MacBook Air M2 review: Why now is the best time to buy one

Why you can trust Back Market

Back Market is your go-to destination for refurbished devices. We're tech industry experts – smart, dependable and eco-friendly. We partner with certified refurbishers to ensure top-tier quality. All our devices come from resellers and go through stringent quality checks against their original benchmarks. They emerge thoroughly renewed after this exhaustive process. 

You can get top-class devices that save you money and promote circularity by reducing electronic waste. We take pride in our B Corp status, which recognises us as a sustainable and inclusive Benefit Company.

We're a global marketplace that gives electronic devices a new lease on life, so you can buy perfectly restored products at up to 70% off the original price.

MacBook Air M2 specifications

• Colours: Silver / Starlight / Space Grey / Midnight Blue

• Screen size: 13-in / 15-in

• Weight: 1.24 kg (2.7 pounds)

• Width: 30.41 cm (11.97 inches)

• Height: 1.13 cm (0.44 inches)

• Depth: 21.5 cm (8.46 inches)

• Chip: Apple M2 with 8-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine

• Display: Liquid Retina 2560x1664 native resolution at 224 pixels per inch

• Battery: 52.6-watt‑hour lithium‑polymer battery / Up to 15 hours wireless web / Up to 18 hours movie playback

• Ports: Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports with support for charging / DisplayPort / Thunderbolt 3 (up to 40 Gb/s) / USB 4 (up to 40 Gb/s) / USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10 Gb/s) / MagSafe 3 charging point

• Memory: 8 GB unified memory configurable to 16 GB or 24 GB, or 16 GB unified memory configurable to 24 GB

• Storage: 256 GB SSD configurable to 512 GB, 1 TB or 2 TB

• Wi-Fi: Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax)

• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.3

• Audio: Four-speaker sound system with wide stereo sound / Support for Spatial Audio when playing music or video with Dolby Atmos on built-in speakers 

• Audio playback: Supports AAC, MP3, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Atmos

• Camera: 1080p FaceTime HD camera

• Video playback: Supports HEVC, H.264 and ProRes / HDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG

MacBook Air M2 pros and cons

Like all MacBooks, this model has a superb screen. Its Liquid Retina display enriches colours and sharpens details. Add brilliant audio quality from the four-speaker sound system, plus Apple's Spatial Audio, and you get a completely immersive experience for watching movies or videos.

The M2 chip provides impressive speed for everyday tasks, and its 24 GB unified memory gives faster performance, especially for more demanding software. It allows for smooth multitasking, with a 35% improvement in graphics performance over the previous M1 chip.

The slim profile conceals a powerful battery that gives you up to 18 hours of continuous use. This is ideal in a lightweight laptop designed for people who work remotely or live mobile lifestyles. You can put in a full day without carrying the charging unit or worrying about charging points when you're travelling on public transport. When you do need to charge it, the MagSafe 3 connection leaves the USB ports free for other external devices.

MacBook Air M2 shopping tips

You can pick up some good deals on a MacBook Air M2 with a few smart tactics. The big yearly sales, like Black Friday, are obviously good times to find lower prices. Seasonal sales are great opportunities, too. 

It's also a good idea to wait for new model releases. Retailers typically like to clear their shelves of the older model by offering discounts. If you're looking for lower prices all year round, your best bet is to buy a refurbished model from Back Market. We're always offering excellent deals, so you can buy one anytime. As one Reddit reviewer says:

"Don’t get hung up on M2 vs. M3, the differences are so minor that you’ll never notice. Save the money and go M2."

Reddit User

Why buy a refurbished MacBook Air M2?

A certified refurbished MacBook Air M2 from Back Market offers all the benefits of a new one. The only difference is that it has been comprehensively serviced to restore it to its original operating state. It's a smart way to get a top-quality laptop without paying full price for a new one. 

You can rest easy knowing that your MacBook has been rigorously tested to ensure that it performs up to the standard of the original benchmarks. We don't overlook anything, ensuring any damage has been repaired, necessary components have been replaced and the item has a sparkling finish.

Our customer reviews consistently praise the condition of their purchases, often remarking on how surprised they were that the quality is virtually indistinguishable from a new device.

It's also much more environmentally friendly to buy refurbished devices. It prevents perfectly useful items from becoming electronic waste, which is the plague of modern technology. By recycling rather than disposing, you're choosing the more sustainable option while still getting all the benefits of buying new.

In the words of another Reddit reviewer:

"There’s always gonna be something newer, but I'm actually planning on buying the M2 again!"

Reddit User

Here's some more info on why you can trust our refurbished electronics.

We don't only sell electronics – we'll buy your old devices from you, too. It's quick and easy to get a trade-in. You'll receive an offer from one of our certified refurbishers within minutes, and you can then ship your device for free. The deposit will arrive in your account within 5 business days. It's a fast and convenient way to cash in on your old tech and do your part to reduce electronic waste.

Save with a refurbished MacBook Air M2

*Back Market prices taken at the date of publication - these are subject to change.

Final thoughts

The MacBook Air M2 remains a solid choice for an extremely lightweight and portable laptop with excellent battery life, top-tier screen resolution and immersive audio. Its exceptionally slim profile makes it a pleasure to carry around, and it packs a serious technology punch. This is an ideal laptop for the everyday user. Whether for work or entertainment, it delivers in spades.