Comparison
MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Which Mac Laptop Should You Buy?
The MacBook Air (M4) is the right Mac for most people: light, silent and fast, with up to 18 hours of video streaming. The MacBook Pro is worth it for its 120Hz XDR screen, fan for sustained work, HDMI and SD ports and longer battery life.
Buy the MacBook Air (M4) if you want a light, silent laptop for school, work, browsing, photos and light video editing. Buy the MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4) if you want a 120Hz Liquid Retina XDR screen, a fan for long heavy tasks, HDMI and an SD card slot, six speakers and up to 24 hours of video streaming.
You edit video, code or render for long stretches
You want the 120Hz XDR screen for HDR and photo work
You need HDMI and an SD card slot
You want the longest battery life and better speakers
You want the lightest, quietest Mac laptop
You do school, office work, browsing and photo edits
You want a 15-inch screen without the Pro weight
Skip both if: you only browse, stream and write. An older MacBook Air (M2) saves more.
The short version
The MacBook Air (M4, 2025) and the 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4, 2024) both use Apple's M4 chip with a 10-core CPU, start at 16GB of unified memory, have a 12MP Center Stage camera, MagSafe charging, Thunderbolt 4 ports and support Apple Intelligence.
The Air is built to be light and silent. It weighs 1.24 kg in the 13-inch size, has no fan and comes in 13-inch and 15-inch sizes. The Pro is built to work hard. It has a 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR screen with ProMotion up to 120Hz, a fan, three Thunderbolt ports plus HDMI and SD, a six-speaker system and longer battery life. It weighs 1.55 kg.
What's different
See every spec side by side
| MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) | MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4) | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | March 2025 | November 2024 |
| Screen | 13.6" Liquid Retina, 2560 x 1664 | 14.2" Liquid Retina XDR, 3024 x 1964 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | ProMotion up to 120Hz |
| Brightness | 500 nits | 1000 nits SDR outdoor, 1600 nits peak HDR |
| Nano-texture option | No | Yes |
| Chip | M4, 10-core CPU, 8- or 10-core GPU | M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU |
| Memory | 16GB (24GB or 32GB options) | 16GB or 24GB (32GB option) |
| Storage | 256GB to 2TB | 512GB to 2TB |
| Cooling | Fanless | Fan |
| Battery | Up to 18 hours video streaming, 15 hours web | Up to 24 hours video streaming, 16 hours web |
| Ports | 2 Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3, headphone jack | 3 Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3, headphone jack |
| External displays | Up to two | Up to two |
| Speakers | Four speakers | Six speakers with force-cancelling woofers |
| Camera | 12MP Center Stage | 12MP Center Stage |
| Thickness | 1.13 cm | 1.55 cm |
| Weight | 1.24 kg | 1.55 kg |
| Apple Intelligence | Yes | Yes |
| Refurbished price | From $1,049.00 | From $1,749.00 |
Screen
The MacBook Pro screen is the biggest upgrade.
Read more
Its Liquid Retina XDR display uses mini-LED backlighting, reaches 1000 nits for everyday content and 1600 nits peak for HDR, and refreshes at up to 120Hz with ProMotion. Scrolling looks smoother, HDR video looks far better, and it is easier to use in bright rooms. A nano-texture glass option cuts glare even more.
The MacBook Air has a sharp, colourful Liquid Retina screen at 500 nits and 60Hz. For documents, web pages and streaming it is great. You only miss the Pro screen if you edit photos or video, watch a lot of HDR content or have used a 120Hz laptop before.
Performance: fan vs fanless
Both use the M4 chip, so short bursts of work feel the same.
Read more
Apps open just as fast, and everyday tasks fly on either one.
The difference is long, heavy work. The Air has no fan, so it is completely silent, but in long video exports or demanding games it slows itself down to stay cool. The Pro has a fan and can hold full speed for longer. If you edit long 4K videos, compile code or render 3D, the Pro is the better tool.
Need even more power? The MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro) starts with a 12-core CPU, a 16-core GPU, 24GB of memory and Thunderbolt 5.
Battery life
Apple rates the 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4) at up to 24 hours of video streaming and 16 hours of wireless web.
Read more
The 13-inch MacBook Air (M4) is rated at up to 18 hours and 15 hours. Both last a full workday. The Pro has more in reserve for travel and long days.
Ports, speakers and camera
The Air has two Thunderbolt 4 ports, MagSafe 3 and a headphone jack.
Read more
The Pro adds a third Thunderbolt 4 port, an HDMI port and an SDXC card slot. If you plug into TVs and projectors or shoot on a camera with SD cards, that saves you a dongle.
Both support up to two external displays. The Pro's six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofers sounds noticeably fuller than the Air's four speakers. Both have a 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View.
Size and weight
The 13-inch Air is 1.13 cm thin and weighs 1.24 kg.
Read more
The 14-inch Pro is 1.55 cm thick and weighs 1.55 kg. You notice the difference in a backpack. If you want a bigger screen and still want light, the 15-inch MacBook Air (M4) weighs 1.51 kg and has a 15.3-inch screen.
Apple has since released MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models with M5 chips. The M4 models still support Apple Intelligence.
Price range
Refurbished, the 13-inch MacBook Air (M4) starts at $1,049.00 and the 15-inch MacBook Air (M4) starts at $1,259.00. The 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4) starts at $1,749.00 and the M4 Pro model starts at $2,229.00. Prices on this page update live from our store.
See every model in our MacBook collection, including older M1, M2 and M3 models. Have an older laptop? You can sell or trade it in.
Should you buy new or refurbished?
Macs last a long time, which makes refurbished a smart buy.
Read more
Every MacBook we sell is inspected and tested and comes with up to a 1-year warranty and 14-day returns. Grades describe looks only. Read new vs used vs refurbished to see how they compare.
FAQ
Is the MacBook Pro worth it over the MacBook Air?
If you do long video edits, coding, 3D or photo work, or you want the 120Hz XDR screen, HDMI and SD card slot, yes. For school, office work and browsing, the Air is the better fit.
Do the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro have the same chip?
The MacBook Air (M4) and the base 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4) both use the M4 chip with a 10-core CPU. The Pro can hold top speed longer because it has a fan. The Pro is also sold with the faster M4 Pro and M4 Max chips.
Does the MacBook Air have a fan?
No. The MacBook Air is fanless and completely silent. The MacBook Pro has a fan.
Which has better battery life?
The 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4), rated at up to 24 hours of video streaming against up to 18 hours for the 13-inch MacBook Air (M4).
Can the MacBook Air (M4) run two external displays?
Yes. The MacBook Air (M4) supports up to two external displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz, with the lid open.
Still choosing? Read our guide to which MacBook to buy.
Skip the new-phone price
Get the MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4, 2024) pre-owned from $1,749.00, tested by real technicians with up to a 1-year warranty and 14-day returns.
