MacBook Air vs. MacBook vs. MacBook Pro 13 Inch

As with any PC, processor speed is what really sets MacBooks apart. Let's first look at the base processor for each model:

MacBook Air (2017): Core Core 5th generation, dual-core 1.8GHz, Turbo Boost up to 2.9GHz
MacBook Air (2018): 1.6GHz Dual Core Eighth Generation Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost Up To 3.6GHz
MacBook: 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core m3 seventh generation, Turbo Boost up to 3.0GHz
Macbook Pro: 2.3GHz Dual Core Seventh Generation Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost Up To 3.6GHz

For the uninitiated, the old MacBook Air may seem faster than the new one. This is not the case. The 2017 Air uses a fifth generation Core i5 chip, while the new model uses an eighth generation chip. So it's a little faster. The MacBook Pro, meanwhile, uses a seventh-generation i5 with a much faster clock speed. It is therefore the fastest of the lot, as it should be.

The MacBook uses the slower Intel Core m3 processor, which makes it significantly slower than the new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, but a little faster than the 2017 Air. However, you can increase the Intel Core i5 seventh-generation dual-core processor to 1.3 GHz if you want $ 300 more. The Pro can also be seriously put to the test, with options going up to an Intel Core i7 quad-core eighth-generation 2.3 GHz processor in the Touch Bar model and from there.

MacBook Air vs MacBook vs MacBook Pro 13 inch: Graphics

With built-in graphics, none of the MacBooks will take you very far if you want to make high-end gaming or demanding graphics work. Nevertheless, they all offer slightly different GPUs, with the Pro at the head of the pack:

MacBook Air (2017): Intel HD Graphics 6000
MacBook Air (2018): Intel UHD Graphics 617
MacBook: Intel HD Graphics 615
Macbook Pro: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640

Despite a higher number, the 2017 MacBook Air goes into the background, with an old slow GPU. The others are much more capable, with the Iris Plus in the MacBook Pro that stands out from the UHD unit in the air. And if you upgrade to the Touch Bar version, you get a slightly higher Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, with 128GB of eDRAM (versus 64GB on the non-Touch Bar model).

MacBook Air vs. MacBook vs. MacBook Pro 13 Inch: RAM

Michael DeAgonia / IDG

All models start at 8GB of RAM and offer up to 16GB, but there is a slight difference in speed between them:

MacBook Air (2017): LPDDR3 memory from 8 GB to 1600 MHz
MacBook Air (2018): 8 GB memory at 2133 MHz LPDDR3
MacBook: LPDDR3 memory from 8 GB to 1866 MHz
MacBook Pro: 8GB to 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory

The speed of RAM will not make a noticeable difference in performance (even going from 1600 MHz in the 2017 Air to 2133 MHz in the 2018 model), but if you can afford it, more RAM will always be better. On each of these models (except the 2017 Air), you can double the RAM to 16 GB for $ 200 more. This is a high price for 8GB of RAM, but since you can not upgrade it afterwards, it's something to consider, no matter what model you buy.

MacBook Air vs. MacBook vs. MacBook Pro 13 Inch: Storage

All Apple laptops offer SSD storage. So, whatever model you choose, you will get a very fast drive. The only difference is the entry-level capacity:

MacBook Air (2017): 128 GB
MacBook Air (2018): 128 GB
MacBook: 256 GB
Macbook Pro: 128 GB

Like RAM, you want to get the maximum you can afford at the time of purchase. Apple offers many upgrade options for the MacBook Air and Pro, at 1.5TB, and we strongly recommend upgrading to the 128GB version of the base models. In general, Apple charges $ 200 per additional 128 GB, but strangely, there is no SSD BTO option on the MacBook. If you want more storage, you will have to buy the Core i5 model with 512GB of storage for $ 300 more.

MacBook Air vs. MacBook vs. MacBook Pro 13 Inch: Ports

Jason Cross / IDG

Here is what separates the machines from the toys. On the MacBook, you only have one USB-C port and a headphone jack, while you have several connectivity options on the Pro:

MacBook Air (2017): Two USB 3 ports, a Thunderbolt 2, SDXC card reader, 3.5mm headphone jack
MacBook Air (2018): Two Thunderbolt 3 / USB-C jacks, 3.5mm headphone jack
MacBook: 3.5mm USB-C headphone jack (not Thunderbolt)
Macbook Pro: Two Thunderbolt 3 / USB-C jacks, 3.5mm headphone jack

Once again, the 2017 MacBook Air shows its age, with USB-A ports and a Thunderbolt port of the previous generation, as well as a MagSafe magnetic connector to the old for charging. The MacBook is also extremely low with I / O, with only a single USB-C non-Thunderbolt port to handle load and peripheral connections. So a wharf and dongles are almost indispensable if you want to do something that looks like work.

The new Air adds a second Thunderbolt USB-C port, which allows you to do two things at once, but you'll probably want to choose a hub to add additional features. You'll also get a pair of USB-C ports with the entry-level Pro, but the standard model is the Touch Bar model, with four USB-C ports, enough to connect a charger, a display, and two devices.

MacBook Air vs. MacBook vs. MacBook Pro 13 Inch: Keyboard / Trackpad

While all keyboards here are standard size with ambient light sensors for backlighting, the 2017 MacBook Air is the only model not to use the much-maligned butterfly keyboard. The 2018 MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro with touch bar use a newer third-generation version that protects against dust and dirt and reduces the sound of keys, but it's still a matter of preference. The MacBook Air also uses Apple's old trackpad, which supports gestures but not Force Touch controls.

