The M2’s differences include a 0.3-inch larger Liquid Retina display, full-height function keys, and a notch for a 1080p webcam. The new M2 MacBook Air (left) sits side-by-side with its predecessor, the M1 MacBook Air (right). Slap on a USB-C hub for expanded connectivity, and it’s damn near flawless.

Its reliable all-day performance works just as hard on 5 percent battery as it does connected to a charger, without any noticeable throttling. The base $1,199 M2 MacBook Air is the new king of basic accessible, affordable workstations. But for everyday multitasking and use, benchmarks don’t tell the full story. In those cases, a MacBook Pro will always excel because it has more graphics cores. While it doesn’t have the variety of ports as its pricier Pro sibling, and the multi-core computing power is weaker, you’d be hard pressed to find flaws with this laptop in everyday use unless you’re working in complex video or 3D animation workflows. In fact, it even outperforms it in single-core performance scores and battery life. Throughout testing, the M2 chip held its own against the M1 Pro found in last year’s $2,299 14-inch MacBook Pro, our pick for the best laptop of 2021. But more than just eye candy, the M2 MacBook Air has gotten significant upgrades under the hood. The Pro’s major selling points-the vibrant Liquid Retina display, sharp 1080p webcam, and improved keyboard-have all trickled down into this new entry-level Air, which runs $1,000 less. Despite being the most affordable Mac, it feels equally as premium as the flagship MacBook Pro within a sleeker 0.44-inch thin body that weighs just 2.7 pounds. Apple’s new M2 MacBook Air ( starting from $1,199) completely revamps the brand’s casual laptop lineup with professional-grade design, features, and power.

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