The main differences between different types of MacBooks
When purchasing a MacBook, it’s crucial to first understand the hardware you’re buying. This means looking beyond the price tag to the internal components that dictate the laptops’s performance and longevity.
Refurbished vs. new
A key decision is whether to buy refurbished vs. new. New devices offer the latest technology and a full warranty, while certified refurbished models provide a way to get a higher-spec laptop for a lower price, with the same Apple quality standards.
MacBook Pro vs. MacBook Air
The next major choice is between the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. The MacBook Air is an ultra-portable, fanless laptop ideal for everyday tasks, while the MacBook Pro is a more powerful and feature-rich option designed for demanding professional work tasks.
Processor Chip
The processor, or chip, is the brain of the MacBook, and the difference between Intel chips vs. M1 vs. M2 vs. M3 vs. M4 vs. M# Pro/Max is significant.
The M-series chips from Apple offer a huge leap in performance and efficiency over the older Intel chips. Each generation of M-series chips (M1, M2, M3, M4) brings incremental improvements, with the M4 being the latest and most powerful.
The Pro and Max versions of these chips offer even more CPU and GPU cores, making them suitable for the most intensive tasks.
Memory (RAM) and storage space
RAM, or unified memory, is essential for multitasking and running demanding applications, while storage determines how many files and applications you can store on your device.
For very light usage, 8GB of RAM is sufficient, but 16GB or more is necessary for professional use.
Storage starts at 256GB, but you may want to upgrade if you work with large files.
Cooling system
MacBooks have 2 different cooling systems: active cooling and passive cooling. The MacBook Air uses passive cooling (meaning it doesn’t have fans), making it completely silent, but it will limit performance under heavy, sustained use since it cannot cool the laptop quickly enough.
The MacBook Pro has an active cooling system with fans, which allows it to maintain peak performance for longer periods, at the cost of being noisy during intense processor usage.
Screen Quality
The smoothness of on-screen motion is determined by the screen’s refresh rate. For instance, the MacBook Air features a 13.6-inch display with a resolution of 2560×1664 and a pixel density of 224 PPI, which is perfectly adequate for most users with its standard 60Hz refresh rate.
By comparison, the MacBook Pro, available in 14.2-inch (3024×1964, 254 PPI) and 16.2-inch (3456×2234, 254 PPI) options, utilizes a 120Hz ProMotion display, offering a noticeably smoother and more fluid experience that is especially beneficial for creative professionals.
What MacBook you can buy for every price point
~€750: Refurbished 13-inch MacBook Air M1 (8-core CPU, 7-core GPU), 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD
At this low price point, the goal should be to get a MacBook with a modern M type processor chip, instead of the old and outdated Intel model chips. This requires extensive product hunting, but it’s possible to purchase a refurbished MacBook with an M chip even at this price.
| Feature | Specification |
| Model | 13-inch MacBook Air M1 |
| Price | ~€600 – €750 |
| Status | Refurbished (Third-Party) |
| Processor | Apple M1 (8-core CPU, 7-core GPU) |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Display | 13.3-inch Retina Display (60Hz) |
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt / USB 4 |
| Cooling | Fanless (Silent) |
| Battery Life | ~12-15 hours (navigating the internet) |
The MacBook Air with the M1 chip is the best possible option for anyone who wants to purchase a MacBook but has a small budget.
New models are far outside this price range, but there is generally a large market of refurbished and second hand units, which makes the M1 Air accessible.
It can often be found for around €700 or less. This is a far superior investment to any similarly priced Intel-based MacBook, as the M1 chip delivered a giant leap in performance and efficiency that still performs remarkably well even to this day.
The base configuration with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD is a necessary compromise at this price, but it remains a capable laptop for core productivity and navigating the internet.
Light Usage: Perfect for students and casual users. It handles navigating the internet, document editing, and streaming media at an acceptable performance level.
Programming: Good enough for learning to code and light web development, but the 8GB of RAM will be a limiting factor for more complex projects or running multiple development tools simultaneously.
Creative Tasks: Can handle basic photo editing and simple 1080p video projects, but it is not intended for heavy creative workloads. The fanless design will lead to performance throttling on long renders.
Gaming: Almost no gaming capabilities.
Portability & Battery: Extremely portable and lightweight, with acceptable battery life that might last around a day of typical use.
Cooling: The fanless design ensures it is always completely silent.
~€1000: Refurbished 13-inch MacBook Air M2 (8-core CPU, 10-core GPU), 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD
At this entry-level budget, finding the right MacBook requires a strategic approach to find the right configuration.
