MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro: Which Mac should you buy in 2023? - Chia Sẻ Kiến Thức Điện Máy Việt Nam

With the popularity of Apple laptops, the question of “MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro?” is one we laptop reviewers often get. Before we dive in, let us give you a rundown of the basics. Apple’s laptops are comprised of a 13.3-inch and 13.6-inch MacBook Air and three flavors of MacBook Pro: 13.3 inches, 14.2 inches, and 16.2 inches.

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.

Between the MacBook Air M1, MacBook Air M2, the MacBook Pro 13 M2, the MacBook Pro 14 M2, and the MacBook Pro 16 M2, 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.

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MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro: Specs compared

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Best for MostNext Best OptionMost Speed for $For power usersFor power users who need a large screen

MacBook Air (M1)MacBook Air (M2)MacBook Pro 13 (Entry Level)MacBook Pro 14-inchMacBook Pro 16-inchPrice$1,199$999$1,299$1,999 (starting)$2,499CPUM1M2M2M2 Pro or M2 MaxM1 Pro or M1 MaxRAMUp to 16GBUp to 24GBup to 24GBUp to 96GBup to 96GBDisplay13.3 inches (2560 x 1664)13.6 inches (2560 x 1600)13.3 inches (2560 x 1600)14.2 inches (3024 x 1964), 120Hz16.2 inches (3456 x 2234), 120HzPorts2 Thunderbolt 3, headphone2 Thunderbolt 3, headphone2 Thunderbolt 4, headphone3 Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, SDXC card, headphone4 Thunderbolt 3, headphoneGraphicsM1M2M2M2 Pro or M2 MaxM2 Pro or M2 MaxStorageup to 2TBup to 2TBup to 2TBUp to 8TBup to 8TBBattery Life (hrs)14:41 (tested)14:06 (tested)18:20 (tested)14:02 (tested)18:56 (tested)SecurityTouch IDTouch IDTouch IDTouch IDTouch IDSize12 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches12 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches12.3 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches14 x 9.8 x 0.66 inchesWeight2.8 pounds2.7 pounds3 pounds3.5 pounds4.8 pounds

MacBook Air (M1, 2020): Best for most people

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).

MacBook Air M1

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

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 new MacBook Air’s 720p webcam also got a minor upgrade thanks to the M1 chip, and the system supports iOS and iPadOS apps now, although few are optimized for laptops.

MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

(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.

See our full MacBook Air (M1, 2020) review

MacBook Air (M2, 2022): Next best option for most

Pros: The latest chapter in the MacBook Air’s saga is compelling, to say the least. The laptop eschews the wedge design of old for a look that puts it squarely in MacBook Pro territory. But staying true to its name, the Air is 20% smaller than its predecessor in terms of volume. You even get some snazzy new colors to choose from this time around. Apple’s also added a few other new goodies such as a 1080p webcam, a new speaker setup, and a bigger display.

But the real star of the show is Apple’s M2 chip, which offers great performance for an ultraportable laptop. It’s faster and more powerful than the previous model and is ideal for anyone looking for a super-light workhorse. Plus, it lasted over 14 hours on our battery test and has fast charging.

Bigger screen, smaller bezels — that’s the name of the game for the M2 MacBook Air. The laptop boasts a 13.6-inch, 2560 x 1664 Liquid Retina display, compared to the previous version’s 13.3 inches. And when it comes to displays, more often than not, bigger is always better. As expected, the M2’s screen is an explosion of color with sharp details.

MacBook Air M2 review

(Image credit: Future)

The M2 Air also performed great during our synthetic benchmarks. When we ran Geekbench 5.4, for example, the notebook hit 8,919, decimating the 6.054 premium laptop average and the Slim 7 Carbon’s (AMD Ryzen 7 5800 CPU) 6,241.

On the Handbrake test, the Air M2 transcoded a 4K video to 1080p in 7 minutes and 52 seconds. That score roasted the 10-minute average as well as the XPS 13 (Intel Core i7-1185G CPU) and Spectre x360 (Intel Core i7-1165G7 CPU) which had times of 18:33 and 18:39, respectively. The Slim 7 Carbon came the closest at 8:51, more than a minute slower.

