If you are having hassle deciding between the cheaper and lighter MacBook Air or spending extra for the extra highly effective MacBook Pro, you’ve got come to the proper place. The MacBook Air and Pro do not look all that totally different from each other, however there are key variations — from value and elements to efficiency and battery life — that it is advisable know to choose the proper one.The 15-inch M4 MacBook Air is one of the best laptop computer for most individuals, however there are some good causes to spend extra for a M4 MacBook Pro or much less on the 13-inch Air. Let’s break down the MacBook Air towards the MacBook Pro to see the place and the way these two laptop computer traces differ and which one is one of the best MacBook for you. Watch this: M4 MacBook Air Review: Still Fantastic Even if Not Much Has Changed
04:44 MacBook Air vs. Pro: Refresh cycleNo one needs to purchase a laptop computer solely to see it get up to date per week or a month after you pull the set off on a purchase order. So, it is essential to know which MacBook is newer. The MacBook Air was most just lately up to date, getting an M4 improve in March to bringing it updated with the MacBook Pro, which was first to supply the M4 chip on the finish of final yr. It’s time to purchase both MacBook, however the Pro mannequin is an effective guess to be first with an M5 chip in some unspecified time in the future close to the tip of 2025.Read extra: Best MacBook for 2025Now that you understand the place every line stands in its refresh schedule, let’s check out the present pricing of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. The present MacBook Air options Apple’s M4 processor and is offered in 13- and 15-inch sizes. Josh Goldman/CNETMacBook Air vs. Pro: Cost and elementsThe MacBook Air is offered with a 13.6- or 15.3-inch show. The 13-inch Air begins at $999, and the 15-inch Air begins at $1,199. Both entry-level fashions function Apple’s newest M4 processor together with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB solid-state drive. There is a slight distinction in GPU cores between these two beginning fashions — the 13-inch Air’s M4 chip has eight GPU cores, and the 15-inch Air’s M4 chip has 10 GPU cores.MacBook Air vs. Pro elements 13-inch MacBook Air (M4)15-inch MacBook Air (M4)14-inch MacBook Pro (M4)14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro)16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) Starting value $999$1,199$1,599$1,999$2,499CPU M4M4M4 M4 ProM4 ProNo. of CPU cores 1010101214No. of GPU cores 810101620Starting RAM 16GB16GB16GB24GB24GBStarting storage 256GB256GB512GB512GB512GBScreen dimension 13.6 in15.3 in14.2 in14.2 in16.2 inScreen decision 2,560×1,664 pixels2,880×1,864 pixels3,024×1,964 pixels3,024×1,964 pixels3,456×2,234 pixelsWeight 2.7 lbs3.3 lbs3.4 lbs3.5 lbs4.7 lbsDimensions (HWD) 0.44 x 11.97 x 8.46 in0.45 x 13.4 x 9.35 in0.61 x 12.31 x 8.71 in0.61 x 12.31 x 8.71 in0.66 x 14.01 x 9.77 inConnections Thunderbolt 4 x2, headphone, MagSafe 3Thunderbolt 4 x2, headphone, MagSafe 3Thunderbolt 4 x3, HDMI, SDXC card, headphone, MagSafe 3Thunderbolt 4 x3, HDMI, SDXC card, headphone, MagSafe 3Thunderbolt 5 x3, HDMI, SDXC card, headphone, MagSafe 3Battery 52.6-watt‑hour66.5-watt‑hour 72.4-watt-hour72.4-watt-hour100-watt-hour The MacBook Pro is offered with a 14.2- or 16.2-inch show. The 14-inch Pro begins at $1,599, and the 16-inch Pro begins at $2,499. The 16-inch mannequin has such the next beginning value as a result of it has a extra highly effective M4 Pro chip, whereas the bottom mannequin of the 14-inch Pro options an M4 (non-Pro) chip.The M4 Pro chip within the 16-inch MacBook Pro is actually a pro-level processor, with 14 CPU cores and 20 GPU cores, whereas the M4 chip within the 14-inch mannequin has 10 CPU cores and 10 GPU cores. You can, nevertheless, get the M4 Pro chip within the 14-inch Pro. The step-up mannequin within the 14-inch MacBook Pro collection prices $1,999 and options an M4 Pro chip with 12 CPU cores and 16 GPU cores. The subsequent mannequin within the collection prices $2,399 and options the identical 14-CPU, 20-GPU M4 Pro discovered within the entry-level MacBook Pro 16. The 14-inch MacBook Pro begins at $1,599 with an M4 processor and $1,999 with the upgraded M4 Pro chip. Lori Grunin/CNETFor system reminiscence, the baseline 14-inch MacBook Pro presents the identical 16GB of RAM as you get with the MacBook Air, however the higher-end 14-inch fashions and each 16-inch mannequin has a minimal of 24GB of RAM. You additionally get extra storage with the Pro fashions. The entry-level fashions for each the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air provide solely a 256GB SSD. Even if you happen to’ve embraced cloud storage, that is an underwhelming quantity of native storage. With any MacBook Pro, you begin with at the least a 512GB SSD. Doubling the meager storage to a 512GB SSD with a MacBook Air provides a hefty $200 to the invoice.MacBook Air vs. Pro: Weight and battery lifeThe Air wins on weight, however the Pro takes the battery life crown.The 13.6-inch MacBook Air weighs 2.7 kilos, and the 15.3-inch Air weighs 3.3 kilos.Despite giving up an inch in show dimension, the 14.2-inch MacBook Pro at 3.4 kilos weighs greater than the bigger Air. And it weighs appreciably greater than the smaller Air, whose show is just 0.6 inches smaller. MacBook Air vs. Pro specs 13-inch MacBook Air (M4)15-inch MacBook Air (M4)14-inch MacBook Pro (M4)14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro)16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) Screen dimension 13.6 in15.3 in14.2 in14.2 in16.2 inScreen decision 2,560×1,664 pixels2,880×1,864 pixels3,024×1,964 pixels3,024×1,964 pixels3,456×2,234 pixelsWeight 2.7 lbs3.3 lbs3.4 lbs3.5 lbs4.7 lbsDimensions (HWD) 0.44 x 11.97 x 8.46 in0.45 x 13.4 x 9.35 in0.61 x 12.31 x 8.71 in0.61 x 12.31 x 8.71 in0.66 x 14.01 x 9.77 inConnections Thunderbolt 4 x2, headphone, MagSafe 3Thunderbolt 4 x2, headphone, MagSafe 3Thunderbolt 4 x3, HDMI, SDXC card, headphone, MagSafe 3Thunderbolt 5 x3, HDMI, SDXC card, headphone, MagSafe 3Thunderbolt 5 x3, HDMI, SDXC card, headphone, MagSafe 3Battery 53.8-watt‑hour66.5-watt‑hour 72.4-watt-hour72.4-watt-hour100-watt-hour I exploit a 14-inch Pro for work, and my daughter has a 13-inch Air for varsity. The distinction in weight between the 2 is placing. I’m all the time jealous of the lighter carrying weight of the Air each time I pack up my Pro for journey or simply to take it all the way down to my native espresso store. The MacBook Air additionally takes up much less area in a backpack. It’s simply 0.44 inches thick, and the MacBook Pro is a chunkier 0.61 inches thick.The added weight and thickness, nevertheless, enable Apple to pack an even bigger battery contained in the MacBook Pro. On CNET’s YouTube streaming battery drain take a look at, the 14-inch MacBook Pro lasted one minute shy of 22 hours, which is among the many greatest battery-life laptops. The MacBook Air can be a long-running laptop computer, however its runtime is hours shorter than that of the MacBook Pro. In testing, the 13-inch Air lasted 15 hours, 50 minutes, and the 15-inch Air ran for 16 hours, 41 minutes.Online streaming battery drain take a look at (in minutes) Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4, late 2024) 21 hr, 59 minApple MacBook Air 15 (M4, early 2025) 16 hr, 41 minApple MacBook Air 13 (M4, early 2025) 15 hr, 50 min Note: Longer bars point out higher efficiency
Given the lengthy runtimes for each the MacBook Air and Pro (each provide all-day battery life) the distinction in weight between the 2 is the bigger issue if mobility is a chief concern. The MacBook Air is thinner and lighter — higher for college students crisscrossing campus each day and people who commute day by day or journey often. Even the bigger 15-inch Air is a greater journey companion than the smaller 14-inch Pro.MacBook Air vs. Pro: Display and speakersMacBook Pro fashions have a barely higher-resolution show and the next pixels-per-inch depend (224ppi on the Air to the Pro’s 254ppi), however the greater variations between the shows are their brightness, HDR help and refresh charge.The Macbook Pro’s Liquid Retina XDR show is a mini-LED panel rated for 1,000 nits in SDR and 1,600 nits in HDR. The MacBook Air’s Liquid Retina show is rated for 500 nits, which is shiny sufficient for many lighting environments however lacks the vary and distinction to make HDR content material pop. You’ll additionally get smoother motion in movies and video games on the MacBook Pro’s 120Hz ProMovement panel. The MacBook Air presents an ordinary 60Hz refresh charge.The MacBook Air and Pro every provide good audio output for a laptop computer, however the Pro’s sound is healthier. The MacBook Pro contains a six-speaker array, and the Air has 4 audio system. The MacBook Pro has extra ports and audio system than the MacBook Air. Lori Grunin/CNETMacBook Air vs. Pro: Ports and followersThe MacBook Pro options extra exterior connections. It has an HDMI port and SD card slot — neither of which you will discover on the Air — together with an additional Thunderbolt port. The M4 Pro-based fashions additionally help Thunderbolt 5 for sooner information and help for extra exterior displays than you get with Thunderbolt 4 on an Air.The MacBook Air has the benefit in acoustics. It lacks a cooling fan and operates in full silence.MacBook Air vs. Pro: EfficiencySo, what do these additional CPU and GPU cores get you with the M4 MacBook Pro? We’ve examined each sizes of the M4 MacBook Air launched final March and a pair of M4 MacBook Pro fashions from final November — the 14-inch Pro with the M4 chip and a loaded 16-inch Pro with an M4 Pro chip and a whopping 48GB of RAM.On our Geekbench 6 take a look at that measures total CPU efficiency throughout a blended workload, the 16-inch MacBook Pro put extra distance between it and the 14-inch MacBook Pro than the smaller Pro might between it and the 2 MacBook Airs. And that is smart when you think about the M4 Pro processor has 4 extra cores than the M4 chip, and the identical M4 chip is featured within the 14-inch Pro we examined and each Airs.We noticed related outcomes on the multicore CPU take a look at for Cinebench 2024, and the even better variety of GPU cores of the M4 Pro allowed the 16-inch MacBook Pro to take pleasure in an excellent better lead on the Cinebench 2024 GPU take a look at over the 14-inch MacBook Pro.Our benchmark outcomes present that the baseline 14-inch MacBook Pro is considerably within the awkward center floor between a MacBook Pro with an M4 Pro chip and the M4 MacBook Air.Geekbench 6 CPU (multicore) Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4 Pro, late 2024) 22,683Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4, late 2024) 15,134Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4, early 2025) 15,049Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4, early 2025) 14,942 Note: Longer bars point out higher efficiency
Geekbench 6 CPU (single-core) Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4 Pro, late 2024) 3,943Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4, early 2025) 3,818Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4, early 2025) 3,705Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4, late 2024) 3,587 Note: Longer bars point out higher efficiency
Cinebench 2024 CPU (multicore) Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4 Pro, late 2024) 1,744Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4, late 2024) 999Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4, early 2025) 830Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4, early 2025) 824 Note: Longer bars point out higher efficiency
Cinebench 2024 CPU (single-core) Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4 Pro, late 2024) 178Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4, late 2024) 175Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4, early 2025) 171Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4, early 2025) 169 Note: Longer bars point out higher efficiency
Cinebench 2024 GPU Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4 Pro, late 2024) 9,037Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4, late 2024) 3,970Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4, early 2025) 3,570Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4, early 2025) 3,510 Note: Longer bars point out higher efficiency
Should I purchase a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro?Creative professionals and hobbyists who must run demanding graphics purposes can be higher served by investing in a MacBook Pro with an M4 Pro processor. The superior CPU and GPU efficiency will enable such energy customers to finish inventive workloads extra shortly. The most cost-effective MacBook Pro with an M4 Pro processor prices $1,999, nevertheless, which is significantly costlier than a MacBook Air. The added reminiscence you get with the MacBook Pro fashions that value $1,999 and up helps justify the upper value. You may not want the 48GB of RAM of the M4 Pro-based MacBook Pro we examined, however the 24GB of RAM you get with any M4 Pro-based MacBook Pro will definitely serve you properly in contrast with the 16GB of RAM supplied on the MacBook Air or baseline 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro.The solely compelling purpose for the $1,599 M4-based MacBook Pro I can see is the HDR ProMovement show — I really need one for the Air — if you happen to watch or work with lots of HDR content material. Or you might be delicate to video stutter on a 60Hz show. If neither of those traits describes you, then you might be higher off spending extra for the better efficiency of an M4 Pro-based MacBook Pro or saving some cash and getting the extra reasonably priced and moveable MacBook Air.Read extra: Best MacBook OffersFor common house use, the place you primarily use Chrome, Gmail, Google Docs and Sheets with maybe the occasional undertaking in iMovie or Garage Band, the M4 MacBook Air presents ample efficiency and is the higher deal. The 15-inch MacBook Air offers a ton of worth at $1,199. For most individuals, it is one of the best laptop computer. It offers you an enormous show with no need to spend a premium on a MacBook Pro. And regardless of its bigger display screen, the 15-inch Air remains to be thinner and lighter than the 14-inch Pro, whereas costing a whole bunch much less. Meanwhile, the cheaper and extra moveable 13-inch MacBook Air at $999 — $899 with Apple’s schooling low cost — stays one of the best laptop computer for college students.System configurations we examined Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4, early 2025) Apple MacOS Sequoia 15.3, M4 chip 10‑core CPU with 8‑core GPU; 16GB LPDDR5 unified reminiscence; 256GB SSDApple MacBook Air 15 (M4, early 2025) Apple MacOS Sequoia 15.3, M4 chip 10‑core CPU with 10‑core GPU; 16GB LPDDR5 unified reminiscence; 512GB SSDApple MacBook Pro 14 (M4, late 2024) Apple MacOS Sequoia 15.1; Apple M4 (10-core CPU, 10-core GPU); 16GB RAM; 1TB SSDApple MacBook Pro 16 (M4 Pro, late 2024) Apple MacOS Sequoia 15.1; Apple M4 Pro (14-core CPU, 20-core GPU); 48GB RAM; 2TB SSD
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