Apple today announced its second generation custom-built ARM chip M2 for Macs at WWDC 2022. Naturally, new devices are launching to feature the new chip. There are two of them- a brand new MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro Refresh. MacBook Air with M2 price in India starts from Rs 1,19,900 (Rs 1,09,900 for education). The 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 starts at Rs 1,29,900 (Rs 1,19,900 for education). These will be available from next month.
Before diving into the new laptop, let’s take a look at the M2. The new chip is based on the second generation 5nm technology. The M2 has an 8-core CPU with four high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores. It is paired with a 10-core integrated GPU. Apple claims the M2 “takes the M1’s industry-leading performance per watt even further with an 18% faster CPU, 35% more powerful GPU, and 40% faster Neural Engine.” With up to 24GB of faster integrated memory, the M2 is being billed to deliver 50% more memory bandwidth than the M1.
MacBook Air with M2 Specs, Features
The MacBook Air with M2 brings a new sleek and lightweight unibody metal design that measures just 11.3mm – Apple says it’s been able to achieve a 20% reduction in volume in this generation. In addition to your regular Silver and Space Gray options, there are two new colors as well. These are midnight and starlight.
On the front, you get a 13.6-inch “Liquid Retina” display with slim bezels and a 1080p webcam up-top inside a notch. The screen, which can reach 500nits, is 25% brighter and supports 1 billion colors.
You get two Thunderbolt ports, a headphone jack, and MagSafe charging. The new MacBook Air also supports 67W fast charging, but you’ll need a separate power adapter for that. Apple is also launching a 35W compact power adapter with two USB-C ports, which will be sold for Rs 5,800.
Elsewhere, the Magic Keyboard, onboard, features a full-height function row with Touch ID and a Force Touch trackpad. Rounding off the package is a 4-speaker sound system with support for spatial audio and a 3-mic array.
MacBook Pro 13-inch M2 with Specs, Features
The 13-inch MacBook Pro remains largely unchanged from its M1-based predecessor. The design, screen, and port selection are all the same. Naturally, this is a pro-machine with active cooling and long battery life with Apple claiming up to 20 hours of video playback.