With the MacBook Air and MacBook Professional, Apple gives commonplace configurations to make it straightforward to choose a laptop computer. They appear easy, however should you begin to consider all of the stuff you do on a Mac–whether or not you’re a scholar or knowledgeable–you can begin to marvel about which mannequin to decide on and perhaps even discover it troublesome to determine.
It’s a choice you don’t wish to take frivolously. You’re investing a substantial amount of cash, and also you don’t wish to find yourself with a Mac that isn’t as much as the duty or a Mac that has greater than you want.
This information was created to assist customers work out what to search for when shopping for a MacBook. We’ll cowl the primary elements it is advisable to contemplate: the CPU, the GPU, the quantity of unified reminiscence (RAM), the SSD, the show, the battery, and the ports. We’ll go over what your use case could also be, and which part configurations would work finest that can assist you get essentially the most bang on your buck.
The M System on a Chip overview: CPU, GPU, unified reminiscence, SSD
Let’s first begin with a short overview of the center of each Mac: the M System on a Chip. It’s known as a System on a Chip (SoC, or simply “chip”) as a result of, in contrast to previous chips, it has greater than only a CPU that does the primary job of processing work. It additionally homes the graphics processors (GPUs), the unified reminiscence (a mix of CPU and GPU RAM), and the SSD for file storage. Previously, these have been all separate elements.
Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (M3, 256GB/16GB RAM, 2024)
Value When Reviewed:
$1,099
Apple 15-inch MacBook Air (M3, 256GB/16GB RAM, 2024)
Value When Reviewed:
$1,299
A profit of getting all these elements underneath one unified half is that it helps with efficiency and energy effectivity. A downside is that the consumer can’t improve the elements after buy. So, it’s much more necessary than earlier than to fastidiously contemplate the specs you want for what you do.
CPU: Processing cores and what number of you must get
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the primary knowledge processing part and is split into processing cores. There are two sorts of cores, which Apple divides into efficiency and effectivity cores. Typically, the extra cores in a CPU, the sooner the processing velocity.
Apple at present gives 5 CPU fashions in its MacBooks: the M2, M3, M4, M4 Professional, and M4 Max. The M2 and M3 has the bottom CPU core depend, whereas the M4 Max has the very best. Which one is best for you? Let’s break it down based mostly on duties.
- M2 (8-core CPU with 4 efficiency and 4 effectivity cores): an excellent chip for on a regular basis utilization and may deal with duties in media enhancing apps.
- M3 (8-core CPU with 4 efficiency and 4 effectivity cores): you do the standard on a regular basis duties and work, which incorporates internet searching, gentle productiveness apps (Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Microsoft Workplace), media streaming, gentle gaming, straightforward media manufacturing (iMovie, GarageBand).
- M4 (10-core CPU with 4 efficiency and 6 effectivity cores): lots just like the M3, however a bit sooner.
- M4 Professional (12- or 14-core CPU with 8 or 10 efficiency cores and 4 effectivity cores): you’re recurrently performing work that’s a bit extra in-depth, similar to advanced Excel spreadsheets, multi-layer picture enhancing, and creation in Photoshop or different graphics apps, manufacturing of video and audio shorts, databases, severe gaming.
- M4 Max (14- or 16-core CPU with 10 or 12 efficiency cores and 4 effectivity cores): you make a residing as a media producer (Ultimate Reduce Professional, Logic Professional, Autodesk Maya, and so on.), software program developer, or every other work that requires multitasking and lengthy hours with heavy work.
Needless to say the bottom M4 is powerful sufficient to deal with the duties that the M4 Max is designed for–it simply takes longer to complete. In the event you solely sometimes have to do these high-end jobs otherwise you’re studying the way to do them, you possibly can reside with the M4.
The M3 and M3 chips supply totally different CPU, GPU, reminiscence, and SSD configurations.
Macworld.se
GPU: Graphics processing energy
The GPU (graphics processing unit) is primarily used for rendering graphics and video on the display screen. Nonetheless, as a result of GPUs supply parallel processing, a GPU can be utilized for different jobs, together with AI, although the NPU (which is identical throughout all MacBooks) handles a lot of that workload.