The key is to prioritize sufficient memory for a smooth and long lasting laptop. At this price point, the best option remains a refurbished MacBook.
| Model | 13-inch MacBook Air M2 |
| Price | ~€950 – €1100 |
| Status | Refurbished |
| Processor | Apple M2 (8-core CPU, 10-core GPU) |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Display | 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display (60Hz) |
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt / USB 4, MagSafe 3 |
| Cooling | Fanless (Silent) |
| Battery Life | ~14-15 hours (navigating the internet) |
| Ideal For | Students, Writers, General Productivity, Light Creative Work |
New models at this price are restricted to 8GB of RAM, a configuration that is difficult to recommend for longevity.
On the other hand, if you go on the refurbished market, it’s possible to acquire an M2 MacBook Air with two critical upgrades: 16GB of unified memory and 512GB of storage.
This configuration provides ample power for multitasking and a comfortable amount of space for applications and files.
While a refurbished M1 Air is cheaper, the M2 model offers the superior modern design, a sharper 1080p webcam, a brighter screen, and the convenient MagSafe 3 charging port, making it a more complete and satisfying package for a small price increase.
Light Usage: Excellent for everyday tasks. It handles navigating the internet with numerous tabs, document editing, spreadsheets, and media consumption without any problems.
Programming: Good enough for students and most web development workflows. The 16GB of RAM is the key specification here, allowing for smooth operation of development environments (IDEs), local servers, and virtual containers without constant swapping to disk.
Creative Tasks: A good starting point for creative hobbies. It can handle photo editing in Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, as well as light 1080p video editing in Final Cut Pro. While its fanless design means longer export times compared to a MacBook Pro, it is sufficient for non-professional projects.
Gaming: Good enough only for some casual games and less demanding indie titles. The M2 chip can run some very old AAA games at lower settings, but it is not designed as a primary gaming laptop.
Portability & Battery: This is where the Air excels. Weighing just 1.24 kg (2.7 pounds), it is incredibly portable. Battery life is great and should last a full day of typical use with around 8-9 hours of navigating the internet.
Cooling: The fanless design ensures the laptop is completely silent at all times, a major benefit for quiet environments like libraries or offices.
~€1200: New 13-inch MacBook Air M4 (10-core CPU, 8-core GPU), 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD
This is the first price level where you can purchase brand new MacBook Air with a good memory configuration and processor configuration capable of long term use.
| Feature | Specification |
| Model | 13-inch MacBook Air M4 |
| Price | €1,199 |
| Status | New |
| Processor | Apple M4 (10-core CPU, 8-core GPU) |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Display | 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display (60Hz) |
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt / USB 4, MagSafe 3 |
| Cooling | Fanless (Silent) |
| Battery Life | ~15 hours (navigating the internet) |
This is the ideal entry point for a brand-new laptop. Authorized Apple dealerships usually sell the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air at €1,100 to €1,200.
Most importantly, this model now comes with 16GB of RAM as standard and an M4 chip.
The M4 chip itself has 15-25% better performance than the M3, and 50-60% compared to the M2. It also adds great features such as support for two external displays and hardware-accelerated AV1 decode for more efficient video streaming.
Although storage is limited to 256GB, the cutting-edge performance and future-proofing of the M4 chip make it a superior choice to a similarly priced refurbished M3 model.
Light Usage: Flawless and exceptionally responsive for all general productivity and web tasks.
Programming: An excellent laptop for developers. The M4 cores handle code compilation and local development servers with ease. The 16GB of RAM provides a solid foundation even for more demanding development workflows. It only struggles when you need to emulate multiple devices or perform multiple tasks simultaneously.
Creative Tasks: Very strong for photo editing in applications like Photoshop. It is also highly capable of handling 4K video editing for short-form content and YouTube videos, with the M4’s improved GPU providing a noticeable speed advantage over the M2.
Gaming: More capable than its predecessors and is even capable of hardware-accelerated ray tracing. The M4 chip allows it to run more demanding native Mac games at playable frame rates, though it remains best suited for casual gaming.
Portability & Battery: Retains the same superb portability of the Air design. Battery life is outstanding, easily lasting a full workday and beyond with approximately 15 hours of continuous web use.
Cooling: The fanless design ensures completely silent operation.
