Apple’s M1 MacBooks have achieved major performance improvements and at first glance, the new MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro look pretty similar. They have the same CPU / GPU, the same ports, the same FaceTime camera and more. However, let’s take a look at the M1 MacBook Air vs Pro to see what distinguishes the two to help you decide.
Update 3/8: The late-2020 M1 MacBook Air and Pro are still fairly new and should last a long time. However, we are learning more and more about all the new features and changes that will take place with the upcoming 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro Apple Silicon models.
If you do not need a new MacBook right away, it might be worth waiting until later this year or thinking about it. In addition to the larger screens, we need to see a fresh design, mini-LED screen illumination, the return of I / O including HDMI, SD card slot and MagSafe, and the removal of the Touch Bar.
The larger Apple Silicon MacBook Pro machines also hopefully provide official support for more than one external monitor. The next generation MacBook Pro models should be available by the fall of 2021.
Initial reactions to Apple launching the new M1 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro on the internet have caused confusion as to what was the point of continuing to offer both, as it looks so similar. While it’s impressive and somewhat confusing that the $ 999 M1 MacBook Air has the same CPU / GPU and neural engine as the M1 MacBook Pro of $ 1,299 and above, there are some notable differences that are worth considering before you ‘ make a decision.
While the M1 MacBooks deliver much improved performance (speed and battery life are two major aspects), there are some areas where they are less capable or at least not improved compared to their Intel predecessors. In the charts below, we have shown the differences between the M1 MacBook Air and Pro fat.
M1 MacBook Air vs Pro Hardware Comparison
You get the phenomenal M1 chip with both machines with 4 high-efficiency cores and 4 high-performance cores for the CPU. But interestingly, it’s actually a 7-core GPU on the basic MacBook Air models instead of the 8-core in the higher Air configurations and all the MacBook Pro models. My colleague Ben Lovejoy wrote a statement on what happens to it.
Aside from the slight difference in GPU, you get active cooling with the MacBook Pro. This is noteworthy as it allows the notebook to deliver high performance under sustained loads for longer.
Maybe it’s less important overall, but the M1 MacBook Pro has a high dynamic range with its stereo speakers and the microphones are ‘studio quality’.
It’s great to see Wi-Fi 6 support on both models! However, it’s a great way to see the 720p FaceTime camera get stuck. Apple says it has improved image quality with a new image signal processor. But according to reviews, the quality is still poor.
If you have any questions or concerns about limiting RAM to just 16 GB, feel free to check out my colleague Stephen Hall to push the basic M1 MacBook Air to the extreme, which shows extremely impressive performance. If you are not a power user, 8 GB of RAM with these machines can probably be more than enough.
In short: you’ll see incredible performance for everyday computers with both computers, but if you lean longer toward heavier workflows, the active cooling on the MacBook Pro may be enough to make your decision.
M1 MacBook Air vs Pro performance comparison
If screen brightness is important to you, get the MacBook Pro with a brightness of 500 just compared to 400 on the MacBook Air another point. Otherwise you get the same excellent Retina display on both notebooks.
M1 MacBook Air vs Pro I / O Comparison
The only difference between the two and the rest of the I / O not covered above is the Touch Bar that comes on the MacBook Pro and a dedicated range of function tests (also new for dictation, spotlight, more) on the MacBook Air.
However, the specifications below also show some drawbacks compared to older Intel MacBooks. First, you get a maximum of 2 USB-C (USB4) / Thunderbolt ports on all M1 models. The higher-end Intel 13-inch MacBook Pro offered 4 (2 on each side).
The second downgrade is external screen support. These M1 MacBooks support a maximum of 1 external screen up to 6K at 60Hz. The previous generation Intel MacBooks can use up to 2 4K screens at 60Hz, in addition to working with up to 1 6K screen at 60Hz.
Size, weight and finish comparison
Everything here is identical to the previous Intel MacBooks, except for the 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro which shaves 0.1 grams off its predecessors 3.1 pounds.
If the gold color is attractive, remember that it’s only available on the MacBook Air.
Battery life comparison
The actual use shows great battery life for the M1 MacBooks compared to the old Intel models. Keep in mind, though, that you probably won’t see exactly the Apple ratings of up to 15-20 hours without compromises such as turning off the brightness of the screen for light workflows.
But in any case, the power efficiency and the battery delivery are great!
Price comparison
Across the different configurations, it’s a $ 300 difference between the M1 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro if we look at the same storage and RAM.
The model currently has 256 GB / 8 GB RAM and 512 GB / 8 GB RAM configurations. Models with 16 GB of RAM will see longer delivery times as these are custom orders.
M1 MacBook Air vs Pro wrap-up
Hopefully you now have clarity on which M1 MacBook suits you best. If you appreciate longer battery life, active cooling for long heavy workloads, a slightly brighter screen and / or like the touchbar, the MacBook Pro is the way to go and offers great value from $ 1,299. If those things are not important to you, the MacBook Air is the choice at a reasonable price of $ 999 for everything you get.
Update 3/8: As mentioned above, it might be worth considering whether it’s better to wait for the 14 or 16-inch MacBook Pros that would arrive this fall.
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