MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro – Which is better?
Apple offers two different variations of its MacBook laptops: the Pro and the Air. This raises the question, which device should a user purchase?
In short, the MacBook Pro is more performant, has better hardware including screen and speakers, and longer battery life. However, the Pro weighs more, is thicker, and has fans which can be noisy. The Air is thinner, lighter, and silent.
The Pro’s primary use is for performance heavy tasks such as video editing, code compilation etc. The Air’s is designed for everyday use and light work such as web browsing and text editing.
For most users, the MacBook Air offers a good combination of performance but in a lightweight, portable package. The MacBook Pro is the superior choice for professionals and users who require sustained top-tier performance, a higher quality display, and more connectivity options.
MacBook Air Advantages
MacBook Air is lighter and easier to carry
The MacBook Air is designed to be portable and easy to carry around. The 13-inch model weighs approximately 1.2 kg while the 15-inch model weighs around 1.5 kg.
By comparison, the MacBook Pro 14-inch model weighs 1.6 kg while the 16-inch one weighs 2.2 kg.
There’s also a difference in thickness. When closed, the MacBook Air is 1.15 centimeters thick, while the MacBook Pro is 1.6 centimeters.
The slimmer profile and smaller weight are very noticeable for students and professionals who must go from place to place. It makes a tangible difference in how much weight you must carry around in your everyday activities.
This is especially true when comparing the 1.2kg weight of the MacBook Air 13-inch to the 2.2kg MacBook Pro 16-inch.
Cheaper
The MacBook Air has a much lower price compared to the Pro Version, especially the high-performance configurations.
| Model (M4) | RAM | SSD Storage | Approximate Starting Price (€) |
| MacBook Air 13″ | 16 GB | 256 GB | €1,199 |
| 16 GB | 512 GB | €1,429 | |
| 24 GB | 512 GB | €1,659 | |
| MacBook Air 15″ | 16 GB | 256 GB | €1,399 |
| 16 GB | 512 GB | €1,629 | |
| 24 GB | 512 GB | €1,859 | |
| MacBook Pro 14″ | 16 GB | 512 GB | €1,999 |
| 16 GB | 1 TB | €2,229 | |
| 24 GB | 512 GB | €2,499 | |
| 24 GB | 1 TB | €2,729 | |
| MacBook Pro 16″ | 24 GB | 512 GB | €2,999 |
| 24 GB | 1 TB | €3,229 | |
| 48 GB | 1 TB | €3,999 |
This large price difference makes it difficult to justify spending 2 or even 3 times more on a MacBook Pro compared to a MacBook Air.
This is especially true when comparing MacBooks that have the same M chip (M4, M3, M2 etc.)
Because of this, a MacBook Air can do nearly everything a MacBook Pro can do (more on this later in the article).
Completely Silent
The MacBook Air doesn’t have integrated fans to cool itself. Instead, it relies on passive cooling technologies such as heat sinks and natural airflow to reduce its temperature.
The advantage of passive cooling is that it makes the device lighter and completely silent.
The disadvantage of passive cooling is that 1) a MacBook Air can get hot quite quickly and 2) it takes a longer time for the laptop to cool down.
Because of this, a MacBook Air can only reach 100% performance for 10-15 minutes at a time until it reaches its maximum allowed temperature.
Once that happens, the MacBook Air will reduce its maximum performance (called “throttling” or “underclocking”) to prevent further heating and bring the temperature within safe limits.
The severity of this process can even be affected by the ambient temperature around you. For example, working outside a coffee shop on a hot summer day will result in the device heating faster than if you worked outside on a cool day in early spring.
Fortunately, most programs never really push a MacBook Air to this point. Browsing, text editing, emails, video streaming etc., are all low-intensity tasks that rarely push the device past 30-40% of its performance capacity.
The Air Can do almost anything a MacBook Pro can do
The MacBook Pro has better performance than the Air, but this becomes truly visible only in highly demanding tasks such as video editing, gaming, graphic design etc.
For everything else, the performance difference between the Pro and Air versions is practically unnoticeable. A MacBook Air can navigate the web, edit text, send emails or watch online videos just as well as the MacBook Pro. For most casual and business users, this is enough.
In fact, the MacBook Air can even do high-performance tasks typically associated with the Pro version, but in short bursts or with slow response times, since the Air limits its power to protect itself from excessive heat.
For this reason, a MacBook Pro only becomes worth it when you know you will push the hardware to its limits and actually use it for intensive tasks.
MacBook Pro Advantages
Better Screen Quality and refresh rate
The MacBook Pro is equipped with a Liquid Retina XDR display, which utilizes mini-LED backlighting to deliver superior brightness (1000/1600 nits for the Pro, 500 nits for the Air), a higher contrast ratio, and deeper blacks compared to the MacBook Air’s Liquid Retina display.
