MacBook Pro vs. MacBook Air: How to decide which Apple laptop is best for you

If you are looking in the market a new MacBookYou may be wondering which model best suits your needs: MacBook Pro or MacBook Air. Apple continuously refreshes its product line, adding new configurations every year. And with more powerful processors on the horizon, there have never been more factors to consider when buying a new Apple laptop.

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When shopping for a MacBook, you’ll want to consider the computer’s screen size, storage capacity, computing power, and price. For example, 2022 13 inches And MacBook Air 13 inch 2024 may look similar but they have their own chips, meaning the laptops differ in performance, efficiency and battery life.

The most recent MacBook Pro models contain Apple’s M4 chip, which is more efficient and capable than the M3 SoC (system on chip). Meanwhile, MacBook Air laptops still use the previous generation – Apple M3. In this situation, think of yourself as Goldilocks; you’re faced with five different MacBook models and have to find the one that’s right for you. So, before you decide which one to buy, let’s look at the key differences between Pro and Air.

What is the difference between MacBook Pro and Air?

There are many big differences between the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. The biggest differences are price and computing power. The most affordable MacBook Pro M4 will be more expensive than the cheapest MacBook Air M3, but it makes up for this price difference by offering better performance.

Apple’s MacBook Pro M4 models have more unified memory, long battery life, additional ports (including three Thunderbolt 4 inputs and an SD card slot), and a more complex hardware setup than the previous models. Their air. There are two MacBook Pro screen sizes: 14-inch and 16-inch, which correspond directly to the specific M4 chip they contain.

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The 14-inch model only offers the M4 chip, while the 16-inch option can have either the M4 Pro or M4 Max. All three chips perform well and efficiently, although there are notable differences. For example, M4 Max has “Powerful Communication Engine”.

It’s important to note that each member of the triad has a different number of cores. The standard M4 has a 10-core CPU and a 10-core GPU. Apple’s M4 Pro has a 14-core processor and a 20-core graphics card. The M4 Max has the same processor as the M4 Pro but instead has a 32-core GPU.

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RAM also varies, from 16GB to 48GB memory. It is not yet known exactly what the gap is between the M3 and M4 chipsets. However, the company told ZDNET Editor Kyle Kucharski that “the M4 handles productivity tasks 1.3 times faster than the M3.”

According to Apple, the standard MacBook Pro M4 “delivers… up to 1.8 times faster [image processing in Affinity Photo] when compared to the “MacBook Pro M1. The M4 Max laptop goes even further as it is said to” deliver 3.5 times the performance of [the] M1 Max”, allowing it to handle “heavy creative workloads”.

If you’re looking for a 13-inch MacBook Pro, Apple unfortunately discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Pro after releasing the 14-inch MacBook Pro. They are no longer available for purchase on the company’s website. You can still find 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros with M3 Pro and M3 Max chipsets, but they will be refurbished.

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The MacBook Pro M4 is a solid laptop for most use cases, but if the base chip isn’t powerful enough, you can always upgrade to the M4 Pro or M4 Max model. Keep in mind that going big with the 16-inch Pro will increase the price. Pro 14 inch starting at $1,599 and with chip and internal memory upgrades, the price can go up to $1,999. Pro 16 inch starting at $2,499 and with internal upgrades, the price can go up to $3,999.

The 13-inch MacBook Air from 2022 only comes with Apple’s basic M2 chip. Meanwhile, the 13-inch and 15-inch 2024 MacBook Air owns the basic M3 chip. The lack of Pro and Max chips doesn’t mean the Air is an underpowered computer. The MacBook Air is thinner and lighter than the Pro because it has less internal hardware and omits other components like the HDMI port, SD card slot, and cooling fan. Apple is researching the efficiency of its chips to keep laptop temperatures cooled and stable.

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Of course, less hardware means the MacBook Air is cheaper, but you can add some upgrades. For the M2 Air, you can choose between two chip configurations, one with more GPU cores than the other. An upgraded GPU means your computer can process footage more efficiently, making 4K video editing faster and smoother.

Last summer, Apple announced MacBook Air 15 inch with M2 chip but discontinued the device when it introduced the M3 15-inch Air. Even though the 15-inch M2 Air has been out for a while, it’s still a great choice for those looking for an Air with updated features. However, you cannot buy it brand new from Apple. You can buy it Refurbished from Apple or at one discount on Amazon.

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M3 13-inch Air starts at $999 and increases to $1,999 if you max out the internal memory and opt for a more powerful GPU. M3 15-inch Air starts at $1,099 and up to 1,699 USD for the best configuration. It’s worth mentioning that all M3 MacBook Airs now start with 16GB of memory instead of just 8GB.

If you’re planning to buy an M3 MacBook Air and want to know how it compares to the M2 Air models, We compared the specifications to help you decide which device is best for you.

Which MacBook is right for you?

The answer depends largely on how you see yourself using a laptop and how the display size and weight factor into that equation. ONE Reliable computers are an investment; You don’t want to spend too much on a laptop that’s too good, and you don’t want to buy a computer that isn’t powerful enough for your needs.

If you are one graphic designermusic producer, professional photographer, videographer, 3D artist or iOS app and game developer, a MacBook Pro will be the way to go further for MacBook. Pro models can handle intense graphics and more background software without lagging, overheating, or noticeable slowdown.

If you are a student or someone who spends most of your time in Microsoft Office or Google Workspace, MacBook Air can fit better because it won’t burden your back when you carry it around. However, if your research requires you to have multiple tabs open or multiple apps running in the background, consider the M3 Air.

If you want a MacBook that can comfortably surf the internet, watch YouTube or Netflix, answer emails and FaceTime with friends, then the Air is the perfect choice for you. In fact, if these tasks are the only thing that keeps you opening your laptop, the M2 Air will be right for you.

No matter which model you buy, the MacBook is a great device for users looking to expand their reach. personal Apple ecosystem with a device that works seamlessly with iPhone, AirPods, Apple Watch, and their other products. For example, Handoff allows you to convert FaceTime call between your MacBook and iPhone, and your MacBook can easily access your iPhone’s files, messages, contacts, and photos.