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MagyarApple's MacBook Air M1 is still shipped with the faster 256 GB SSD ↺
It can be a tough choice if you want to buy a MacBook Air. Apple still sells the extremely popular MacBook Air M1 and the base model is often available for less than 1000 Euros. The new MacBook Air M2 is about 300 Euros more expensive and the base model is also equipped with 8 GB RAM and a 256 GB SSD, but the SSD only uses a single memory chip anymore, so it is slower than before. If the RAM is fully used, macOS will also use the SSD (swap file), so the slower SSD performance can have an effect on the overall performance.
We just purchased the base model MacBook Air M1 and it is still equipped with the AP0256Q, which uses two memory chips and manages higher transfer rates. This means Apple did not decide to use the less expensive AP0256Z, which is used for the base model MacBook Air M2.
All in all, the base model of the MBA M1 offers some advantages over the new MacBook Air M2 when 256 GB storage is sufficient for you. Then there is obviously the lower price and additional aspects like the slimmer base unit at the front and the lack of the notch. The new model features an additional MagSafe connector for the PSU as well as a faster processor & iGPU, but the M1 is still more than powerful enough for everyday tasks.
Prices of the MacBook Air M1 went up after Black Friday but we expect more offers with prices under 1000 Euros for the M1 before Christmas. Please see our comprehensive reviews for more information:
