Your browser is not supported or outdated so some features of the site might not be available.
We've just launched VPNs! To see which ones we recommend, check out our Best VPNs article. If you're interested in their capabilities and limitations, check out our article about privacy. Or, if you want to find out why most VPN kill switches don't work, check out our R&D article.
Like what we do? We're currently hiring a Staff Writer for Computers. Join our team!
Like what we do? We're currently hiring a Staff Writer for Computers. Join our team!
- Table of Contents
- Top
- Main Differences
- Design
- Display
- Interface
- Connectivity
- Configuration
- Performance
- Additional Features And Software
- Comments
Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022) vs Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M2, 2023)
Side-by-Side Comparison
Products
Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022)
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M2, 2023)
Tested using Methodology v0.8.2
Updated Jul 23, 2024 05:56 PM
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comTested using Methodology v0.8.2
Updated Jan 17, 2024 01:10 PM
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Size13.6"
Operating SystemmacOS
Size14"
Operating SystemmacOS
Variants
- MacBook Air 13 (MLY43LL/A) (Midnight - M2/8-core CPU/10-core GPU/8GB/512GB)
- MacBook Air 13 (MC7X4LL/A) (Midnight - M2/8-core CPU/8-core GPU/16GB/256GB)
- MacBook Air 13 (MLY33LL/A) (Midnight - M2/8-core CPU/8-core GPU/8GB/256GB)
- MacBook Air 13 (MLY03LL/A) (Silver - M2/8-core CPU/10-core GPU/8GB/512GB)
- MacBook Air 13 (MC7V4LL/A) (Silver - M2/8-core CPU/8-core GPU/16GB/256GB)
- MacBook Air 13 (MLXY3LL/A) (Silver - M2/8-core CPU/8-core GPU/8GB/256GB)
- MacBook Air 13 (MLXX3LL/A) (Space Gray - M2/8-core CPU/10-core GPU/8GB/512GB)
- MacBook Air 13 (MC7U4LL/A) (Space Gray - M2/8-core CPU/8-core GPU/16GB/256GB)
- MacBook Air 13 (MLXW3LL/A) (Space Gray - M2/8-core CPU/8-core GPU/8GB/256GB)
- MacBook Air 13 (MLY23LL/A) (Starlight - M2/8-core CPU/10-core GPU/8GB/512GB)
- MacBook Air 13 (MC7W4LL/A) (Starlight - M2/8-core CPU/8-core GPU/16GB/256GB)
- MacBook Air 13 (MLY13LL/A) (Starlight - M2/8-core CPU/8-core GPU/8GB/256GB)
- MacBook Pro 14 (MPHK3LL/A) (Silver - M2 Max/12‑core CPU/30‑core GPU/32GB/1TB)
- MacBook Pro 14 (MPHH3LL/A) (Silver - M2 Pro/10‑core CPU/16‑core GPU/16GB/512GB)
- MacBook Pro 14 (MPHJ3LL/A) (Silver - M2 Pro/12‑core CPU/19‑core GPU/16GB/1TB)
- MacBook Pro 14 (MPHG3LL/A) (Space Gray - M2 Max/12‑core CPU/30‑core GPU/32GB/1TB)
- MacBook Pro 14 (MPHE3LL/A) (Space Gray - M2 Pro/10‑core CPU/16‑core GPU/16GB/512GB)
- MacBook Pro 14 (MPHF3LL/A) (Space Gray - M2 Pro/12‑core CPU/19‑core GPU/16GB/1TB)
Our Verdict
Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022)
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M2, 2023)
While there are lots of similarities between the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M2, 2023) and Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022), they're also very different, as the MacBook Pro is a mobile workstation designed for demanding workloads like video editing, while the MacBook Air is an ultraportable designed for light productivity tasks like text processing and web browsing. In addition to more processing power, the MacBook Pro has a nicer 120Hz Mini LED display, better-sounding speakers, and a wider port selection. It also has longer battery life, and unlike the MacBook Air, it supports multiple external displays. The MacBook Air is more portable, though, and unlike the MacBook Pro, it's a fanless device.
