MacBook Air M2 in Midnight reportedly scratches and scuffs easily

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The Midnight MacBook Air M2 looks great, until it gets scratched

MacBook Air 2022 unveiled at Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2022
(Image credit: David Paul Morris/Getty)

The new MacBook Air M2 is a handsome laptop, particularly in its new Midnight color option. If that's the color you pick though, you'd best be careful not to scratch it.

Multiple reviewers including Marques Brownlee of MKBHD, Zone of Tech and 9to5Mac have all noticed marks appearing on their Midnight MacBook Air M2s after only a few days of use. The hotspots for scuffs are unsurprisingly around the USB-C and MagSafe ports, but the edge of the trackpad may also be prone to noticeable marks.

An image of the USB-C ports on the left side of a Midnight MacBook Air M2, showing obvious scratching around the edge of the port after only a few days of use.

An image of the USB-C ports on a Midnight MacBook Air M2, showing obvious scratching after only a few days of use. (Image credit: ZONEofTECH)

Scratches are basically unavoidable when you're using an aluminum-bodied device like the MacBook Air. On other MacBooks, these scratches are hard to spot because they only come in silver or gray colors that hide the marks pretty well. However, these scuffs are much more noticeable on the Midnight MacBook Air M2, where the silver aluminum contrasts noticeably with the dark paint job.

A close-up image of the trackpad on a Midnight-colored MacBook Air M2, showing scuff marks

(Image credit: 9to5Mac)

The MacBook Air M2 that we reviewed here at Tom's Guide was the Starlight version, so any potential scratches were much harder to spot. Going for Starlight, Silver or the Space Gray edition may be wise if you're concerned about keeping your MacBook looking its best. 

We have also procured the Midnight version of the MacBook Air M2 and will report back with any findings. 

You also have the option of getting a MacBook case. There aren't any specific cases for the new MacBook Air yet since it's so new, but take a look at the best MacBook Pro cases that we recommend to see which generic laptop sleeves you could get, or for ideas on the types of case you may want once they're available in the MacBook Air M2's size.

On a related note, reviewers of the MacBook Air M2 have also said the Midnight color is particularly prone to fingerprints. This is simple enough to fix with a microfiber cloth, but let that inform your color choice too if you prefer a lower-maintenance laptop.

If you're curious about this new MacBook's capabilities, make sure you take a look at our full MacBook Air M2 review to see what we make of it. But if you really want the Midnight version, just be aware it's not without its shortcomings. 

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Richard Priday
Richard Priday
Assistant Phones Editor

Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.