?MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro: Which Mac should you buy in 2023

Jafar Ershadi Fard as an Amazon influencer and industrial engineer and Information technology expert recommends these Laptops!

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By Sean Riley

last updated 7 days ago

Here's how to decide between the MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro

Jump To:

• Specs compared
• Quick list
• Best for most people
• Next best option for most
• Big screen on a budget
• Best for power users on a budget
• Best for creative pros on the go
• Best for peak performance
• How We Test MacBooks
• Why Trust Laptop Mag

QUICK MENU

1. The list in brief
2. Best for most people
3. Next best option for most
4. Big screen on a budget
5. Best for power users on a budget
6. Best for pros on the go
7. Best for peak performance
8. How we test MacBooks
9. Why trust Laptop Mag

So you've decided you want an Apple laptop, but now you still have the tough decision of "MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro?" let to make. Apple's laptops are comprised of 13.3-inch, 13.6-inch, and 15.3-inch MacBook Airs and three flavors of MacBook Pro: 13.3 inches, 14.2 inches, and 16.2 inches.

The 15-inch MacBook Air is the new kid on the block. Starting at $1,299, it's a big-screen bargain compared to the 16-inch MacBook Air's $2,499, previously the only 15+-inch MacBook.

It can be tough deciding which MacBook to buy, especially since Apple still offers some models with M1 chips, while the most recent models feature M2, M2 Pro, and M2 Max chips. This is one of the differentiators between the MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro, only the Pro models offer the more powerful "Pro" or "Max" chipsets.

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But don't worry, follow along and we’ll help you decide which Apple laptop is the best choice for you by comparing price, features, performance, battery life, and more. By the end of this guide, you should know exactly which laptop to spend your hard-earned money on — or whether you should wait for the next version to arrive.

MACBOOK AIR VS. MACBOOK PRO: SPECS COMPARED

Row 0 - Cell 0Best for MostNext Best OptionBest big screen valueBest value for performanceFor power usersFor power users who need a large screen

Row 1 - Cell 0MacBook Air 13 (M1)MacBook Air 13 (M2)MacBook Air 15 (M2)MacBook Pro 13 (Entry Level)MacBook Pro 14-inchMacBook Pro 16-inch

Price$999$1,099$1,299$1,299$1,999 (starting)$2,499

CPUM1M2M2M2M2 Pro or M2 MaxM1 Pro or M1 Max

RAMUp to 16GBUp to 24GBUp to 24GBup to 24GBUp to 96GBup to 96GB

Display13.3 inches (2560 x 1664)13.6 inches (2560 x 1600)15.3 inches (2880 x 1864)13.3 inches (2560 x 1600)14.2 inches (3024 x 1964), 120Hz16.2 inches (3456 x 2234), 120Hz

Ports2 Thunderbolt 3, headphone2 Thunderbolt 3, headphone2 Thunderbolt 3/USB4, headphone2 Thunderbolt 4, headphone3 Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, SDXC card, headphone4 Thunderbolt 3, headphone

GraphicsM1M2M2M2M2 Pro or M2 MaxM2 Pro or M2 Max

Storageup to 2TBup to 2TBUp to 2TBup to 2TBUp to 8TBup to 8TB

Battery Life (hrs)14:41 (tested)14:06 (tested)14:59 (tested)18:20 (tested)14:02 (tested)18:56 (tested)

SecurityTouch IDTouch IDTouch IDTouch IDTouch IDTouch ID

Size12 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches13.40 x 9.53 x 0.45 inches12 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches12.3 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches14 x 9.8 x 0.66 inches

Weight2.8 pounds2.7 pounds3.3 pounds3 pounds3.5 pounds4.8 pounds

THE QUICK LIST

BEST FOR MOST PEOPLE

1. Apple MacBook Air M1

$749.99

at Amazon

$749.99

at Amazon

$749.99

at Amazon

The best MacBook for most people

The MacBook Air M1 remains the best MacBook for most people thanks to its blend of performance, battery life, and value as the only Apple laptop available for under $1,000.

