rate, this shouldn’t be a dealbreaker.
Processor
Just like the M1 and M1 Pro, the M2 processor keeps the new MacBook Air running fast. This should come as no surprise as most people willing to pay “Apple tax” do it for top-of-the-line performance.
You’ll notice (or maybe it’s better to say you won’t notice) that all of the things that used to bog down other MacBooks (even other models like the Pro), won’t hinder the 2022 M2 MacBook Air.
Backed up by Geek Benchmarking Scores, the entire experience on the latest iteration of Air is speedy and fluid. In fact, in many aspects, the 2022 Air scored above the 2021 MacBook Pro.
The new processor also allows the M2 Air to sustain the same battery life as the previous model, which is great considering they managed to trim weight and brighten/enlarge the screen.
The best part? It’s 100 percent silent 100 percent of the time.
Rent the latest Apple products
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Do you need a few, a dozen, or any quantity of MacBook Airs for your office, business function, training class, event, or project? Rentacomputer.com has provided Apple rentals for businesses around the world for the last three decades. Whether you need to schedule delivery for a future event, discuss which devices you’ll need with an experienced agent, or book delivery and set up for this week, Rentacomputer.com is here to help.
Tech Travel Agent Mark Gillaugh specializes in Apple rentals, including MacBooks, iPads, iMacs, iPhones, Mac Pros, and Mac Minis. No matter which device you need, Rentacomputer.com has the latest inventory with the newest products available on the rental circuit.
Mark can answer any questions you have about computers and other necessary equipment, as well as the renting process. Contact Mark today at 1-800-736-8772 ext. 249 or fill out a fast, easy online quote form.
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