Check Price
Main Differences for
Threshold
School
8.5
8.7
Ports
5.0
8.5
Portability
9.1
8.4
Battery
8.4
9.0
Full Comparison
Design
Style
Style Photo
Form Factor
Traditional (Clamshell)
Traditional (Clamshell)
Build Quality
9.5
9.5
Build Quality Photo
Hinge
9.1
9.1
Hinge Photo
Range
135°
135°
Stability
Good
Good
One Finger Lift
Yes
Yes
Portability
9.1
8.4
Dimensions Photo
Size
13.6"
14"
Thickness
0.5" (1.3 cm)
0.6" (1.6 cm)
Width
12.2" (31.0 cm)
12.3" (31.3 cm)
Depth
8.5" (21.5 cm)
8.7" (22.1 cm)
Volume
52.9 in³ (866.5 cm³)
67.5 in³ (1,106.8 cm³)
Weight
2.7 lbs (1.2 kg)
3.5 lbs (1.6 kg)
Charger Size
5.0 in³ (81.7 cm³)
9.6 in³ (157.5 cm³)
Charger Weight
0.3 lbs (0.2 kg)
0.7 lbs (0.3 kg)
Serviceability
3.5
3.5
Internals Photo
Ease Of Access
6.0
6.0
RAM Slots
0
0
Storage Slots
0
0
Replaceable Battery
Yes
Yes
Replaceable Wireless Adapter
No
No
In The Box
In The Box Photo
Display
Screen Specs
Display Photo
Resolution
2560 x 1664
3024 x 1964
Aspect Ratio
16:10
16:10
Pixel Density
225 PPI
255 PPI
Panel Type
IPS
IPS
Touch Screen
No
No
Screen-To-Body Ratio
84%
89%
Refresh Rate
5.9
8.7
Motion Blur
Refresh Rate
60 Hz
120 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
No
Apple ProMotion
Contrast
7.6
10
Contrast Photo
Native Contrast
1,490 : 1
19,972 : 1
Brightness
8.5
8.4
Maximum Brightness
468 cd/m²
456 cd/m²
Minimum Brightness
2 cd/m²
2 cd/m²
Reflections
8.9
8.9
Reflections Photo Off
Reflections Photo Max
Screen Finish
Glossy
Glossy
Total Reflections
1.73%
1.79%
Indirect Reflections
0.39%
0.33%
Calculated Direct Reflections
1.34%
1.46%
Black Uniformity
8.2
10
Black Uniformity Photo
Uniformity (Std. Dev.)
0.814%
0.267%
Horizontal Viewing Angle
6.5
6.6
Horizontal Viewing Angle Video
Horizontal Chroma Picture
Color Washout From Left
27°
26°
Color Washout From Right
27°
27°
Horizontal Hue Picture
Color Shift From Left
31°
30°
Color Shift From Right
34°
36°
Horizontal Lightness Picture
Brightness Loss From Left
30°
29°
Brightness Loss From Right
30°
30°
Black Level Raise From Left
60°
60°
Black Level Raise From Right
60°
60°
Gamma Shift From Left
27°
29°
Gamma Shift From Right
27°
32°
Vertical Viewing Angle
6.6
6.6
Vertical Viewing Angle Video
Vertical Chroma Picture
Color Washout From Below
25°
27°
Color Washout From Above
27°
29°
Vertical Hue Picture
Color Shift From Below
28°
35°
Color Shift From Above
36°
32°
Vertical Lightness Picture
Brightness Loss From Below
27°
30°
Brightness Loss From Above
30°
32°
Black Level Raise From Below
45°
45°
Black Level Raise From Above
45°
45°
Gamma Shift From Below
29°
27°
Gamma Shift From Above
31°
28°
Out-Of-The-Box Color Accuracy
9.3
9.6
White Balance Screencap
Gamma Curve Screencap
Color Screencap
Avg. White Balance dE
2.02
1.83
Avg. Gamma
2.31