~€1500: Refurbished 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 (8-core CPU, 10-core GPU), 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD
With luck and some patience, a budget of €1,400-1500 gives you the option to purchase a refurbished MacBook Pro with an M3 chip, combined with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD.
| Feature | Specification |
| Model | 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 |
| Price | ~€1,400 |
| Status | Refurbished |
| Processor | Apple M3 (8-core CPU, 10-core GPU) |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Display | 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display with ProMotion (120Hz) |
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3 |
| Cooling | Active (Fans) |
| Battery Life | ~18-22 hours (video playback) |
The M3 chip in this configuration has a lower peak performance compared to the M4 in the Air, but it makes up for that with the rest of the hardware.
The MacBook Pro M3 comes with the ProMotion XDR display with a 120Hz refresh rate, compared to 60Hz on the Air.
The higher refresh rate makes every operation feel much smoother and is just a much more pleasant viewing experience.
The MacBook Pro also provides a full array of ports including HDMI and an SD card slot, a superior six-speaker audio system, and most importantly, an active cooling system that allows the MacBook to work at maximum performance for long periods of time.
Light Usage: Can do streaming, browsing and text editing just as easily as the M4 MacBook Air. However, the experience is elevated by the incredible smoothness of the 120Hz ProMotion display.
Programming: Fantastic. The active cooling system is a key advantage over any MacBook Air, as it prevents thermal throttling during long code compilations, ensuring faster and more consistent build times. Can easily run multiple programs simultaneously.
Creative Tasks: This is the MacBook Pro M3’s true calling. The Liquid Retina XDR display provides unparalleled color accuracy and HDR capability for photo and video editing. The active cooling enables much faster rendering and export performance compared to the thermally constrained MacBook Air.
Gaming: The ProMotion display makes gameplay feel significantly more fluid and responsive. The active cooling prevents performance drops during extended gaming sessions, leading to more stable frame rates.
Portability & Battery: It is heavier and thicker than the MacBook Air at 1.55 kg (3.4 pounds), making it a bit less portable than a MacBook Air. However, it compensates with even more impressive battery life, capable of up to 22 hours of video playback.
Cooling: Features an advanced active cooling system with fans. These remain silent during light use but will spin up under heavy, sustained loads to maintain peak performance.
~€1800: New 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 (10-core CPU, 10-core GPU), 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD
This price point opens up the possibility for a brand new MacBook Pro, with the latest M level chip.
| Feature | Specification |
| Model | 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 |
| Price | ~€1,709 – €1,899 |
| Status | New |
| Processor | Apple M4 (10-core CPU, 10-core GPU) |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Display | 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display with ProMotion (120Hz) |
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3 |
| Cooling | Active (Fans) |
| Battery Life | ~22-24 hours (video playback) |
| Ideal For | Professionals wanting the latest tech, Content Creators |
With a budget approaching €1,899, a buyer can purchase a new base model 14-inch MacBook Pro directly from Apple or authorized retailers.
This laptop offers all the inherent advantages of the Pro form factor—the superior XDR display, versatile port selection, and active cooling—while being powered by the latest-generation M4 chip.
Compared to the M3 model, it offers a notable performance boost and better future-proofing with a more powerful Neural Engine for upcoming AI features. This configuration represents the ideal entry point into the new MacBook Pro ecosystem.
This model improves upon the €1500 recommendation across every metric due to the more powerful M4 chip.
It is faster in both single-core and multi-core CPU tasks, features a more capable GPU architecture, and has an enhanced Neural Engine that will accelerate AI-powered features in creative and productivity apps.
It is the modern baseline for a professional Apple laptop.
The battery life is also extended, reaching up to an exceptional 24 hours of video playback.
~€2000: Refurbished 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro (11-core CPU, 14-core GPU), 18GB RAM, 512GB SSD
| Feature | Specification |
| Model | 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro |
| Price | ~€1,939 |
| Status | Refurbished |
| Processor | Apple M3 Pro (11-core CPU, 14-core GPU) |
| RAM | 18GB |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Display | 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display with ProMotion (120Hz) |
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3 |
| Cooling | Active (Fans) |
| Battery Life | ~18 hours (video playback) |
| Ideal For | Video Editors, 3D Artists, Senior Developers |
A budget of €2000 offers access to refurbished MacBook Pro laptops with the M3 Pro chip. This is a substantial upgrade from the base M3 or M4 chips.
The M3 Pro provides more performance cores, a significant jump from 10 to 14 GPU cores, and greater memory bandwidth, all of which translate to tangible real-world speed improvements for demanding applications.