As with the CPU, the GPU has processing cores, and the extra cores, the higher the efficiency. Apple companions the rise of CPU cores together with the rise of GPU cores, so that you don’t have to fret about, say, getting a M3 Professional chip with not sufficient CPU cores. Which one is best for you? Let’s break it down based mostly on duties.
- M2 (8-core CPU): able to on a regular basis duties and informal video games.
- M3 (8- or 10-core GPU): common duties and on a regular basis work, media streaming, straightforward media manufacturing, gentle gaming.
- M4 (10-core GPU): just like the M3, common duties and on a regular basis work, media streaming, straightforward media manufacturing, gentle gaming.
- M4 Professional (16- or 20-core GPU): reasonable to severe media manufacturing and gaming.
- M4 Max (32- or 40-core GPU): professional-level media manufacturing and hard-core gaming.
Apple 14-inch MacBook Professional (M4 Professional)
Value When Reviewed:
$1,999 | $2,399
14-inch MacBook Professional (M4 Max)
Value When Reviewed:
$3,199
Unified reminiscence: Extra RAM is at all times higher
Apple’s M chips use unified reminiscence, which is the place the chip reads and writes the information it’s engaged on. It’s known as “unified reminiscence” as a result of it’s utilized by each the CPU and GPU. It’s also known as RAM (random entry reminiscence). (Historically, “RAM” referred to the reminiscence utilized by the CPU solely, and the GPU used video RAM or VRAM).
Every M-series chip comes with a regular configuration of unified reminiscence. Listed here are the usual reminiscence configurations Apple gives and the place you could wish to improve.
- 16GB: Adequate should you’re doing common productiveness work, web entry media streaming, and simple media manufacturing.
- 24GB or 32GB: Good quantity for reasonable media manufacturing, graphic work, podcasting, and gaming. Even for individuals who don’t do processor-intensive work, it is a higher match.
- Above 32GB: Skilled-level graphics and media manufacturing, software program improvement, hardcore gaming.
Keep in mind, you possibly can’t add RAM later, so ensure you contemplate spending a little bit extra to customise your Mac at buy. For instance, the M3’s commonplace configuration is 16GB, however an possibility for 24GB is out there for $200. It’s not low-cost, however we advocate getting as a lot reminiscence as you possibly can afford. You possibly can’t go mistaken with choosing extra reminiscence than the usual configuration–it helps with efficiency.
When Apple initially launched the MacBook Air in March 2024, the usual configurations got here with 8GB of RAM. When Apple launched the M4 collection of MacBook Professional in October 2024, it elevated the bottom commonplace configuration to 16GB. The MacBook Air additionally acquired the enhance with no worth enhance. So, now all MacBooks have a minimal of 16GB of RAM with some commonplace configurations which have extra.
SSD: file storage
The Mac makes use of a solid-state drive (SSD) to retailer your recordsdata, apps, and different knowledge. However along with knowledge storage, the SSD can play a task in a Mac’s efficiency. The bigger the capability, the higher the efficiency, largely in cases that contain very giant recordsdata.
The upper the SSD capability, the extra NAND chips Apple makes use of. The extra chips in use, the sooner the efficiency, as a result of the information could be accessed in parallel. For instance, a 10GB file saved over 4 SSD chips is quicker than the identical file saved over two SSD chips. For smaller recordsdata utilized by most individuals, the distinction continues to be there however isn’t noticeable.
So there are two concerns for the SSD dimension: How a lot room you want, and the way large are the recordsdata you create. With that in thoughts, listed here are some suggestions.
- 256GB: Common productiveness work, web entry media streaming, and simple media manufacturing.
- 512GB: Frequent work in iMovie, GarageBand, and different consumer-level media manufacturing apps.
- 1TB or extra: Skilled media manufacturing in apps similar to Ultimate Reduce Professional, Logic Professional, Compressor, and so on., software program improvement, graphics.
These concerns don’t contain pictures that may accumulate shortly and take up plenty of house or the Pictures app. In the event you like having native entry to your pictures, contemplate an exterior storage gadget.