2.18
Avg. Color dE
1.66
1.25
Avg. Color Temperature
6,695.9 K
6,847 K
Color Gamut
9.4
9.5
Gamut SDR
sRGB xy
99.95%
99.99%
sRGB uv
99.81%
99.99%
Adobe RGB xy
88.14%
89.05%
Adobe RGB uv
92.92%
94.2%
Gamut HDR
DCI P3 xy
99.68%
99.85%
DCI P3 uv
99.15%
99.72%
Rec. 2020 xy
72.43%
72.61%
Rec. 2020 uv
73.13%
73.63%
Flicker
10
9.0
Flicker Graph
Flicker-Free
Yes
No
Flicker Frequency
No Flicker
> 1000Hz
Flicker Active Below
0%
100%
Interface
Keyboard
8.0
7.9
Keyboard Photo
Typing Quality
8.0
8.0
Numpad
No
No
Backlighting
Adjustable
Adjustable
Key Switch Actuation Graph
Operating Force
63 gf
62 gf
Actuation Force
39 gf
38 gf
Pre-Travel
0.78 mm
0.78 mm
Total Travel
0.92 mm
0.77 mm
Touchpad
9.2
9.2
Touchpad Photo
Tracking Quality
9.5
9.5
Size
16.0 in² (103.2 cm²)
16.1 in² (104.0 cm²)
Material
Glass
Glass
Dedicated Buttons
No
No
Speakers
8.1
9.1
Frequency Response Plot
Max Volume
76 dB SPL
81 dB SPL
Standard Error @ Normal Vol. (65 dB)
5.5 dB
5.2 dB
Slope @ Normal Vol. (65 dB)
2.5
1.2
Bass Extension (Low-Frequency Ext.)
145 Hz
138 Hz
Treble Extension (High-Frequency Ext.)
17 kHz
20 kHz
Dynamic Range Compression @ Max Vol.
1.5 dB
2.7 dB
Webcam & Microphone
8.7
9.1
Webcam Video Sample
Video Quality
9.0
9.5
Resolution
1080p
1080p
Position
Top Center
Top Center
Privacy Cover
No
No
Face Unlock
No
No
Connectivity
Ports
5.0
8.5
Ports Photo
USB-A Ports
0
0
USB-C Ports
2
3
Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt 3
Thunderbolt 4
USB-C Charging
Yes
Yes
USB-C Display Out
Yes
Yes
HDMI
No
2.1
DisplayPort
No
No
3.5mm Jack
Combo mic/headphone
Combo mic/headphone
Card Reader
No
SD UHS 2
Ethernet
No
No
Proprietary Port
Apple MagSafe 3
Apple MagSafe 3
Security Lock
No
No
Wireless Communication
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
Bluetooth
5.0
5.3
Configuration
CPU
Brand
Apple
Apple
Model
M2
M2 Pro
Core Count
8
10
Thread Count
8
10
GPU
Brand
Apple
Apple
Model
M2
M2 Pro
Dedicated/Integrated
Integrated
Integrated
VRAM Size
N/A
N/A
RAM
Capacity
8 GB
16 GB
Modules
Unknown
Unknown
Type
LP-DDR5
LP-DDR5
Speed
6,400 MHz
6,400 MHz
Storage
Advertised Capacity
256 GB
512 GB
Usable Capacity
214 GB
468 GB
Drive 1
Apple SSD AP0256Z
Apple SSD AP0512Z
Drive 1 Type
SSD
SSD
Drive 2
No 2nd Drive
No 2nd Drive
Drive 2 Type
No 2nd Drive
No 2nd Drive
Performance
Geekbench 5 (Synthetics)
9.1
9.6
Geekbench Image
CPU Single-Thread
1,928 points
1,960 points
CPU Multi-Thread
8,954 points
12,178 points
GPU Compute
26,155 points
47,299 points
Cinebench R23 (CPU Rendering)
9.4
9.7
Cinebench R23 Photo
Single-Thread
1,581 points
1,633 points
Multi-Thread
8,003 points
11,865 points
Blender (3D Rendering)
8.5
9.1
Blender Image
CPU Render Time
4.2 min
3.1 min
GPU Render Time
2.2 min
0.6 min
GPU Render Time (Optix)
