The launch of the Mac mini M2 only confirms the poor price placement of the MacBook Air M2. We did the math.
Source: Chloé Pertuis – Frandroid
If we have to remember a single announcement from Apple this week, it would be the announcement of the Mac mini M2. It may surprise next to the impressive MacBook Pro M2 Pro and M2 Max, but the price of the Mac mini makes all the difference. Announced for 699 euros, or 100 euros less than the previous generation, it becomes a machine with a performance/quality/price ratio that promises to be very interesting.
While we wait for the review to confirm all of this, the Mac mini is already confirming something else: the MacBook Air M2’s price placement issue.
How do I justify the bill?
In fact, the Mac mini and MacBook Air have never shared their spec sheet so many times. We can therefore really compare the two products. Typically, desktop PCs and laptop PCs contain different components. The latter use chips that are designed to consume less. Here’s where Apple’s machines share the most expensive components in one machine:
- Apple M2 chip with 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU;
- 8 GB unified storage;
- 256GB SSD;
- 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports;
- 1 x 3.5mm jack;
- Housing and power supply made of aluminium.
The Mac mini also offers a more modern connection with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 as well as an RJ45 Ethernet port.
The MacBook Air M2 equipped with the same equipment is marketed by Apple at 1619 euros, ie 920 euros difference to the Mac mini.
With this 920 euros, Apple will charge you the following:
- 13.6 inch IPS 2560 x 1664 pixels 60Hz LCD display;
- 52.6 Wh battery;
- Magic Keyboard with 79 keys and backlight (159 euros for a wireless keyboard on Apple.fr);
- 1080p FaceTime HD camera;
- trackpad
- Audio system with four speakers.
There’s no denying that the math is far too salty for these simple components. Even if you add in a whopping $300 budget for the most basic elements like battery, keyboard, camera and speakers, that leaves $620 budget for an LCD screen. There is no doubt that in the list of LCD screens Apple costs the most, but this is a simple screen with a classic definition and display frequency. No Oled, no Mini-LED, no state-of-the-art HDR and simple factory color calibration. In short, this screen shouldn’t cost Apple much.
With the announcement of the Mac mini, Apple perfectly clarifies our criticism of the MacBook Air M2. Exchange rate and inflation arguments also don’t apply if the Mac mini’s price is allowed to fall.
Let’s not be fooled into knowing how much Apple values its margins, especially on a product as flagship as the MacBook Air. The Mac mini arguably has a role to be sold at lower margins to attract newcomers to the ecosystem. But by offering two products with such comparable specs, Apple allows us to be very pragmatic about what it charges its customers.
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