Mar 18, 2020 MacBook Air 2020 Vs. Pro: Which Is Better & Which You Should Buy. Apple has updated its MacBook Air laptop for 2020. When compared to the MacBook Pro, the best overall and best buy might be two different things.

The MacBook Air is a lightweight and super portable computer that has a gorgeous 13-inch Retina Display screen with two USB-C ports. It also has a powerful dual-core i3 processor, and you can configure it to have an SSD up to 2TB and 16GB of RAM. It also has the new scissor-switch keyboard mechanism. However, it only comes in the 13-inch size and starts north of $999.

Pros

• 13-inch Retina Display
• Super lightweight and compact
• Two USB-C ports
• Dual-core Intel i5 processor with up to 1TB storage and 16GB RAM
• Runs macOS
• New and improved scissor-switch keyboard

The iPad Pro is a great computing device if you need to do things like writing, researching, simple coding, photo and video editing, and more tasks with iPadOS. You can choose the more portable 11-inch size, or go big with the 12.9-inch, and take great photos and video with the 12MP camera with Ultra Wide lens and LiDAR scanner. However, you're still limited by iPadOS and iPad hardware.

Pros

• Available in 11-inch or 12.9-inch sizes
• Liquid Retina Display
• Ultra Wide camera and 4K video recording
• Configurable up to 1TB of storage
• USB-C port
• New LiDAR scanner

Cons

• Still limited by iPadOS
• Only one USB-C port
• Keyboard accessories are pricey

While iOS and iPadOS have come quite a way since Apple first introduced the iPad, it still has some limitations when compared to a full desktop computing operating system like macOS. If you want a true computer without any limits, then the MacBook Air is the better buy. If you don't mind the limitations of iOS and just need a powerful tablet to do your entertainment and work on, then there's nothing wrong with the iPad Pro.

It comes down to what you're looking to do

Source: iMore

Both the MacBook Air and iPad Pro are similar in terms of size (especially the 12.9-inch), but that's about it, honestly. We think that the MacBook Air is the better buy of the two because you're getting a full-featured computer experience with macOS while having a lightweight and portable package that can go with you anywhere. Plus, it just feels more natural to use for productivity, and you get true multitasking without weird RAM hiccups like constant refreshing of suspending apps on iOS/PadOS 13.

MacBook Air	iPad Pro
Cost	Starting at $999	Starting at $799
Size	13-inch	11-inch or 12.9-inch
Screen	Retina Display	Liquid Retina Display
Processor/Chip	Intel Dual-Core i3	A12Z Bionic
Charging	USB-C	USB-C
Ports	Two USB-C	One USB-C
Operating System	macOS	iPadOS
Starting storage	256GB	128GB
Configurable storage	Up to 2TB	Up to 1TB
RAM	8GB, configurable up to 16GB	6GB with 1TB model
Camera	720p FaceTime HD	12MP with Ultra Wide lens and 4K video and 7MP TrueDepth Camera

While the MacBook Air has a higher starting price point than the iPad Pro, we think that it's comparable if you look at similar storage space and capabilities. For a 256GB 12.9-inch iPad Pro, it costs $1099 for Wi-Fi only (or $899 if you go the smaller route), but again, you only get about 4GB of RAM, one USB-C port, and are limited to iPadOS. For $999, you get a 256GB MacBook Air with a 13-inch Retina Display, Intel Dual-Core i3 processor, 8GB of starting RAM, two USB-C ports, and it runs macOS, which is much more capable than iPadOS.

With a MacBook Air, you're able to do pretty much anything you would need, such as social media, email, writing, programming, and testing out apps in XCode, photo and video editing, graphic design, project management, finance, and much more. And since it runs macOS, you have true multitasking, where you can have more than three apps on the screen at one time. Plus, the MacBook Air is the most portable laptop offering from Apple — it's so lightweight that you'll forget you even have it with you sometimes. Apple has also replaced the faulty butterfly keyboard with the new and improved scissor-switch keyboard mechansim that was first introduced with the 16-inch MacBook Pro in 2019.

Source: Apple

Meanwhile, even though the iPad Pro comes in a smaller 11-inch size, you get fewer ports, RAM, and must use iPadOS. There are also new Smart Keyboards with trackpad support coming too, in case you want even more of a laptop-like experience with just your iPad Pro.

Even though iPadOS has come quite a way since the iPad's debut in 2010, it's still held back by limitations, such as only having three active apps on screen at a time through Split View and Slide Over modes. iOS also likes to refresh suspended apps after a period of idleness, which means multitasking is slightly hampered.

If you do not mind having to use iPadOS to do everything (it's possible, but can take more time than using a Mac), then an iPad Pro could be your only computer. However, we require a bit more for our computing needs, which is why we think a MacBook Air is better.

