Hartley Charlton
Apple recently updated the MacBook Pro with the M4 series of chips and a number of other upgrades, including a 12-megapixel camera, a nano-texture display option, and Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. The new machines follow refreshed MacBook Air models with the M3 chip that launched earlier in 2024. So how do the latest models compare?
Despite now looking similar on the outside, the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro — they're very different devices, so should you consider buying a 13- or 15-inch MacBook Air, which start at $999, to save money, or should you go for one of the pricier 14- or 16-inch MacBook Pro models, which cost at least $600 more? Our guide will help you decide which of these two popular laptops is best for you.
| MacBook Air | MacBook Pro |
|---|---|
| M2: 13.6-inch display M3: 13.6- or 15.3-inch display |
14.2- or 16.2-inch display |
| Liquid Retina LCD display | Mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display |
| 60Hz refresh rate | ProMotion for refresh rates up to 120Hz |
| Up to 500 nits of brightness | Up to 1,000 nits of brightness and 1,600 nits of peak HDR brightness |
| Nano Texture Display Option | |
| 1080p FaceTime HD Camera | 12MP Center Stage Camera with Desk View |
| Apple M2 or M3 Chip | Apple M4, M4 Pro, or M4 Max Chip |
| M2: Advanced 5nm (N5P) node based on the A15 Bionic chip from iPhone 13 (2021) M3: 3nm node (N3B) based on the A17 Pro chip from the iPhone 15 Pro (2023) |
3nm node (N3E) based on the A18 chip from the iPhone 16 (2024) |
| M2: 3.49 GHz CPU clock speed M3: 4.05 GHz CPU clock speed |
M4: 4.4 GHz CPU clock speed M4 Pro and M4 Max: 4.5 GHz CPU clock speed |
| 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores | M4: 10 CPU cores with 4 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores M4 Pro: Up to 14 CPU cores with 10 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores M4 Max: Up to 16 CPU cores with 12 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores |
| Up to 10-core GPU | M4: 10-core GPU M4 Pro: Up to 20-core GPU M4 Max: Up to 40-core GPU |
| Upgraded Architecture GPU | Updated GPU architecture with improved efficiency |
| M2: 16-core Neural Engine, 15.8 TPPS M3: 16-core Neural Engine, 18 TPPS |
16-core Neural Engine, 38 TPPS |
| 16GB or 24GB of unified memory | M4: 16GB, 24GB, or 32GB of unified memory M4 Pro: 24GB or 48GB of unified memory M4 Max: 36GB, 48GB, 64GB, or 128GB of unified memory |
| LPDDR5 memory | LPDDR5X memory |
| 100GB/s memory bandwidth | M4: 120GB/s memory bandwidth M4 Pro: 273GB/s memory bandwidth M4 Max: 546GB/s memory bandwidth |
| Passive Cooling | Active Cooling |
| High Power Mode on all M4 Pro and M4 Max models | |
| M3 models only: Dynamic Caching Hardware-accelerated Ray Tracing Hardware-accelerated Mesh Shading AV1 Decoding Support |
Dynamic Caching Hardware-accelerated Ray Tracing Hardware-accelerated Mesh Shading AV1 Decoding Support |
| M2: Wi-Fi 6 M3: Wi-Fi 6E |
Wi-Fi 6E |
| Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports | M4:Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports M4 Pro or M4 Max: Three Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) ports |
| HDMI 2.1 port with multi-channel audio output | |
| SDXC card slot | |
| 13 inch: Four-speaker sound system 15-inch: Six-speaker sound system with force-canceling woofers |
High-quality six-speaker sound system with force-canceling woofers |
| Three-microphone array with directional beamforming | Studio-quality three-microphone array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming |
| M2: Supports one external display M3: Supports up to two external displays when the lid is closed |
M4 or M4 Pro: Supports two external displays M4 Max: Supports up to four external displays |
| Dedicated display module | |
| 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage | M4: 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage M4 Pro or M4 Max: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB storage |
| 13 inches: 52.6 Wh lithium-polymer battery 15 inches: 66.5 Wh lithium-polymer battery |
14 inches: 72.4 Wh lithium-polymer battery 16 inches: 100 Wh lithium-polymer battery |
| 18 hours of battery life | M4 14-inch or M3 Pro 16-inch: 24 hours of battery life M4 Pro 14-inch: 22 hours of battery life M4 Max 14-inch: 18 hours of battery life M4 Max 16-inch: 21 hours of battery life |
| 30W, 35W, or 67W USB-C Power Adapter | 67W, 96W, or 140W USB-C Power Adapter |
| Color options: Silver, Space Gray, Starry Sky, or Midnight | Color options: Silver or Space Black |
| M2 13-inch: from $999 M3 13-inch: from $1099 M3 15-inch: from $1299 |
M4 14-inch: from $1599 M4 Pro 14-inch: from $1999 M4 Pro 16-inch: from $2499 |
Design
Both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro have the same basic design with a flat top and curved edges on the bottom, but they have a few small details that are different. For example, while both MacBooks have displays with a “notch” at the top to house a built-in webcam, the MacBook Pro’s bezels are noticeably thinner. The high-end MacBook Pro’s keyboard deck is also all black.
