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M1 vs M2: M2 is 14% faster on CPU and 32% on GPU
Cheapest MacBook Air 13″ with each chip: M1 at $999 vs M2 at $1199.
CPU
100
GPU
100
M2
MacBook Air 13″ (2022)
M2 (8-CPU/8-GPU), 8GB, 256GB · $1199
CPU
114
GPU
132
M2 vs M1:
CPU +14%
GPU +32%
Price +$200
Scores are relative: 2020 M1 MacBook Air = 100, so 200 is about twice as fast. How we score
Verdict
- Buying used
- M2 if the price gap is small: a modest CPU gain, a bigger GPU gain, and the redesigned MacBook Air.
- Already own an M1
- Keep it. M2 is a small step; if you upgrade, go to M4 or newer.
- Ultra desktops
- M2 Ultra is the exception: about 64% more CPU than M1 Ultra.
Gain by chip tier
| Tier | M1 | M2 | CPU | GPU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base | M1 8 CPU / 8 GPU | M2 8 CPU / 10 GPU | 100 → 114 +14% | 108 → 158 +46% |
| Pro | M1 Pro 10 CPU / 16 GPU | M2 Pro 12 CPU / 19 GPU | 141 → 163 +16% | 233 → 271 +16% |
| Max | M1 Max 10 CPU / 32 GPU | M2 Max 12 CPU / 38 GPU | 141 → 168 +19% | 408 → 480 +18% |
| Ultra | M1 Ultra 20 CPU / 64 GPU | M2 Ultra 24 CPU / 76 GPU | 148 → 242 +64% | 616 → 734 +19% |
Top tested chip of each tier on both sides.
Configurations to compare
| Model | Configuration | CPU | GPU | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Air 13″ (2020) | M1 (8-CPU/7-GPU), 8GB, 256GB | 100 | 100 | $999 |
| MacBook Air 13″ (2022) | M2 (8-CPU/8-GPU), 8GB, 256GB | 114 | 132 | $1199 |
| MacBook Air 13″ (2020) | M1 (8-CPU/8-GPU), 8GB, 256GB | 100 | 108 | $1249 |
| MacBook Air 13″ (2022) | M2 (8-CPU/10-GPU), 8GB, 256GB | 114 | 158 | $1499 |
| MacBook Pro 13″ (2020) | M1 (8-CPU/8-GPU), 8GB, 256GB | 100 | 108 | $1499 |
| MacBook Pro 13″ (2022) | M2 (8-CPU/10-GPU), 8GB, 256GB | 114 | 158 | $1299 |
| Mac mini (2020) | M1 (8-CPU/8-GPU), 8GB, 256GB | 100 | 108 | $699 |
| Mac mini (2023) | M2 (8-CPU/10-GPU), 8GB, 256GB | 114 | 158 | $599 |
FAQ
How much faster is M2 than M1?
Comparing the cheapest configs of each, M2 is about 14% faster on CPU and 32% faster on GPU (CPU 114 vs 100, GPU 132 vs 100).
Is the M1 MacBook Air still good in 2026?
For web, documents and light photo work, yes. Its 8 GB memory is the main limit, not the chip.
What do the scores mean?
Every Mac is scored against the 2020 M1 MacBook Air = 100. A score of 200 means about twice as fast. These are MacDiff's own relative scores, not Geekbench points.
All chip variants (17)
| Gen | Chip | Cores | CPU | GPU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | M1 | 8 CPU / 7 GPU | 100 | 100 |
| M1 | M1 | 8 CPU / 8 GPU | 100 | 108 |
| M1 | M1 Pro | 8 CPU / 14 GPU | 118 | 208 |
| M1 | M1 Max | 10 CPU / 24 GPU | 141 | 273 |
| M1 | M1 Max | 10 CPU / 32 GPU | 141 | 408 |
| M1 | M1 Pro | 10 CPU / 14 GPU | 141 | 208 |
| M1 | M1 Pro | 10 CPU / 16 GPU | 141 | 233 |
| M1 | M1 Ultra | 20 CPU / 48 GPU | 148 | 532 |
| M1 | M1 Ultra | 20 CPU / 64 GPU | 148 | 616 |
| M2 | M2 | 8 CPU / 10 GPU | 114 | 158 |
| M2 | M2 | 8 CPU / 8 GPU | 114 | 132 |
| M2 | M2 Pro | 10 CPU / 16 GPU | 139 | 247 |
| M2 | M2 Pro | 12 CPU / 19 GPU | 163 | 271 |
| M2 | M2 Max | 12 CPU / 30 GPU | 168 | 409 |
| M2 | M2 Max | 12 CPU / 38 GPU | 168 | 480 |
| M2 | M2 Ultra | 24 CPU / 60 GPU | 242 | 671 |
| M2 | M2 Ultra | 24 CPU / 76 GPU | 242 | 734 |