Best Prices Today: Apple 15-inch MacBook Air (M2, 256 GB, 2023)

The MacBook Air has always been a svelte and compact device that is lightweight and easy to carry around. And now it’s got a big screen too: Apple has introduced a MacBook Air with a 15-inch screen that’s just as thin and light as the 13-inch model and actually larger than the more-powerful 14-inch MacBook Pro. So which should you buy?

We’ll break down all the specifics here. You can also read our article comparing the 13-inch MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro as well as our best MacBook guide.

15-inch MacBook Air vs 14-inch Pro: Price

One of the most important parts of any buying decision is how much you want to spend. That’s why the 16-inch MacBook Pro has been left out of this comparison, as you could almost get two 15-inch MacBook Airs for the same money, which puts Apple’s largest laptop in a different league.

But with a $1,999 starting price, the 14-inch MacBook Pro is a little closer in price to the 15-inch Air, so let’s look at how the current models line up:

• 15-inch MacBook Air (M2, 8GB/256GB) – $1,299/£1,399/€1,599
• 15-inch MacBook Air (M2, 8GB/512GB) – $1,499/£1,599/€1,829
• 14-inch MacBook Pro (M2 Pro, 16GB/512GB) – $1,999/£2,149/€2,399
• 14-inch MacBook Pro (M2 Pro, 16GB/1TB) – $2,499/£2,699/€2,999
• 14-inch MacBook Pro (M2 Max, 32GB/1TB) – $3,099/£3,349/€3,699

As you can see, there’s still quite a disparity in the prices, but the Pro models do come with at least double the memory and storage as the respective Air (which increases the price of the AIr to $1,699/£1,799), plus a faster M2 Pro chip.

Apple also sells a 13-inch MacBook Pro, which has the same M2 chip as the 15-inch MacBook Air for $1,299, but with an older design (that includes the Touch Bar), we recommend the Air or 14-inch Pro.

15-inch MacBook Air vs 14-inch MacBook Pro: Design and specs

Apple updated the design of the MacBook Air when it launched the 13-inch MacBook Air (M2) in July 2022, retiring the tapered chassis it used since Steve Jobs introduced the Air to the world by pulling it out of an inter-office envelope. The design is very similar to the Pro model

• 15-inch MacBook Air: 0.45in x 13.40in x 9.35in, 3.3lbs; 1.15cm x 34.04cm x 23.76cm, 1.51kg
• 14-inch MacBook Pro: 0.61in x 12.31in x 8.71in, 3.5lbs; 1.55cm x 31.26cm x 22.12cm, 1.60kg

Even with a smaller screen, the Pro is a bit chunkier and heavier due to the fans needed for heat dissipation, while the Air is, unsurprisingly, wider and taller, thanks to the bigger display.

The thicker MacBook Pro features more ports. Apple fits the MacBook Air with two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, a MagSafe charging port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. On the Pro, you get an additional Thunderbolt 4/USB-C (bringing the total to three), plus MagSafe, HDMI, SDXC ports, and a headphone jack.

Both models have a Touch ID sensor built into the keyboard, 1080p FaceTime HD cameras, and six-speaker arrays (the 13-inch Air only has a four-speaker sound system). The sound on the MacBook Pro is described by Apple as “High Fidelity”, by which we assume Apple is indicating it is superior to the Air. Connectivity is via Bluetooth 5.3 and while the Air supports Wi-Fi 6, the Pro tips the balance with Wi-Fi 6E.

15-inch MacBook Air vs 14-inch MacBook Pro: Display

The 15-inch MacBook Air has a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, while the Pro comes with a 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR panel. The screen on the Air is a bit bigger, but it’s not as good as the screen on the MacBook Pro.

The Air’s display runs at a resolution of 2,880 x 1,864 with a top refresh rate of 60Hz. Its maximum brightness is 500 nits, which is half of the Pro’s 1,000 nits in normal use or a third if you’re running HDR content at a max of 1,600 nits. This is achieved by the Pro display incorporating mini-LEDs rather than the Air’s standard LCD screen.

Perhaps the biggest difference though is that the Pro features ProMotion, meaning that the refresh rate tops out at 120Hz, again double that of the Air. This helps keep scrolling and animations smooth and crisp. Either display will be great for everyday use and long hours of work, but the Pro definitely has the edge when it comes to features.

15-inch MacBook Air vs 14-inch MacBook Pro: Performance and battery

The new 15-inch MacBook Air features the same M2 chip in the 13-inch MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro, while the 14-inch MacBook Pro comes with either the M2 Pro or the M2 Max. However, while the base model of the 13-inch Air has an 8-core GPU, the 15-inch MacBook Air has a full 10-core GPU as well as an 8-core CPU.

As the name suggests, the baseline M2 Pro brings more power, with a 10-core CPU and a 16-core or 19-core GPU. You can also upgrade to the M2 Max chip with a 12-core CPU and 30-core or 38-core GPU.

The standard M2 is a very capable chip, which can handle most things you’ll throw at it, including light photo and video editing. But if those are your main intended uses for your MacBook then we think the extra power in the Pro or Max chip would be the better solution. Otherwise, the M2 will be more than sufficient for a few years to come.

