Battle of MacBook 2020: MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro

With MacBook Air finally getting the much-needed upgrade and MacBook Pro lineup looking ever so robust, pitting one against the other has never been so exciting. If you are planning to buy a MacBook but aren’t sure which one is better suited for your taste, we have got you covered with a head-to-head comparison. So, let’s get started with the showdown!

MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro: Specs Comparison

For a change, the MacBook lineup looks much more streamlined in 2020 than earlier releases. Apple offers three MacBook models: 13-inch MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and 16-inch MacBook Pro.

MacBook Air 2020 Specs

(Image Credit: Apple)

Display:

• 3-inch LED-backlit display with IPS technology
• 2560 x 1600 resolution at 227 pixels per inch
• Supported scaled resolutions:
• 1680 x 1050, 1440 x 900, 1024 x 640
• 16:10 aspect ratio
• True Tone technology

Processor:

• 1GHz dual-core Intel Core i3 8th-gen (Configurable to 1.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 9th-gen)
• 1GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 9th-gen (Configurable to 1.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 10th-gen)

Storage:

• 256GB PCIe-based SSD (Configurable to 512GB, 1TB or 2TB SSD)
• 512GB PCIe-based SSD (Configurable to 1TB or 2TB SSD)

Memory:

• 8GB of 3733MHz LPDDR4X onboard memory (Configurable to 16GB of memory)

Battery and Power:

• Up to 11 hours
• Up to 30 days of standby time Built-in 49.9‑watt-hour lithium‑polymer battery
• 30W USB-C Power Adapter
• USB-C power port

Camera:

• 720p FaceTime HD camera

Bio-metric Authentication:

• Touch ID

Other 13-inch MacBook Air Features:

• Stereo speakers
• Wide stereo sound
• Support for Dolby Atmos playback
• Three-mic array with directional beamforming
• 5mm headphone jack
• Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports with support for: Thunderbolt (up to 40 Gb/s), USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10 Gbps), DisplayPort
• Ambient light sensor
• Force Touch trackpad
• 29 kg (2.8 pounds) – weight

Colours: Gold, Space Grey, and Silver

Price: Starting from ₹92,990

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13-Inch MacBook 2020 Specs

(Image Credit: Apple)

Display

• 13-3-inch LED-backlit display with IPS technology
• 2560 x 1600 resolution at 227 pixels per inch
• Scaled resolutions: 1680 x 1050, 1440 x 900, 1024 x 640
• True Tone technology
• 500 nits brightness
• Wide colour (P3)

Processor

• 4GHz quad‑core 8th‑generation Intel Core i5 (Configurable to 1.7GHz quad‑core 8th‑generation Intel Core i7)
• 0GHz quad‑core 10th‑generation Intel Core i5 (Configurable to 2.3GHz quad‑core 10th‑generation Intel Core i7)

Storage

• 256GB SSD (Configurable to 512GB, 1TB or 2TB SSD)
• 512GB SSD (Configurable to 1TB, 2TB or 4TB SSD
• 1TB SSD (Configurable to 2TB or 4TB SSD)

Memory

• 8GB of 2133MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory. Configurable to 16GB of memory
• 16GB of 3733MHz LPDDR4X onboard memory. Configurable to 32GB of memory

Battery and Power

• Up to 10 hours
• Up to 30 days of standby time
• Built‑in 58.2‑watt‑hour lithium‑polymer battery
• 61W USB‑C Power Adapter

Camera:

• 720p FaceTime HD camera

Biometric Authentication:

• Touch ID

Other 13-inch MacBook Pro Features

• Stereo speakers with high dynamic range
• Wide stereo sound
• Support for Dolby Atmos playback
• Three-mic array with directional beamforming
• Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports with support for: Thunderbolt (up to 40 Gb/s), USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10 Gb/s) or Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports with support for Thunderbolt (up to 40Gb/s), USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10Gb/s), and DisplayPort
• 5mm headphone jack
• Touch Bar with integrated Touch ID sensor
• Ambient light sensor
• Force Touch trackpad
• 4 kg (3.1 pounds) – weight

Colours: Silver and Space Grey

Price:  Starting from ₹1,22,990

Read – Five Fantastic Features of MacBook Touch Bar

16-Inch MacBook 2020 Specs

(Image Credit: Apple)

Display

• 16‑inch (diagonal) LED‑backlit display with IPS technology
• 3072 x 1920 at 226 pixels per inch
• Scaled resolutions: 2048 x 1280, 1792 x 1120, 1344 x 840, 1152 x 720
• Wide color (P3)
• True Tone technology
• 500 nits brightness

Processor

• 6GHz 6‑core Intel Core i7. Configurable to 2.4GHz 8‑core Intel Core i9
• 3GHz 8‑core Intel Core i9. Configurable to 2.4GHz 8‑core Intel Core i9

Storage

• 512GB SSD, configurable to 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB SSD
• 1TB SSD, configurable to 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB SSD

