MacBook Professional vs Air: How the lineup compares

Apple’s MacBook lineup was overhauled with the M3 MacBook Air fashions arriving in March 2024 and the most recent MacBook Professional laptops coming with M3, M3 Professional, and M3 Max chips on the finish of 2023. Be part of alongside for our in-depth have a look at MacBook Professional vs Air to see what’s comparable and completely different and a purchaser’s information that will help you make your best option.

For an in depth comparability of Air vs Air and Professional vs Professional, try these guides; in any other case, head beneath for the way the Professional vs Air evaluate:

MacBook Professional vs Air: How do they evaluate?

CPU, GPU, reminiscence, neural engine

The M2 and M3 MacBook Air helps as much as 24GB reminiscence, 8 CPU cores, as much as 10 GPU cores, and as much as 2TB of storage.

In the meantime, with the MacBook Professional and M3, M3 Professional, or M3 Max chip, you will have the choice for as much as 16 CPU cores, 40 GPU cores, and reminiscence as much as 128GB.

{Hardware}	MacBook Air	MacBook Professional
CPU	M2 or M3 – 8-core	M3, M3 Professional, or M3 Max – as much as 16-core
Storage	As much as 2TB	As much as 8TB
Reminiscence	8, 16, or 24GB	8 to 128GB
Graphics	As much as 10-core	As much as 40-core
Neural engine	16-core	16-core
FaceTime digicam	1080p	1080p
Audio system	4-speaker with large sound, 6-speaker with 15-inch	6-speaker high-fidelity
Mics	3-mic array	Studio-quality 3-mic array
Thermal administration	Fanless	Energetic cooling with followers

Apple says the M3 chip effectivity cores are as much as 30% quicker than the M2 household and as much as 50% quicker than the M1 household.

For efficiency cores, the M3 household is 15 and 30% quicker than M2 and M1, respectively.

Apple says rendering on M3 is as much as 1.8x quicker than M2 and as much as 2.5x quicker than M1.

Apple additionally says the M3 chips symbolize the “Largest leap ahead in graphics structure” with Dynamic caching, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and hardware-accelerated mesh shading.

Transistor rely

The general transistor rely has elevated to 25 billion for the M3, 37 billion for the M3 Professional, and 92 billion for the M3 Max.

CPU benchmark scores

As you’ll hope, the M3 MacBook Air’s efficiency has been proven to match M3 MacBook Professional in benchmarks:

And for the M3 Max, it’s clocking in about 44% quicker than the M2 Max for multicore scores and about 10% quicker for single-core efficiency. 

GPU benchmark scores and new options

In GPU benchmarks on Geekbench, the M3 Max earned a steel rating of 158466, that’s up 15% in comparison with the 137525 Metallic rating of the M2 Max.

Shows

The MacBook Air is out there in 13.6 and 15.2-inch fashions. And the MacBook Professional choices stay barely bigger with 14.2 and 16.2-inch variations.

For display brightness, the MacBook Air has as much as 500 nits. That’s 100 beneath the 600 nits of the MacBook Professional (for SDR content material).

However the Professional laptop computer screens go as much as 1,000 sustained nits brightness (1,600 peak) for HDR content material. Different show upgrades over the Air embrace 120Hz refresh charges with ProMotion, mini-LED backlighting, and the next pixel density with the Professional.

	13″ MacBook Air	15” MacBook Air	14″ MacBook Professional	16” MacBook Professional
Precise display measurement	13.6″	15.3”	14.2”	16.2”
Decision	2560 x 1664	2880 x 1864	3024 x 1964	3456 x 2234
Side Ratio	16:10 + notch	16:10 + notch	16:10 + notch	16:10 + notch
PPI	224	224	254	254
Nits (brightness)	500	500	600 for SDR, 1000 sustained, as much as 1600 peak for HDR	600 for SDR, 1000 sustained, as much as 1600 peak for HDR
Liquid Retina Show	✅	✅	✅ + XDR	✅ + XDR
ProMotion (as much as 120Hz)	❌	❌	✅	✅
mini-LED backlit	❌	❌	✅	✅
True Tone	✅	✅	✅	✅
P3 large coloration	✅	✅	✅	✅

The MacBook Air and the MacBook Professional embrace a notch on the high middle of the show for the 1080p FaceTime digicam. However not like the iPhone, the notch doesn’t embrace Face ID {hardware}/assist, even within the newest MacBook Professional and Air fashions.

All the present MacBooks function a lot slimmer bezels than their predecessors.

I/O: MacBook Professional vs Air

The MacBook Air gained MagSafe charging like the trendy MacBook Professional in 2022 – which stays with the M3 fashions. Nevertheless, Apple has saved additions like HDMI, SDXC slot, and assist for as much as 4 exterior shows unique to the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Professional.

The M3 13 and 15-inch MacBook Air have assist for 2 exterior shows when the laptop computer lid is closed. And have in mind the M2 MacBook Air solely has assist for one exterior show.

Different upgrades with the M3, M3 Professional, and M3 Max MacBook Professional embrace Wi-Fi 6E and assist for 8K video output with an HDMI 2.1 port.

	M3 MacBook Air	M3 MacBook Professional
Magic Keyboard	✅	✅
Contact ID	✅	✅
USB-C/Thunderbolt ports	2	3
Headphone jack	✅	✅
HDMI	❌	✅ 2.1
SDXC card reader	❌	✅
MagSafe charging	✅	✅
Bluetooth	5.3	5.3
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11.ax)	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11.ax)
Exterior show assist	2 exterior shows with as much as 6K at 60Hz for 1 and 5K at 60Hz for the 2nd when MacBook Air lid is closed	M3: 1 exterior show as much as 6K/60Hz M3 Professional: As much as 2 exterior shows at 6K/60Hz over Thunderbolt, or 1 at 6K/60Hz over Thunderbolt and 1 at 4K/144Hz over HDMI, or 1 at 8K/60Hz or 1 at 4K/240Hz over HDMI M3 Max: As much as 4 exterior shows: 3 at 6K/60Hz over Thunderbolt and 1 at 4K/144Hz over HDMI, or as much as 3 shows: 2 at 6K/60Hz over Thunderbolt and 1 at 8K/60Hz or 1 at 4K/240Hz over HDMI

Measurement, weight, and end

As you’d anticipate, the MacBook Air stays the lightest machine with each MacBook Professional fashions weighing extra. The MacBook Air can be super-thin at 11.3 mm (0.44 in).

The MacBook Professional laptops can be found in area grey, silver, and area black (the latter just for M3 Professional/Max fashions). Notably, area black is extra of a darkish area grey than a real black.

The M3 (and M2) Air is available in 4 selections, together with midnight, which has a blueish hue. The M3 MacBook Air is meant to be much less fingerprint-y than earlier than with a brand new anodization seal.

	13″ MacBook Air	15” MacBook Air	14″ MacBook Professional	16” MacBook Professional
Weight	2.7 kilos (1.24 kg)	3.3 kilos (1.51 kg)	3.4, 3.5, or 3.6 kilos (1.55, 1.61, or 1.62 kg)	4.7 or 4.8 kilos (2.14 or 2.16 kg)
Thickness	0.44 in. (1.13 cm)	0.45 in. (1.15 cm)	0.61 inch (1.55 cm)	0.66 inch (1.68 cm)
Width	11.97 in. (30.41 cm)	13.40 in. (34.04 cm)	12.31 in. (31.26 cm)	14.01 inches (35.57 cm)
Depth	8.46 in. (21.5 cm)	9.35 in. (23.76 cm)	8.71 inches (22.12 cm)	9.77 inches (24.81 cm)
Show measurement	13.6 in.	15.3 in.	14.2 in.	16.2 in.
Finishes	Silver, area grey, starlight, midnight	Silver, area grey, starlight, midnight	Silver, area grey, or area black	Silver, area grey, or area black

Because the 2022 MacBook Air shifted from the wedge design it had for years, all the new MacBooks share the flat-edged chassis.

Battery life

Actual-world battery life for Apple Silicon MacBooks in comparison with the outdated Intel fashions has been spectacular and normally matches the corporate’s claims. However that may rely in your workflow, display brightness, and extra.

Apple has boosted the M3 MacBook Professional battery life to the purpose the place the 16-inch MacBook Professional has as much as 22 hours of video playback.

Each 13 and 15-inch MacBook Air fashions share robust however barely much less battery life at as much as 18 hours of use. Nevertheless, wi-fi internet use is 15 hours for each Air fashions.

Right here’s how the machines evaluate:

	13″ MacBook Air	15” MacBook Air	14″ MacBook Professional	16” MacBook Professional
Wi-fi internet battery	15 hours	15 hours	12 hours	15 hours
Video playback	18 hours	18 hours	18 hours	22 hours
Included energy adapter	30W, 35W, or 67W USB-C + MagSafe	35W or 70W USB-C + MagSafe	70W or 96W USB-C + MagSafe	140W USB-C + MagSafe
Battery capability	52.6Wh	66.5Wh	70Wh	100Wh
Quick charging	✅ with 70W	✅ with 70W	✅ with 96W	✅ with 140W

All of those trendy MacBooks can quick cost to surrender to 50% battery in simply half-hour. However have in mind you’ll want to make use of the larger energy adapters listed above.

Pricing

With a beginning worth of $1,099, the 13” M3 MacBook Air is available in at $500 lower than the 14” MacBook Professional. And the 15” MacBook Air is $1,200 lower than the 16” MacBook Professional.

The 14” MacBook Professional base mannequin at $1,599 comes with an M3 chip, 8GB RAM, and 512GB SSD. The 16” MacBook Professional with the identical base specs begins at $2,499.

Mannequin/worth	13″ MacBook Air	15” MacBook Air	14″ MacBook Professional	16” MacBook Professional
256 / 8GB	$1,099	$1,299	–	–
512 / 8GB	$1,399	$1,499	$1,599	–
512 / 16 or 18GB	$1,599	$1,699	From $1,999	From $2,499
Customized builds	As much as $2,399	As much as $2,499	As much as $6,999	As much as $7,199

MacBook Professional vs Air: Purchaser’s information

Why purchase a MacBook Air?

• For mild to medium efficiency wants and a few restricted intensive wants, within the lightest package deal with all-day battery life, the MacBook Air is the perfect match beginning at an inexpensive $1,099 or $1,299 (or much less).
  • Apple does nonetheless promote the M2 MacBook Air, however the M3 is barely $100 extra

Why purchase a MacBook Professional?

• If you happen to want or worth probably the most energy throughout CPU, GPU, and reminiscence (nonetheless with an all-day battery), lively cooling for heavy workloads, a brighter display, extra ports, larger exterior show assist, and extra, the MacBook Professional is the best way to go.

You’ll find the most recent MacBooks at Apple, Amazon, Adorama, and extra.

What do you concentrate on the present MacBook lineup? Share your ideas within the feedback! Thanks for studying our information on MacBook Professional vs Air!

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