Apple products are used all over the world. After having one Apple product, people try to buy more in order to create an Apple ecosystem. One such brilliant invention by apple is its range of MacBooks. They come in two different variants i.e. MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
In 2020, the M1 Chip was released by Apple with the launch of the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac Mini. Some of the greatest Macs you can purchase to date. The M1 Pro and M1 Max chipsets were later unveiled by the Cupertino tech giant in new MacBook Pro 2021 versions. You must be wondering what’s the difference between both the MacBook Air and Pro. Don’t worry, we got you covered.
In this article, we’ll explain what’s the difference between MacBook Air and Pro.
Key Differences Between MacBook Air and Pro 2023
MacBook Pro (available in 13-, 14-, and 16-inch sizes) and MacBook Air (available in 13.3-inch or 13.6-inch models) are Apple’s current laptop lines. There are other Mac laptops that come with very different specs.
There are several noteworthy changes between the 2023 MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro, despite the fact that they both use the M2 processor. To help you decide, we’ve compared the two models in this post.
Design
The MacBook Air and MacBook Pro of 2023 look mostly similar. The tapered shape of the 2023 MacBook Air is no longer present, making it easier to identify this laptop as MacBook Air (and is still available if you buy the M1 version of the MacBook Air). However, these two Macs are different in other ways.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro misses a slew of capabilities that the MacBook Air possesses, all thanks to the extensive redesign of the Air. The biggest difference between the 2023 MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro is that the Air has a bigger 13.6-inch screen with reduced bezels, but the Pro uses an older 13.3-inch display (the same as the M1 MacBook Air).
The 13-inch MacBook Pro is the only Mac laptop with Apple’s Touch Bar strip, which is another significant distinction. As with the MacBook Pro 2021 models, the Touch Bar has been eliminated from the 14-inch and 16-inch variants.
Here’s the weight and dimensions of MacBook Air and Pro:-
- M2 MacBook Air:Â 2.7 pounds (1.24kg)
- M2 MacBook Pro:Â 3 pounds (1.4kg)
- M1 MacBook Air:Â 2.8 pounds (1.29kg)
- M2 MacBook Air:Â 30.41cm x 21.5cm x 1.13cm
- M2 MacBook Pro:Â 30.41cm x 21.24cm x 1.56cm
- M1 MacBook Air:Â 30.41cm x 21.24cm x 1.61cm-0.41cm
Display
If you care about screen brightness, the 2023 MacBook Air has improved from 400 to 500 nits. The new MacBook Air offers a 13.6-inch screen with thinner bezels, which is another improvement with the redesign.
For HDR video, you can get up to 1,000 nits of brightness on the 14-inch MacBook Pro, also you can also get up to 120 Hz refresh rates with ProMotion, mini-LED illumination, and small bezels.
In the new MacBook Air and the 14-inch MacBook Pro, the 1080p FaceTime camera is housed in a notch at the top of the display. However, unlike the iPhone, there is no Face ID hardware or support in the notch.
Performance
In testing, Apple claims that the M1-based MacBook Air and Pro operate better than before. The new MacBook Air (M1, 16GB RAM) and the new MacBook Pro (M1, 16GB RAM) scored 5,962 and 5925 on the Geekbench 5 benchmarks.
However, the new MacBook Pro annihilated them both. According to Geekbench 5, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M1 pro processor scored 12,477, while the 16-inch model scored 12,683. The M2 CPU, although less powerful than the M1 Pro and Max processors, is nonetheless a beast. In the multi-core segment of Geekbench 5.4, the MacBook Pro 2023 scored 8,911 while the MacBook Air 2023 scored 8,919 on the test.
The M1 MacBook Pro took 7:44 less time than the Air to transcode a 4K movie to 1080p. Both the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro 2021 laptops transcoded in under five minutes, proving to be the faster of the two models. Using the M2 MacBook Pro, a video was transcoded in only 6:51. The MacBook Air 2023 came in second with a time of 7:52, just ahead of the MacBook Air 2018.
The SSDs in the M1 Pro (13-inch) edged over the M1 Air’s 2,692 MBps and the 16-inch Pro’s 2,540 MBps in the BlackMagic Disk Speed Test. The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, on the other hand, scored 5,321 and 5,314, respectively, beating out the competition. With a score of 2,794, the M2-equipped MacBook Pro is right in the middle of the two previous generations of M1 processors.
To conclude, the MacBook Pro is more powerful than the MacBook Air.
Cost
The MacBook Pro is more expensive than the MacBook Air. An active cooling system, an improved display, and an increase in aluminium content all help to drive up MacBook Pro’s price.
The lowest 13-inch MacBook Pro costs $1,299, while the cheapest 12-inch MacBook Air costs $999. The MacBook Air, on the other hand, utilises passive cooling while using the same M1 processor. Starting at $1,999, the most powerful MacBook Pro models include 512GB of basic storage and more powerful M1 Pro processors.
A MacBook Air with 2TB of storage and 16GB of RAM will set you back $2,049, while a MacBook Pro with all the frills will cost $6,099 for 8TB of storage and a monstrous 64GB of RAM.
Which One’s Best For You?
I hope that this has clarified which MacBook is best for your needs. Starting at a low $1,199 or $1,099 for students and teachers, the MacBook Air is the ideal option if you have light to medium performance demands with the greatest battery life. The $999 M1 MacBook Air is still available for individuals who wish to save money and operate with basic workflows (web, documents, media).
The 14-inch MacBook Pro, on the other hand, is the better choice if you’re looking for the greatest power, active cooling, a brighter screen, more ports, and better support for an external monitor.
However, even if the M2 processor has been added to the 13-inch MacBook Pro, there are probably not many individuals who would purchase that.
The biggest difference between the 2023 MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro is the inclusion of fans for the Pro and Touch Bar. For those concerned about performance and overheating, you may want to consider the 14 or 16-inch MacBook Pro. It’s also worth noting that the new MacBook Air has a number of advancements that the new 13-inch MacBook Pro lacks, including a bigger Liquid Retina display, a 1080p camera, MagSafe charging, and more.
I hope you got an idea about which MacBook you should buy. Read the complete article and get a thorough knowledge about both of them. Also, in case of any doubt, do let us know in the comments section below.