MacBook Air vs. MacBook vs. 13-inch MacBook Pro: touch screen, touch bar and security

IDG

The entry-level MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro have a row of function keys at the top of the keyboard. If you select the eighth generation Intel Core i5 MacBook Pro, 2.3 GHz, quad-core, you will get the touch bar, which replaces the row of function keys by a narrow screen of keys that change according to the application used. .

The MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar and the new MacBook Air are equipped with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the far right of the top row of the keyboard. Like the iPhone and the iPad, it can be used to unlock your Mac, authenticate secure applications such as password managers and make purchases. The 2017 MacBook and MacBook Air do not have a fingerprint sensor.

In addition to the Touch ID, the MacBook Pro and 2018 also feature the Apple T2 Security Chip, which "allows a new level of security by including a secure enclave coprocessor that provides the foundation for your Mac." new encrypted storage and new secure boot capabilities. " store and encrypt the biometrics of your fingerprints, protecting the microphone of your MacBook from potential hackers.

MacBook Air vs MacBook vs MacBook Pro 13 inch: Battery

All small notebooks from Apple will allow you to spend a full day of work, to accomplish some tasks:

MacBook Air (2017): 54-watt battery / hour, up to 12 hours of iTunes movie playback
MacBook Air (2018): Battery 50.3 watts / hour, up to 13 hours of iTunes movie playback
MacBook: Battery 41.4 watts / hour, up to 12 hours of iTunes movie playback
Macbook Pro: Battery 54.5 watts / hour, up to 10 hours of iTunes movie playback

The battery life of Apple MacBooks depends largely on the power and efficiency of the processor. That's why the MacBook Pro, which has the largest battery in the group, is designed for minimal use. It should be noted that switching to the Touch Bar model will give you a slightly more powerful 58-watt-hour battery, but it's still designed for the same 10 hours of playback on iTunes.

MacBook Air vs. MacBook vs. MacBook Pro 13 Inch: Shopping Tips

Now that you know what is different from the smaller Apple laptops, which one should you buy? The choice is not as difficult as you think.

MacBook Air (2017): Tips for Buying

IDG

Unless you have exactly one thousand dollars to spend (plus taxes) and you have absolutely

to have a MacBook, there is no reason to buy the MacBook Air 2017. (And even them, we recommend you get a refurbished MacBook.) Even with the lowest entry price among the Apple laptops, it is still too expensive, and the only advantages it offers are superficial: the non-butterfly keyboard, the bursting Apple logo, and MagSafe magnetic connector. The list of things it does not have is much longer: USB-C, Retina display, Touch ID, Force Trackpad Touch, respectable processor. And his design really feels like eight years old.
Recommendation: Only buy it if you can get it for $ 700 or less.

MacBook Air (2018): Tips for Buying

Jason Cross / IDG

Apple's newer laptops are generally a safe buy, and the 2018 MacBook Air is no problem.

exception. While not necessarily revolutionary, this is a fantastic upgrade from the previous generation and well worth the $ 1,199 price tag. It has a beautiful design, comes in three excellent colors and is the only non-touch MacBook with a Touch ID sensor and a T2 chip.

Unfortunately, you can not upgrade the processor, but the eighth-generation Intel Core i5 dual-core dual-core processor should provide a lot of power to anyone considering this computer. The battery, storage and Retina display are also good, but if you can do that, an additional 128GB of storage space will go a long way.

Recommendation: If you want the best 13-inch Mac laptop that is not a Pro, you're there.

MacBook: Buying Tips

Roman Loyola

Unless an inch and three-quarters of a pound do not tell you anything, we can not see

any reason to recommend paying $ 100 more to get the MacBook on the new MacBook Air. The entry-level MacBook has 256GB of storage versus 128GB on the MacBook Air, making the price increase of $ 100 easier to swallow, but you'll get a slower processor, a smaller screen, a USB-C port less (and one to that), and a smaller battery. And he does not have a Touch ID.
Recommendation: Buy the MacBook if you absolutely must have the smallest and lightest MacBook.

MacBook Pro: Shopping Tips

Apple

The difference between the MacBook Pro and other MacBooks boils down to

versatility. The $ 1,299 touchscreen model has a better processor than the MacBook Air, but not too much, and has the same basic storage, RAM, ports and the same screen. The Air is lighter, thinner because of its wedge-shaped design and has better battery life. And the Touch ID sensor of the Air is only a bonus that is not available on the entry-level MacBook Pro.

But the Pro offers huge upgrade options. As with Air, you can double the RAM and add a terabyte of storage. You can also upgrade the processor, which you can not do live. And of course, there is no Touch Bar option on the airwaves either.

Recommendation: For a decent price, the MacBook Pro can be the ultimate 13-inch Mac, but if you only have a budget of $ 1,300, we would have an Air with 256GB of storage for just $ 100 more.

MacBook Air vs. MacBook vs. MacBook Pro 13 Inch: Our Overall Choice

For $ 1,199, the 2018 MacBook Air is hard to pass. It's $ 100 cheaper than MacBook and MacBook Pro, giving you room to improve storage without compromising your budget. Its design, touch sensor and T2 chip are fantastic. The only other model we recommend is the 13-inch MacBook Pro with touch bar, which starts at $ 1,799. However, you'll get even more for your money, including an Intel Core i5 quad-core processor, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, 256GB of storage, a True Tone display and four USB-C Thunderbolt ports. Unless you can get a crazy offer on a MacBook or MacBook Air 2017, these are essentially your only two options.