The MacBook Air is available in silver and space gray, but the MacBook Air also comes in Starlight and Midnight, so if you’re looking for a distinct aesthetic with one of those finishes, you’ll need to get the MacBook Air. Space Black is only available for MacBook Pro.
| MacBook Air (13-inch) | MacBook Air (15-inch) | MacBook Pro (14-inch) | MacBook Pro (16-inch) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 0.44 inches (1.13 cm) | 0.45 inches (1.15 cm) | 0.61 inches (1.55 cm) | 0.66 inches (1.68 cm) |
| Width | 11.97 in (30.41 cm) | 13.40 in (34.04 cm) | 12.31 in (31.26 cm) | 14.01 in (35.57 cm) |
| Depth | 8.46 in (21.5 cm) | 9.35 in (23.76 cm) | 8.71 in (22.12 cm) | 9.77 in (24.81 cm) |
| Weight | 2.7 lbs (1.24 kg) | 3.3 lbs (1.51 kg) | 3.5 lbs (1.61 kg) | 4.8 lbs (2.15 kg) |
Size is also a key differentiator between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. The 16-inch MacBook Pro is significantly larger and heavier than the 15-inch MacBook Air, but it's important not to underestimate the difference between the 14-inch MacBook Pro and the 13-inch MacBook Air. While the 14-inch MacBook Pro has a larger display than the MacBook Air, its slightly larger dimensions, extra thickness, and extra 0.8 pounds of weight make it noticeably less portable if you prefer to travel light.
That said, the 14-inch MacBook Pro offers a very good balance of portability and performance, so if you need its extra features, its size and weight shouldn't stop you. The 15-inch MacBook Air also offers a good balance of portability and display space, but users concerned about its size should opt for the 13-inch model.
Ports and Connectivity
Port selection is an area of major difference between the two machines. The MacBook Air comes with just two Thunderbolt ports, while the M4 version of the MacBook Pro adds a third Thunderbolt 4 port, as well as an HDMI 2.1 port and an SDXC card slot. When configured with the M4 Pro or M4 Max, the MacBook Pro upgrades those Thunderbolt ports to Thunderbolt 5, in addition to the HDMI 2.1 port and SDXC card slot. Both computers include a 3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones.
Overall, the MacBook Pro
The smaller MacBook Air's display measures 13.6 inches, which is slightly smaller than the 14.2-inch MacBook Pro and noticeably smaller than the 16.2-inch MacBook Pro. At 13.6 inches, it's still larger than the largest iPad Pro model, which is 13 inches, and even larger than all previous MacBook Air models. Intel-based and smaller MacBook Pro models, meaning it should be enough for most users. The 14.2-inch MacBook Pro simply offers a little more screen real estate for those who need a high-end experience.
The 15.3-inch MacBook Air and 16.2-inch MacBook Pro displays are better desktop replacements, offering more screen real estate for multiple windows and professional apps that benefit from the extra display area.
Display Technology
The display technology of the two machines is very different. Like most MacBooks in recent years, the MacBook Air has an LCD panel, but because of its thin bezels and rounded corners, Apple calls it a Liquid Retina display. The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models Featuring Apple's more advanced mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR technology for deeper blacks, better dynamic range and improved color accuracy.
The XDR display can be much brighter, reaching a peak brightness of 1600 nits when displaying HDR content. The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models also feature ProMotion displays, which allow them to vary their refresh rate up to 120Hz. The MacBook Air does not have a variable refresh rate display.
The high-end MacBook Pro models are worth purchasing for viewing and editing HDR content, as well as watching high-frame-rate video, such as sports. The MacBook Air display is sufficient for most users, and some may not even notice a radical difference. Deeper blacks and smoother motion on the MacBook Pro screen just offer a slightly better experience.
The MacBook Pro is also available with a nano-texture display for an extra $150, which significantly reduces glare in bright conditions. This option is not offered on the MacBook Air.
