I recommend this 15-inch MacBook Air to most people and it’s still $250 off.

What is the deal?

Right now, Amazon is selling the 15-inch MacBook Air (M2) $250 offwhether you opt for the 256GB or 512GB variant.

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ZDNET’s key findings

• Of Apple 15-inch MacBook Air with M2 It’s no longer the company’s latest ultraportable, but it’s still a formidable laptop a year later.
• The larger screen and lighter form factor make it an attractive device for content creators, designers, and more.
• Still, the lack of additional ports is felt, with only two USB-C and a 3.5mm headphone jack available on the laptop.

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For a long time, Apple MacBook line I was a bit disorganized. Choosing the right model mostly came down to budget and screen preference. But if you wanted a larger screen, you’d have to shell out for a Pro model, even if the extra power and ports were unnecessary. For most user applications, it’s overkill.

Also: The 2-in-1 laptop I recommend the most is not a Lenovo or a Dell (and it’s cheaper than ever)

For that reason, it is that MacBook Air 15-inch It changes everything and has made my job much easier. Apple’s big-screen MacBook is ultraportable, will satisfy anyone’s content-consuming heart, and somehow costs only $100 more than its predecessor. smaller and older predecessor.

While the M2 model featured in this article is no longer Apple’s newest offering, there is now a M3 variant Around town, it looks nearly identical to its successor, has the same 18-hour battery life, and is missing only two features (dual-monitor support and Wi-Fi 6E), chipsets aside. That said, for less money, the MacBook Air M2 may still be the best laptop for you. Here’s why.

See on Amazon

For simplicity, aside from the larger chassis and some under-the-hood improvements, the 15-inch MacBook Air is the same system as the 2022 13-inch model. We call the latter ZDNET Product of the Year for its competitiveness, portability and price, and this time you get the same value propositions.

Also: Best MacBook Accessories of 2024: Tested and Reviewed by Experts

The MacBook’s design is sleek and modern, with elements like the flat edges, camera notch, and MagSafe charging carried over from Apple’s high-end laptops. What hasn’t been carried over are the extra ports and HDMI and SD card slots (these features you won’t find on the new M3 model either).

I get it: This is a MacBook Air, not a MacBook Pro. But there’s something odd about having more space and the same number of ports as the smaller, older model. For reference, the count is two USB-C ports aligned on the left and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the right. An extra USB-C on the right side is all I’m really asking for. That way, charging the MacBook doesn’t always feel like a game of tug-of-war with my power outlet.

The unit I tested was in Starlight color, which shimmers in gold and silver hues and doesn’t retain fingerprints like the FBI agent that is the Midnight variant. All in all, this is one of the best-looking 15-inch laptops I’ve ever used, and it’s a testament to Apple’s maturity when it comes to MacBook industrial design.

While the 15-inch MacBook Air is relatively light (2.7 pounds) compared to other large-screen laptops, I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s inconspicuous when stuffed into a backpack. That was the case with the 13-inch Air I took with me to CES, but not with this model.

Still, it’s a good middle ground and causes less back pain than the MacBook Pro 16-inch I usually find it in my daily carry-on bag. I have no problem recommending it to students, hybrid workers, and people who frequent coffee shops, something I don’t usually say about 15-inch laptops.

Rounding out the design differences, the 15-inch MacBook Air features a six-speaker sound system compared to last year’s four speakers. Audio still comes from the keyboard, not the sides, but the improvement is definitely noticeable. Instead of having to crank the MacBook’s volume all the way up, which I often found myself doing with the 13-inch when watching movies or listening to music in the kitchen, the 15-inch’s volume at 75% is sufficient.

Also: MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: How to decide which model to buy

If we want to get down to the details, I still prefer the fuller, bass-heavy audio produced by the MacBook Pro’s speakers, but for the $600-$800 price difference, I can live with the MacBook Air version.

As for everyday performance, the MacBook Air — equipped with an M2 chip, an 8-core CPU, and now a 10-core GPU by default — handled my usual spectrum of multi-window browsing, conference calls, photo and video editing, and constant media streaming without issue. The lack of cooling fans means the Air is nearly silent, even when it’s cranking out graphics and uploading/downloading large video files.

The laptop is capable of 4K exports in Adobe Premiere Pro and editing RAW files in Adobe Photoshop, but any more intensive tasks such as 3D modeling and animation will likely push the Air to its limits. At that point, the Macbook Pro, Mac Studioand Mac Pro has your name on it. Or, the MacBook Air with M3 processor It may be more suitable for your needs.

Also: How Apple’s chip transition resulted in a Mac Pro with such an odd configuration

What I missed when testing the MacBook Air was the Pro line’s 120Hz ProMotion display. It only took an hour or two for my eyes to adjust to the slower, less fluid 60Hz panel, but the larger 15-inch display didn’t make the transition any easier. In fact, it made the difference more noticeable.

ZDNET’s buying advice

All of which means that the MacBook Air 15-inch It faces the same criticism as the previous one. 13 inch modelsuch as a lack of utility ports and a display with a slower refresh rate. And for those reasons, it’s not the laptop for me.

But everything else is just as good as the current $1,050 price tag. My parents, who prefer a larger, more vivid viewing experience, will love it. My partner, a professor who spends hours a day poring over spreadsheets, will love it. And my younger cousin, a college student who’s always on his feet typing up research papers, will love it. This is the MacBook most people have been waiting for, and it’s the one most people should buy.