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MacBook Air (M2, 2022) vs Mac Studio (M1 Max, 2022)

MacBook Air (M2, 2022)1Mac Studio (M1 Max, 2022)2

Quick look

Quick look: MacBook Air M2 against Mac Studio M1 Max
FigureMacBook Air M21Mac Studio M1 Max2
Price£1,2493launch price£1,9994launch price
ChipM2chipM1 Maxchip
CPU8-coreCPU10-coreCPU
GPU8-coreGPU24-coreGPU
Memory8GB5unified memory, base32GBunified memory, base
Storage256GBstorage, base512GBstorage, base
Battery lifeUp to18 hrsvideo playback, claimed Not available6No battery
Released15 July 20223ReleasedIn select Apple Stores; orderable online from 8 July 2022.18 March 20224ReleasedIn select Apple Stores; orderable online from 8 March 2022.
Security updatesNot available7Security updatesNot available7Security updates
Price
The MacBook Air M2 is £1,249 at launch, per Apple Newsroom (UK); the Mac Studio M1 Max is £1,999 at launch, per Apple Newsroom (UK).
Kind of Mac
The MacBook Air M2 is a laptop; the Mac Studio M1 Max is a desktop. The MacBook Air M2 has a built-in 13.6-inch display, a camera and a battery, whereas the Mac Studio M1 Max has none of them.

True to scale

MacBook Air (M2, 2022) · 304.1 × 215 mm footprintMac Studio (M1 Max, 2022) · 197 × 95 mm front

A laptop and a desktop are different shapes, so they stand side by side rather than superposed: the footprint of one and the front face of the other, from Apple’s published dimensions, at one scale. Corner rounding is our drawing convention, not a measurement.

Specifications

Each figure is from the source marked by its Mac’s name unless it carries its own small number, which links to where that figure was read.

Body

Body: Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) against Apple Mac Studio (M1 Max, 2022)
SpecificationMacBook Air M21Mac Studio M1 Max2
Dimensions11.3 x 304.1 x 215 mm95 x 197 x 197 mm
Weight1.24 kg2.7 kg
ColoursSilver, Starlight, Space Grey, MidnightSilver
PortsTwo Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports, MagSafe 3 charging port, 3.5mm headphone jackFour Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB-A ports (up to 5Gb/s), HDMI port, 10Gb Ethernet, 3.5mm headphone jack; on front (M1 Max): two USB-C ports (up to 10Gb/s), SDXC card slot (UHS-II)
Thunderbolt ports824
Thunderbolt versionThunderbolt 3Thunderbolt 4
USB-A portsNo USB-A ports.92
HDMINo HDMI port.10HDMI port
SD card slotNo SD card slot.10Yes
Headphone jackYesYes
MagSafeYesNot available11
KeyboardBacklit Magic Keyboard with Touch IDNot available12
Touch IDYesNot available13

Display

Display: Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) against Apple Mac Studio (M1 Max, 2022)
SpecificationMacBook Air M21Mac Studio M1 Max2
Display size13.6 inNot available14
Resolution2560 x 1664Not available14
Pixel density224 ppiNot available14
Display typeLiquid Retina displayNot available14
Brightness500 nitsNot available14
Wide colour (P3)YesNot available14
Nano-texture optionNo nano-texture display option.10Not available14

Chip and memory

Chip and memory: Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) against Apple Mac Studio (M1 Max, 2022)
SpecificationMacBook Air M21Mac Studio M1 Max2
ChipApple M2 chipApple M1 Max chip
Apple siliconYesYes
CPU cores810
Performance cores48
Efficiency cores42
GPU cores824
Neural Engine cores1616
Chip optionsM2 with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU or 10-core GPUM1 Max with 10-core CPU and 24-core GPU, or M1 Max with 10-core CPU and 32-core GPU15
Memory (base)8GB532GB
Memory (maximum)24GB564GB15
Memory options8GB, 16GB or 24GB532GB or 64GB15
Memory upgradeable by userNo, as Apple documents16Not available17
Memory bandwidth100 GB/s400 GB/s
Storage (base)256GB512GB
Storage (maximum)2TB8TB15
Storage options256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB or 8TB15
Media engineHardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes and ProRes RAWvideo decode enginevideo encode engineProRes encode and decode engineHardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAWvideo decode enginetwo video encode enginestwo ProRes encode and decode engines

Battery and power

Battery and power: Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) against Apple Mac Studio (M1 Max, 2022)
SpecificationMacBook Air M21Mac Studio M1 Max2
Battery capacity52.6 WhNot available6
Rated charge cycles1,000 cycles18Not available6
Video playback (claimed)18 hNot available6
Wireless web (claimed)15 hNot available6
Included power adapter30 WNot available19
Fast chargingYesNot available6
Maximum continuous powerNot available20370 W

Connectivity

Connectivity: Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) against Apple Mac Studio (M1 Max, 2022)
SpecificationMacBook Air M21Mac Studio M1 Max2
Wi-FiWi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax)802.11ax Wi-Fi 6
Bluetooth5.35.0
EthernetNo Ethernet port.1010Gb Ethernet (Nbase-T Ethernet with support for 1Gb, 2.5Gb, 5Gb and 10Gb Ethernet using RJ-45 connector)
External displays (base)15