You don’t have to consider battery life in this race, as Apple states that both are capable of 18 hours of use from a single charge, which should get you through even the busiest of working days.

15-inch MacBook Air vs 14-inch MacBook Pro: Verdict

The fact that both devices have similar looks and sizes makes it easier to decide which one to get, as it all comes down to price, screen size, and power. If you’re in the market for an everyday laptop for writing documents, creating presentations, working on spreadsheets, some light gaming, and plenty of streaming video, the 15-inch MacBook Air is a fantastic choice. Compared to the MacBook Pro, you get a slightly lighter laptop with a larger display at a much lower price.

Those who require the brightest, smoothest display, extra ports, and even more power will inevitably find the siren song of the 14-inch MacBook Pro too hard to resist. It’s a production powerhouse built for video editing, code creation, and gaming, that’s able to handle all the extreme demands of those activities. It’s called a Pro for a reason.

Most people who need a MacBook Pro probably aren’t reading this article—they know who they are. But for the rest of us, the 15-inch MacBook AIr is Apple’s best value in a laptop and the only one to buy.

MacBook

Best Prices Today: Apple 15-inch MacBook Air (M2, 2023)

The MacBook Air has traditionally been a svelte and compact device that is lightweight and easy to carry around. Apple has pushed the boundaries of this now with the introduction of the new 15-inch MacBook Air. With dimensions similar to that of the more powerful 14-inch MacBook Pro, which one offers the better deal and is the one you should buy?

For more help deciding which Mac laptop to buy read MacBook Air vs 13-inch MacBook Pro, and our Best MacBook guide.

15-inch MacBook Air vs 14-inch Pro: Price

One of the most important parts of any buying decision is how much you want to spend. That’s why the 16-inch MacBook Pro has been left out of this comparison, as you could almost get two 15-inch MacBook Airs for the same money, which puts the Pro in a different league in terms of cost.

There is a 13-inch MacBook Pro, which has the same M2 chip as the new 15-inch Air, and comes in closer to the asking price, but if it’s a bigger display you’re after then we think this might be too small.

So, that leaves the 15-inch MacBook Air and 14-inch MacBook Pro to fight it out.

Here’s how the current models line up:

• 15-inch MacBook Air (M2, 8GB/256GB) – $1,299/£1,399/€1,599
• 15-inch MacBook Air (M2, 8GB/512GB) – $1,499/£1,599/€1,829
• 14-inch MacBook Pro (M2 Pro, 16GB/512GB) – $1,999/£2,149/€2,399
• 14-inch MacBook Pro (M2 Pro, 16GB/1TB) – $2,499/£2,699/€2,999
• 14-inch MacBook Pro (M2 Max, 32GB/1TB) – $3,099/£3,349/€3,699

As you can see, there’s still quite a disparity in the prices, but the Pro models do come with at least double the memory and storage as the respective Air, plus the M2 Pro chip rather than the standard, but still excellent, M2 chip you’ll find in the new 15-inch MacBook Air.

Of course, you can upgrade components on the Apple site when buying, meaning you could configure the Air to match the memory and storage specs or even surpass those of the Pro, so long as you have the cash. At the time of writing, upgrading to 16GB/512GB would set you back $400/£400/€460, leaving the baseline model still a bit cheaper than the Pro, albeit without the M2 Pro chip.

The one thing you can’t do is add a M2 Pro to a MacBook Air, let alone an M2 Max.

15-inch MacBook Air vs 14-inch Pro: Design

Apple updated the design of the MacBook Air when it launched the 13-inch MacBook Air (M2) in July 2022, losing the tapered chassis that had been there pretty much since the time Steve Jobs pulled the first model out of an envelope and introduced the Air to the world.

This makes more room for components inside, but does mean that the Air and Pro have very similar looks and dimensions.

• 15-inch MacBook Air – 0.45in x 13.40in x 9.35in; 3.3lbs (or 1.15cm x 34.04cm x 23.76cm; 1.51kg)
• 14-inch MacBook Pro – 0.61in x 12.31in x 8.71in; 3.5lbs (or 1.55cm x 31.26cm x 22.12cm; 1.60kg)

Yes, the Pro is a bit chunkier and heavier, but there’s not much in it. The Air is, unsurprisingly, wider and taller, thanks to the bigger display.

The thicker MacBook Pro features more ports. Apple fits the MacBook Air with two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports, a MagSafe charging port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. On the Pro you get an additional Thunderbolt 4/USB-C (bringing the total to three), plus MagSafe, HDMI, SDXC ports and the headphone jack.

Both the MacBook Pro and Air come with Touch ID, 1080p FaceTime HD cameras, and six speaker arrays (the 13-inch Air only has a four speaker sound system). The sound on the MacBook Pro is described by Apple as “High Fidelity”, by which we assume Apple is indicating it is superior to the Air. Connectivity is via Bluetooth 5.3 and while the Air supports Wi-Fi 6, the Pro tips the balance with Wi-Fi 6E.

15-inch MacBook Air vs 14-inch Pro: Displays

You get a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display in the Air, while the Pro comes with a 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR panel. The screen on the Air might be bigger, but it’s not as good as the screen on the MacBook Pro.