The slightly unconventional 18GB of unified memory is a welcome bonus over the standard 16GB. This configuration delivers a level of performance that is superior to brand new configurations of MacBooks at the same price.
Programming: A powerhouse for development. It can handle virtually any task, including large-scale project compilations, running multiple virtual laptops, and data analysis, with remarkable speed and efficiency.
Creative Tasks: Excels at professional 4K video editing. The additional GPU cores accelerate rendering, effects processing, and color grading in applications like DaVinci Resolve and Final Cut Pro. It will handle large batches of high-resolution RAW photos and complex vector illustrations in Adobe Illustrator without a problem.
Gaming: A very capable gaming laptop for native Mac titles. The powerful M3 Pro GPU combined with the active cooling system allows for playing modern games at high settings and resolutions with stable, high frame rates.
Other Specs: The display, ports, and cooling system are identical to the other 14-inch Pro models, offering a premium user experience.
~€2200: New 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 Pro (12-core CPU, 16-core GPU), 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD
This price point is the sweet spot for purchasing a new, truly “Pro”-level laptop, equipped with the latest M4 Pro chip and a generous amount of memory for future-proofing.
| Feature | Specification |
| Model | 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 Pro |
| Price | ~€2,200 |
| Status | New |
| Processor | Apple M4 Pro (12-core CPU, 16-core GPU) |
| RAM | 24GB |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Display | 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display with ProMotion (120Hz) |
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3 |
| Cooling | Active (Fans) |
| Battery Life | ~18 hours (video playback) |
| Ideal For | Serious Professionals, Power Users, Future-Proofing |
Available for around €2,200, this configuration marks the entry into the new M4 Pro chip family. This processor represents a significant improvement, delivering performance that is on par with the previous-generation M3 Max chip in many tasks.
The base M4 Pro model comes standard with a generous 24GB of unified memory, making it well-suited for handling demanding multitasking, large creative project files, and complex development environments right out of the box.
This is the ideal configuration for a serious professional seeking a new laptop with a long, productive lifespan.
This configuration represents a substantial performance leap over the M3 Pro. The M4 Pro with 24GB of RAM can handle 4K multicam video edits, compile large codebases swiftly, and manage intensive Photoshop and 3D workflows.
It also introduces support for the next-generation Thunderbolt 5 standard, ensuring compatibility with future high-speed peripherals and displays.
~€2500: Refurbished 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro (12-core CPU, 18-core GPU), 18GB RAM, 512GB SSD
This budget introduces a new variable in the decision-making process: screen size versus the absolute latest processor. For many professionals, ergonomics and display real estate become critical.
| Feature | Specification |
| Model | 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro |
| Price | ~€2,400 – €2,500 |
| Status | Refurbished |
| Processor | Apple M3 Pro (12-core CPU, 18-core GPU) |
| RAM | 18GB |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Display | 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display with ProMotion (120Hz) |
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3 |
| Cooling | Active (Fans) |
| Battery Life | ~22 hours (video playback) |
This price range opens up the possibility of acquiring a 16-inch MacBook Pro from the refurbished store.
For many professionals, particularly video editors and software developers, a 16-inch screen is a big quality-of-life improvement that can significantly boost productivity.
While the M4 Pro chip in the 14-inch model is technically newer and faster in benchmarks, the ergonomic benefit of the larger display for managing complex timelines, viewing code, or arranging multiple windows often outweighs the raw processing advantage.
Key Advantage: The expansive 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display provides a canvas large enough to serve as a primary workspace, reducing the reliance on external monitors and allowing for a more immersive and productive workflow.
Performance: The M3 Pro chip remains an incredibly potent processor, more than capable of handling nearly all professional creative and development tasks with ease.
Portability: This is a small trade-off. The 16-inch model is a bit less portable, weighing 2.15 kg (4.7 pounds).
~€2800: New 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 Pro (14-core CPU, 20-core GPU), 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD
This budget allows for a new, high-specification M4 Pro laptop that addresses one of the key limitations of lower-tier models: storage capacity.
| Feature | Specification |
| Model | 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 Pro |
| Price | ~€2,700 |
| Status | New |
| Processor | Apple M4 Pro (14-core CPU, 20-core GPU) |
| RAM | 24GB |
| Storage | 1TB SSD |
| Display | 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display with ProMotion (120Hz) |
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3 |
| Cooling | Active (Fans) |
| Battery Life | ~18 hours (video playback) |
A budget of around €2,700 allows for the purchase of a new 14-inch MacBook Pro configured with the top-tier M4 Pro chip and a crucial upgrade to 1TB of internal storage.
