Students with these majors should really consider the MacBook Pro with the M1 or M2 chip, however – the Air can handle light video editing, 3D rendering and compiling but may not be up-to-snuff for 300- to 400-level classes. CPU article for a comprehensive look at how additional RAM and CPU power can be helpful.įilm, design and programming students may also notice their memory-intensive apps load faster and run smoother. If you’re big on running multiple apps at once or can’t stand to close any browser tabs when you’re doing research, you may want to consider this model over the last. This configuration of the M2 MacBook Air has double the RAM of the last model we covered. This quick-charging feature on top of the M2 Air’s extraordinary 18-hour battery life helps you have the freedom to sit where you want within the classroom and not worry about tethering yourself to an outlet. Also notable, for the first time, you can choose to charge your MacBook Air via Thunderbolt. The base model of the M2 MacBook Air comes with the traditional 30W MagSafe charger, but the advanced configurations feature a 35W charger with 2 USB-C ports and a juiced-up 65W brick that can charge the Air to 50% in about 30 minutes. You’ll notice a significant boost in the image quality of the webcam, not to mention the three-microphone array to capture your voice faithfully. If you’re often video calling for class or with family, it’s worth noting the M2 MacBook Air features a 1080p FaceTime webcam the M1 MacBook Air had a 720p.

If you have USB-A accessories, make sure you purchase a USB-C to USB-A dongle-the M2 MacBook Air features two Thunderbolt-enabled USB-C ports on the left side and a headphone jack on the right.

If you plan on carrying your MacBook across campus often, the Air is an ideal choice. You’ll have no problem slipping the Air into your bookbag since it’s only about 0.43” thick and 2.7 lbs-even smaller than its M1 predecessor. It features a fresh design, shedding the wedge shape of previous MacBook Air models in favor of a flat chassis, like the MacBook Pro M1. If you’re looking to turn heads when you walk in the classroom, the M2 MacBook Air may be the laptop for you.

Best place to buy a macbook