Apple MacBook Air (2022)
Apple MacBook Air (2022)
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GENERAL USE: Very Good—8.4/10
GAMING/AI: Fair—6.5/10
ENG/DESIGN: Good—7.8/10
SOFTWARE DEV: Very Good—8.3/10
CONTENT CREATION: Very Good—8.5/10
PORTABILITY: Excellent—9.4/10
BATTERY: Excellent—9.3/10
OVERALL SCREEN QUALITY: Good—7.8/10
OVERALL PERFORMANCE: Good—7.0/10
SIZE: 13.6"
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is a midrange-priced laptop with a strong emphasis on portability and build quality, making it an excellent choice for general use. It features powerful Apple M2 processing capabilities, 8 GB of RAM, and a high-resolution, color-accurate IPS display that's suitable for professional creative work, though not specialized for intensive 3D rendering or engineering simulations. While not designed for gaming, it offers silent operation with a fanless design. This MacBook Air has a long battery life, bolstered by energy-efficient hardware. However, it's limited in upgradability with no available RAM or storage slots. For connectivity, it includes multiple USB-C and Thunderbolt ports, though it lacks traditional USB ports, an HDMI output, or an Ethernet port. If you work on-the-go and appreciate a lightweight laptop with a premium feel and high-quality keyboard and screen, but do not require intensive computational performance for specialized tasks, this MacBook Air is a formidable option. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Evaluation
Pros
- Excellent performance
- Best-in-class build quality
- Silent, fanless operation
- Good ecosystem integration
- Very good display
Cons
- Midrange price point
- Fair port variety
- Good but not top battery life
- Fair webcam quality
Ratings by Category
Build Quality:5.0
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, chassis rigidity, and overall reliability.
Our assessment of build quality includes many details that are difficult to quantify.
Our laptop experts use their best judgment to produce the final score.
Operating Noise:5.0
PerfectRec’s Operating Noise Score is based on fan noise measurements. Laptops with a fanless design, such as Macbooks, receive the maximum score.
Keyboard Quality:5.0
The Keyboard Quality score is based on the PerfectRec experts’ assessment of tactile feedback, typing comfort, keyboard reliability and typing noise.
Portability:4.9
PerfectRec’s portability rating takes into account the volume and thickness of the laptop as well as its weight.
Battery Life:4.8
PerfectRec’s Battery Life rating is based on hours of battery life in typical usage scenarios.
Content Creation:4.6
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, and video editing work.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
General Use:4.5
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) excels in general use due to its powerful Apple M2 processor and 8GB of RAM, which ensure smooth performance for daily tasks, and its high-quality IPS screen with a sharp resolution and wide color gamut support for excellent visual experience. Its lightweight and slim design coupled with a long battery life and silent, fanless operation make it highly portable and comfortable to use for extended periods without the inconvenience of noise or heat.
Software Development:4.5
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software development.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
General Use Screen Quality:4.4
The general use screen score is based on the screen technology, contrast ratio, resolution, brightness, color gamut and color accuracy. This score does not take into account specialized display features for specific use cases, such as high refresh rate for gaming.
Engineering & Design:4.3
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design, CAD and 3D work.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Gaming & AI:3.6
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a moderate graphic performance due to its integrated Apple M2 GPU, limiting its capabilities for complex 3D tasks, and a standard screen refresh rate of 60Hz, which is fine for everyday use but not ideal for high-speed 3D rendering.
Full Specs
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
| Price | $1,599 | ||
Release Date | July 1, 2022 | ||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.44'' | ||
Weight | 2.7 lbs | ||
Width | 11.97" | ||
Depth | 8.46" | ||
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | Apple M2 | ||
RAM | 8 GB | ||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | ||
RAM Slots | 0 | ||
Storage | 1024 GB | ||
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | 15 Hours | ||
Battery Capacity | 52.6 Wh | ||
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | 13.6" | ||
Display Technology | IPS | ||
Resolution | 2560 x 1664 | ||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | ||
Display Brightness | 486 nits | ||
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score  | 10/10 | ||
Portability Score | 9.4/10 | ||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | ||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | ||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | ||
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | ||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | ||
Webcam | 1080p | ||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | ||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | ||
Number Pad | No | ||
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | 0 | ||
USB-C ports | 2 | ||
USB-C Charging | Yes | ||
Display Outputs | 1 | ||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | ||
Apple MacBook Air (2022)
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NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
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