Don't Choose WRONG! MacBook Pro M4 Vs MacBook Air M3!

Summary

In this comparison review, the host examines the key differences between the baseline MacBook Air with M3 and the MacBook Pro with M4, focusing on design, performance, display, and user experience. The MacBook Air is lighter, thinner, and more affordable, while the MacBook Pro offers a more powerful M4 chip, a brighter mini-LED display, and additional ports. The MacBook Air is perfect for casual use, but the MacBook Pro is designed for professionals needing power for multitasking and demanding applications. Battery life, storage, and RAM upgrades are also discussed, providing insights for potential buyers based on their needs.

Takeaways

• 😀 The MacBook Air is designed to be lightweight and portable, while the MacBook Pro, with the M4 chip, is aimed at more powerful tasks and pro users.
• 😀 The MacBook Air has a 13.6-inch display, while the MacBook Pro offers a larger 14.2-inch display, providing a more immersive experience.
• 😀 The MacBook Air is available in more colors (Starlight, Midnight, Silver, Space Gray) compared to the MacBook Pro, which comes in Space Black and Silver.
• 😀 The MacBook Pro has a wider range of ports, including 3 USB-C ports, an HDMI port, an SD card slot, and a 3.5mm audio jack, compared to the MacBook Air's two USB-C ports.
• 😀 The MacBook Pro features a 6-speaker setup for clearer, more powerful sound, whereas the MacBook Air has 4 speakers with a more limited sound output.
• 😀 The MacBook Pro offers a superior display with a mini-LED screen that reaches 1000 nits of brightness, compared to the MacBook Air's 60Hz Retina LED display.
• 😀 The MacBook Pro’s M4 chip provides 20-25% better performance than the M3 chip in the MacBook Air, making it more suitable for demanding tasks.
• 😀 The MacBook Air is fanless, which makes it silent during use, whereas the MacBook Pro has a fan for better cooling during heavy use, reducing throttling.
• 😀 The MacBook Air offers up to 18 hours of battery life, while the MacBook Pro can last up to 24 hours on a single charge.
• 😀 The MacBook Air has a base storage of 256 GB, which may feel limited, while the MacBook Pro starts with 512 GB of storage, offering more space for pro users.
• 😀 The MacBook Air is ideal for everyday tasks like web browsing and word processing, while the MacBook Pro is better for tasks like coding, 3D development, and media editing.

Q & A

What is the main difference in design between the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro?

The MacBook Air is designed to be lightweight and thinner, making it more portable, while the MacBook Pro is designed to be a more powerful, yet still relatively lightweight, machine. The MacBook Air weighs 1.24 kg and is thinner, while the MacBook Pro weighs 1.55 kg and is thicker.

What display technology does the MacBook Air use compared to the MacBook Pro?

The MacBook Air uses a Retina LED display, which has been around since 2012 and is good for everyday tasks. The MacBook Pro, on the other hand, features a more advanced mini-LED display that is much brighter, offering up to 1,000 nits of standard brightness, and is better for professional tasks like photo editing and video work.

How does the MacBook Pro's performance compare to the MacBook Air's?

The MacBook Pro with the M4 chip is significantly more powerful than the MacBook Air with the M3 chip, with a 20-25% increase in performance. The MacBook Pro excels in tasks like 3D development and multitasking with professional apps, whereas the MacBook Air is suitable for everyday tasks like email, word processing, and light web browsing.

What are the RAM differences between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro?

The MacBook Air has a baseline of 16 GB of RAM, which was an upgrade in the M3 version. The MacBook Pro also starts with 16 GB of RAM but offers options for 24 GB or 32 GB of RAM, making it better suited for more demanding applications and multitasking.

How does the battery life compare between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro?

The MacBook Air offers up to 18 hours of battery life, while the MacBook Pro provides up to 24 hours. The difference is due to the larger battery in the MacBook Pro and the more efficient M4 chip, which offers better battery management.

What are the key differences in ports between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro?

The MacBook Air has two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports and a MagSafe 3 port. The MacBook Pro has three USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, an SD card slot, an HDMI port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The additional ports on the MacBook Pro provide more flexibility for professionals who need to connect external devices.

What is the significance of the fan in the MacBook Pro?

The MacBook Pro includes a fan, which allows it to handle more intensive tasks like multitasking and professional applications without overheating. The fan helps keep the MacBook Pro cool under load, making it suitable for more demanding work, whereas the MacBook Air relies on passive cooling without a fan.

What is the advantage of having an SD card slot in the MacBook Pro?

The SD card slot in the MacBook Pro is useful for photographers, videographers, and other creatives who need to transfer data from their cameras directly to their MacBook. This feature is not available on the MacBook Air, as it is targeted at users who do not need such professional-grade features.

How does storage capacity differ between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro?

The MacBook Air starts with 256 GB of storage, which might be limiting for some users, especially for those working with large files. The MacBook Pro starts with 512 GB of storage and can be configured up to 2 TB. However, storage upgrades are expensive for both models.

What is the most suitable MacBook for university students studying non-technical subjects?

For students studying non-technical subjects like law or business, the MacBook Air is the more suitable choice. It provides all the power necessary for tasks like taking notes, reading documents, and attending virtual lectures, while being more affordable and portable than the MacBook Pro.