The 512GB SSD on base Pro models can quickly become a constraint for professionals, especially those working with large video files or software projects.
This configuration represents a perfectly balanced, high-performance new laptop with no immediate compromises in processing power, memory, or storage.
The 1TB of fast internal storage provides comfortable headroom for numerous applications and large active projects, streamlining workflows and reducing the immediate need for external drives.
~€3100: Refurbished 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max (14-core CPU, 30-core GPU), 36GB RAM, 1TB SSD
This is first MacBook with the “Max” version of an M series chip.
| Feature | Specification |
| Model | 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max |
| Price | ~€2,900 – €3,100 |
| Status | Refurbished |
| Processor | Apple M3 Max (14-core CPU, 30-core GPU) |
| RAM | 36GB |
| Storage | 1TB SSD |
| Display | 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display with ProMotion (120Hz) |
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3 |
| Cooling | Active (Fans) |
| Battery Life | ~18 hours (video playback) |
A €3,100 budget provides access to the M3 Max chip, a processor designed for the most demanding creative workflows. The leap from a Pro to a Max chip is significant.
The M3 Max has almost double the GPU cores compared to the M3 Pro, plus 4 extra CPU cores.
This architectural advantage can effectively cut video export times in half for common codecs like ProRes and H.264, a massive productivity gain for professionals.
Creative Tasks: This laptop offers unparalleled performance in its price bracket for 3D rendering, complex visual effects, and editing high-resolution 6K and 8K video footage.
Programming: While overkill for most developers, the immense GPU power is essential for those working in laptop learning, data science, scientific computing, and other GPU-intensive development fields.
RAM: The 36GB of high-bandwidth unified memory is ample for even the most complex professional projects, allowing for smooth multitasking between several demanding applications.
~€3400: New 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Pro (14-core CPU, 20-core GPU), 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD
At this level, buyers can choose a brand-new, generously configured 16-inch MacBook Pro, prioritizing screen real estate and the latest architecture over the specialized acceleration of a Max chip.
| Feature | Specification |
| Model | 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Pro |
| Price | ~€3,399 |
| Status | New |
| Processor | Apple M4 Pro (14-core CPU, 20-core GPU) |
| RAM | 24GB |
| Storage | 1TB SSD |
| Display | 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display with ProMotion (120Hz) |
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3 |
| Cooling | Active (Fans) |
| Battery Life | ~22 hours (video playback) |
| Ideal For | Professionals valuing a large screen and new warranty |
This budget secures a new 16-inch MacBook Pro with the powerful M4 Pro chip and a comfortable 1TB of storage.
While the refurbished M3 Max at the previous price point offers superior peak video export speeds, this model provides the advantages of the latest M4 Pro architecture, the massive and immersive 16-inch display, and the peace of mind of a new warranty.
For professionals whose workflow benefits more from screen real estate than the absolute fastest rendering times, this is the superior choice.
This laptop combines the excellent sustained performance of the M4 Pro chip with the productivity benefits of a large-format display.
The better thermal capacity of the 16-inch chassis allows the M4 Pro to run at peak performance for longer periods than in the 14-inch model. It is an ideal desktop replacement for most professional users.
~€4000: New 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max (16-core CPU, 40-core GPU), 48GB RAM, 1TB SSD
| Feature | Specification |
| Model | 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max |
| Price | ~€3,899 |
| Status | New |
| Processor | Apple M4 Max (16-core CPU, 40-core GPU) |
| RAM | 48GB |
| Storage | 1TB SSD |
| Display | 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display with ProMotion (120Hz) |
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3 |
| Cooling | Active (Fans) |
| Battery Life | ~18 hours (video playback) |
| Ideal For | Elite Professionals Needing Maximum Power in a Portable Form |
A budget of around €3,899 provides access to a new 14-inch MacBook Pro equipped with the top-of-the-line M4 Max chip. This is a mobile workstation without compromise.
The 16-core CPU and 40-core GPU, paired with 48GB of extremely high-bandwidth memory, delivers excellent performance that rivals and often exceeds that of high-end desktop PCs.
This laptop is engineered to handle the most intensive tasks imaginable at great speed. This includes real-time 8K video editing, complex 3D rendering in applications like Blender, and large-scale AI model training.
While the 14-inch chassis will push the cooling system to its limits under maximum load, it successfully packs incredible desktop-class power into a form factor that can still be carried in a backpack.