We recommend a Mac for serious computing

Apple has made a lot of improvements in iPadOS, and while it's good for basic, short-term sessions, we can't recommend it if you need something for longer periods. With a MacBook Air running macOS, you can have pretty much an unlimited number of windows open, and they will truly continue to run in the background, and not be put into a suspended state as it would be on iOS/iPadOS. Plus, windows can be resized to however big or small you need them to be on macOS, instead of the 50/50 or 25/75 or 75/25 ratio in Split Screen or on-third screen size Slide Over window.

It’s easy for new players to get into but offers enough depth to keep you hooked. Crusader Kings 2 was already one of our favorite Strategy games on Mac, but now that the game is free, it has become one of our top recommendations.CK2 is a 4X turn-based strategy game that features immensely challenging, yet rewarding gameplay. It also benefits from frequent, free expansions to refresh the available cards.Verdict: This is a generous free-to-play game.Benchmark results (in FPS). There are different card types (weapons, spells and minions), but the objective is clear: empty your opponent’s health before he does the same to you.Hearthstone is a great game. In every match, you pull three or four cards (depending on who goes first) out of your customized deck of 30 cards. Mac mystery games free download.

And keep in mind that the iPad Pro, despite the 'Pro' moniker, will always be limited in terms of RAM, regardless of the screen size and storage capacity you choose. The MacBook Air starts out with 8GB, which is already about double the RAM of the iPad Pro, and you can even configure it up to 16GB if need be. Having more RAM is always a good thing, since it makes the machine feel and run faster, and it can handle even more resource-intensive tasks like video editing.

Portable computing

MacBook Air

Lightweight power for everyone

MacBook Air is Apple's most portable computer and can do pretty much anything you need it to on macOS without limitations aside from the camera and graphics card.

Pro tablet

iPad Pro

Get the most out of iPadOS

The iPad Pro gives you the power of iPadOS in two convenient sizes for all of your computing-on-the-go needs. But keep in mind that you're still dealing with iPadOS, which is still not quite the same as macOS.

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A Better Screen

Defend your new 11-inch iPad Pro with one of these screen protectors

The 11-inch iPad Pro (2020) would be even better when paired with one of these screen protectors, available at various price points. Here are our favorite so far, but more will surely be on the way.

By Mike Wuerthele
Tuesday, November 20, 2018, 12:51 pm PT (03:51 pm ET)

Apple has more choices than ever before in its portable lineup, with a fair amount of overlap between the models, especially at the $1200 price point. AppleInsider has them all, and has suggestions for which model is right for you.


With so much in common between these MacBooks, this is a hard decision for most. Let's break them down into the categories that really matter, starting with portability.

Portability

The 12-inch MacBook is by far the thinnest and lightest of them all, weighing in at only 2 pounds compared to 2.75 pounds for the Air, 3 pounds for the 13-inch MacBook Pro and 4 pounds for the 15-inch MacBook Pro.

As for the MacBook Air, it's basically as large as the 13-inch MacBook Pro, so portability should be essentially identical, other than being a quarter of a pound lighter.
From a geometry standpoint, the MacBook Pros and MacBook are flat. The MacBook Air, which retains the a wedge design that is thinner near the front end, but thicker than both the MacBook Pro and MacBook at its thickest point.

Display

Every single one of Apple's portables has a high-quality Retina resolution display, but there are some differences that you should know about.
Even though the new 2018 MacBook Air is the newest, it actually has the worst display of the trio of models. It has the least color accurate and is the dimmest display —but still better than inexpensive Windows alternatives. The 12-inch MacBook's display is brighter and it supports a wider range of colors.
Now if you really care about the display, the MacBook Pro features 500 nits of brightness and P3 wide-color gamut support. This is a big deal if you use your laptop outside or you want to minimize bright reflections on the screen.

On top of that, the Touch Bar MacBook Pro also has True Tone, a feature that adjusts the color balance of the display to match your environment. The utility of this is a matter of opinion, and is worth checking out for yourself.

Audio

The 12-inch MacBook offers the quietest speakers with the least amount of bass as you'd expect, given the limited internal volume of the device. Volume and bass increases some on the 13-inch MacBook Air.

Going to the 13-inch MacBook Pro, everything gets better. The volume increases significantly, the bass is deeper and punchier, and the highs become very crisp and clear. The 15-inch MacBook Pro gets even louder speakers with more bass and a well rounded sound.

Typing and Touch Bar

Now onto the keyboards, they're all packing Apple's butterfly keys, but the new 13-inch MacBook Air and the 2018 Touch Bar MacBook Pro features the third-generation mechanisms, which include a silicon barrier beneath the keyboard that's Apple says is to make it a quieter typing experience. The effect of the membrane on reliability is yet to be determined.

Best Macbook For Gaming

While there has been a lot of noise about the keyboard failures, the actual failure rate is pretty low, and even lower on the 2017 MacBook Pro than on the 2016 MacBook Pro. The extra peace of mind that the membrane may generate is nice to have, and it does in fact makes the keyboard quieter as Apple promised as well.