Read more below

BUDGET M2

2. Apple MacBook Air M2

$1,079.94

at Amazon

$1,084.96

at Amazon

$1,089.96

at Amazon

M2 Power for under $1,200

The MacBook Air M2 gives you Apple's updated design with 14 hours of battery life, outstanding performance, a comfortable keyboard, and the always popular MagSafe charging.

Read more below

AFFORDABLE BIG SCREEN

3. Apple MacBook Air 15

$1,049.99

at Amazon

$1,049.99

at Amazon

$1,099

at Amazon

The best affordable big-screen MacBook

The MacBook Air 15 fills a gap in Apple's laptop lineup, a big screen that doesn't cost you $2,500+. Sure it's just an M2 Air with a bigger display, but that's a perfect laptop for many people.

Read more below

BATTERY LIFE

3. Apple MacBook Pro M2

$1,079.94

at Amazon

$1,084.96

at Amazon

$1,089.96

at Amazon

The best long-lasting MacBook

The MacBook Pro M2 doesn't get the updated design of the Air M2, but it makes up for it with even better performance and an unbelievable 18 hours and 20 minutes of battery life.

Read more below

PROS ON THE GO

5. MacBook Pro 14 (M2 Pro)

$2,349

at Amazon

Best MacBook for pros on the go

Whether you’re editing photos or videos, creating music, or just working on a massive spreadsheet, the MacBook Pro 14 is the way to go. The M2 Pro's power and endurance are off the charts.

Read more below

PEAK PERFORMANCE

6. MacBook Pro 16 (M2 Max)

$1,939.93

at Amazon

$3,099

at Amazon

$3,639.99

at Amazon

Best MacBook for peak performance

There's no task the MacBook Pro 16 with M2 Max can't handle. Whether it's the larger display, higher peak performance, or 4 extra hours of battery life, the Pro 16 earns its premium price.

Read more below

MACBOOK AIR (13-INCH, M1): BEST FOR MOST PEOPLE

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

1. MacBook Air (M1)

The best for most people

SPECIFICATIONS

CPU: Apple M1

GPU: Apple M1

RAM: 8GB/16GB

Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB

Display: 13.3 inches, 2560 x 1600 pixels

Size: 12 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches

Weight: 2.8 pounds

Today's Best Deals

$749.99

at Amazon

$749.99

at Amazon

$749.99

at Amazon

REASONS TO BUY

+

Breathtaking performance

+

Outstanding battery life

+

Slim unibody aluminum chassis

+

Great speakers and Magic keyboard

REASONS TO AVOID

-

Limited ports

-

Older design

Pros: The MacBook Air with M1 delivers almost everything you could want in an Apple laptop thanks to its M1 chip, which enables excellent performance and battery life. Specifically, the MacBook Air lasted for 14 hours and 41 minutes on our battery test, making it one of the longest-lasting laptops around, even longer than its succesor.

Our MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM scored a resounding 5,962 on the Geekbench 5.2 overall performance test, crushing the XPS 13 (5,319, Core i7-1165G7) with an 11th Gen (Tiger lake) Intel Core. The Surface Laptop 3 (4,791) with 10th Gen Intel chips dropped further behind, but still topped the category average (4,178).

The screen is sharp, too, with a 2560 x 1600-pixel resolution. The M1 Air supports the P3 color range for punchier tones and True Tone, which adjusts the color temperature on the display based on ambient lighting conditions.

Another feature is Touch ID, which makes it easy to unlock the system, make secure payments, and replace passwords. The MacBook Air's 720p webcam isn't going to replace the best external webcam, but the M1 chip gave it a boost to performance, and the system supports iOS and iPadOS apps, although we haven't seen massive uptake on that feature.

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

The MacBook Air, at 12 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches and 2.8 pounds, is larger than the Dell XPS 13 (11.6 x 7.8 x 0.6 inches, 2.8 pounds), but more compact than the 13.5-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (12.1 x 8.8 x 0.6 inches, 2.9 pounds).

Cons: Two USB-C ports aren't enough for most people so be ready to use a dongle. Also, the MacBook Air isn't the most compact or lightest 13-inch laptop, and the display bezels that were chunky in 2020 are only harder to take in 2023. Speaking of which, it's getting a little long in the tooth after 2.5 years, but Apple still sells it directly and will support it for years to come.