Memory

• 16GB of 2666MHz DDR4 onboard memory. Configurable to 32GB or 64GB of memory

Battery and Power

• Up to 11 hours
• Up to 30 days of standby time
• Built‑in 100‑watt‑hour lithium‑polymer battery
• 96W USB‑C Power Adapter

Camera:

• 720p FaceTime HD camera

Biometric Authentication:

• Touch ID

Other 16-inch MacBook Pro Features

• A high-fidelity six‑speaker system with force‑cancelling woofers
• Wide stereo sound
• Support for Dolby Atmos playback
• Studio‑quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming
• Advanced thermal design
• Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports with support for: DisplayPort, Thunderbolt (up to 40Gb/s), and USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10Gb/s)
• 5 mm headphone jack
• Touch Bar
• Ambient light sensor
• Force Touch trackpad
• 3 pounds (2.0 kg) – Weight

Colours: Silver and Space Gray

Price: ₹1,99,900

Despite being priced at ₹92,990, MacBook Air stacks up quite well against the pricier siblings on the specs front. Equipped with a dual-core 10th-generation 1.1GHz Intel Core i3 processor, 256GB storage, and 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM, MacBook Air is no longer there just to complete the MacBook lineup.

Notably, the Air model (2.8 pounds) is also lighter than both the Pro models (13-inch Pro model weighs 3.1 pounds and 16-inch model weighs 4.3 pounds). Well, that is not to suggest that the Pro models are less impressive.

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Design and Display

In terms of design, all three MacBook models have a striking similarity. Whether it’s the all-new 13-inch MacBook Air, comparatively cheap 13-inch MacBook Pro, or the brand-new powerhouse 16-inch MacBook, they all look pretty similar.

If anything, the only major change is the magic keyboard that has returned post the butterfly keyboard fiasco. Considering how bad the butterfly keyboard was in terms of durability, bringing a magic keyboard back on track is a well-thought-out move.

Video-Editing: Which One is Better Suited for Video Editing?

Though all the three 2020 MacBook models are pretty good in terms of video editing, the Pro models stand out. All thanks to the raw horsepower.

Notably, the MacBook Pro comes with Touch Bar which offers quick access to commands, ensuring you don’t have to hop from one end to the other to pick them! Moreover, Touch Bar changes dynamically based on which apps you are using, thereby making it way easier for you to access the tools that you may need.

In terms of productivity, Touch Bar could turn out to be a boon for editors and designers. Even if you aren’t a pro, you would appreciate having such a productivity tool at your disposal.

So, if you are willing to buy an all-new MacBook for video editing, choose the Pro variants as they are more equipped to take on large files efficiently.

Again, the 13-inch MacBook Pro model could be a better choice if you wish to get a solid notebook without having to dole out more than ₹1.5 lakh.

Gaming: Which One is Better for Gamers?

For casual gaming, MacBook Air 2020 is up to the mark. However, if you are willing to take on high-octane games full time, this isn’t the laptop to buy.

The pro models are better equipped and can take on top-of-the-line games that need a lot of horsepower to run smoothly. Again, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is the way to go, if you are looking at the best of both worlds: solid specs and affordability.

Which One Should You Choose: MacBook Air or MacBook Pro?

MacBook Air has always been aimed at sophisticated users, while MacBook Pro is designed for professionals. If you are on the lookout for a MacBook for normal use like web browsing and writing articles, choose MacBook Air.

However, if your needs warrant high-end specs, pick out the 16-inch MacBook Pro. Boasting a large 16-inch display coupled with a ton of raw power, it has to be your go-to-choice provided your budget permits you.

Just in case your budget finds the ₹1,99,900 price tag (for 16-inch MacBook Pro) a bit too much, the 13-inch MacBook Pro would be a smart pick. But wait a moment! Which one of the two 13-inch MacBook Pro models is better for you?

It’s worth noting that the 13-inch MacBook Pro comes in two variants. While the low-end model is equipped with 8th-generation chips, the high-end model is powered by 10th-generation chips.

As mentioned above, the low-end 13-inch MacBook Pro comes with 2 Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, while the high-end variant has 4 Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports. Keep in mind that the 2 Port variant (which features 8th Gen Intel processor) cannot be upgraded to 10th Gen.

Thanks to 10th Gen chips coupled with the 4 Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, the top-end 13-inch MacBook Pro is significantly faster and more efficient than the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro.

To be more precise, the biggest difference between the two MacBook Pro models is the CPU and GPU performance. While 10th-gen CPUs are made on the robust 10nm process, the 8th-gen CPUs are powered by the less efficient and slower 14nm process. That clearly makes the high-end 13-inch MacBook Pro superior to the low-end model, let alone the 13-inch MacBook Air.

So, if you want to have a huge upgrade in performance without having to break the bank, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with 10th-gen chips should be the ideal way to go.

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Read Also – How to Resolve Common Problems in a MacBook Air, Pro Trackpad Issues