Apple ’s most popular Mac laptop is the MacBook Air , which proffer a great combining of feature for the distinctive substance abuser , but there is another MacBook to consider – the more powerful MacBook Pro . In this feature we target to aid those who need to buy an Apple laptop , but are n’t sure what the remainder between the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro is .
We ’ll explain the advantages and disadvantages of buying a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro , we ’ll discourse what makes the MacBook Air so democratic , and we ’ll talk about which practice each Mac laptop is best suited to .
We ’ll also face in astuteness at the various specs and features of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro so you may see how the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro liken in terms of price , display , design , processor , nontextual matter , store , RAM and more .
15-inch MacBook Air (left) and 14-inch MacBook Pro.
What’s the difference between MacBook Air and Pro?
On one side we have the MacBook Air , a slender , stylish Mac laptop computer that is , according to Apple , the most pop laptop in the world . It offers excellent barrage fire life and more than enough power for daily tasks at an affordable price . On the other side , the MacBook Pro offers three levels of power to meet the needs of even the most demanding user , more RAM , more storage , foresightful battery life and a significantly superior showing . Those feature film are n’t tawdry though .
There is so much mode to severalize the dissimilar Apple laptop computer mannikin as you will see if you read on .
For advice about the best MacBook , we also have a purchasing guide , see : Best MacBook : Which Mac laptop computer is best?We also propose advice about how much storage , random memory and essence inHow much MacBook RAM , SSD , Cores do you need?Off to university ? scan our guide to thebest MacBook for educatee . For even more info you may be interested to readWhich MacBook Pro .
MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro Price: Best value for money MacBook
Since budget is often the main outcome , we ’ll start with Mary Leontyne Price and how much you get for your money . When Apple introduce the M4 adaptation of the MacBook Air in March 2025 it degenerate the terms by $ 100/£100 . As a event , the price gap is even big between the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air .
With no ‘ budget ’ MacBook Pro available , the MacBook Air is the only option for those front for a steal . If you are looking for the cheapest choice the $ 999/£999 MacBook Air would appear to be the cleared winner . However , we commend spend $ 200/£200 more to get the 10 - nitty-gritty CPU/10 - core GPU 512 GB MacBook Air , which is worth every surplus cent .
The price of the MacBook Pro is higher , and on daily undertaking it perform the same as the MacBook Air , but it does offer good performance on long , CPU - intensive labor , like trope and video rendition and similar tasks . Not to mention the better screen , HDMI interface , and SDXC Card slot , and more discuss below . At $ 200/£200 more than the 15 - in MacBook Air with M4 and the same 512 GB SSD , it in reality present good value for money .
15-inch MacBook Air (left) and 14-inch MacBook Pro.
Apple 13-inch MacBook Air – Apple’s cheapest MacBook
Pros
Cons
The gaudy MacBook Air you could buy is the 13 - inch M4 MacBook Air , which was last updated in March 2025 and start at $ 999/£999 . For that you get an M4 chip with 10 - core CPU , 8 - core GPU , 16 GB memory , and a 256 GB SSD .
pass $ 200/£200 more and you’re able to get a more or less better 10 - core mainframe plus double the depot , at 512 GB . That ’s $ 1,199/£1,199 .
For $ 1,399/£1,399 you could get more unified retention ( Apple ’s name for RAM ): 24 GB instead of 16 GB .
Those are the standard conformation . There are more build - to - order choice useable that admit 32 GB unified memory , and 1 TB or 2 TB SSD .
Who is the 13-inch MacBook Air for?
This is the Mac for the majority . If you want a really portable Mac laptop the MacBook Air is it . If you are looking for the cheap Mac though that would be theMac mini . If the price is still too high for you search for deals on the previous generation here : Best MacBook Air mountain .
Read : M4 MacBook Air : Everything you require to knowfor more information .
Apple 15-Inch MacBook Air – Cheapest big screen MacBook
If you want a orotund screenland then the chintzy selection is the 15 - in MacBook Air . This Mac shares many of the specs of the 13 - in model , but offers a 15 - inch exhibit .
The cheapest 15 - inch MacBook Air you could bribe was last updated in March 2025 and starts at $ 1,199/£1,199 . For that you get an M4 chip with 10 - core CPU , 10 - gist GPU , 16 GB memory , and a 256 GB SSD .
Spend $ 200/£200 more and you could get double the SSD at 512 GB . That ’s $ 1,399/£1,399 .
For $ 1,599/£1,599 you could get more unified computer storage ( Apple ’s name for RAM ): 24 GB instead of 16 GB .
Who is the 15-inch MacBook Air for?
If you want a bigger video display and budget does n’t pass to the MacBook Pro the MacBook Air with 15 - inch display will be sufficient . If you need more exponent , you could look for an deduction on an Old MacBook Pro model .
Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro – More power, higher price
The M4 MacBook Pro arrived in October 2024 . The MacBook Air that arrived in March 2025 has the same processor , so you might be forgiven for thinking that the two laptop computer are identical , but they are n’t .
The most obvious indication that the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are dissimilar beasts is the terms . The 14 - inch MacBook Pro starts at $ 1,599/£1,599 . That ’s $ 400/£400 more than the entry - level MacBook Air . Those two Macs are n’t really corresponding though .
The MacBook Pro M4 has an 10 - core CPU , 10 - core GPU , 16 GB memory , and a 512 GB SSD , so it ’s in reality more like the 13 - inch MacBook Air with 512 GB SSD for $ 1,199/£1,199 or the equivalent 15 - column inch MacBook Air with 512 GB SSD for $ 1,399/£1,399 .
15-inch MacBook Air (left) and 14-inch MacBook Pro.
What are you getting for the extra money if you pick out a MacBook Pro ? We ’ll discuss this in a mass more detail below , but , essentially , you get a Mac with a better video display , good heat management , honest battery life , better audio and more ports . All of those features may be well worth the extra expense when compared to the MacBook Air .
There is also a portion more choice when it come up to the portion of the MacBook Pro . The M4 models can support up to 2 TB SSD and 32 GB RAM , like the MacBook Air , but there are also more knock-down M4 Pro and M4 Max models , with the M4 Pro patronage up to 48 GB RAM and the M4 Max supporting up to 128 GB RAM .
The M4 Pro can stand up to 14 - core CPU and 20 - Congress of Racial Equality GPU , while the M4 Mac can defend up to 40 - core GPU . Those models come with an exceptionally gamey price though , starting at $ 1,999/£1,999 for the M4 Pro and $ 3,199/£3,199 for the M4 Max . More on the specs below .
If you need to push your Mac with graphic-intensive apps a MacBook Pro would be a better choice.
To get the good deal on a MacBook Pro read our round up of theBest MacBook Pro deals .
Who is the 14-inch MacBook Pro for?
For those with average requirements , the M4 MacBook Pro is sufficient and better beseem to central processing unit intensive mathematical operation than the MacBook Air . This is a Mac to opt if you require a little more oomph than the MacBook Air can give but do n’t have the money for a MacBook Pro with M4 Pro chip .
If you need a bit more power and have the budget for the M4 Pro or M4 Max posture the 14 - column inch MacBook Pro offers better value for money than it ’s bigger screened sib .
We also discuss the M4 Pro and M4 Max MacBook Pro model in ourMacBook Pro comparisonand ourBest MacBook guide .
15-inch MacBook Air (left) and 14-inch MacBook Pro (right).
Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro – Ultimate Mac laptop
There is one more MacBook Pro to look at . The 16 - inch MacBook Pro .
The 16 - inch MacBook Pro comes with M4 Pro or M4 Max chip , there is no standard M4 option here . The entry price is a hefty $ 2,499/£2,499 for an M4 Pro , 14 - core CPU , 20 - marrow GPU , 24 GB Unified Memory , and 512 GB SSD . The equivalent 14 - inch manakin costs $ 2,399/£2,399 , but has twice as much storage at 1 TB . The M4 Pro can corroborate up to 48 GB unified memory in the MacBook Pro .
The specs are similar to the 14 - inch MacBook Pro , with the option of upgrading to an M4 Max with up to 40 - core GPU , up to 128 GB Unified Memory , and up to 8 TB SSD .
What are you getting for the extra money if you choose a 16 - column inch MacBook Pro over the 14 - inch theoretical account ? Other than the bigger screen , you get better battery life , but not really anything else . We ’ll talk about this in a fortune more contingent below .
Who is the 16-inch MacBook Pro for?
The 16 - in MacBook Pro is the ultimate Mac , but it does n’t offer good specs than the 14 - in MacBook Pro . All it offers is a giving exhibit and netter battery life sentence – both of which may be the most important factor in your decision . If you need a big screened hefty Mac get the 16 - column inch MacBook Pro , or think a 14 - inch MacBook Pro with an extraneous exhibit . Take a flavour at theBest Mac monitors and display we have retrospect .
MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Display
One of the biggest differences between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro is the lineament of the display . There is a lot more to separate the displays than diagonal measurements .
You ’ll point out from the above that there are importantly more pixels on the MacBook Pro blind – even when compared to a larger MacBook Air model .
The MacBook Air has what Apple send for a Liquid Retina display . The MacBook Pro has a superior Liquid Retina XDR panel . The image quality is importantly better on the MacBook Pro . However , to the average soul the projection screen quality of the MacBook Air will be more than sufficient .
It ’s not just few pixels though . Both Airs have a maximum brightness of 500 nits , which is half of the Pro ’s 1,000 nits in normal use , or a third if you ’re running HDR capacity at a max of 1,600 nit of which the MacBook Pro is able . This is achieved by the Pro video display incorporating mini - LEDs rather than the Air ’s received LCD screen .
Perhaps the biggest difference though is that the Pro features ProMotion , meaning that the refresh charge per unit tops out at 120Hz , again double that of the Air ’s 60Hz refresh charge per unit . This helps keep scrolling and animations smooth and frizzly . Any of these displays will be peachy for everyday consumption and long hours of work , but the Pro has the edge when it fare to features .
And there is more . With the M4 MacBook Pro , Apple introduced a nano - texture glass pick that has a flatness - like finish for $ 150 . This option is not usable on the MacBook Air , and if you take to cut down the glare from the display , it ’s a feature to weigh .
The MacBook Air (bottom) is thinner than the MacBook Pro (top).
All of this is mute if you will plug your Mac into a presentation , of course , in which instance you’re able to corrupt a display that offer you the concealment caliber you need .
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MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Performance Difference
There ’s a grounds why there is a “ Pro ” in the name . The MacBook Pro is easily suited to pro users , by which we mean originative professionals , pictorial designers , photographers , movie Jehovah , 3D vitaliser , programmer , and so on . A MacBook Air would be more than sufficient for home users , students , and power workers , but as soon as you start to drive it with something more demanding , like picture show redaction software program , or a computer biz , you might find it heats up and slows down a bit , at least in comparability to how a MacBook Pro would handle with the bird demands . That ’s why we incline to recommend the MacBook Air to those who go beyond the typical user .
Despite this , if you are upgrading an former computer , the MacBook Air will feel topnotch speedy whatever you are doing with it .
We have the data below to show just how much better MacBook Pro carrying out is compared to the MacBook Air .
The MacBook Air ships with a braided MagSafe cable and compact dual-USB-C Power Adapter.
MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Processor
All of Apple ’s laptops are powered by Apple ’s silicon and decent now the latest Apple chip is the M4 , which comes in the following varieties : M4 , M4 Pro and M4 Max . To learn more about all the Mac processors read ourMac C.P.U. comparison .
When it come to the processor eyeglasses the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air actually look middling well play off , as show by this tabular array .
However , there is a difference in terms of how well the CPU do in the different models , as you’re able to see from the Geekbench and Cinebench results below . A likewise specced MacBook Pro do well than the MacBook Air , albeit only slightly beter .
The MacBook Air with MagSafe as well as two USB/Thunderbolt ports compared to the 2020 M1 MacBook Air.
The chart below shows the Geekbench results for the various processors .
The MacBook Air is dull because in edict for it to be so stocky it is fanless , which means it is less able to manage oestrus , and therefore may run slower to keep coolheaded if you really push it . If it ’s power you need then , as the benchmarks show , a MacBook Pro will have the boundary .
However , that ’s not to say that the M4 MacBook Air is slow . As you may see from the score above , the M4 shoots in advance of the M3 , M2 and M1 , in fact it even scores above the M3 Pro . The M4 MacBook Air is plenty powerful enough for most people , and likely way better than any onetime Mac you are supervene upon .
If you really ask a powerful automobile you might require to think the M4 Pro MacBook Pro .
MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: RAM (unified memory)
Prior to October 2024 , many Macs send with just 8 GB read/write memory as standard . These days a Mac may struggle with just 8 GB tup so Apple has upped this allocation , and since October 2024 all MacBook Air and MacBook Pro ship with at least 16 GB Aries the Ram as standard . There is an option to increase co-ordinated memory to 24 GB or 32 GB in the M4 MacBook Pro and Air .
If you need more memory you will necessitate to look to the MacBook Pro with M4 Pro or M4 Max . With the M4 Pro you’re able to get up to 48 GB unified retention , while the M4 Max can bear up to 128 GB memory .
Our advice is to get as much RAM as you may afford when you corrupt the Mac , as you ca n’t upgrade it by and by .
MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Storage
Apple offers a 256 GB storage alternative at the launching - level for both the13 - inch and 15 - inch MacBook Air . The accounting entry - level MacBook Pro go at 512 Great Britain . There is the selection to sum 1 TB or 2 TB SSD to both laptops .
While a 2556 GB SSD might essay to be enough for you , especially if you employ iCloud or other cloud base divine service to add on your repositing . But 512 GB might be a well option , as we regain , see : Here ’s cogent evidence that a 256 GB SSD is too small for a Mac in 2025 .
Another reasonableness to avoid the 256 GB example : in previous generations , there were some concerns about this 256 GB SSD , with reports that its SSD is up to50 per centum sloweron read speeds and 30 percent on write speeds . We found that these observation were indeed true when we ran our own set of examination usingBlackmagic disc Speed Teston older MacBook models . In more recent times , this has seemed to be less of an issue . This will only matter if you are using apps that get at the SSD often , so it may not make a difference in typical use .
If you need more than 2 TB SSD you require to appear at the MacBook Pro poser with the M4 Pro and M4 Max which can support up to 8 TB SSD .
MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Design
Both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro have a snick at the top of the screen as see on some iPhone model . It ’s not a forged thing , but some people do n’t like notches . The notch hold in the FaceTime camera , which , with the initiation of the M4 MacBook Air , is now the same 12MP Center Stage photographic camera with musical accompaniment for Desk View and 1080p HD picture transcription on all poser .
Despite the presence of the iPhone - comparable notch , MacBooks do not offer Face ID for unlock . rather all MacBook ’s have a Touch ID detector built into the keyboard , so you could just tap your finger’s breadth on there to unlock things and inscribe passwords .
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One fundamental deviation between these MacBooks is the color choices . There are four color pick for the 13 - inch MacBook Air and the 15 - column inch MacBook Air : Midnight ( dark blue ) , Starlight ( Au ) , Sky Blue and Silver . Apple insert the Sky Blue alternative with the M4 MacBook Air anddiscontinued the Space Gray option ( to the dismay of some).The Starlight wraith is paler gold , while Midnight is cheeseparing to black with a dark low-spirited hue .
The 14 - inch and 16 - inch MacBook Pro offer only Silver and Space Black options .
MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Dimensions
Apple refers to them as the 13 - inch and 15 - inch MacBook Air and the 14 - in and 15 - inch MacBook Pro . The measurements are base on the screen size , but those numbers are in reality not precise . Here ’s what the real screen door measure are :
A big show does n’t necessarily stand for the Mac is bigger and leaden though . The 15 - inch Air is thinner , so it not only weigh less than the 16 - in MacBook Pro , it is also promiscuous than the 14 - in MacBook Pro due to the fans involve for heating plant licentiousness in the more powerful machine .
From the figures above , you ’ll note that the M4 Pro and M4 Max models librate a little bit more than the M4 MacBook Pro .
And as you’re able to see from the below , the 13 - in MacBook Air dimensions are n’t much smaller than those of the 14 - column inch MacBook Air . Given that there is in reality only half an inch ( 0.6 in ) deviation in screen size , this should n’t be surprising .
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MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Battery life and charging
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When it come to stamp battery life , allot to Apple , the MacBook Air offers 18 minute battery biography when video cyclosis , while the 14 - inch M4 MacBook Pro offers an 24 hours video streaming . The main reason for this difference is that the 14 - column inch MacBook Pro has a large battery : 72.4 watt - hours compared to 66.5 James Watt - hours in the 15 - column inch MacBook Air and 53.8 W - hours in the 13 - inch aura . The battery in the 16 - in MacBook Pro is even bigger at 100 W - hours .
It ’s not just how long the assault and battery lasts that matter , but also the charge speed . The ledger entry - level 13 - column inch MacBook Air ship with a 30W adapter , the other 13 - column inch air travel and the 15 - inch MacBook Air ship with a 35W mightiness adapter . The 14 - inch MacBook Pro M4 , and the first appearance - level M4 Pro ships with a 70W adapter , the other 14 - inch MAcBook Pro models bid a 96W courser , and the 16 - inch model has a 140W arranger for even faster charging .
Each 14 - inch MacBook Pro can also be fast charged with a 96W adaptor ( only included with some model ) and the MacBook Air can be tight charged with a 70W adaptor ( not included ) . See ourcomparison trial of Apple ’s MacBook Air chargersas well as thebest USB - degree Celsius battery charger for your MacBook .
MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Ports and expansion
Over the years it ’s felt like Apple has been on a missionary work to remove ports from Macs in club to make them slim and slimmer . This has been a disadvantage for many , although generally if you need more or dissimilar port you may just plug in an adapter or a dock ( read : Best USB - C hubs and adaptor for Mac ) .
The MacBook Air provide a MagSafe charge embrasure alongside two Thunderbolt 4 / USB - snow ports .
The MacBook Pro offer an additional Thunderbolt 4 / USB - C port , as well as HDMI and SDXC ports .
The arrival of Thunderbolt 4 for this propagation think that the M4 MacBooks can support more displays . See : How to tie in two or more external displays to an M1 , M2 , M3 or M4 MacBook .
Connectivity for both models is via Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi - Fi 6E. All Mac laptops offer a 3.5 mm earphone diddly-shit .
MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Audio and camera
All of the MacBooks in the current genesis offer a 12MP Center Stage camera that automatically keeps the user in the center of the build . The camera also bear Desk View , which can show the desk space in front of the laptop . This is an upgrade from the M3 MacBooks , which only offer a 1080p FaceTime camera .
The 15 - in MacBook Air has a welfare over the 13 - in MacBook Air model : if feature a six - loudspeaker system sound arrangement with force-out - set off woofers , compared to a four - speaker unit sound arrangement . Apple describes the loudspeaker system system in the 14 - in MacBook Pro as a high - fidelity six - speaker auditory sensation scheme with force-out - cancelling woofers , indicating that it is superior to that in the 15 - inch Air . Apple also bring up to a “ studio apartment - character three - mic regalia with gamy sign - to - noise proportion and directing beamforming ” in the 14 - inch Pro , while both Air model offer only a “ three - mic array with directional beamforming ” .
The MacBook Pro has a adept loudspeaker system system than the MacBook Air : six - speaker raiment rather than a four - loudspeaker audio arrangement . The sound on the MacBook Pro is described by Apple as “ High Fidelity , ” by which we assume Apple is indicating it is ranking to the Air .
MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Buying advice
So which MacBook should you choose ? If you are on a budget it has to be the MacBook Air and you wo n’t be let down . If you ask a turn more power than the Air can offer , and a better quality display , the M4 MacBook Pro will see you practiced . But if you postulate even more world power you ’ll have to furcate out for the M4 Pro or M4 Max MacBook Pro modelling .
If one factor that is significant to you is the CRT screen size of it , the 15 - inch MacBook Air will give you a larger filmdom for less money than the 14 - column inch MacBook Pro . Just be aware that screen calibre is not as good as that on the more expensive model . Of of course , if you are live on to plug your Mac into an external exhibit whenever you are at your desk this should n’t be a decision breaker . See our round - up of thebest displays for Mac .
If it ’s display lineament that matters , the XDR , ProMotion presentation of the MacBook Pro will encounter your needs . There is also the option of a non - glossy Nano - texture display with the MacBook Pro that does n’t exist for the Air .
We urge make the best auto you may yield at the time of purchase because you wo n’t be able to upgrade down the product line . At the time of your purchase ensure you add sufficient RAM and storage for your motive . For more help with this read : How much RAM , SSD , GPU , CPU do you require in a Mac ?
Luckily , you do n’t have to pay full price for a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro , watch out ourbest MacBook Air dealsandbest MacBook Pro dealsarticles for the best discounts available .
Finally , a word of warning : if you are tempted by a used Intel MacBook we strongly urge that you do n’t buy it as Apple is unlikely to support Intel Macs for much longer . Read : How long does Apple support Macs .
We also help you choose theBest Macin our buying guide . For buy advice on thebest Windows laptops , see our sister site PCWorld .
Why you can trust Macworld’s advice
Macworld has been covering everything Apple colligate since our first outlet which arrived alongside the original Mac in 1984 . Nobody know Apple better , except believably Apple , but the difference is that we are completely unprejudiced . We are made up of a team of experts with decades of experiences with Macs and other Apple merchandise , and between us we have reviewed every Apple mathematical product meaning we are uniquely pose to cater purchasing advice .
