MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro: All the 2023 MacBooks explained

So you’re ready to get a MacBook Air. Or is it a MacBook Pro? I get it; you’re not sure yet.

You know you want a MacBook, but you’re scratching your head about whether you should snag an Air — or shell out a little more cash for a Pro.

The 15-inch MacBook Air
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

With Apple introducing the new 14-inch MacBook Pro models — all sporting an M3, M3 Pro or M3 Max chip — you may be wondering whether you should get the newest kids on the block. Fortunately, this MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro guide is designed to dispel your confusion.

MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro 2023

The MacBook Air is known for its ultra-light, fanless design, so if you’re a frequent traveler, and you want your laptop to slip into your travel bag like a manilla folder, the Air line is for you. If you don’t mind a pricier, heftier laptop with beastly internals that handle grueling workloads, consider the MacBook Pro.

However, there are more factors to consider with the Air and Pro lines aside from their weight and chipset power.

15-inch M2 MacBook Air (2023)

15-inch M2 MacBook Air price and specs
Credit: Mashable / Rapid Tables

The 15-inch MacBook Air, packed with the M2 chip, excited MacBook fans because, for once, consumers could buy a MacBook Air with a large display. Before the launch of the 15-inch MacBook Air, you’d have to either settle for a small-screen Air or snag a Pro model with a larger display, which required shelling out the big bucks.

The 15-inch M2 MacBook Air.
Credit: Apple

I own a 15-inch M2 MacBook Air myself, and it’s a beauty, but you should know the following before buying.

Why you should not buy a 15-inch M2 MacBook Air

• Rumor has it that this 15-inch MacBook Air was supposed to have an M3 chip, but due to production issues, Apple changed its plans and packed the MacBook Air with the M2 chip.

• The M2 chip is more than a year old. It first launched in July 2022. However, it is the “newest” chip you can find inside a MacBook Air.

• A new M3 MacBook Air may be coming by summer of next year; we could see it revealed at Apple’s WWDC 2024 event in June. It may be worth it to wait.

• The chassis attracts fingerprints.

• You have heavy workloads (e.g., 3D modeling and high-res video editing). You’re better off with the Pro. The MacBook Air has a fanless design, so it’s best for less-intensive workflows.

• No HDMI port nor SD card slot

• Brightness only climbs to 500 nits (Pro models can jump to up to 1,600 nits)

15-inch M2 MacBook Air
Credit: Apple

Why you should buy the 15-inch MacBook Air

• You’re a student.

• It’s the cheapest 2023 MacBook you can get.

• It’s thin-and-light with a slimness of 0.45-inches and a weight of just 3.3 pounds.

• The M2 chip is more than enough to satisfy your workflow needs, as long as you’re not doing anything that pushes it to its limit (e.g., running several Adobe apps at the same time)

• Sturdy, solid build quality with an anodized aluminum chassis

• Great battery life! According to Mashable’s testing, it lasted 19 hours and 4 minutes.

• Speakers sound divine, though not as great as the Pro models, which have higher-fidelity sound

14-inch M3 MacBook Pro (2023)

14-inch M3 MacBook Pro chart
Credit: Mashable / Rapid Tables

The new 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro is not to be confused with the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro chip.

The new MacBook Pro Apple revealed at its “Scary Fast” event.
Credit: Apple

The M3 chip, compared to the M3 Pro chip, is less zippy, but it has an incredible multi-core score of 12,111 on the Geekbench 6 test, which analyzes CPU prowess. Compare this to the M2 chip inside the 15-inch MacBook Air, which only delivered a score of 9,744.

Why you should not buy the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro

• The $1,600 price tag is shocking to you. If you don’t have a demanding workflow, you’ll be fine with the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air.

• You want more color options. This variant only offers Space Gray and Silver. The 15-inch M2 MacBook Air offers those two colors, plus Starlight and Midnight (I personally love Midnight).

• You prioritize the idea of having a lighter laptop. All 2023 MacBook Pros weigh around 3.5 pounds and have a slimness of 0.61 inches.

• It only has two USB-C ports and you can only connect one display at a time (The M3 Pro/M3 Max versions have 3 ports and can connect at least two external monitors.)

14-inch M3 MacBook Pro
Credit: Apple

Why you should buy the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro

• Eye-catching, 120Hz, mini-LED display

• It replaced the awkward 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro, so to put it succinctly, 13-inch variants of the MacBook Pro are now dead. It’s all 14-inches or better from here on out.

• The entry-level MacBook Pro no longer comes with the controversial Touch Bar.

• It’s the most affordable MacBook Pro you can get with a starting price of $1,600.

• As mentioned, the M3 chip is super fast. It’s 60% faster than the M1 MacBook Pro, particularly when it comes to rendering via Final Cut Pro.

• According to Apple, the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro is rated to have 22 hours of battery life.

M3 Pro, M3 Max 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro (2023)

M3 Pro/M3 Max 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro chart
Credit: Apple / Rapid Charts

Now, we’re getting into the most luxe 2023 MacBook Pro models Apple has to offer.

M3 Pro/M3 Max MacBook Pro
Credit: Apple

The power of these bad boys is mind-blowing. If you have a monstrous workload, and you need storage and memory space that rivals the expanse of our galaxy, the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips, stuffed inside 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, are best for you. For the uninitiated, the M3 Max is more powerful than the M3 Pro.

Why you should not buy the M3 Pro/M3 Max MacBook Pro

• This machine is ideal for professionals, including machine-learning programmers, 3D artists, and pro video editors, who need all the power and space they can get for their complex projects. If you don’t fall into this category, consider the M3 14-inch MacBook Pro.

• It’s rated to have less battery life than the M3 MacBook Pro (18 hours), according to Apple.

Why you should buy the 14-inch M3 Pro/M3 Max MacBook Pro

• It has one more USB-C port for a total of three compared to the entry-level M3 MacBook Pro.

• Unlike the M3 MacBook Pro, M3 Pro/M3 Max models support at least two external monitors (M3 Pro) and up to four displays (M3 Max).

• You can only get the Space Black color in the M3 Pro and M3 Max models. Space Black is a highly sought-after hue. And it’s not just because of its rich, inky color. Its greatest selling point is that it doesn’t attract fingerprints. (Many of the other non-M3 Pro/M3 Max models do attract fingerprints.)

• You can get up to a whopping 8TB of storage and 128GB of RAM (with M3 Max). You’ll never run out of space in this lifetime.

Final thoughts

The average user should be fine with the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air, but if you’re a casual photo editor or video editor, you’ll be better off upgrading to the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro.

If you’re a professional who works with several external displays, and you need expansive storage and memory, the M3 Pro and M3 Max models are best for you. Plus, you’ll get to snag the Space Black model, which uses a fancy-schmancy anodization seal that keeps fingerprint smudges at bay.