Apple's MacBook Air 15 M2 is expensive, but practically unrivaled

We've just reviewed the new Apple MacBook Air 15 and it received an excellent overall score of 92%, although there are some shortcomings. For example, there is no WLAN with 160 MHz, PCIe 4.0, and the specs (8 GB RAM, a slow 256 GB SDD) of the base model are meager. However, you also have consider the device's intended purpose, and the new Air 15, like its smaller sibling, is aimed at casual users who primarily use the laptop for surfing, writing emails and viewing photos/videos. While some people don't like to hear it, the base model with 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD is perfectly adequate.

Since the release of the M1 SoC, Apple has had an immense advantage over all Windows machines because the performance is very good and can easily keep up with AMD and Intel chips and can also easily handle more complex applications such as Adobe Photoshop. At the same time, the Apple chips are passively cooled, which is a huge advantage. In the Windows camp, you have to rely on ARM chips from Qualcomm, which results in somewhat sluggish overall performance that cannot be compared with faster x64 laptops. Of course, the Apple chip also has to reduce its performance at some point due to the passive cooling, but this is not noticeable in everyday use. Furthermore, performance remains completely stable on battery power, which cannot be said of many Windows laptops.

In addition to other obvious advantages such as the great speakers, the very good IPS display without PWM, and the long battery life, there are also the small things that help in day-to-day work and we have been wondering for years why the Windows computers cannot do the same. For example, there is the multi-level keyboard backlight, which automatically adjusts very finely to the ambient light. Apple also still has an advantage in automatic brightness control as well as adjusting the color temperature for the screen.

Could the MacBook Air 15 be better? Definitely, and we would also like to see some improvements, such as more ports on the right, faster Wi-Fi or a higher display frequency. However, Apple probably wants to maintain the distance to the Pro models and not compete with itself. In terms of value for money, the MacBook Pro 14 is clearly the better choice, since both models with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD storage cost around US$2000. But the two devices don't compete with each other at all. If you need the extra performance or want to use HDR, for example, buy a Pro anyway, and if you prefer a larger everyday computer, you can now get it in the Air 15.

The price is of course very high and the surcharges for more RAM and additional hard drive capacity are downright outrageous despite the high starting price, but we're not evaluating the price, rather the device itself. Indeed, it's a fantastic device, even if it is certainly not perfect for every user. Even those who want maintenance options or want to upgrade the RAM and SSD themselves will be left out in the cold here. Then again, this is also the case for most slim Windows laptops, especially when it comes to RAM. While the smaller MacBook Air 13 still has a number of good competitors, it will be much harder to find a comparable product in the 15-inch range.

We believe Apple originally wanted to launch the larger Air 15 with the new M3 SoC, but it simply wasn't ready in time. On the other hand, since the competition still hasn't really caught up, using the M2 isn't an issue and the device never feels slow. All further details on the new MacBook Air 15 are available in our review:

• Apple MacBook Air M2 15 (16 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD)