Macbook air mid 2023 review display
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Is bigger better? It took a long time, but Apple has finally created a larger MacBook Air. Apart from the larger display, however, there are no major changes compared to its smaller sibling, the MacBook Air 13, including last year's M2 SoC. Show Apple has finally introduced the large MacBook Air, thus filling a large gap in its product portfolio, because anyone who previously wanted a large MacBook had to go for the MacBook Pro 16. This offers a lot of performance, but many users do not need it at all and, above all, the MBP 16 is comparatively bulky and expensive. With the new MacBook Air 15, Apple is now offering a larger MacBook for everyday use, which technically is an almost perfect copy of the smaller MacBook Air 13. This essentially means that you have to do without a new processor and get the familiar M2 SoC from last year, which is again passively cooled. The display is of course larger at 15.3 inches, but the specs remain the same, i.e. there is no HDR support or ProMotion (120 Hz). The starting price is US$1299.00 and, in contrast to the smaller 13-inch model, the Air 15 is only available with the faster M2 SoC that offers 10 GPU cores. The remaining specs are sobering, however, as there is only 8 GB of RAM and a small 256 GB SSD. The second basic model offers 512 GB SSD storage, but costs a whopping US$200 more at $1499.00. Today's test device houses a 1 TB SSD and 16 GB RAM for a grand total of EUR 2289 (~US$2500). In the next few days we'll also take a closer look at the base model with 8 GB and the 256 GB SSD. Processor Apple M2 8 x 2.4 - 3.5 GHz, 20 W PL2 / Short Burst, 9 W PL1 / Sustained Memory 16 GB , LPDDR5-6400, Dual-Channel, onboard Display 15.30 inch 16:10, 2880 x 1864 pixel 224 PPI, IPS, glossy: yes, 60 Hz Storage Apple SSD AP1024Z, 1024 GB Connections 2 USB 4.0 40 Gbps, 2 Thunderbolt, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), 2 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm Stereo, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor Networking 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5.3 Size height x width x depth (in mm): 11.5 x 340.4 x 237.6 ( = 0.45 x 13.4 x 9.35 in) Battery 66.5 Wh Lithium-Polymer Camera Webcam: 1080p Primary Camera: 2 MPix Additional features Speakers: Six-speaker system, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 12 Months Warranty Weight 1.516 kg ( = 53.48 oz / 3.34 pounds), Power Supply: 186 g ( = 6.56 oz / 0.41 pounds) Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications. Apple has kept the design of the small MacBook Air 13 unchanged for its 15-inch model; only the footprint is slightly larger. Then again, the overall height is practically identical at 11.5 mm, and due to the larger case, the new MBA 15 appears even thinner than its smaller sibling. Stability is very good and neither the base unit nor the display lid can be warped in any way. The maximum opening angle is, as usual, around 130 degrees. The display edges are relatively narrow, although there are Windows devices with even thinner edges. Of course, the recess for the webcam in the upper area is still noticeable, which does not have any drawbacks, at least not functionally. However, we still think it doesn't look particularly good, but this is naturally a matter of taste. The front edge of the base unit is quite sharp, but since the base itself is so thin, this does not cut into the wrists. Qualitatively, the MacBook Air leaves no room for criticism. The workmanship is perfect and the metal case simply feels very high-end. Three of the four available colors (Silver, Space Gray & Starlight) are very resistant to dirt and fingerprints overall. The Midnight color variant (dark blue), on the other hand, looks good upon unpacking, but constantly needs to be cleaned afterwards. The regular MacBook Air 13 itself is no lightweight, and the metal body of the larger Air 15 takes its toll here as well. Weighing a little over 1.5 kg, it feels surprisingly heavy when held for the first time. The LG Gram 15 (~1.1 kg) is a real lightweight in comparison, and the Surface Laptop 5 is a little lighter but also a little thicker. The dual USB-C power supply with 35 watts is very compact and weighs 186 grams, including the MagSafe cable. Asus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W LG Gram 15Z90Q Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU DIN A4 359 mm / 14.1 inch 233 mm / 9.17 inch 18.8 mm / 0.74 inch 1.9 kg4.17 lbs356 mm / 14 inch 223 mm / 8.78 inch 17.4 mm / 0.685 inch 1.1 kg2.45 lbs355.7 mm / 14 inch 248.1 mm / 9.77 inch 16.8 mm / 0.661 inch 2.2 kg4.75 lbs340 mm / 13.4 inch 244 mm / 9.61 inch 14.7 mm / 0.579 inch 1.6 kg3.48 lbs340.4 mm / 13.4 inch 237.6 mm / 9.35 inch 11.5 mm / 0.4528 inch 1.5 kg3.34 lbs312.6 mm / 12.3 inch 221.2 mm / 8.71 inch 15.5 mm / 0.61 inch 1.6 kg3.54 lbs304.1 mm / 12 inch 215 mm / 8.46 inch 11.3 mm / 0.4449 inch 1.2 kg2.71 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs With two USB-C ports (Thunderbolt 3, USB 4.0) as well as MagSafe on the left side and a 3.5 mm jack, the port distribution is the same as that of the smaller model. So, Apple didn't put in any additional work here, leaving the additional space on the case unused. Another USB-C port on the right side and perhaps an SD card reader (like in the Pro models) would have been nice. Also, only one external display can be connected to the larger MacBook Air (max. 6K @60 Hz). The Wi-Fi module is also the same as in the small MacBook Air M2 and not the Pro models. Wi-Fi 6 is only supported at 80 MHz, which limits the transfer rates to around 900 Mbps. With our reference router from Asus, the transfer rates are on the expected level and there are no restrictions in everyday use, but it is still not quite up to date for a premium notebook. The MacBook Air also supports Bluetooth 5.3. NetworkingApple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax iperf3 transmit AXE11000 920 (min: 862) MBit/s ∼56% iperf3 receive AXE11000 858 (min: 810) MBit/s ∼52% Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 iperf3 transmit AXE11000 1649 (min: 1563) MBit/s ∼100% iperf3 receive AXE11000 1623 (min: 1587) MBit/s ∼99% LG Gram 15Z90Q Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 iperf3 transmit AXE11000 1514 (min: 739) MBit/s ∼92% iperf3 receive AXE11000 1640 (min: 1605) MBit/s ∼100% Asus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W MediaTek MT7921 iperf3 transmit AXE11000 720 (min: 674) MBit/s ∼44% iperf3 receive AXE11000 709 (min: 702) MBit/s ∼43% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax iperf3 transmit AX12 772 (min: 748) MBit/s ∼100% iperf3 receive AX12 760 (min: 404) MBit/s ∼100% iperf3 transmit AXE11000 766 (min: 698) MBit/s ∼46% iperf3 receive AXE11000 874 (min: 522) MBit/s ∼53% Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Broadcom 0x14E4, 0x4388 WiFi 6E AirPort iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz 1777 (min: 1685) MBit/s ∼100% iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz 1741 (min: 1650) MBit/s ∼100% 050100150200250300350400450500550600650700750800850900950Tooltip Face ID is still not available on the MacBooks, but the 1080p webcam offers good quality and is also good for video calls. The same is also true of the microphones. 21 ∆E 9.8 ∆E 18.3 ∆E 23.8 ∆E 14.4 ∆E 10.4 ∆E 7.5 ∆E 13 ∆E 9.5 ∆E 12.4 ∆E 9.4 ∆E 5.5 ∆E 9.1 ∆E 15.1 ∆E 12.9 ∆E 5.8 ∆E 10.2 ∆E 16.6 ∆E 3.9 ∆E 6.7 ∆E 14.1 ∆E 20.3 ∆E 23.8 ∆E 5.2 ∆E ColorChecker Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB: 12.45 ∆E min: 3.94 - max: 23.81 ∆E The bottom cover is secured with a few pentalobe screws, but there are still some retaining clips in the middle. Here you have to use some force (and preferably a suction cup) to loosen the clamps, after which the cover can be pulled forward. The internals (which are dominated by the battery) also appear good, but there is nothing the user can do here. In an emergency, components can be replaced, such as the battery (which is held in place with screws and several pull tabs). The input devices have also been copied over unchanged. The black keyboard is on a good level and the normal scissor keys are also pleasant to type on, but there are undoubtedly even better keyboards, especially in the business sector. The additional width has neither been utilized for a numpad nor speaker covers - just more case surface. The Touch ID fingerprint scanner still works flawlessly. Apple has been the leader in white keyboard lighting for years, since the intensity is very finely tuned and automatically adjusted to the ambient light. In some Windows laptops, the keyboard is also activated via sensor, but there are usually only two or maximum three levels with hard transitions. The large TrackPad still sets the bar in the mobile sector and the integration into macOS is excellent. Thanks to Force Touch, the clicks are uniform and not too loud, and gestures are implemented perfectly. As usual, the MacBook Air does not offer a touchscreen. The MacBook Air 15 uses a 15.3-inch, 60 Hz IPS panel. The resolution is a somewhat crooked 2880 x 1864, which is caused by the camera notch in the upper display frame. The actual 16:10 panel has a resolution of 2880 x 1800 and the 64 additional vertical pixels were simply added on top. The notch does not take any space away from the 16:10 display. Apart from the higher resolution, nothing has changed in technical specifications compared to the 13-inch model and we can confirm the advertised brightness of 500 cd/m² (it is actually 501 cd/m² on average). The illumination of 93% is also very homogeneous. The SDR brightness is thus on par with the MacBook Pro models, but the lack of HDR support means the Air will not be able to display HDR content in all of its glory. The black value of the IPS panel is on the higher side at 0.39 cd/m², which is why the contrast ratio is "only" ~1300:1. Slight halos can be seen at the bottom edge on a dark background, but they appear enhanced in our photos (due to the camera). The response times are perfectly fine for an everyday device, and we didn't notice any PWM flickering on the IPS panel either. Both the brightness and the color temperature are controlled automatically, which no Windows laptop can do satisfactorily. However, the Air has to do without the 120 Hz ProMotion technology. 485 cd/m²482 cd/m²499 cd/m²503 cd/m²517 cd/m²505 cd/m²502 cd/m²512 cd/m²501 cd/m² Distribution of brightness tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2 Maximum: 517 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 500.7 cd/m² Minimum: 1.7 cd/m² Brightness Distribution: 93 % Center on Battery: 513 cd/m² Contrast: 1326:1 (Black: 0.39 cd/m²) ΔE Color 1.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5.1, calibrated: 0.8 ΔE Greyscale 1.8 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3 87.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D) 99.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D) 98.7% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D) Gamma: 2.24 Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB IPS, 2880x1864, 15.30Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U LQ150P1JX51, IPS, 2496x1664, 15.00LG Gram 15Z90Q LG LP156WFC-SPZ2 (LGD0706), IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60Asus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W Samsung SDC4161, OLED, 1920x1080, 15.60Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry IPS, 2560x1664, 13.60Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro Liquid Retina XDR, Mini-LED, 3456x2234, 16.20Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Mini-LED, 3024x1964, 14.20Display -18% -22% 4% 0% 0% 1% Display P3 Coverage 98.7 68.1 -31% 63.5 -36% 99.9 1% 98.4 0% 99.1 0% 99.2 1% sRGB Coverage 99.9 97.3 -3% 95 -5% 100 0% 99.9 0% 100 0% AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage 87.9 70.3 -20% 65.1 -26% 98.6 12% 87.6 0% 88 0% Response Times -67% -36% 93% -23% -217% -31% Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * 28.8 (14.2, 14.6) 52.4 (24.4, 28) -82% 48.4 (21.6, 26.8) -68% 0.74 97% 32.9 (17.8, 15.1) -14% 42.8 (19.6, 23.2) -49% 35.2 (12.8, 22.4) -22% Response Time Black / White * 18.9 (8.5, 10.4) 28.7 (13, 15.7) -52% 19.6 (8, 11.6) -4% 2 (1, 1) 89% 24.9 (10.4, 14.5) -32% 91.6 (76, 15.6) -385% 26.4 (11.2, 15.2) -40% PWM Frequency 22000 (50) 59 (50) 14880 14880 (100, 500) Screen 12% -44% -63% -2% 235% 235% Brightness middle 517 397 -23% 420 -19% 378 -27% 526 2% 514 -1% 500 -3% Brightness 501 399 -20% 399 -20% 378 -25% 486 -3% 497 -1% 489 -2% Brightness Distribution 93 85 -9% 88 -5% 98 5% 87 -6% 95 2% 94 1% Black Level * 0.39 0.29 26% 0.32 18% 0.38 3% 0.02 95% 0.02 95% Contrast 1326 1369 3% 1313 -1% 1384 4% 25700 1838% 25000 1785% Colorchecker dE 2000 * 1.2 0.8 33% 2.51 -109% 2.2 -83% 1.3 -8% 1.4 -17% 1.2 -0% Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * 2.5 1.4 44% 6.64 -166% 4.87 -95% 2.7 -8% 2.8 -12% 2.6 -4% Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * 0.8 0.89 -11% 2.68 -235% 0.7 12% Greyscale dE 2000 * 1.8 1.1 39% 3.3 -83% 1.43 21% 2 -11% 2.3 -28% 1.7 6% Gamma 2.24 98% 2.18 101% 2.052 107% 2.47 89% 2.25 98% 2.27 97% 2.24 98% CCT 6705 97% 6921 94% 6464 101% 6858 95% 6792 96% 6791 96% Total Average (Program / Settings) -24% /-7% -34% /-38% 11% /-20% -8% /-4% 6% /111% 68% /165% * ... smaller is better The MacBook Air is already very well calibrated out of the box. We measured the panel using professional CalMAN software (X-Rite i1 Pro 2). Both the deviations of the grayscale and the colors compared to the P3 reference color space are already below 3, so the human eye cannot distinguish any differences to the reference colors. However, there is a minimal blue cast in conjunction with a color temperature that is a little too cool. We were able to eliminate these minor flaws and improve the display a little more overall with our own calibration (profile is available for free download above). The sRGB and P3 color spaces are completely covered. Display Response Timesℹ Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times. ↔ Response Time Black to White18.9 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 8.5 ms rise ↘ 10.4 ms fallThe screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 35 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.8 ms). ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey28.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14.2 ms rise ↘ 14.6 ms fallThe screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 31 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (34.3 ms). Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)ℹ To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether. Screen flickering / PWM not detected In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18598 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. The display of the MacBook Air is glossy, but not as glossy as many other Windows laptops. Of course, reflections can still occur outdoors, but with the good brightness, you can always find a suitable position. The viewing angle stability is very good. The MacBook Air 15 is exclusively available with the faster M2 chip, which is equipped with 10 GPU cores. The device can be configured with up to 24 GB of RAM and a 2 TB PCIe SSD, although the surcharges are huge as usual and the most expensive version costs EUR 2979 (~US$3250). As mentioned at the beginning, only the stronger M2 SoC with 10 GPU cores is used in the larger MacBook Air. The processor offers 8 cores, divided into two clusters with 4 cores each. The four performance cores reach a maximum of ~3.5 GHz and the four efficiency cores a maximum of 2.4 GHz. The M2 can consume up to 20 watts for short periods of time, but only 9 watts under sustained load. So the processor is already a year old, which is why there are no surprises in terms of performance here. The only question is whether the passive cooling benefits from the larger case and whether the performance remains stable for longer. The answer here is no, although the currently very summery temperatures (up to 30°C/80°F) may have a minor influence here. Overall, both the results in short benchmarks and long-term load are on par with the smaller MacBook Air M2. The Surface Laptop 5 with its Core i7-1255U is only marginally faster in native benchmarks, such as Cinebench R23, but the Core i5-1240P in LG's Gram 15 is slower. CPU performance does not drop in battery mode. More benchmarks are available in our tech section. 01102203304405506607708809901100121013201430154016501760187019802090Tooltip CPU Performance RatingAsus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W AMD Ryzen 7 6800H 85.3 pt Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro -1! Apple M1 Pro 81.7 pt Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry Apple M2 Pro 10-Core 78.3 pt Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Intel Core i7-1255U 72.8 pt Average of class Subnotebook 68.3 pt LG Gram 15Z90Q Intel Core i5-1240P 64.2 pt Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB Apple M2 63.4 pt Average Apple M2 62 pt Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU Apple M2 61.7 pt Cinebench R23 / Multi CoreAsus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W AMD Ryzen 7 6800H 12570 Points +47% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro Apple M1 Pro 12370 Points +44% Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry Apple M2 Pro 10-Core 11811 Points +38% Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Intel Core i7-1255U 8930 Points +4% Average of class Subnotebook (2485 - 16201, n=65, last 2 years) 8845 Points +3% Average Apple M2 (8517 - 8772, n=5) 8654 Points +1% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB Apple M2 8569 Points Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU Apple M2 8517 Points -1% LG Gram 15Z90Q Intel Core i5-1240P 8337 Points -3% Cinebench R23 / Single CoreMicrosoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Intel Core i7-1255U 1673 Points +5% Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry Apple M2 Pro 10-Core 1643 Points +3% Average Apple M2 (1580 - 1638, n=5) 1595 Points 0% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB Apple M2 1589 Points Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU Apple M2 1580 Points -1% Asus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W AMD Ryzen 7 6800H 1547 Points -3% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro Apple M1 Pro 1534 Points -3% Average of class Subnotebook (598 - 1934, n=65, last 2 years) 1527 Points -4% LG Gram 15Z90Q Intel Core i5-1240P 1501 Points -6% Cinebench R20 / CPU (Multi Core)Asus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W AMD Ryzen 7 6800H 4839 Points +108% Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Intel Core i7-1255U 3440 Points +48% Average of class Subnotebook (810 - 6314, n=65, last 2 years) 3417 Points +47% Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry Apple M2 Pro 10-Core 3235 Points +39% LG Gram 15Z90Q Intel Core i5-1240P 3175 Points +37% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro Apple M1 Pro 2721 Points +17% Average Apple M2 (2231 - 2416, n=5) 2325 Points 0% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB Apple M2 2324 Points Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU Apple M2 2306 Points -1% Cinebench R20 / CPU (Single Core)Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Intel Core i7-1255U 644 Points +49% Asus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W AMD Ryzen 7 6800H 603 Points +40% Average of class Subnotebook (216 - 738, n=65, last 2 years) 576 Points +34% LG Gram 15Z90Q Intel Core i5-1240P 572 Points +33% Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry Apple M2 Pro 10-Core 449 Points +4% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB Apple M2 431 Points Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro Apple M1 Pro 393 Points -9% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU Apple M2 380 Points -12% Average Apple M2 (216 - 446, n=5) 371 Points -14% Cinebench R15 / CPU Multi 64BitAsus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W AMD Ryzen 7 6800H 2121 (1926.5min - 2121.45max) Points +75% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro Apple M1 Pro 1690 (1675min - 1690max) Points +40% Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry Apple M2 Pro 10-Core 1664 (1643min - 1664max) Points +38% Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Intel Core i7-1255U 1577 (1212.27min - 1577.22max) Points +30% Average of class Subnotebook (514 - 2581, n=71, last 2 years) 1510 Points +25% LG Gram 15Z90Q Intel Core i5-1240P 1479 (718.44min - 1478.52max) Points +22% Average Apple M2 (1210 - 1243, n=5) 1222 Points +1% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU Apple M2 1212 (917min - 1212max) Points 0% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB Apple M2 1209.9 (973.83min, 974.802P1 - 1209.85max) Points Cinebench R15 / CPU Single 64BitAsus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W AMD Ryzen 7 6800H 243 Points +9% Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Intel Core i7-1255U 239 Points +8% Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry Apple M2 Pro 10-Core 231 Points +4% Average Apple M2 (222 - 229, n=5) 224 Points +1% Average of class Subnotebook (91.8 - 276, n=62, last 2 years) 224 Points +1% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU Apple M2 223 Points 0% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB Apple M2 222 Points Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro Apple M1 Pro 209 Points -6% LG Gram 15Z90Q Intel Core i5-1240P 209 Points -6% Blender / v2.79 BMW27 CPUApple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU Apple M2 616.7 Seconds * -3% Average Apple M2 (549 - 713, n=5) 614 Seconds * -3% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB Apple M2 597 Seconds * LG Gram 15Z90Q Intel Core i5-1240P 477 Seconds * +20% Average of class Subnotebook (213 - 1600, n=65, last 2 years) 436 Seconds * +27% Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry Apple M2 Pro 10-Core 415 Seconds * +30% Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Intel Core i7-1255U 383 Seconds * +36% Asus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W AMD Ryzen 7 6800H 252 Seconds * +58% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro Apple M1 Pro 183.3 Seconds * +69% Geekbench 5.5 / Multi-CoreApple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro Apple M1 Pro 12499 Points +39% Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry Apple M2 Pro 10-Core 12189 Points +36% Asus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W AMD Ryzen 7 6800H 9263 Points +3% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU Apple M2 8991 Points 0% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB Apple M2 8961 Points Average Apple M2 (8491 - 8994, n=7) 8839 Points -1% Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Intel Core i7-1255U 8770 Points -2% LG Gram 15Z90Q Intel Core i5-1240P 8747 Points -2% Average of class Subnotebook (2972 - 12304, n=64, last 2 years) 7811 Points -13% Geekbench 5.5 / Single-CoreApple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry Apple M2 Pro 10-Core 1926 Points 0% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU Apple M2 1925 Points 0% Average Apple M2 (1890 - 1953, n=7) 1918 Points 0% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB Apple M2 1917 Points Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro Apple M1 Pro 1768 Points -8% Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Intel Core i7-1255U 1662 Points -13% LG Gram 15Z90Q Intel Core i5-1240P 1598 Points -17% Average of class Subnotebook (672 - 1975, n=64, last 2 years) 1586 Points -17% Asus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W AMD Ryzen 7 6800H 1568 Points -18% Blender / v3.3 Classroom CPULG Gram 15Z90Q Intel Core i5-1240P 883 Seconds * -49% Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Intel Core i7-1255U 720 Seconds * -21% Average of class Subnotebook (347 - 1548, n=40, last 2 years) 677 Seconds * -14% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU Apple M2 645 Seconds * -9% Average Apple M2 (540 - 702, n=4) 620 Seconds * -4% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB Apple M2 594 Seconds * Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry Apple M2 Pro 10-Core 435 Seconds * +27% Asus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W AMD Ryzen 7 6800H 425 Seconds * +28% * ... smaller is better Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit 1209.9 Points Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit 132.33 fps Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit 99.5 % Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit 222 Points Help The subjective performance impression is excellent, especially in native applications. Even extensive apps such as Adobe Photoshop or Premiere Pro pose no issue for the passively cooled Air. Thanks to Rosetta 2, the Air can emulate programs made for x64 Macs, which works well in practice. However, the performance can be noticeably worse than with native apps, especially with complex apps (like Photoshop). CrossMark / OverallApple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry M2 Pro 16-Core GPU, M2 Pro 10-Core, Apple SSD AP0512Z 1772 Points +17% Asus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W Radeon 680M, R7 6800H, WD PC SN735 SDBPNHH-512G 1590 Points +5% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro M1 Pro 16-Core GPU, M1 Pro, Apple SSD AP1024R 1556 Points +2% Average Apple M2, Apple M2 10-Core GPU (1496 - 1585, n=6) 1538 Points +1% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 1520 Points Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1255U, SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N 1497 Points -2% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 1496 Points -2% Average of class Subnotebook (718 - 1876, n=58, last 2 years) 1480 Points -3% CrossMark / ProductivityAsus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W Radeon 680M, R7 6800H, WD PC SN735 SDBPNHH-512G 1566 Points +10% Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry M2 Pro 16-Core GPU, M2 Pro 10-Core, Apple SSD AP0512Z 1543 Points +9% Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1255U, SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N 1460 Points +3% Average of class Subnotebook (685 - 1829, n=58, last 2 years) 1454 Points +3% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 1418 Points Average Apple M2, Apple M2 10-Core GPU (1377 - 1441, n=6) 1409 Points -1% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 1377 Points -3% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro M1 Pro 16-Core GPU, M1 Pro, Apple SSD AP1024R 1342 Points -5% CrossMark / CreativityApple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry M2 Pro 16-Core GPU, M2 Pro 10-Core, Apple SSD AP0512Z 2239 Points +26% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro M1 Pro 16-Core GPU, M1 Pro, Apple SSD AP1024R 2054 Points +16% Average Apple M2, Apple M2 10-Core GPU (1777 - 1967, n=6) 1859 Points +5% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 1819 Points +2% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 1777 Points Asus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W Radeon 680M, R7 6800H, WD PC SN735 SDBPNHH-512G 1708 Points -4% Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1255U, SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N 1630 Points -8% Average of class Subnotebook (776 - 2080, n=58, last 2 years) 1581 Points -11% CrossMark / ResponsivenessAsus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W Radeon 680M, R7 6800H, WD PC SN735 SDBPNHH-512G 1340 Points +14% Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry M2 Pro 16-Core GPU, M2 Pro 10-Core, Apple SSD AP0512Z 1329 Points +13% Average of class Subnotebook (652 - 1899, n=58, last 2 years) 1293 Points +10% Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1255U, SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N 1250 Points +7% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 1171 Points Average Apple M2, Apple M2 10-Core GPU (1065 - 1182, n=6) 1137 Points -3% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 1065 Points -9% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro M1 Pro 16-Core GPU, M1 Pro, Apple SSD AP1024R 1055 Points -10% WebXPRT 3 / OverallApple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry M2 Pro 16-Core GPU, M2 Pro 10-Core, Apple SSD AP0512Z 391 Points +2% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 382 Points Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 375 Points -2% Average Apple M2, Apple M2 10-Core GPU (342 - 387, n=6) 368 Points -4% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro M1 Pro 16-Core GPU, M1 Pro, Apple SSD AP1024R 342 Points -10% Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1255U, SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N 277 Points -27% Asus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W Radeon 680M, R7 6800H, WD PC SN735 SDBPNHH-512G 274 Points -28% Average of class Subnotebook (119.2 - 382, n=63, last 2 years) 268 Points -30% LG Gram 15Z90Q Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1240P, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL21T0HCLR 263 Points -31% WebXPRT 4 / OverallApple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 256 Points Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry M2 Pro 16-Core GPU, M2 Pro 10-Core, Apple SSD AP0512Z 250 Points -2% Average Apple M2, Apple M2 10-Core GPU (223 - 256, n=5) 237 Points -7% Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1255U, SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N 232 Points -9% Average of class Subnotebook (67.2 - 283, n=39, last 2 years) 230 Points -10% Asus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W Radeon 680M, R7 6800H, WD PC SN735 SDBPNHH-512G 229 Points -11% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 225 Points -12% LG Gram 15Z90Q Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1240P, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL21T0HCLR 223 Points -13% Blackmagic RAW Speed Test / 12:1 8K MetalApple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro M1 Pro 16-Core GPU, M1 Pro, Apple SSD AP1024R 163 fps +176% Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry M2 Pro 16-Core GPU, M2 Pro 10-Core, Apple SSD AP0512Z 159 fps +169% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 80 fps +36% Average of class Subnotebook (59 - 85, n=4, last 2 years) 74.8 fps +27% Average Apple M2, Apple M2 10-Core GPU (59 - 85, n=4) 70.8 fps +20% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 59 fps Blackmagic RAW Speed Test / 12:1 8K CPUApple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry M2 Pro 16-Core GPU, M2 Pro 10-Core, Apple SSD AP0512Z 34 fps +36% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro M1 Pro 16-Core GPU, M1 Pro, Apple SSD AP1024R 27 fps +8% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 25 fps Average Apple M2, Apple M2 10-Core GPU (24 - 26, n=4) 24.8 fps -1% Average of class Subnotebook (24 - 25, n=4, last 2 years) 24.3 fps -3% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 24 fps -4% Jetstream 2 / Total ScoreMicrosoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1255U, SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N 248.5 Points +4% Asus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W Radeon 680M, R7 6800H, WD PC SN735 SDBPNHH-512G 242.56 Points +2% Average of class Subnotebook (115.4 - 478, n=36, last 2 years) 239 Points 0% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 238.9 Points Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry M2 Pro 16-Core GPU, M2 Pro 10-Core, Apple SSD AP0512Z 234.8 Points -2% Average Apple M2, Apple M2 10-Core GPU (220 - 239, n=6) 230 Points -4% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 226.8 Points -5% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro M1 Pro 16-Core GPU, M1 Pro, Apple SSD AP1024R 213.5 Points -11% Speedometer 2.0 / ResultApple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 428 runs/min Average Apple M2, Apple M2 10-Core GPU (363 - 428, n=6) 398 runs/min -7% Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry M2 Pro 16-Core GPU, M2 Pro 10-Core, Apple SSD AP0512Z 395 runs/min -8% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z 392 runs/min -8% Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1255U, SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N 299 runs/min -30% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro M1 Pro 16-Core GPU, M1 Pro, Apple SSD AP1024R 276 runs/min -36% Average of class Subnotebook (154 - 428, n=24, last 2 years) 273 runs/min -36% The SSD is the AP1024Z, which we already know from the smaller model. It is a PCIe 3.0 SSD with a storage capacity of 1 TB, of which 968 GB is available upon starting up for the first time. The transfer rates are on the expected level and, even if the PCIe 4.0 SSDs of the Pro models are faster, there are no limitations in everyday use. More SSD benchmarks are available here. The graphics adapter of the Apple M2 SoC offers 10 cores that work at a maximum of 1.4 GHz. The performance of the iGPU is still very good and well ahead of the current iGPUs from Intel and AMD. In everyday life, the iGPU easily copes with all tasks, including the playback of high-resolution videos. However, as with the small MacBook Air M2, performance does not remain constant, but drops by around 25 percent after a few minutes under sustained load. But there is no further performance reduction in battery mode. More GPU benchmarks are listed here. 3DMark - Wild Life Extreme UnlimitedApple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry Apple M2 Pro 16-Core GPU, Apple M2 Pro 10-Core 11224 Points +63% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro Apple M1 Pro 16-Core GPU, Apple M1 Pro 10352 Points +51% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB Apple M2 10-Core GPU, Apple M2 6869 Points Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU Apple M2 10-Core GPU, Apple M2 6824 Points -1% Average Apple M2 10-Core GPU (5328 - 6987, n=6) 6623 Points -4% Lenovo Yoga Pro 7 14ARP G8 AMD Radeon 680M, AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS 4455 Points -35% Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs, Intel Core i7-1255U 3658 Points -47% GFXBench3840x2160 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier OffscreenApple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry Apple M2 Pro 16-Core GPU, Apple M2 Pro 10-Core 78.7 fps +64% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro Apple M1 Pro 16-Core GPU, Apple M1 Pro 71.7 fps +50% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU Apple M2 10-Core GPU, Apple M2 48.6 fps +1% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB Apple M2 10-Core GPU, Apple M2 47.9 fps Average Apple M2 10-Core GPU (35.6 - 48.6, n=5) 45.6 fps -5% 2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier OffscreenApple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry Apple M2 Pro 16-Core GPU, Apple M2 Pro 10-Core 181.1 fps +68% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro Apple M1 Pro 16-Core GPU, Apple M1 Pro 166 fps +54% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU Apple M2 10-Core GPU, Apple M2 110 fps +2% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB Apple M2 10-Core GPU, Apple M2 107.7 fps Average Apple M2 10-Core GPU (77 - 110, n=6) 100.4 fps -7% Geekbench 5.5 OpenCL ScoreApple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry Apple M2 Pro 16-Core GPU, Apple M2 Pro 10-Core 42483 Points +53% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro Apple M1 Pro 16-Core GPU, Apple M1 Pro 37867 Points +37% Lenovo Yoga Pro 7 14ARP G8 AMD Radeon 680M, AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS 34368 Points +24% Asus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W AMD Radeon 680M, AMD Ryzen 7 6800H 31564 Points +14% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB Apple M2 10-Core GPU, Apple M2 27696 Points Average Apple M2 10-Core GPU (27489 - 27965, n=4) 27688 Points 0% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU Apple M2 10-Core GPU, Apple M2 27489 Points -1% Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs, Intel Core i7-1255U 18173 Points -34% LG Gram 15Z90Q Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs, Intel Core i5-1240P 15648 Points -44% Metal ScoreApple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry Apple M2 Pro 16-Core GPU, Apple M2 Pro 10-Core 46834 Points +55% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro Apple M1 Pro 16-Core GPU, Apple M1 Pro 42115 Points +40% Average Apple M2 10-Core GPU (30149 - 33465, n=5) 30921 Points +3% Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU Apple M2 10-Core GPU, Apple M2 30269 Points 0% Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB Apple M2 10-Core GPU, Apple M2 30149 Points * ... smaller is better After last week's WWDC, the gaming landscape on MacBooks may soon change massively. In addition to native titles such as No Man's Sky or Death Stranding, which should be available in the future, Apple has presented the "Game Porting Toolkit", which allows developers to port DirectX 12 games to macOS relatively easily. Demos for titles such as Cyberpoint 2077 already run relatively well on Apple hardware. The technology is based on CrossOver's source code, which we also use to run Windows titles such as Witcher 3 on the current MacBooks. The gaming performance here is on par with the small MacBook Air M2. Since the MacBook Air 15 does not have a fan, it is absolutely silent at all times. No electronic noises, such as coil whine, were detected in our test device. Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024ZMicrosoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1255U, SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013NLG Gram 15Z90Q Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1240P, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL21T0HCLRAsus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W Radeon 680M, R7 6800H, WD PC SN735 SDBPNHH-512GApple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024ZApple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro M1 Pro 16-Core GPU, M1 Pro, Apple SSD AP1024RApple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry M2 Pro 16-Core GPU, M2 Pro 10-Core, Apple SSD AP0512ZNoiseoff / environment * 23.3 25 26 24.7 23.6 Idle Minimum * 23.3 26 26 24.7 23.6 Idle Average * 23.3 27 26 24.7 23.6 Idle Maximum * 23.3 28 28.1 24.7 23.6 Load Average * 35 37 56.9 26.1 24.2 Witcher 3 ultra * 38.1 37 Load Maximum * 38.1 37 62.6 37.4 47.5 * ... smaller is better Apple has the surface temperatures of the MacBook Air 15 well under control and there are no restrictions in everyday use or during less demanding tasks. The hotspot is in the upper-middle area of the base unit, where the processor is located. We measured up to 45 °C during high load and gaming, which is of course noticeable with the fingers, but not problematic. The underside stays a little cooler at a maximum of 42 °C. The Air 15 can be placed on the thighs at any time. 42.7 °C 109 F45.1 °C 113 F39.1 °C 102 F 39.3 °C 103 F39.9 °C 104 F36.9 °C 98 F 34.5 °C 94 F31.8 °C 89 F33.5 °C 92 F Maximum: 45.1 °C = 113 F Average: 38.1 °C = 101 F 40 °C 104 F42.5 °C 109 F41.5 °C 107 F37.7 °C 100 F39.9 °C 104 F40.2 °C 104 F33.8 °C 93 F34.7 °C 94 F34.5 °C 94 F Maximum: 42.5 °C = 109 F Average: 38.3 °C = 101 F Power Supply (max.) 41.8 °C = 107 F | Room Temperature 23.7 °C = 75 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated), Voltcraft IR-900 (-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 38.1 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 30.7 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook. (-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 45.1 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook. (±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 42.5 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F (+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.6 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F. (±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 37.4 °C / 99 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F. (+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (34.5 °C / 94.1 F) and are therefore not hot. (-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (-6.2 °C / -11.2 F). In the stress test, the behavior of the SoC is again comparable to that of the smaller MacBook Air. During the runs of Cinebench R23 and the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme stress test (which is of course an extreme scenario for the Air), the consumption of the M2 chip settles at around 8.5-9 watts after a short time. The larger Air has a slight advantage here, but you cannot really perceive this in practice. 0123456789101112131415161718Tooltip Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z; Cinebench R23 Multi + 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test GPU Power: Ø5.23 (3.794-13.405) Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z; Cinebench R23 Multi + 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test GPU Power: Ø4.28 (3.27-13.289) Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z; Cinebench R23 Multi + 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test CPU Power: Ø5 (3.802-18.05) Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU M2 10-Core GPU, M2, Apple SSD AP1024Z; Cinebench R23 Multi + 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test CPU Power: Ø4.04 (3.269-17.596) For the sound system, Apple has increased the number of modules from 4 to 6, which is also noticeable in our audio analysis and there is a slight advantage over the smaller MacBook Air M2. The sound system of the larger MacBook Pro 16 packs a little more punch, but this is hairsplitting. Overall, the performance of the speakers is very good and often you won't need external speakers or headphones. dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs205046.52535.536.73134.334.94043.939.25036.133.26329.739803049.210031.355.11252561.91602160.720020.465.825020.769.731517.271.940014.771.650012.270.263012.470.580011.868.4100011.268.112501170.9160010.873.8200011.272.6250011.871.531501270.6400012.474.7500012.575.7630012.776.1800012.674.81000012.674.11250012.571.61600011.965.4SPL25.285N0.768.4median 12.5median 70.9Delta3.22.626.325.821.422.12624.925.127.622.532.523.448.72655.818.860.922.167.2267019.372.317.674.217.774.319.575.31571.711.871.311.27410.574.21072.710.17210.67210.97511.374.811.671.71269.71269.612.371.112.669.61270.111.269.824.784.70.666.6median 12median 71.73.42.227.828.528.427.522.324.327.93122.128.821.524.718.132.716.950.718.556.91851.916.456.915.56014.365.312.968.612.270.911.969.211.567.111.868.211.167.911.369.311.57111.671.612.172.412.671.912.471.612.972.113.169.412.771.712.872.113.660.824.482.70.658.3median 12.7median 69.21.34.7hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseApple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GBApple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 ProApple MacBook Air M2 Entry Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices) Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB audio analysis(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85 dB) Bass 100 - 315 Hz (±) | reduced bass - on average 7% lower than median (±) | linearity of bass is average (7.2% delta to prev. frequency) Mids 400 - 2000 Hz (+) | balanced mids - only 1.5% away from median (+) | mids are linear (2.5% delta to prev. frequency) Highs 2 - 16 kHz (+) | balanced highs - only 3.2% away from median (+) | highs are linear (2.3% delta to prev. frequency) Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz (+) | overall sound is linear (6.8% difference to median) Compared to same class » 1% of all tested devices in this class were better, 0% similar, 99% worse » The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53% Compared to all devices tested » 1% of all tested devices were better, 0% similar, 99% worse » The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134% Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro audio analysis(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84.7 dB) Bass 100 - 315 Hz (+) | good bass - only 3.8% away from median (+) | bass is linear (5.2% delta to prev. frequency) Mids 400 - 2000 Hz (+) | balanced mids - only 1.3% away from median (+) | mids are linear (2.1% delta to prev. frequency) Highs 2 - 16 kHz (+) | balanced highs - only 1.9% away from median (+) | highs are linear (2.7% delta to prev. frequency) Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz (+) | overall sound is linear (4.6% difference to median) Compared to same class » 0% of all tested devices in this class were better, 0% similar, 100% worse » The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45% Compared to all devices tested » 0% of all tested devices were better, 0% similar, 100% worse » The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134% Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry audio analysis(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.7 dB) Bass 100 - 315 Hz (±) | reduced bass - on average 12.2% lower than median (±) | linearity of bass is average (12.6% delta to prev. frequency) Mids 400 - 2000 Hz (+) | balanced mids - only 1.1% away from median (+) | mids are linear (3.1% delta to prev. frequency) Highs 2 - 16 kHz (+) | balanced highs - only 2.4% away from median (+) | highs are linear (1.9% delta to prev. frequency) Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz (+) | overall sound is linear (9.5% difference to median) Compared to same class » 2% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 96% worse » The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53% Compared to all devices tested » 2% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 97% worse » The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134% The MacBook Air 15 is very efficient, but the consumption is significantly influenced by the screen brightness, with the difference between very low brightness and maximum brightness being around 7-8 watts. In our stress test, the 35 watt power supply limits the power consumption: for example, we measured up to 57 watts with a 65 watt power supply and 38 watts for some time afterwards. In the course of the stress test, consumption levels off at 26 watts. The 35-watt power supply is thus too weak, but since the SoC throttles quite quickly when the CPU and GPU are stressed at the same time, the effect in everyday use is rather small. Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB M2, M2 10-Core GPU, Apple SSD AP1024Z, IPS, 2880x1864, 15.30Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U i7-1255U, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N, IPS, 2496x1664, 15.00LG Gram 15Z90Q i5-1240P, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL21T0HCLR, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60Asus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W R7 6800H, Radeon 680M, WD PC SN735 SDBPNHH-512G, OLED, 1920x1080, 15.60Apple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU M2, M2 10-Core GPU, Apple SSD AP1024Z, IPS, 2560x1664, 13.60Average Apple M2 10-Core GPU Average of class Subnotebook Power Consumption -36% -37% -72% 3% 16% -46% Idle Minimum * 2.2 3.8 -73% 4 -82% 4.4 -100% 1.9 14% 1.952 (1.1 - 2.54, n=6) 11% 4.99 (1.77 - 11.8, n=63, last 2 years) -127% Idle Average * 10 8.2 18% 7 30% 5.1 49% 9.6 4% 8.71 (6 - 11.2, n=5) 13% 8.49 (4.6 - 17.4, n=63, last 2 years) 15% Idle Maximum * 10.1 8.4 17% 13 -29% 9.3 8% 9.7 4% 7.81 (2.6 - 11.5, n=6) 23% 10.4 (5.1 - 22.4, n=63, last 2 years) -3% Load Average * 33.6 50.1 -49% 45 -34% 67 -99% 32.4 4% 24.6 (9.1 - 33.6, n=6) 27% 45.6 (19.1 - 85.7, n=63, last 2 years) -36% Witcher 3 ultra * 27.8 38.8 -40% 35.2 -27% 66.4 -139% 30.8 -11% Load Maximum * 37.2 69.6 -87% 66 -77% 93.5 -151% 35.7 4% 34.5 (10.2 - 56, n=6) 7% 66.1 (24.2 - 110.9, n=63, last 2 years) -78% * ... smaller is better The larger case was mainly used for a larger battery; instead of 52.6 Wh in the 13-inch model, the Air 15 has 66.5 Wh. In both the video and WLAN tests at a brightness of 150 cd/m² (the brightness was reduced by 7 large & 2 small levels), the Air 15 achieves extremely long battery runtimes of around 16.5 hours. This puts it at least an hour ahead of the small MBA 13 and is only just beaten by the larger MacBook Pro 16, which is equipped with a significantly larger battery (99.6 Wh). In the WLAN test at full brightness, we measured a solid runtime of just over 7 hours; under load (and at maximum brightness), the battery goes flat in 3:15 hours. Apple's 70-watt power supply was not available to us during our review. A complete recharge with the included 35-watt supply takes around 2:50 hours when the device is turned on, and this is reduced to around 2 hours with a normal 65-watt power supply (USB-C). Battery Runtime WiFi Websurfing (Safari 15.6)16h 33minWiFi Websurfing max. Brightness (Safari 15.6)7h 10minBig Buck Bunny H.264 1080p16h 45minLoad (maximum brightness)3h 17min Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB M2, M2 10-Core GPU, 66.5 WhMicrosoft Surface Laptop 5 15, i7-1255U i7-1255U, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, 47.4 WhLG Gram 15Z90Q i5-1240P, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, 80 WhAsus VivoBook S15 M3502RA-L1029W R7 6800H, Radeon 680M, 70 WhApple MacBook Air M2 10C GPU M2, M2 10-Core GPU, 52.6 WhApple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro M1 Pro, M1 Pro 16-Core GPU, 99.6 WhApple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Entry M2 Pro 10-Core, M2 Pro 16-Core GPU, 70 WhAverage of class Subnotebook Battery Runtime -40% -20% -41% -9% 3% -12% -36% H.264 1005 584 -42% 766 -24% 946 -6% 1048 4% 982 -2% 735 (405 - 1153, n=28, last 2 years) -27% WiFi v1.3 993 517 -48% 716 -28% 692 -30% 884 -11% 1016 2% 774 -22% 604 (303 - 1144, n=63, last 2 years) -39% Load 197 138 -30% 173 -12% 59 -70% 115 (61 - 239, n=48, last 2 years) -42% Pros
