In recent years, Apple has transformed its MacBook lineup with all-new architecture, design overhauls, excellent performance, and exceptional battery life.
However, arguably the two best MacBooks in terms of value in the lineup are the 15-inch MacBook Air and the 14-inch MacBook Pro. Since it can be hard to decide between the two, let’s compare them to see which one is best for you.
Both MacBooks feature modern designs, which we first saw in 2021. While they may look similar, there are noticeable differences in thinness and weight, as expected. Despite having a larger display and footprint, the 15-inch MacBook Air is lighter than the 14-inch MacBook Pro, 3.3 pounds compared to 3.5 pounds for the MacBook Pro with the M2 Pro chip.
When it comes to thickness, the MacBook Air wins in this aspect as well. In the end, both machines have great designs. If you value having the thinnest and lightest laptop while still having a large display, the 15-inch MacBook Air is the right choice. But the MacBook Pro is still impressively portable if you’re not picky about those factors.
Both MacBook displays feature thin bezels and a notch at the top. Despite that, there are some notable differences between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lineup in the display department. First, the MacBook Air features a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, and the MacBook Pro has a 14.2-inchLiquid Retina XDR display—Apple’s fancy word for a mini-LED display.
The MacBook Pro’s mini-LED backlighting helps it achieve a peak brightness of 1,600 nits when watching HDR content or 1,000 nits in full-screen, compared to 500 nits of max brightness on the 15-inch MacBook Air. The 14-inch MacBook Pro also featuresProMotion technology, which means the display can adaptively refresh up to 120Hz. The MacBook Air, on the other hand, features a fixed 60Hz refresh rate.
Even though the MacBook Air does feature a bigger display, it can’t beat what the MacBook Pro offers. The brighter, smoother display will stand out if you decide to pick up the 14-inch MacBook Pro.
Performance
One of the main differences that separates the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air line is performance. While both laptops pack second-gen Apple silicon chips, they use different versions. The MacBook Air features the standard M2 chip, which includes an 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and up to 24GB of unified memory.
While the M2 chip is nothing to laugh at, the MacBook Pro includes even more power for those who need it. You canchoose between the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, which are suited for different needs. The 14-inch MacBook Pro can be equipped with up to 96GB of RAM if you get it with an M2 Max.
The M2 Pro and M2 Max feature up to a 12-core CPU, but the M2 Max can be configured with up to 38 GPU cores.Max Techconducted a Geekbench 6 CPU test between the 15-inch MacBook Air and the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 Pro chip, and the results show a difference of 2,427 points in multi-core performance.
While the MacBook Air isn’t slow by any means when it comes to performance, as expected, the MacBook Pro takes the edge here, especially in memory configurations and graphics power.
Ports and Connectivity
Both models offer a better port selection than their Intel predecessors. With the 15-inch MacBook Air, you get two Thunderbolt USB-C ports, MagSafe, and a headphone jack. For users who need the most versatility, the 14-inch MacBook Pro offers threeThunderbolt 4-enabledports, HDMI, an SDXC card slot, a headphone jack, and a MagSafe port for charging.
Even though the 15-inch MacBook Air frees up a USB-C port since it includes MagSafe, it still feels a bit limiting when you compare it to the MacBook Pro. If you’re a content creator, the port selection on the MacBook Pro is perfect. However, regular laptop users can still get by just fine with the MacBook Air’s ports.
That said, the 15-inch MacBook Air can only be hooked up to one external display, which is a limitation of the M2 chip. The MacBook Pro, on the other hand, supports up to two external monitors, so if you plan to work with multiple displays, the MacBook Pro is the laptop to get.
Battery Life
No matter which laptop you pick, you will get solid battery life since Apple silicon is very efficient. Despite this, there are some differences to keep in mind. Apple claims the 15-inch MacBook Air gets 15 hours of web browsing and 18 hours of Apple TV movie playback.
In contrast, the 14-inch MacBook Pro gets the same 18 hours for movie playback, but Apple rates it for just 12 hours of battery life when browsing the internet. So, if we go by Apple’s claims, the MacBook Air is the laptop to pick if you need the longest battery life on the go.
Price Comparison
The MacBook Air is considered the entry-level notebook lineup for regular users, which is reflected in its price. The 15-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,299, and that comes with the M2 chip, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage. There’s also a 512GB option for $1,499. That’s great value for a 15-inch laptop with a premium design and the performance that the M2 chip offers.
However, it’s important to point out that 256GB of storage might not be enough for some people, so if you’re eyeing the 15-inch MacBook Air, it might be worth going to the 512GB SSD upgrade.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,999 for an M2 Pro chip with a 10-core CPU and a 16-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. For its price, you get capable specifications, along with features only the MacBook Pro provides in the lineup—the mini-LED display with ProMotion, for example.
If you can forgo the mini-LED screen, extra power, and additional ports, the 15-inch MacBook Air gives you the ideal MacBook experience with a larger display at a reasonable price. But note that the $1,999 asking price for the MacBook Pro isn’t unjustified; it ultimately depends on if the better display, performance, and ports are worth spending roughly $700 more to you.
Finding Your Perfect MacBook Is Easy
The MacBook Air is the perfect thin and light laptop for everyday tasks and even the occasional demanding one. The MacBook Pro is for those who need to take their professional work on the go and need the best hardware available from Apple.
you may’t go wrong with either machine; it mainly depends on how much you are willing to spend, what you value most in a laptop, and what you will use it for. No matter which MacBook you choose, make sure you pick the right accessories if you plan to travel a lot with your laptop.