The Air display runs at a resolution of 2,880 x 1,864 with a top refresh rate of 60Hz. Its maximum brightness is 500nits, which is half of the Pro’s 100 nits (or a third if you use the HDR mode at 1,600 nits). This is achieved by the Pro display incorporating mini-LEDs rather than the LCD of the Air.

Perhaps the biggest difference though is that the Pro features Pro-Motion, meaning that the refresh rate tops out at 120Hz, again double that of the Air. If you scroll through pages and content a lot, then the super-smooth Pro display will be a joy.

Either panel will be great for everyday use, but in this area the Pro definitely has the edge.

15-inch MacBook Air vs 14-inch Pro: Performance

The new 15-inch MacBook Air features Apple’s M2 chip, as previously seen in the 13-inch MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro, while the 14-inch MacBook Pro comes with either the M2 Pro or the M2 Max.

Inside the M2 chip there are 8 cores in the CPU, plus a 10-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine, all of which makes short work of most challenging tasks.

As the name suggests, the baseline M2 Pro improves on this with a 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. If you go up to the more expensive M2 Pro then the specs increase to a 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU, and the M2 Max lives up to its title by offering a 12-core CPU and either a 30-core or 38-core GPU.

The standard M2 is a very capable chip, which can handle most things you’ll throw at it, including photo and video-editing. But if those are your main intended uses for your MacBook then we think the extra power in the Pro chips would be the better solution. Otherwise, the M2 will be more than sufficient for a few years to come.

You don’t have to consider battery life in this race, as Apple states that both are capable of 18-hours of use from a single charge, which should get you through even the busiest of working days.

Should you buy the 14-inch MacBook Pro or 15-inch MacBook Air?

The fact that both devices have similar looks and sizes makes it easier to decide which one to get, as it all comes down to price, screen size and power. If you’re in the market for an everyday laptop for writing documents, creating presentations, working on spreadsheets, some light gaming and plenty of online streaming, and find 13-inch screens a tad too small, then the 15-inch MacBook Air is the one we’d recommend. You get a slightly lighter but larger frame, with a larger display and at a much lower price.

Those who require the brightest, smoothest display, extra ports and even more power will inevitably find the siren song of the 14-inch MacBook Pro too hard to resist. It’s a production powerhouse built for video-editing, code creation and gaming, that’s able to handle all the extreme demands of those activities. It’s called a Pro for a reason.

So, once you’ve decided how you intend to use your MacBook, the choice should be straightforward. Either way, you’ll be getting a great machine.

MacBook

When I bought my first iPad at the Apple Store on Regent Street, when it hadn’t yet been released in my home country of Sweden, it seemed an almost magical device. The screen, which at that point offered neither ProMotion nor even a high resolution, nevertheless felt like a window into a digital world. But best of all was the battery life and especially the amazing standby time, which was superior to just about all the alternatives.

Today? Not so much.

What the heck happened? If I pick up my iPad Pro after leaving it unused for a few days, chances are the battery will be somewhere around 30% at best, or zero at worst. After the same amount of time, my MacBook is ready with a more or less fully charged battery.

Last time I checked, the two devices had the same type of processor, drawn from Apple’s M-series. Their processors are very powerful while being incredibly energy-efficient–yet the latter only seems to apply when it’s in a MacBook. Of course, it’s possible to squeeze a larger battery into that machine’s chassis, but this isn’t enough to explain the disparity: the iPad Pro has gone from best in class to class clown. Not too many years ago the charge lasted for weeks of standby, but that’s dropped to barely one. Battery life in general seems to have deteriorated too: after an hour of use, an alarming amount of charge has been consumed.

It’s not just me, by the way. Two colleagues have complained of exactly the same phenomenon, and there are plenty of threads online to back us up: just glance at the MacRumors forum or Reddit. The iPad Pro specifically seems to be the worst affected by this decline. One M2 Pro owner on the Apple discussions forum complains of “awful battery life” and claims their iPhone 14 Pro Max lasts three times as long. “This whole ordeal makes me regret buying this thing,” they lament. Another M2 Pro owner, this time on Reddit, describes “insanely bad battery life” and claims watching YouTube on the tablet for just half an hour drained roughly 20 percent of the battery.

Apple hasn’t addressed any of these concerns and I fear the rumors of a 14-inch model with an M3 Pro processor will only make things worse. What good is all that screen and speed if you’re constantly worried about it running out of power?

Has Apple’s attempt to turn the iPad Pro into a laptop replacement ruined a product whose battery life used to be unbeatable? The question then becomes: Was it worth it? I still haven’t met anyone who uses the iPad exclusively as their primary work machine. When I tried it myself during an Apple event last year, it was an extremely frustrating and limiting experience. It’s not like compromising on battery life has turned the iPad Pro into a wildly successful work machine.

Apple, it’s time to stop trying to get the tablet replace the laptop and let the iPad be what the iPad should be: A in-between device with a great display and fantastic battery life.

This article originally appeared on Macworld Sweden. It was translated and edited by David Price.

Apple, iPad