Cons- neither Thunderbolt 4 nor Wi-Fi 6 with 160 MHz; only one external display possible - PCIe 3.0 SSD only - power supply too weak - significant power reduction at high load - high entry price and expensive upgrades The new MacBook Air 15 is a very good, but also boring device, because apart from the larger screen and the higher price, there are no differences compared to the smaller MacBook Air M2 from last year. No new processor, no additional ports, just the usual basic hardware - but the overall package is extremely good and it simply works. Above all, the lack of fans is an aspect that should not be underestimated in everyday use. In our opinion, the Air could be a lot better, but Apple goes easy on itself here. The case looks even flatter in the 15-inch model, but the Air 15 is by no means a lightweight at more than 1.5 kg. The display is very good and the quality is also comparable to the smaller Air. Of course, there are some disadvantages compared to the MacBook Pro, but there is no PWM, which is certainly an important factor for some users. The speakers have two additional modules and are a little better overall, but still not quite as powerful as the MacBook Pro 16. On the other hand, Apple has also been able to improve the battery life compared to the smaller sibling. Apple gives customers exactly what they want: a larger MacBook Air. Although one year later, the new MacBook Air 15 differs from its smaller sibling only in the display size. All other pros and cons have been simply copied over. No innovation here, but that doesn't change the fact that this is also a very good laptop overall. We suspect that Apple originally planned to launch the big MacBook Air 15 with the new M3 SoC, but it simply isn't ready yet. Honestly, this isn't really a problem because the passively cooled M2 SoC still offers more than enough performance for most users. Even the old 2020 MacBook Air with the M1 chip can still be recommended without hesitation. However, Apple is attempting to maximize profits, especially with the RAM, which can also be seen in the two basic models (256 or 512 GB SSD) that are only equipped with 8 GB RAM. These basic models are often reduced in price (even the new Air 15 is already available for much less), but those who want more RAM usually have to pay the high surcharge. And EUR 230 (US$200) for 8 GB RAM is outrageous, to put it bluntly. You should also keep in mind aspects such as the non-existent maintenance and upgrade options. If these play an important role in the purchase decision, the big Air 15 disqualifies itself from the start. The biggest competitor from the Windows camp is probably Microsoft's Surface Laptop 5, but this lags behind in practically every respect and is also somewhat neglected by Microsoft. The LG Gram 15 is considerably lighter at just over 1.1 kg, but performs worse than the Air 15 in most other categories. With a view to the price-performance ratio, the 14-inch MacBook Pro is naturally the much better option, because the street price is now around EUR 2050 (US$1999.99), which is pretty much on par with the new MacBook Air 15 with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD storage. In addition, the Pro comes with a mini-LED panel and significantly more performance. But the truth is that the two devices do not compete with each other and Apple is addressing a different target group with the Air 15, who simply want a bigger MacBook Air. And if you consider macOS with the extensive preinstalled software (complete office suite, video editing etc.), the MacBook Air M2 (regardless of whether 13- or 15 inches) is simply an extremely good overall package with a long battery life. In the US, the two configurations of the new MacBook Air 15 are currently sold out on Amazon, but are available for $1299.00 (256 GB) or $1499.00 (512 GB) in all four colors at Best Buy:
Prices and availability are as of 19.06.2023 and are subject to change. Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB- 06/19/2023 v7 Andreas Osthoff Pointing Device 100 / 20-75 → 100% Application Performance 93 / 91 → 100% Subnotebook - Weighted Average TransparencyThe present review sample was made available to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or a shop for the purposes of review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. PricecompareEditor of the original article: Andreas Osthoff - Managing Editor Business Laptops - 1573 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2013 I grew up with modern consumer electronics and my first computer was a Commodore C64, which encouraged my interest in building my own systems. I started working as a review editor for Notebookcheck during my dual studies at Siemens. Currently, I am mainly responsible for dealing with business laptops and mobile workstations. It’s a great experience to be able to review the latest devices and technologies and then compare them with each other. Growing up in regional Australia, I first became acquainted with computers in my early teens after a broken leg from a football (soccer) match temporarily condemned me to a predominately indoor lifestyle. Soon afterwards I was building my own systems. Now I live in Germany, having moved here in 2014, where I study philosophy and anthropology. I am particularly fascinated by how computer technology has fundamentally and dramatically reshaped human culture, and how it continues to do so. What is the screen quality of the MacBook Air 2023?The 15-inch MacBook Air (M2) features a Retina True Tone display that supports upto 500 nits brightness. The screen real estate is large, with significantly smaller bezels compared to the previous MacBook Air M1 variant. Is MacBook Air display good?It's the same body as the mid-2020 MacBook Air When the last Air came out in the spring, we were delighted with the changes Apple brought: thin bezels, a beautiful Retina display, and most importantly, the Magic keyboard. The M1 Air is the same as the Intel Air in all but its processor. Is MacBook Air still good in 2023?Well, as someone who still uses it on a daily basis for over 2 years now, let me tell you that it's definitely still an option to consider if you're in the market to get a new MacBook. At the moment, Apple is still selling the M1 MacBook Air and it's the only Mac product that you can still get with the M1 chip. Does MacBook Air have a better display than MacBook Pro?MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Display The MacBook Pro comes with a superior 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR panel. The screen on the Air is a bit bigger, but it's not as good as the screen on the MacBook Pro. The 15-inch Air's display runs at a resolution of 2,880 x 1,864, while the 13-inch offers 2,560 by 1,664. |
