The MacBook lineup has just enlarge with steel new14 - inch and 16 - in MacBook Prosavailable to buy . But there ’s also the existingMacBook Airand13 - in MacBook Pro , and they all extend on custom - made Apple Silicon cow chip , all with various configuration uncommitted when you buy them unmediated from Apple . So which of these next - gen Apple laptops is the one for you ?
The newest Pro laptops are , as expected , a real step up from the MacBook Air in power and in cost ( the Air is also a twelvemonth older , of course of instruction ) . What you postulate to resolve is whether the extra investiture is worth it — and unless you ’re working on badly involve tasks , it might not be . But keep in creative thinker that the MacBook Air is likely to get a refresh at some point in 2022 .
Here are the differences between each MacBook you may corrupt powerful now , and how to foot which one is the best one for you .
Image: Apple
MacBook Air (2020)
launch in November 2020 , the current MacBook Air is the first of Apple ’s MacBook lineup to come with one of Apple ’s own CPU within — in this case , the M1 . The M1 ’s 8 - core processor is up to 3.5x faster than the previous generation MacBook Air running on an Intel fleck , according to Apple . It ’s join by a 7 - kernel or 8 - core GPU on the same M1 system - on - microprocessor chip , depend on the configuration you go for , and a 16 - core Neural Engine .
The Air is the slimmest , humble MacBook Apple makes right now , with a 13.3 - inch , 2560 x 1600 pixel video display ( 227 pixels per in ) that offers a maximum light of 400 nits . The overall property are 11.97 inch x 8.36 inches x 0.63 inch , and the laptop computer librate in at 2.8 pound .
With that size , there ’s only way for one headphone tar and two Thunderbolt 3 / USB - C ports — maybe one intellect why the MacBook Air may not be the MacBook for you . The laptop computer can support one external display ( up to a 6 K firmness and 60Hz refresh rate ) . On the audio side , you ’ve get two stereo speakers here with Dolby Atmos support .
Image: Apple
Other specs to know about are the documentation for Wi - Fi 6 and the 720p incorporate webcam built into the bezel around the video display . Apple claims that you could get up to 18 hr of electric battery life from the MacBook Air , as long as you ’re not press it too firmly , and its lengthy battery life story was confirmed byour review . In terms of color , there ’s the standard space gray and silver , but also a atomic number 79 option that ’s unequaled to the Air .
There are two starting configurations to foot from : The chinchy $ 999 option has the M1 chip with the 7 - core GPU , 8 GB of RAM , and 256 GB of storage . you may go up to 16 GB of RAM ( add $ 200 ) , as well as increase the internal storage to 512 GB ( sum $ 200 ) , 1 TB ( total $ 400 ) , or 2 TB ( tot $ 800 ) . The most expensive configuration at this horizontal surface will fix you back $ 1,999 .
The other configuration begin at $ 1,249 , which gets you the M1 microprocessor chip with the 8 - Congress of Racial Equality GPU , 8 GB of RAM , and 512 GB of home storage . If you want to hike the spectacles , you’re able to get 16 GB of RAM for an extra $ 200 , and choose from a couple of storage upgrade : 1 TB for an additional $ 200 and 2 TB for an additional $ 600 . Go for the 16 GB and 2 TB combination and you ’re devote $ 2,049 , the most expensive MacBook Air option at the minute .
Image: Apple
13-inch MacBook Pro (2020)
The 13 - column inch MacBook Pro was launched alongside the latest MacBook Air in November 2020 , although it now feels a little underpowered next to the next - gen 14 - inch and 16 - inch model . You get the top - death M1 , with an 8 - center CPU , 8 - Congress of Racial Equality GPU , and 16 - core Neural Engine , offering 2.8x the performance of the late generation 13 - inch MacBook Pro . It ’s deserving noting that unlike the MacBook Air , this laptop has active buff cooling , potentially enable high performance .