Apart from that, the MacBook Air that features a wedge shape design is a little bit more comfortable to type on since the keyboard slopes downward towards the front edge. But, this is an incredibly personal thing, and worth spending some time on all of the keyboards to suss out for yourself.
If you love large trackpads, the 15-inch Pro has the biggest, and the 12-inch MacBook obviously has the smallest. The 13-inch MacBook Air has a considerably smaller trackpad than the 13-inch MacBook Pro, which is interesting because the machines themselves are basically the same size.

The 2018 MacBook Pros also come with the Touch Bar, giving you interactive and customizable buttons, along with a Touch ID sensor for logging in and using Apple Pay. The new MacBook Air also gets the Touch ID sensor even though it's missing the Touch Bar —that's a nice plus for that model, considering it's the cheapest.
Models with Touch ID also come with Apple's T2 security chip. We've spoken at some length about what the T2 does for you, and some restrictions that it can apply in the interest of security.

Ports and connectivity

The 12-inch MacBook only gets a single USB 3.1 type C port, so if you want to charge and transfer data at the same time, you'll have to buy a hub. Given the USB-only nature of the port, you're limited to only 5 gigabits per second transfer speed instead of 40 on the rest of Apple's portable line that all have USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports.

What's Better For Gaming Macbook Air Or Pro For College

The MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Function Keys both get two Thunderbolt 3 ports. Both of the 2018 Touch Bar MacBook Pro sizes get four, so they're the best options if you own a lot of peripherals.

Battery life

For battery life, the new MacBook Air is rated at 12 hours compared to 10 hours on the rest of the MacBooks, so if battery life is what you're after, the Air is the best option.

And if you love using FaceTime, they're all packing HD webcams except for the 12' MacBook, which only gets a 480P FaceTime camera.

Performance

Finally, let's talk about performance, starting with the processors.
All but the Touch Bar MacBook Pro have dual-core processors. The 13-inch Touch Bar MacBook Pro has a quad-core processor and the 15-inch model has a six-core processor.
Looking at the quad- and six-core MacBook Pro's raw processing power with Geekbench 4 versus the dual-core models, there is no doubt that they are significantly faster than the dual-core models thanks to the extra cores. There is a small spike in performance with the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Function Keys versus the MacBook and MacBook Air.

We also looked at performance per dollar using the full retail price of each MacBook, and the 2018 13-inch quad-core MacBook Pro comes out on top, with the 15-inch model trailing slightly behind. As expected, the 12-inch MacBook gives you extremely low performance per dollar, unsurprising, given that the model prioritizes portability over all other factors.

One thing to note is that the 12-inch MacBook is the only laptop in this comparison without a fan, so performance can take a bigger hit if it starts to heat up —but this varies a great deal on workload.
Now looking at raw graphics performance with Geekbench 4, the MacBook Pros have a huge advantage here. The 15-inch MacBook Pro is the clear leader in terms of performance, because it's the only model with a dedicated graphics chip.

As for graphics performance per dollar, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Function Keys wins out here because of low price, and the 15-inch MacBook Pro is right behind it.

Are Macbooks Good For Gaming

So, which model?

So if you're still confused on which MacBook you should buy, I'll break it down for you.
If you want the thinnest, lightest MacBook you can get, and you don't really care about performance, ports, webcam quality, or having the best speakers, then buy the 12-inch MacBook.

If you want the absolute best battery life, Touch ID and the third-generation keyboard, but you don't care that much about performance, display brightness, the smaller trackpad, or the slower power adapter, then go with new 13-inch MacBook Air.
Extra performance, better speakers, and a very bright and color accurate display can be had with the 13-inch MacBook Pro with function Keys, assuming you don't care much for Touch ID, and you don't have the money to spend on the 2018 Touch Bar MacBook Pro.

The best processor performance you can get for your dollar is in the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and its quad-core processor. You'll get four Thunderbolt 3 ports, the Touch Bar with Touch ID, the T2 security chip and the third-generation keyboard.
If you're someone who wants the absolute best, with the biggest trackpad, the best speakers, the biggest display, and the highest performance you can get with a powerful six-core processor and a dedicated graphics chip for intense rendering tasks, then definitely go for the 15-inch MacBook Pro.

Where to buy

The back-to-school season is quickly approaching and you're probably trying to figure out which Macbook to buy, whether it's for yourself, or as a gift.
Everything Apple sells is on sale at some historically low prices, and often with an exclusive coupon code. To find the lowest prices on Apple's 12-inch MacBook, 13-inch MacBook Air or 2018 MacBook Pro, be sure to check out our Price Guides linked below. Updated throughout the day, the Price Guides display the best deals across multiple Apple authorized resellers —with discounts of up to $1,000 off.
Apple Price Guides

• 12-inch MacBooks
  
• 2018 13-inch MacBook Airs
  
• 2019 13-inch MacBook Pros with Touch Bar
  
• 2017 13-inch MacBook Pros with function keys
  
• 2018 13-inch MacBook Pros with Touch Bar
  
• 2019 15-inch MacBook Pros