Camera and audio

Camera and audio: Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) against Apple Mac Studio (M1 Max, 2022)
SpecificationMacBook Air M21Mac Studio M1 Max2
Camera1080p FaceTime HD cameraNot available21
SpeakersFour-speaker sound systemBuilt-in speaker22
MicrophonesThree-mic array with directional beamformingNot available17

Platform

Platform: Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) against Apple Mac Studio (M1 Max, 2022)
SpecificationMacBook Air M21Mac Studio M1 Max2
Newest macOSmacOS 27 Golden Gate23macOS 27 Golden Gate23
Model identifierMac14,224Mac13,125
Model year20222022

Benchmarks

Benchmarks: Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) against Apple Mac Studio (M1 Max, 2022)
SpecificationMacBook Air M21Mac Studio M1 Max2
Geekbench 7 (CPU, single-core)2,342262,22926
Geekbench 7 (CPU, multi-core)9,6512614,31926

Sources

  1. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (M2, 2022) - Tech Specs · Default for MacBook Air M2 · Apple’s figure · read 14 Sep 2026

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  2. Apple Support (UK) — Mac Studio (2022) - Tech Specs · Default for Mac Studio M1 Max · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  3. Apple Newsroom (UK) — All-new MacBook Air with M2 available to order starting Friday, July 8 · Apple’s figure · read 14 Sep 2026

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  4. Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple unveils all-new Mac Studio and Studio Display · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  5. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (M2, 2022) - Tech Specs · Apple’s figure · read 2 Oct 2026

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  6. Doesn’t apply: no battery

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  7. Security updates: no end date published. Checked: endoflife.date. Read 22 Sep 2026

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  8. Different Thunderbolt generations. MacBook Air M2: Thunderbolt 3. Mac Studio M1 Max: Thunderbolt 4.

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  9. MacBook Air (M2, 2022): No USB-A ports. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (M2, 2022) - Tech Specs. Read 14 Sep 2026

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  10. MacBook Air (M2, 2022): No HDMI port. No SD card slot. No nano-texture display option. No Ethernet port. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (M2, 2022) - Tech Specs. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  11. Doesn’t apply: MagSafe is a notebook charging port

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  12. Doesn’t apply: no built-in keyboard

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  13. Doesn’t apply: no built-in keyboard, and Touch ID is a keyboard feature

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  14. Doesn’t apply: no built-in display

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  15. Apple Support (UK) — Mac Studio (2022) - Tech Specs · Apple’s figure · read 2 Oct 2026

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  16. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro: how to remove or install memory · Apple’s figure · read 18 Oct 2026

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  17. Not published by Apple. Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — Mac Studio (2022) - Tech Specs; Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple unveils all-new Mac Studio and Studio Display; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your Mac Studio model. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  18. Apple Support (UK) — Determine battery cycle count for Mac laptops · Apple’s figure · read 15 Oct 2026

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  19. Doesn’t apply: internal power supply, no power adapter in the box

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  20. Doesn’t apply: a notebook lists its power adapter, not a maximum continuous power

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  21. Doesn’t apply: no built-in camera

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  22. Apple Support (UK) — Mac Studio (2022) - Tech Specs · Apple’s figure · read 9 Oct 2026

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  23. Apple Support (UK) — macOS 27 Golden Gate is compatible with these computers · Apple’s figure · read 22 Sep 2026

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  24. Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Air model · Apple’s figure · read 14 Sep 2026

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  25. Apple Support (UK) — Identify your Mac Studio model · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  26. Geekbench Browser (Primate Labs) · third-party figure · read 11 Oct 2026

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Not published by Apple

MacBook Air M2. Apple doesn’t publish for this Mac: refresh rate, storage upgradeable by user, the macOS it shipped with. Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (M2, 2022) - Tech Specs; Apple Support (UK) — macOS 27 Golden Gate is compatible with these computers; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Air model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — All-new MacBook Air with M2 available to order starting Friday, July 8, read 9 Oct 2026.

Mac Studio M1 Max. Apple doesn’t publish for this Mac: storage upgradeable by user, the macOS it shipped with. Geekbench 7 Metal: the Mac chart row for this Mac does not state its GPU core count, so no Metal score is shown (chart read 10 Oct 2026). Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — Mac Studio (2022) - Tech Specs; Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple unveils all-new Mac Studio and Studio Display; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your Mac Studio model, read 9 Oct 2026.

If you own one of them

Whether to move is a different question from which is better. Each Mac has a page on it: what its successor changes (the newest Mac in its line where Apple sells one, otherwise the Mac this site treats as its replacement, which can be in another line), what it fetches and whether it still gets updates. Should I upgrade my MacBook Air M2 (2022)? · Should I upgrade my Mac Studio M1 Max (2022)?

The pairs a buyer of either Mac would also weigh. Any two Macs in the catalogue can be compared from the chooser.