As with the MacBook Air , this MacBook Pro sports a 13.3 - inch projection screen with a 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution ( 227 pixels per column inch ) . The maximal brightness gets a boost to 500 nits though , while the dimensions are similar to the Air overall , just without the tapering : It measure 11.97 inches x 8.36 column inch x 0.61 inches , and tip the scales at 3.0 British pound .
The port match the MacBook Air , with a headphone jack and two Thunderbolt 3 / USB - C ports , and again one outside exhibit with up to a 6 K resolution and 60Hz refresh rate can be power . You get stereophonic speakers with Dolby Atmos support , and you also get the infamous Touch Bar above the keyboard . This is likely to be the last ever MacBook to frolic the Touch Bar , so if you sleep together that feature , this is probably the MacBook to bribe .
Image: Apple
As with the MacBook Air , there ’s Wi - Fi 6 and the 720p integrated webcam with no pass . Apple say that 20 hours of battery life between charges is possible with the 13 - inch MacBook Pro , assuming you ’re not travel to be doing too much with it besides watching video , so it ’s another telling performer in the battery department . As with all the Pro models , you may pick from space grey and flatware .
You get two choice when you configure a 13 - in MacBook Pro through the Apple site : $ 1,299 for the framework with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of intimate storage , and $ 1,499 for the example with 8 GB of RAM and 512 GB of internal storage . Both models are otherwise the same , and power by the M1 micro chip with an 8 - kernel GPU .
penetrate through on those configurations and you could up the Aries to 16 GB for an extra $ 200 . Fitting the laptop computer with 512 GB ( on the 256 GB model ) , 1 TB , or 2 TB of storage will cost an extra $ 200 , $ 400 , or $ 800 respectively . Do the maths on all of that and the top - end form comes out at $ 2,299 , no matter which option you picked to begin with .
Image: Apple
14-inch MacBook Pro (2021)
The trade name new MacBook Pros rarify your decision a bit . These are serious laptop with serious toll shred sequester . Apart from the size of it , these two laptops are in reality very similar in terms of their specs . The small 14 - inch MacBook Pro can be had with either the M1 Pro chip ( up to 10 - core CPU , 16 - marrow GPU , 16 - center Neural Engine ) or the M1 Max micro chip ( 10 - core CPU , up to 32 - gist GPU , 16 - centre Neural Engine ) .
Apple read CPU performance is around 3.7x faster than the equivalent 13 - inch Intel - based version that total before : Check out a stack of benchmarking statshere . The 14.2 - inch , 3024 x 1964 screen runs at 254 picture element per inch and is capable of up to 1,600 nits tip brightness . When it comes to dimensions , the 14 - inch model measures 12.31 inches x 8.71 column inch x 0.61 in and press 3.5 pounds .
The extra ports are a good reason to foot the 14 - inch over the 13 - inch Pro . Besides the headphone jack you get an HDMI port wine , an SDXC circuit card slot , a MagSafe port for charging and three Thunderbolt 4 / USB - C ports . The M1 Pro can power two outside displays ( up to 6K/60Hz ) while the M1 Max can run three outside display ( up to 6K/60Hz ) plus another 4K/60Hz screenland too . There are six speakers with Dolby Atmos support this fourth dimension around .
Image: Apple
outer space gray and silver are again the color options , and there ’s support for the latest Wi - Fi 6 . What ’s more , the Touch Bar has been ditched , and the webcam — sitting inside the new notch — gets kick upstairs to 1080p . According to Apple , you’re able to get 17 hours of battery living from the 14 - in MacBook Pro , as long as you ’re just watching video , though in our testing of a 14 - in professional with M1 Max bit , the battery life was airless to 9 hours .
The various configurations can get a little confusing , but there are two starting choice . The first give you the 8 - core CPU and 14 - core GPU edition of the M1 Pro , plus 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage for $ 1,999 . Dig into the organization detergent builder , and you have four other M1 Pro / M1 Max configurations to choose from , adding as much as $ 700 . you may also go up to 32 GB of RAM ( bring $ 400 ) and pick from 1 TB ( add $ 200 ) , 2 TB ( add together $ 600 ) , 4 TB ( add $ 1,200 ) , or 8 TB ( add $ 2,400 ) of warehousing .