Weighing a slight 2.7 pounds and measuring 12 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches, the MacBook Air can easily slide into any medium-sized purse, messenger bag, or backpack.

(Image credit: Future)

Cons: While no one can be mad at over 14 hours of battery life, it’s still slightly less than the previous model. That’s not a huge problem, but if you’re looking to get every ounce of juice out of your MacBook, then the M1 MacBook Air may be more to your tastes.

Yes, the $1,199 starting price is a bit steep, especially when compared to the last-gen’s $999 starting price. However, the M2 outclasses the M1 in just about every category, making it well worth the investment.

Apple’s lightest laptop has always been light on ports and that remains true with the M2 Air. Although the MagSafe charger made a triumphant return, you still only get a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports and a headset jack to work with, so you might need a dongle or two.

See our full MacBook Air M2 review

MacBook Pro (13-inch, M2): Best for power users on a budget

Pros: Apple has a tough act to follow with the new MacBook Pro 13. Its predecessor took the world by storm back in 2020 with its show-stopping M1 chip. And the climb seems even steeper this time. There’s no snazzy design update, and no extra ports to get excited about. That means everything’s riding on the new M2 SoC, and as per usual, Apple rises to the challenge.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro crams a lot of power into a slim and lightweight (3 pounds) chassis with its M2 chip — and it even has a good keyboard. Yes, the 13-inch MacBook Pro gets the same M2 chip as the MacBook Air but this powerful machine can run demanding tasks for longer because it has a fan inside for keeping things cool.

Looking at the numbers, the MacBook Pro achieved 8,911 on the Geekbench 5.4 test, surpassing the 4,215 premium laptop average. Quite a boost considering the The M1 MacBook Pro reached 5,882. The XPS 13 came the closest to matching the MacBook while the HP Spectre x360 13 wasn’t anywhere near as powerful.

This machine is only a bit heavier than the MacBook Air, but you get the same M2 processor and longer battery life. I want to emphasize the battery life: the MacBook Pro lasted for 18 hours and 20 minutes on our test. That’s just…well, ridiculous, and it puts the MacBook Pro in a different league than its competitors.

Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, M2, 2022)

(Image credit: Future)

Apple brought the Touch Bar to the MacBook Pro, as well as a Touch ID sensor. The 13-inch MacBook Pro also offers an improved 720p webcam, a ridiculously fast SSD, and a sleek design. What more can you ask for?

Cons: Unfortunately, the base model MacBook Pro has only two Thunderbolt 4 ports versus the bevy of ports on the updated MacBook Pro 14 and 16. While it has its defenders the Touch Bar has been eliminated from every other MacBook, so software support is going downhill. Finally, this is the only current MacBook to not get a design update and it is sorely needed with massive bezels and the older rounded design that make it feel older than it is.

See our full Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, M2, 2022) review

MacBook Pro (14-inch): Best for creative pros needing portability

Pros: If you’re willing to spend $1,999, the 14-inch MacBook Pro is a practically perfect option, easily one of the best laptops on the market. The M2 Pro and M2 Max processors Apple are among the fastest, most power-efficient chips ever built for portable computing, and we can confirm that with our testing.

The other performance specs are just as impressive, and while the base model will be more than enough for most users, you can spec it up to 96GB of RAM and an 8TB SSD. Battery life is tested at 14 hours and 2 minutes.

Moreover, that redesign from 2021 still feels fresh with the 14.2-inch, 3024 x 1964-pixel Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. This panel is one of the brightest laptop screens ever (at 1,600 nits of peak luminance), and the most vivid outside of OLED panels.

Apple MacBook Pro 2021 (14-inch)

(Image credit: Future)

At 12.3 inches x 8.7 x 0.6 inches and 3.5 pounds, the 14-inch MacBook Pro remains portable despite the power it packs underneath the hood.

Some other nice features include a 1080p webcam, Touch ID, a six-speaker setup, and a keyboard without a Touch Bar.

Cons: So, what’s wrong with the laptop? Well, there is a notch. Yes, much like the iPhone, the MacBook Pro has a cutout at the top center of the display. It isn’t too distracting, though, due to the larger display. Perhaps more frustrating is the lack of Face ID despite the size of that cutout. That $1,999 starting price is also a tough pill to swallow and upgrades are prohibitively expensive.

See our full MacBook Pro 14 2023 review

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MacBook Pro 16-inch: Best for power users needing a large display

Pros: Everything we love about the 14-inch MacBook Pro but with a large 16-inch display. It has the same M2 Pro and M2 Max chips along with up to 96GB of memory and up to an 8TB SSD. Battery life on this model, however, is an almost otherworldly 18 hours and 56 minutes in our testing. Honestly, it seems like Apple may have created a pocket dimension that houses some additional battery in this thing.

MacBook Pro 16-inch (M2 Max, 2023) review: The baddest MacBook in the land

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

Cons: Except for that battery life and the display size, you can get everything found in the 16-inch MacBook Pro in the 14-inch model for $500 less. If you need the larger panel, then get this 16-inch MacBook Pro. If you don’t, then it probably won’t be worth the price trade-off.

Also at 14 x 9.8 x 0.66 inches and 4.7 pounds, the 16-inch MacBook Pro is considerably larger than the 14-inch model, so if you are toting your laptop around regularly that’s worth considering as well.

See our full MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023

To find out more about how much longer Apple will keep your MacBook healthy, read our comprehensive Apple Warranty Check guide.

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How we test MacBook laptops

We put MacBooks through extensive benchmark testing — both synthetic and real-world — before they end up in the hands of our reviewers. We evaluate everything from speed and battery life to display brightness, speaker volume and system heat.

We use a Klein K10 colorimeter to detect the brightness and sRGB color gamut of a laptop’s display. For performance benchmarking, we run the laptop through a gauntlet of benchmarks, including Geekbench 5.0 and 3DMark professional graphics tests.

To determine real-world performance, we task the laptop to convert a 4K video to 1080p resolution and to duplicate a 25GB multimedia file. Our real-world graphics test is the Dirt 3 benchmark with medium settings and 1080p resolution.

We also run heat tests by playing a 15-minute full-screen video and our battery test consists of continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness. We consider everything over the category average (8 hours and 36 minutes) to be a good result. Of course, these tests are complemented with hands-on testing from our reviewers.

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Best for MostNext Best OptionMost Speed for $For power usersFor power users who need a large screen

MacBook Air (M1)MacBook Air (M2)MacBook Pro 13 (Entry Level)MacBook Pro 14-inchMacBook Pro 16-inchPrice$1,199$999$1,299$1,999 (starting)$2,499CPUM2 M1M2M2M2 Pro or M2 MaxM1 Pro or M1 MaxRAMUp to 16GBUp to 24GBup to 24GBUp to 96GBup to 96GBDisplay13.3 inches (2560 x 1664)13.6 inches (2560 x 1600)13.3 inches (2560 x 1600)14.2 inches (3024 x 1964), 120Hz16.2 inches (3456 x 2234), 120HzPorts2 Thunderbolt 3, headphone2 Thunderbolt 3, headphone2 Thunderbolt 4, headphone3 Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, SDXC card, headphone4 Thunderbolt 3, headphoneGraphicsM1M2M2M2 Pro or M2 MaxM2 Pro or M2 MaxStorageup to 2TBup to 2TBup to 2TBUp to 8TBup to 8TBBattery Life (hrs)14:41 (tested)14:06 (tested)18:20 (tested)14:02 (tested)18:56 (tested)SecurityTouch IDTouch IDTouch IDTouch IDTouch IDSize12 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches12 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches12.3 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches14 x 9.8 x 0.66 inchesWeight2.8 pounds2.7 pounds3 pounds3.5 pounds4.8 pounds

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Best for MostNext Best OptionMost Speed for $For power usersFor power users who need a large screen

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Best for MostNext Best OptionMost Speed for $For power usersFor power users who need a large screen

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Best for MostNext Best OptionMost Speed for $For power usersFor power users who need a large screen

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Best for MostNext Best OptionMost Speed for $For power usersFor power users who need a large screen