The MacBook Pro’s display produces sharper images, because it has a higher pixel density of 254 ppi (pixels-per-inch) versus the Air’s 224 ppi.
Another advantage of the the MacBook Pro’s display is its adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz, compared to the 60hz on the MacBook Air.
The difference between 60Hz and 120Hz refresh rate might not seem very big, but it becomes very noticeable in day-to-day use and affects everything that you do on the device.
A higher refresh rate makes animations, scrolling, and opening or closing programs feel much smoother and more responsive. Videos also feel clearer and more fluid in their motion.
Unfortunately, it is very difficult to show online or through video the difference between 60Hz and 120Hz. It’s the sort of thing that can only be seen side-by-side when comparing the MacBook Pro vs the Air.
SD Card Slot
The MacBook Pro includes a built-in SD card slot. This can greatly increase the storage capacity of the laptop and also enables quick and convenient transfer of photos and videos without the need for an adapter.
More external connection ports
The MacBook Pro offers a more extensive selection of ports, typically including multiple Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, an HDMI port, and a MagSafe 3 charging port, in addition to the SD card slot.
The HDMI port is a very welcome addition, since you don’t need to carry an adapter to connect a MacBook Pro to external monitors, unlike the Air.
Finally, a MacBook Pro allows you to connect up to 4 external monitors, while the MacBook Air only supports 2 external monitors.
Better battery life
One of the reasons the MacBook Pro is thicker and heavier than the MacBook Air is the significantly bigger battery, which leads to a higher battery life.
To put it into numbers, Apple claims the MacBook Air’s battery is 54 watt-hours, while the MacBook Pro is 72 watt-hours.
If expressed in percentages, that suggests the MacBook Pro should have 35% more battery life per charge than the Air.
Based on our usage, we can indeed confirm that the MacBook Pro’s battery lasts longer than the Air, but the difference is not quite as big.
The biggest reason is that the screen of the MacBook Pro consumes more power than the one on the Air, which cancels some of the benefits of having a larger battery.
From our usage, a MacBook Pro lasts around 10-14 hours of active work use, while the Air is around 8-11 hours.
However, this number can vary significantly depending on what kind of activity you’re doing. 4-5 hours of heavy work are sometimes enough to drain a MacBook Pro’s battery to 10% or 15%.
Better performance
MacBook Air models usually have the base model of the M chip (M2, M3, M4, etc.).
However, the MacBook Pro comes also offers the Pro and Max versions of these chips (such as M4 Pro or M4 Max), which can be significantly more powerful than the base M version chip.
As a result, MacBook Pro configurations that use the Pro and Max versions of the M processors can have significantly better peak performance compared to the MacBook Air. These configurations are, however, significantly more expensive.
Finally, the MacBook Pro can sustain high intensity workloads better than the Air, mostly thanks to the built-in fans that keep the laptop cool without having to limit its performance.
Better Speakers
The MacBook Pro features a high-fidelity six-speaker sound system, with great sound clarity and an unusually deep bass for a laptop.
This setup produces a more immersive and room-filling audio experience with deeper bass and clearer highs compared to the four-speaker system in the MacBook Air.
MacBook Pro has a better resale value
Apple devices in general have great resale value on the second-hand market, but this is especially true for the MacBook Pro. The higher end components such as the screen and processor extend the useful life of the device.
Better for long-term use
The better hardware in the MacBook Pro, including its more powerful processor options and advanced display technology, gives it a longer useful life than the MacBook Air.
This means a MacBook Pro can still run demanding applications smoothly even 6-7 years after purchase, especially if you purchase an M Pro or M Max chip.
By comparison, a MacBook Air might struggle to keep up with the newest software versions of popular programs such as Photoshop or FinalCut, especially if it’s a configuration that has little RAM capacity.
Apple has also always offered very long-term software support, even for older devices.
The only limiting factor for software support on older Apple devices was the performance of the hardware itself. The better processors usually found on the MacBook Pro will ensure it receives software updates for a longer period of time than the MacBook Air.
Because of this, a MacBook Pro is generally a better purchase if you’re looking to buy just one device that will last you at least 5-6 years of continuous use.
Conclusion
The MacBook Air is the ideal choice for most users, including students, writers, and professionals on the move.
It offers great performance for everyday tasks while being a lighter, thinner, and more affordable device. Its silent, fanless design is a great quality of life feature for those who prioritize a quiet work environment.
You should choose the MacBook Pro if your work involves sustained, demanding tasks. It is built for professional video editors, developers, designers, and scientists who need maximum power without compromise.
The Pro’s active cooling system, superior Liquid Retina XDR display, better speakers, and expanded port selection (including HDMI and an SD card slot) are tangible upgrades that justify the higher cost and weight for power users. If performance is paramount and your workflow will push the hardware to its limits, the MacBook Pro is the clear winner.
