Before you run out and buy that new 15-inch MacBook Air, consider a 14-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro instead. I’ve had mine for about a year now, and it still runs great.https://youtu.be/Y27zXMqVDAI
The 15-inch MacBook Air starts at $1299. If you were set on just buying the base model and didn’t care about upgrades, then this is probably the best option for you. However, keep in mind that right now, you can get a refurbished 14-inch MacBook Pro for $1539.
Internal Specs
The 15-inch MacBook Air comes standard with an 8-core CPU and a 10-core GPU. The base model MacBook Pro with an M1 Pro chip comes with an 8-core CPU and a 14-core GPU. That’s four additional GPU cores, which, depending on what you are using it for, could make a big difference in performance.
Memory and Storage
The base model 15-inch MacBook Air comes with 8 gigabytes of unified memory and 256 gigabytes of storage. In comparison, the base 14-inch MacBook Pro comes with 16 GB of memory and 512 gigabytes of storage. You can upgrade your 15-inch MacBook Air memory and storage to match that of the base MacBook Pro for an additional $400, bringing your total cost to $1699.
Camera and Audio
The cameras in both laptops are the same, with 1080p FaceTime HD cameras. Regarding audio, both systems will have great speakers. The 15-inch MacBook Air has a six-speaker sound system, while the M1 Pro MacBook Pro also has a six-speaker system.
Display
The 15-inch MacBook Air has a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, while the 14-inch MacBook Pro comes with a 14.2-inch diagonal Liquid Retina XDR display. The Pro display has promotion technology for refresh rates of up to 120Hz.
Wireless and Ports
Both laptops come with 802.11ax WI-FI 6, but the 15-inch MacBook Air has Bluetooth 5.3 compared to Bluetooth 5.0 in the 14-inch MacBook Pro. The biggest advantage of the 14-inch MacBook Pro is its ports, including HDMI and an SD card reader.
Weight
While the 15-inch MacBook Air is slightly lighter at 3.3 pounds compared to the 3.5 pounds of the 14-inch MacBook Pro, the difference may not be noticeable in everyday use.
Conclusions
If you prioritize portability and a larger screen, then the 15-inch MacBook Air might be the right choice for you. However, if you value functionality and additional ports, consider the 14-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro. It might be better suited to your needs.