This additionally doesn’t contemplate cloud storage, similar to iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, and different companies. You don’t wish to work instantly on recordsdata in cloud storage as a result of it’s not an environment friendly option to work. However cloud storage is a viable option to handle the house on an SSD–you possibly can transfer recordsdata you gained’t want instantly to the cloud.
The MacBook Air (left) has an LED show,. whereas the MacBook Professional (proper) has a Mini LED display screen.
Foundry
Show: Seems to be are all the things
Apple makes use of totally different show expertise for the MacBook Air and MacBook Professional. The Air makes use of a tech that’s extra inexpensive to implement, and it seems good, nevertheless it doesn’t look nearly as good because the tech used for the MacBook Professional. In fact, you’ll pay extra for the higher Professional high quality. Listed here are the 2 show applied sciences and who they’re fitted to.
- LED (MacBook Air): Common-purpose use, however it will possibly additionally deal with consumer-level video and picture enhancing that you’d do in apps similar to Pictures, Adobe Photoshop Components, iMovie, and so on. Additionally good for steaming movies from YouTube, Apple TV+, Netflix, and so on., and reasonable gaming.
- Mini LED (MacBook Professional): Severe video and picture enhancing and graphics work in pro-level apps (Ultimate Reduce Professional, Adobe Photoshop, and so on.) the place colour and element are necessary.
Apple 16-inch MacBook Professional (M4 Max)
Value When Reviewed:
$3,499 | $3,999
Battery life: All-day work
The MacBooks supply glorious battery life that may final all day lengthy. Nonetheless, the totally different chips have an effect on the period as a result of a chip that provides extra processing prowess requires extra battery energy. There are additionally a lot of concerns to consider relating to your particular use case. Right here’s a take a look at how the totally different MacBooks examine and our suggestions.
- M3 MacBook Air: Apple cites the identical battery life numbers for each the 13- and 15-inch fashions since each laptops have a 52.6-watt-hour battery (as much as 18 hours), although you’ll most likely get a little bit extra battery with the 13-inch mannequin because of the smaller display screen. Both means, that’s the battery is lengthy sufficient to final an entire day doing general-purpose work, entry the web, and work in Pages, Keynote, or Microsoft Workplace. You possibly can even do gentle media work in iMovie or GarageBand, however heavier jobs will tax the battery.
- M4, M4 Professional/Max MacBook Professional: The 14-inch MacBook Professional has a 72.4-watt-hour battery; the M4 can last as long as 24 hours, whereas the M4 Professional/Max lasts as much as 22/18 hours. The 16-inch MacBook Professional is rated at 100-watt-hours, and the M4 Professional can last as long as 24 hours, whereas the M4 Max lasts 21 hours.
Because the Professional laptops are larger than the Air, the battery is larger. In the event you’re doing production-type work whereas on location and you’ll’t plug in, the Professional is the one to get, even when it’s larger/heavier than the Air.
Ports: Making connections
All of Apple’s MacBooks have Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, a MagSafe port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. However that’s the place the commonality ends. Right here’s what it is advisable to know.
- MacBook Air: Two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports. That’s as a result of the Air is supposed to serve primarily as a journey buddy in conditions if you aren’t connecting too many units–perhaps an exterior Thunderbolt/USB-C show for displays, or a drive to save lots of/switch recordsdata. The Thunderbolt ports conform to the Thunderbolt 3 specification, and whereas its quick, it’s the slowest of the MacBooks.
- MacBook Professional: As a cell desktop gadget, the MacBook Professionals have an HDMI port for connecting an exterior show and an SDXC Card slot for file transfers from a digicam or different gadget. All MacBook Professional fashions have three Thunderbolt/USB-C ports. Nonetheless, laptops with the M4 chip have the Thunderbolt 4 implementation, whereas the M4 Professional and M4 Max chips assist Thunderbolt 5, which is the quickest specification.
The MacBook Professional has an SDXC Card slot (far left) and HDMI port (far proper), which aren’t on the MacBook Air.
Foundry
For extra info, try the next guides:
Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (M2, 256GB/16GB RAM)
Value When Reviewed:
$999
