MacBook Air and Pro comparison: the differences and price of the two laptops with the new Apple Silicon processor
One of the big news from Apple in 2020 is the unveiling of the M1 chip, the first Apple Silicon processor, bundled with the new Mac mini, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro PCs. All three computers have the same SoC, video card, and shared memory, but the difference in price and performance immediately jumps out at you.
In particular, determining more efficient performance is the difference in the cooling capacity of the cases in which the motherboard of the three models is housed. When comparing the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, it is immediately apparent that the latter has a brighter screen, with 500 nits compared to 400 on the Air model, a larger battery, a better cooling system, as well as superior microphones and speakers. Even the touchbar, not appreciated by all users, is better in the Pro model than the Air, while the keyboard is the same for both. Once again, the performance of Apple’s Macs are therefore adequate for the prices offered and users who have tried them say they are satisfied.
MacBook Pro 13 inch: reviews on the net
The SoC M1 seems to have kept the promises made by Apple, which has launched into the realization of its first Apple Silicon processor by abandoning Intel. The MacBook Pro, according to several reviews and opinions online, gets very little heat proving that the chip does its job, while the battery life guaranteed by Apple meets all users’ expectations, wearing out quickly only under very heavy workloads.
The new Big Sur interface, which is the version of macOS on both Macs with M1 chips and Intel processors, is smooth and responsive. If the fear of potential buyers was in the compatibility of apps programmed for Intel, this has been ensured by Rosetta 2 and everything works properly, although optimizations are still needed, especially when using the browsers Chrome, Safari and Firefox.
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MacBook Air: reviews on the net
The MacBook Air can count on exceptional performance thanks to the new M1 chip and the main criticisms arrived from users concern its design. Apple has been accused of launching a new model with a design identical to its predecessors, with a minimalist style and an aluminum unibody shell, with the right balance between weight and strength. Even the few available connection ports can be a flaw, if a flaw can be spoken.
So apart from some doubts about the design, the new M1 chip also offers the MacBook Air as the Pro an improvement in terms of performance, while limiting the problem of overheating. Here too, the new macOS Big Sur shows up smooth and responsive, and apps run smoothly thanks to Rosetta 2.
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MacBook Air and Pro: which to choose and prices
The two laptops are practically equivalent in everyday use, so for those who don’t have specific power needs, the cheaper MacBook Air is the best solution. In case you need to perform complex tasks, such as video rendering, the best solution will definitely be the power offered by the MacBook Pro. This is because the power of the Air equals that of the Pro and the main difference is in heat dissipation, which according to is active with internal fan.
The MacBook Air can be found for sale online in the Apple store or on Amazon starting at 1159 euros with 13-inch screen, M1 chip with 8-core CPU and 7-core GPU, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal SSD memory. The MacBook Pro always with 13-inch screen and M1 chip, with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of SSD instead is on sale from 1459 euros.
Choose the Mac for your needs and buy it on Amazon
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