N/A
N/A
Basemark GPU (Game Scene)
6.7
8.5
Basemark Image
Overall Score
34,329
67,436
Storage Drive Performance
8.9
9.3
Storage Performance Image
Sequential Write Speed
2,469.6 MB/s
4,839.0 MB/s
Sequential Read Speed
1,091.6 MB/s
2,340.8 MB/s
Random Write Speed
45.0 MB/s
53.6 MB/s
Random Read Speed
60.1 MB/s
56.8 MB/s
Battery
8.4
9.0
Capacity
53 Wh
70 Wh
Battery Life (Web Browsing)
10.9 hrs
11.8 hrs
Battery Life (Video Playback)
7.0 hrs
9.3 hrs
Battery Life (Gaming)
2.7 hrs
1.9 hrs
Charge Time
3.0 hrs
2.2 hrs
Borderlands 3
4.1
4.6
Borderlands 3 Graph
Avg. FPS
28 fps
37 fps
1% Low
11 fps
18 fps
0.1% Low
5 fps
10 fps
1% Low Delta
59 ms
28 ms
0.1% Low Delta
173 ms
78 ms
Avg. FPS On Very Low
36 fps
69 fps
Civilization VI
5.7
7.2
Civilization VI Graph
Avg. FPS
45 fps
60 fps
1% Low
27 fps
44 fps
0.1% Low
21 fps
42 fps
1% Low Delta
15 ms
6 ms
0.1% Low Delta
25 ms
7 ms
Avg. FPS On Minimum
76 fps
118 fps
Avg. Turn Time
10.11 s
9.2 s
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
8.9
9.2
CS:GO graph
Avg. FPS
114 fps
137 fps
1% Low
N/A
N/A
0.1% Low
N/A
N/A
1% Low Delta
N/A
N/A
0.1% Low Delta
N/A
N/A
Avg. FPS On Low
175 fps
220 fps
Counter-Strike 2
CS2 Graph
Avg. FPS
1% Low
0.1% Low
1% Low Delta
0.1% Low Delta
Avg. FPS On Low
Shadow Of The Tomb Raider
4.0
7.4
Avg. FPS
25 fps
59 fps
1% Low
16 fps
43 fps
0.1% Low
10 fps
39 fps
1% Low Delta
22 ms
6 ms
0.1% Low Delta
65 ms
9 ms
Avg. FPS On Lowest
42 fps
103 fps
Thermals And Noise
8.1
7.6
Keyboard Temps Picture
Keyboard Temp While Idle
30 °C (86 °F)
26 °C (79 °F)
Keyboard Temp Under Load
49 °C (120 °F)
47 °C (116 °F)
Fan Noise While Idle
N/A
25.0 dBA
Fan Noise Under Load
N/A
41.5 dBA
Power & Fan Control App
No
No
Performance Over Time
6.7
10
Performance Over Time Graph
CPU Temp (Cinebench)
N/A
91 °C
CPU Perf. Loss (Cinebench)
4% loss
0% loss
GPU Temp (Heaven)
N/A
89 °C
GPU Perf. Loss (Heaven)
18% loss
0% loss
Additional Features And Software
Software
Operating System
macOS
macOS
Additional Software
None
None
Extra Features
RGB Illumination
No
No
Touch Pen
No
No
Secondary Display
No
No
Biometrics
Fingerprint Sensor
Fingerprint Sensor
Check Price
You have 10/10 free reviews left
To access
and
Become an Insider
unlimited full product reviews,
product prices
other exclusive site features
Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022)
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M2, 2023)
Comments
Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022) vs Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M2, 2023): Main Discussion
What do you think of these products? Let us know below.
Looking for a personalized buying advice from the RTINGS.com experts? Insiders have direct access to buying advice on our insider forum.