MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air – Which one suits your needs best for creative work? They share many similarities, including fast speeds and long battery life. Although the Pro is about $100 less than the Air, it still costs around $100 more. The Pro is more expensive than the Air, but it’s worth it. Or should you go for the less expensive Air? This article will help you decide.
We are referring to the most recent models of the MacBook Air (2022) and MacBook Pro (13-inch (2022 ) . Both have the updated M2 chips. While both devices can be used with the Magic Keyboard there are some nuances that could make a huge difference in creativity.
We will walk you through the details of each MacBook so that you can choose the one that suits your needs best. We have writeups for last year’s MacBook models. Our Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch) review and MacBook Pro (14-inch) review.
MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air: Performance
If you’re familiar with Apple’s naming conventions then the differences in power between MacBook Pro & MacBook Air are not surprising. The ‘Air” products are lighter in performance but more affordable. The Pro’ products pack more power along with other premium features.The MacBook Pro can run serious pro apps. Image credit: Future
Standard RAM is 8GB on both the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. This can be problematic for creative and design work. Both models can be upgraded to 16GB and 24GB RAM to increase performance.
The M2 chip is also available in the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13″ from 2022. Apple claims this provides 40% more performance than M1. While the Air comes with an eight-core GPU as its base model, the Pro has a 10-core GPU (graphics processor unit) standard. The two additional GPU cores can make a big difference in creative applications.
While the MacBook Air can do light editing and video editing well, it can’t handle more difficult tasks such as 3D modeling and animation. The MacBook Pro has extra power and can help you get more done.
The MacBook Air is an excellent machine that can be used for Adobe’s apps as well as other design and editing tools. It is one of our top laptops for music production lists. It can also handle 4K video editing, if you’re mainly looking to assemble footage. However, it is not meant for 3D design.While the MacBook Air costs less than the Pro but is still extremely capable, it is more affordable than the Pro.
The Pro’s battery life is also better than that of the Air. The Pro performed 16 hours and 6 mins in our standard test, which involved looping 1080p video at 1080p. This compares to the Air’s 15, and a quarter hours.
MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air: Design
Apple retained the same design as the MacBook Pro 13-inch models in 2022. It gave the MacBook Air a new look. It is now a square shape and not a wedge. There are four color options available: Pace Gray (Silver), Starlight (Starlight) and Midnight Blue. The MacBook Air 2022 measures just 2.7 pounds and has an 11mm thicker footprint than the original MacBook Air.
The MacBook Pro is slightly heavier (3 lbs) and slightly thicker (15.6 cm), but that’s not a significant difference. While the designs of each device are slightly different, we think they look very stylish. The Air and Pro should be chosen based on their capabilities rather than how they look.The MacBook Pro’s design is different from the Air. However, both are very attractive.
The MacBook Air’s webcam is 720p. It isn’t as good as the ones offered by the competition, but it does the job. However, the MacBook Pro gets a 1080p camera. It has a visible “notch” that covers some of the menu bar at top, but we think that this is a fair price.
MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air: Display
Apple’s laptops currently have very similar displays. The screen size of the 2022 MacBook Air has increased to 13.6 inches and the resolution has been increased to 2560×1664. It has a brighter brightness of 500 nuits.
Except for a smaller screen of 13.3-inches the Pro’s screen looks similar to the Air. The Pro’s screen has a resolution 2560×16606 and a brightness level of 500 nits. Both laptops have True Tone technology and wide color (P3) support.
MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air: Connectivity
The Apple laptops don’t have the best capabilities for connecting many devices. The MacBook Pro and MacBook Air both have Thunderbolt 4/USB C ports. They also include a 3.5mm headphone socket. MagSafe charging can be done via the Air’s third port, while the Pro charges using one of its USB-C ports.
Thunderbolt 4 supports them, which is great because it gives you many options for connecting high-speed hubs and screens. It will be difficult to connect more than one device simultaneously without consuming battery power. In this case, you will need to purchase one of the best USBC hubs.
MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air: Pricing
The MacBook Air is $100 cheaper than the Pro
The MacBook Air (M2, 2022), starts at $1,199/PS1,249, and includes an M2 chip with an eight-core CPU, eight-core GPU, and 8GB of memory.
The MacBook Pro 13 inch (M2,2022) starts at $1.299 / PlayStation1,299 and includes an 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU M2 Chip, 8GB of unified memory, and 256GB SSD storage.
MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air: Conclusion
The decision between MacBook Pro or Air comes down ultimately to how powerful you need. While the MacBook Air is capable of running Adobe apps, and other design tools, don’t expect it can handle complex or large tasks. A Pro is a better choice if you are looking for more resource-intensive software, such as 3D software or 8K video editing.
If you aren’t using heavy creative software, the extra two cores won’t be necessary and you won’t notice the difference in the power consumption between the two laptops.
There is a gray area between these two positions but the point is clear: The MacBook Pro will offer you better performance. It is important to ensure that the MacBook Pro you purchase will provide enough headroom for the future. Don’t buy a MacBook Air if you don’t think your work might change to require a MacBook Pro within a year.
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