If you’re in the market for a new MacBook, you may be wondering whether it makes more sense to buy a MacBook Pro or a MacBook Air. With Apple announcing five MacBook configurations and officially withdrawing three models in one year, the confusion is justified.
You’re faced with four different MacBook models
When purchasing a MacBook, you should consider the screen size, storage capacity, computing power, and price of the computer. For example, the 2022 and 2024 MacBook Air 13” models are both Air models, and therefore these computers will have different performance, performance and battery life.
The most recent MacBook Pro models feature Apple M3 chips, which are even more efficient and capable than M2 chips. In this situation, imagine that you are like the character Goldilocks: you are faced with four different MacBook models, but you need to find the one that suits you best. Before you decide, let’s look at the main differences between the Pro and the Air.
What is the difference between MacBook Pro and MacBook Air?
Believe it or not, there are a ton of differences between the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air. The biggest differences between the two are price and computing power. The most affordable MacBook Pro, equipped with an M2 chip, will cost more than the most affordable MacBook Air, equipped with an M2 chip. However, the Pro is more powerful, due to the internal components under the hood.
MacBook Pro M3 models have more unified memory, longer battery life, more ports (including HDMI and SD card), and overall a GPU and a More sophisticated CPUs than their Air counterparts. There are two screen sizes for MacBook Pros: 14” and 16”.
The MacBook Pro M3 features improved internal computing components for greater efficiency and performance. The M3 family includes three chips: M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max. M3 models feature improved media engines to better handle video playback. M3 chips have the same number of CPU and GPU cores and neural engines as M2 chips, and base M2 and M3 chips can support the same amount of unified memory.
M3 chips are 15% faster than M2 chips
According to Apple, M3 chips are 15% faster than M2 chips. If you’ve recently upgraded to an M2 MacBook Pro, then you’re not really behind in computing power.
This is the 16-inch MacBook Pro. Jason Hiner/ZDNET
If you are in the market for a new 13-inch MacBook Pro, Apple has unfortunately ended sales of the MacBook Pro of this size after the release of the new 14-inch MacBook Pro. Besides, you can no longer buy a 13-inch MacBook Pro on the Apple website. Apple also ended the sale of 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models equipped with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips (unless refurbished).
The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros can be equipped with Apple’s new M3 Pro and M3 Max chips, and you can buy a 14-inch MacBook Pro with the base M3 chip. If you opt for the 16-inch version, be aware that you will only have the choice between the M3 Max or M3 Pro chips, which will increase the price of the device.
The more powerful the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros, the more expensive they are
The chips in the “Pro” models are therefore even more powerful than the basic M2 chips that equip the 13 and 15-inch MacBook Air. With these improved chips, the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros are suitable for editing professional-quality video (up to 8K), rendering 3D, producing music, and editing photos. in high resolution in Adobe Photoshop.
However, the more powerful the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros are, the more expensive they are. The 14-inch MacBook Pro is priced from €2,000. The 16-inch Pro starts at €3,000 and its most powerful configuration reaches €8,530…
The 15-inch MacBook Air is the largest in its class, but it lacks the side-mounted speakers found on the Pro models. Kerry Wan/ZDNET
The 2022 MacBook Air 13 is only equipped with Apple’s M2 base chip, and the 2024 13” and 15” MacBook Air are only equipped with the M3 chip. But the absence of the M3 Max and M3 Pro chips doesn’t mean the Air is a poorly performing computer. The MacBook Air is thinner and lighter than the Pro because it has less equipment: for example, it does not have an HDMI port, nor an SD card reader, nor even a fan. Instead, Apple is banking on the efficiency of its chips to ensure this computer’s heat dissipation and stabilization.
The Air 13” (M3) starts at €1300 and goes to €2680 if you max out the storage and upgrade the GPU
Of course, less hardware means the MacBook Air is cheaper, but you can add some improvements to it. An improved GPU means your computer can process graphics more efficiently, making 4K video editing faster and smoother.
Last summer, Apple announced a 15” MacBook Air with an M2 chip but this machine will no longer be sold by the company with the arrival of the 15” MacBook Air. Despite its shortened marketing period, the MacBook Air M2 remains a superb option for those looking for a high-performance Air model. You can no longer buy it new from Apple. But it remains possible second hand, including at Apple.
The Air 13” (M3) starts at €1300 and goes up to €2680 if you max out the internal storage and upgrade the GPU. The Air 15” (M3) starts at €1,600 and goes up to €2,980 in exchange for the most storage space. For buyers whose budget is tighter or who don’t need a lot of computing power, Apple still offers the MavBook Air 13” with M2 processor at €1,200.
Which MacBook is best for you?
The answer depends heavily on what you plan to use these laptops for, and the size and weight of the screen in that equation. A reliable computer is an investment: You don’t want to spend too much on an overqualified laptop, but you also don’t want to buy a computer that isn’t powerful enough for your needs.
If you’re a graphic designer, music producer, professional photographer, videographer, 3D artist, or iOS game and app developer, the MacBook Pro is the ideal solution. Pro models can support intense graphics processing and more software running in the background without experiencing noticeable overheating or slowdown.
If you are a student or spend most of your time in the Microsoft Office suite or Google suite, a MacBook may be more suitable for you. If you want a MacBook for surfing the Internet, watching YouTube or Netflix, answering emails, and FaceTime with friends, the Air model is not only capable of handling these tasks, but it won’t weigh down your spine when you need to. lug it around.
Regardless of which model you buy, a MacBook is excellent for users who want to expand their[personalAppleecosystemwithadevicethatworksseamlesslywithiPhoneAirPodsandotherproducts.
Source: “ZDNet.com”