Apple is fundamentally changing the design and dropping the big compromises that plagued previous generations of Macbook Air since it premiered in 2008 and even someone who knows little or nothing about notebooks will be able to recognize the new MacBook Air at first glance.

The wedge-shaped design, which is less than half a centimeter thick at its thinnest point, has been considered iconic since Steve Jobs held it up with one hand on stage during its 2008 launch.

Almost a decade and a half ago, Apple made painful compromises to achieve lightness and portability in the MacBook Air: There was no DVD drive, no socket for an ethernet cable and only space for one USB plug.

With the new MacBook Air M2, Apple is largely putting an end to the compromises – albeit different ones – and is also saying goodbye to the beloved wedge design.

With the latest technology in a super-slim and flat aluminium case, the new Air adopts design elements from the new MacBook Pro models, namely rounded edges, a flat – and not wedge-shaped – design and a recess for the webcam.

Finding the balance

The Air is 11.3 millimeters thick and weighs 1.24 kilograms (2.73 pounds). That's only 50 grams less than the wedge-shaped predecessor model with the M1 chip. In practical tests, however, the M2 proved to be much better balanced and easier to hold on the lap.

The new MacBook Air is available in four colors: In addition to the usual shades of grey and silver, there is now also a light shade of gold called "Polar Star" and a fingerprint-prone dark blue called "Midnight."

While the original from 2008 was stingy with external connections, the MacBook Air now has all the essential sockets: A headphone jack on the right and two USB-C ports – one Thunderbolt, one USB 4 – on the left.

In addition, Apple is correcting its poor decision to remove the MagSafe charging socket. In 2017, Apple design chief Jony Ive unceremoniously abolished the popular magnetic connection on the MacBook Air.

Now, users can once again rely on the charging plug on the MacBook to disconnect if people or pets accidentally pull on the cable.

There are several options – and Apple has unfortunately made the choice unnecessarily complicated. The basic version comes with a comparatively weak 30Watt power supply.

For an extra charge, you can either get a 35Watt charger that has two charging sockets so that you can charge an iPhone or iPad on the side.

A charger for many

You can also get a 67-watt power supply unit with fast-charging function. Although this only has one port, it can charge an empty battery to 50% in 28 minutes.

What's more, if you also want to charge an iPhone or iPad on the go, you can connect these devices directly to the MacBook Air – and benefit from the better charging times of the fast charger here, too.

The MacBook Air M2's display measures 13.6 inches diagonally, compared to 13.3 inches on the M1 variant, because the bezel has become slightly slimmer.

But the dreaded notch has now invaded the display at the top in the style of iPhones. This is where the camera and a brightness sensors are located.

Some may not notice it after a few hours. Others will be annoyed at how it interrupts the aesthetic and breaks up the menu bar at the top.

Compared to the M1, however, you immediately notice the improved brightness of the display on the M2, which makes it easier to work outdoors.

The peak brightness is 500 nits instead of 400 nits on the M1. Unlike the new MacBook Pro models, however, the M2 does not offer HDR and a dynamic refresh rate of up to 120 Hertz – or ProMotion. This is the difference between a very good and an excellent screen.

A full HD webcam

The upgrade of the webcam was long overdue, and particularly in the era of remote working will users appreciate the new webcam's 1080p resolution, replacing the 720p camera of the M1.

The picture is sharper and more natural. However, the colors still appear somewhat washed out.

The improved integrated audio system of the MacBook Air M2 not only provides good sound in video conferences, but can also reproduce the sound as 3D spatial sound – Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos – in suitable applications such as the TV app.

The sound won't be as lush as it might over AirPods Max headphones, but for a laptop, the four speakers are very good.

The second generation of Apple's main chips now works on the circuit board inside the MacBook Air M2. The difference to the predecessor architecture from Intel is enormous.

For example, video editing on an M2 device runs up to 15 times faster than on a MacBook Air with an Intel chip. The difference compared to the M1, however, is much smaller. The base model of the MacBook Air M2 is now equipped with eight graphics cores, the more expensive models have 10 such cores.

No fan, limited fun

In practice, the M2 chip means you can not only have 50 or more tabs open in your browser without suffering performance losses, but it is also able to process hours of 4K videos smoothly.

However, with a seriously heavy load like exporting a complex 8K project in Final Cut, you will quickly bring the MacBook Air M2 to its knees.

Since the device does not have a fan, the system throttles down the power when necessary to prevent overheating.

In the end, Apple has hit – at least for most users – the right amount of compromises together with a fresh new design in the new MacBook Air M2.

We didn't find ourselves missing any ports. The screen and the sound are convincing. And a battery life of around 12 hours is enough for even the longest mobile workday.

However, your enthusiasm might change when you look at the price list. The most basic model with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of SSD storage starts at just under 1,500 euros in Europe or $1,199 in the United States.

Fully equipped with 24 GB RAM, 10 graphics cores and a 2 TB SSD hard drive, it will cost double that.

In order to appeal to buyers with a smaller budget, however, Apple has left the predecessor Air with an M1 chip in the range. This is available from just under 1,200 euros or $1,000.

For many users, that will be quite enough, because with the M1 model you benefit from the basic advantages of the Apple chips.

However, the M2's screen and webcam are noticeably better. In addition, the M2 again has two USB ports with Thunderbolt and a MagSafe connection.