WWDC 2022: Apple unveils MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with M2 chip
Apple introduced a new processor, the M2, at the start of its developer conference WWDC. The first devices with it are the MacBook Pro 13 and the completely redesigned MacBook Air.
According to Apple, the M2's performance increase was less important than the power consumption. The comparison figures are difficult to verify. Apparently, the M2 is supposed to achieve 87 percent of the performance compared to a current 12-core processor with its eight cores, but only consume 25 percent of the energy.
Apple M2: More performance, less consumption
The Apple M2 is manufactured in the 5-nanometer process and has eight processing cores. Four of them are designed for high performance and four are trimmed for efficiency. Its 20 billion transistors are said to have 50 percent more bandwidth than the M1. The 10-core GPU still has 25 percent more performance than the M1. The performance increase of the Neural Engine is supposed to be 40 percent. Video editing is supposed to be 38 percent faster.
MacBook Air with M2
The MacBook Air gets a new design with the M2. Its aluminum unibody case will be flatter on all sides. The volume is supposed to shrink by 20 percent compared to the previous MacBook Air. Nevertheless, there is still room for a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display with 500 nits and one billion colors.
The M2 also brings back the MagSafe port for charging to the MacBook Air. There are also two Thunderbolt ports in the form of USB-C jacks. The webcam delivers Full HD resolution for video calls and is said to be twice as light sensitive as the previous Air. Three microphones and four speakers as well as Touch ID round out the features.
The battery is said to be sufficient for 18 hours of video playback.
The recommended retail price for the MacBook Air with M2 starts at 1499 euros or 1339 francs.
MacBook Pro 13 with M2
Apple now also offers the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M2. Nothing else changes in terms of design or equipment. In contrast to the MacBook Air, the Pro has fans, and is thus not always silent. The battery life is supposed to be 20 hours of video playback. The recommended retail price starts at 1599 Euros or 1449 Swiss Francs.
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