Chips
The MacBook Air comes with an M2 or M3 chip, while MacBook Pro customers can choose between the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips. The M4 Pro and M4 Max are larger versions of the M4 chip that offer additional CPU and GPU cores.
For example, the M4 Max provides a CPU with eight additional cores and a GPU with 30 additional cores. The entry-level MacBook Air M2 chip is only slightly less powerful than the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max in single-core tasks, but the M4 chips, and especially the Pro and Max versions, are significantly better in multi-core and graphics tasks.
With significantly more transistors, performance CPU cores, and GPU cores, the M4 Pro and M4 Max are powerful chips designed for professionals with demanding workflows. The M2 and M3, on the other hand, are more consumer-focused chips focused on delivering surprisingly impressive performance and excellent efficiency to keep temperatures low and battery life long. The M4 series of chips also sees significant improvements in Neural Engine performance for machine learning and AI workloads.
It's also worth noting that the MacBook Air is passively cooled and fanless, which may limit peak performance a bit compared to the MacBook Pro, as the high-end machines feature larger fans to actively cool the system and push the chips harder.
The M2 The MacBook Air only supports one external display. The limitations of the M3, M4, and M4 Pro chips also mean that MacBook Air and MacBook Pro devices configured with these chips support up to two external displays, while M4 Max machines support up to four external displays.
Memory and Storage
The MacBook Air can be configured with up to 24GB of combined memory and up to 2TB of storage, which should be more than enough for the vast majority of users. For those who need even more memory and storage, the MacBook Pro can be configured with significantly more memory and storage than the top-end MacBook Air.
The M4 Pro and M4 Max chips in the MacBook Pro also deliver memory bandwidth of up to 273GB/s and 546GB/s, respectively — a huge increase over the 100GB/s of memory bandwidth in the M2 and M3 models. All models now come with 16GB of memory as standard.
Speakers and Microphones
The 13-inch MacBook Air has a four-speaker sound system that’s surprisingly full and balanced for such a small, thin device. The 15-inch MacBook Air and all MacBook Pro models take things to the next level with a six-speaker sound system with force-canceling woofers for significantly larger, deeper sound. Apple also describes the MacBook Pro’s speaker system as “high-fidelity,” which could be invaluable for users who work in professional audio production or just listen to a lot of music out loud.
The MacBook Air has a three-microphone array with beamforming technology that’s ideal for activities like video calls and voice memos. The MacBook Pro has what Apple calls a three-mic “studio-quality” array with a high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming. While not as good as a dedicated microphone, the MacBook Pro’s mics are impressive and, when pressed, suitable for production purposes like podcasting.
Battery Life
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 Max chip has the same 18-hour battery life as the MacBook Air, but all other MacBook Pro models offer better battery life. The M4 14-inch and M4 Pro 16-inch models offer up to 24 hours of battery life, a significant increase over the MacBook Air.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the MacBook Air is the best option for casual users, offering a great balance of features and performance in a highly portable design. The MacBook Air's starting price At $999, it's much more affordable than the MacBook Pro, and with an education discount or an offer from our roundup of Apple deals, you can knock at least $100 off that price. Spending an extra $600 to get the MacBook Pro probably isn't worth it for most casual users, and many will prefer the MacBook Air's thinner, lighter design and maybe even more color options.
Professionals who need larger, sharper displays, more ports, more memory and storage, and a very high level of performance should look to the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros with the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, and the higher prices of these machines reflect that. The high-end MacBook Pros aren’t aimed at mainstream consumers, but are clearly aimed at creatives and professionals who rely heavily on the capabilities of their machines. As such, these high-end models should only be an option if you’re a power user or a professional who can make use of its advanced features. In particular, the 16-inch MacBook Pro It could also potentially be a good desktop replacement thanks to its larger display.
- M2 vs. M3 MacBook Air Buyer's Guide: All the Differences Compared
- 13-inch vs. 15-inch MacBook Air Buyer's Guide
- 14-inch vs. 16-inch MacBook Pro 2024 Buyer's Guide
Alternatively, if you're considering the $1,299 15-inch MacBook Air, it might be worth paying more to get the M4 MacBook Pro. For just $300 more, the M4 MacBook Pro offers a significantly better Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion, a more powerful chip with active cooling, an extra Thunderbolt port, four extra hours of battery life, better speakers and mics, an HDMI port and SDXC card slot, and more. In fact, if you configure a 15-inch MacBook Air with 512GB of storage to match the M4 MacBook Pro, the difference between the two machines is only $100, so in this case it's almost always worth going for the more powerful machine unless maximum screen size is your only priority.
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