The other starting option is for a more brawny M1 Pro chip with a 10 - core CPU and a 16 - burden GPU , together with 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of internal store — that ’s yours for $ 2,499 . There are fewer upgrade options here , but they top out at a 10 - kernel mainframe and 32 - core GPU M1 Max ( sum up $ 400 ) , 64 GB of RAM ( add $ 800 ) , and 8 TB of storage ( add $ 2,200 ) . The good 14 - inch MacBook Pro will place you back a respectable $ 5,899 .
Image: Apple
16-inch MacBook Pro (2021)
And so to the biggest and most democratic MacBook Pro on the planet at the second . As with the 14 - column inch model , you could get the 16 - in version with various M1 Pro chip configurations , topping out at a 10 - core CPU , 16 - essence GPU and 16 - core Neural Engine variant . you may also opt for the M1 Max buffalo chip alternatively , which die up to a 10 - Congress of Racial Equality CPU , 32 - core GPU , and 16 - Congress of Racial Equality Neural Engine in terms of specs .
Apple ’s statsshow the 16 - inch MacBook Pro tender 2.1x expert mainframe performance over its Intel predecessor , but that ’s just one number out of many that is listed . When it comes to the display we ’re looking at a 16.2 - inch , 3456 x 2234 pixel resolution panel ( 254 pixels per in ) and 1,600 nits of peak brightness ( plus , of course of study , that notch ) . That giving screenland means dimensions of 14.01 inches x 9.77 inches x 0.66 inches and a weight of up to 4.8 pounds .
The ports are incisively the same as the 14 - column inch role model : a phone jack , an HDMI port , an SDXC card one-armed bandit , a MagSafe port for charging the laptop computer , and three Thunderbolt 4 / USB - C ports . The 16 - inch MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro inside can power two external displays ( up to 6K/60Hz ) ; with the M1 Max it can stretch to three external display ( up to 6K/60Hz ) plus another 4K/60Hz screen too . There are six verbaliser with Dolby Atmos supporting , and the color pick are silverish and space gray .
Image: Apple
Like the 14 - inch version , the show ’s notch has a 1080p webcam inside it ( a welcome ascent from 720p ) . The support for Wi - Fi 6 is the same , too . Apple predict up to 21 hours of bombardment life story between charges out of the 16 - in MacBook Pro , which means it leads the field in that special metric function .
Configuring a 16 - column inch MacBook Pro has three possible starting points . The first two are very similar : a10 - core CPU , 16 - gist GPU M1 Pro organisation with 16 GB of RAM and either 512 GB ( $ 2,499 ) or 1 TB ( $ 2,699 ) of store . Click through to the configuration options and you could upgrade the processor ( up to the in force M1 Max for an spare $ 400 ) , the memory ( up to 64 GB for an superfluous $ 800 ) , and the storage ( up to 8 TB for a solid $ 2,400 ) .
For those with the deepest pockets , you may go off with a top - final stage 10 - heart and soul CPU , 32 - core CPU M1 Max model , with 32 GB of RAM and 1 TB of store , for $ 3,499 . You get a standardised curing of upgrade options : 64 GB of RAM is another $ 400 , while you’re able to also get 2 TB ( $ 400 more ) , 4 TB ( $ 1,000 more ) or 8 TB ( $ 2,200 more ) of warehousing . The most powerful , most expensive 16 - inch MacBook Pro will set you back $ 6,099 .
Image: Apple
Check out our reviews of theMacBook Air,13 - in M1 MacBook Pro , and14 - in M1 Max MacBook Proto get a better melodic theme of which laptop skilful suits your needs . The name are the biggest giveaway , of course : The MacBook Air is the most lightweight , both in terms of size and performance , and the M1 Max 16 - inch MacBook Pro is for those who need a lot out of their simple machine .
AppleComputersIntelMacBookMacBook Air
Daily Newsletter
Get the good tech , science , and finish news in your inbox daily .
News from the time to come , delivered to your present .
You May Also Like
