The best laptop overall: Apple MacBook Air M2...Awild
The best laptop overall: Apple MacBook Air M2
The MacBook Air M2 is the gold standard for Apple laptops, marrying some of the best performance we’ve ever seen in a notebook with an overhauled and attractive design that has lots of practical benefits.
The biggest refresh to the MacBook Air in over a decade, Apple’s new laptop ditches the iconic wedged look of old in favor of a more uniform chassis that’s in line with the latest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros. And while it doesn’t appear slimmer than the M1 Air at first glance, it actually is, with pleasingly thin 11.3-millimeter edges and a 2.7-pound body that’s marginally lighter than its predecessor. That all translates to a laptop that we’ve found incredibly easy to pick up and barely felt in our backpack while on the go.
The M2 Air also adopts all the modern niceties of the larger MacBook Pros, including the display. You get a noticeable amount of extra screen space compared to the previous MacBook Air (and the new MacBook Pro M3) at 13.6 inches versus 13.3 inches. Plus, the M2 ditches the thick black borders for a thin, seamless bezel, while content still pops with plenty of color and detail. Apple’s Magic Keyboard feels as great as ever on the latest Air, and you get satisfying, full-size function keys for making quick adjustments — no dreaded Touch Bar here. Need more screen? Apple also makes a 15-inch MacBook Air with the same great specs.