What's better than a MacBook Pro Air? What to choose: MacBook Air or MacBook Pro? Comparison of some models

Which Apple laptop is the best? Light as a feather MacBook Air, or reliable and powerful MacBook Pro? You've decided it's time to change yours old Mac on one of the new Apple laptops? Or maybe you've finally decided to switch to the Mac platform? MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, MacBook Pro with Retina display - a lot of options. Keep in mind that these models cover a wide price range. What will you get for the money that you still planned to part with? And which model is right for you? Let's figure it out.

New MacBook models and price tag

Apple's MacBook line consists of two products: MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. These two laptops differ in size, weight, and performance. Well, for the price, of course.

MacBook Air is Apple's lightest laptop. It comes in two different screen sizes - 11-inch and 13-inch. This is Apple's most inexpensive laptop. Prices start at $999 for the 11-inch model, and $1,099 for the 13-inch.

Basic models of both MacBook sizes This year's Air features 1.3GHz Intel Haswell processors, 4GB of RAM, and a 128GB SSD. In the 2013 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro Retina models, the hard drive is now connected via PCI Express or PCIe. This is significantly faster than the Serial ATA (SATA) interface used in last year's systems.

You can order a MacBook Air with a faster processor, more RAM, and a larger hard drive. Please note that the processor cannot be changed later. HDD SSDs can be upgraded, although it's a bit tricky - Apple doesn't sell individual SSD drives, so if you decide you need more storage space, you'll either have to get a hard drive from another MacBook Air or contact a service center, which will help you do this.

The latest generation "standard" 13-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,199. These Macs have an internal "SuperDrive" optical drive. It has 4 GB of RAM and a 500 GB hard drive working with a SATA controller. This makes the MacBook Pro quite snappy, even though it still uses a regular hard drive rather than an SSD. The processor operates at a frequency of 2.5 GHz. This is a fairly fast processor that works well in conjunction with good RAM. Also, various data storage options are provided, including a classic hard drive or SSD.

For $1,299 you can get the new MacBook Pro with Retina display. It is equipped with a 2.4 GHz dual-core Intel i5 processor, 4 GB RAM and 128 GB SSD. The Retina display found on MacBook Pros is connected internally optical drive, as a result of which models with a Retina display are thinner and lighter than “traditional” devices.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display completes Apple's line of laptops. It is equipped with a 2.0 GHz quad-core Intel i7 processor, 8 GB RAM and 256 GB SSD. It uses integrated Intel Iris Pro graphics. This year, the model with a Retina display is the only 15-inch model Apple is making. It retails for $1,999.

It’s worth mentioning separately about the more expensive 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display - this is the only model that is equipped with a fast discrete graphics chip. It's powered by a 2.3 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor and also includes Nvidia GeForce GT 750 discrete graphics. It's Apple's top-of-the-line model, so it's priced accordingly at $2,599. Like other MacBooks, the MacBook Pro with Retina display can be customized with faster processors or a larger hard drive.

Comparing screens by size and pixel density

MacBook Airs are not yet available with a Retina display—both the 11-inch and 13-inch models feature the classic LED panels. The 11-inch MacBook Air has a resolution of 1366 x 768, while the 13-inch model uses 1440 x 900 pixels.

The MacBook Air's 11-inch display is a bit of an outlier—the screen has a different aspect ratio than any other MacBook model. Most MacBooks come with 16:10 aspect ratio screens; and the 11-inch MacBook Air has a 16:9 aspect ratio screen. This results in the 11-inch MacBook Air having a more elongated display than other MacBook models.

Either way, the 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air models have pixel densities of 135 pixels per inch (PPI) and 128 PPI, respectively. These are sharp and crisp displays that are capable of displaying millions of colors, even though they don't have Retina resolution.

As does the $1,199 MacBook Pro. This is a fast model with a native resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, equipped with a 13.3-inch display. It's in the same segment as the MacBook Air, with a pixel density of around 113 PPI.

The concept of “Retina display” came into fashion with the iPhone 4 and soon Retina displays appeared on the iPad. Also, since 2012 we have seen the MacBook Pro with a Retina display. This doesn't mean the MacBook Pro has the same pixel density as, say, an iPhone 5S or iPad Mini Retina- this simply means that you will not be able to see individual pixels when looking at the screen from an average distance.

In this particular case, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display has a standard "Retina" resolution of 2560x1600 - that's even higher resolution than iPad Air. Although the screen is the same size as a standard 13-inch MacBook Pro, it has double the pixel density at 227 PPI. The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display has a resolution of 2880 x 1800 pixels. This is about 220 PPI.

The difference between a Retina display and a standard screen is huge. Retina displays show more detail in photos and are much easier to read because they have smaller pixels. Naturally, you can judge the difference yourself at any Apple store or reseller.

Haswell platform

With the exception of the "standard" 13-inch MacBook Pro, which is a holdover from Apple's 2012 product line, all MacBooks now come with an Intel processor fourth generation, which is known by the code name "Haswell".

Haswell is an improvement over the Ivy Bridge chips found in last year's models. They include a smaller die size and have improved power management, which is why this year's MacBook models have such improved battery life.

Haswell-equipped MacBooks also have a decent graphics subprocessor. According to Apple, tests have shown that the processor's integrated Haswell graphics are up to 40 percent faster than before.

In the MacBook chain, graphics power gradually improves along with price. The MacBook Air uses Intel HD 5000 graphics, while the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display uses an Iris chip, which is faster than the Intel HD 5000. The 15-inch MacBook Pro uses Iris Pro, which is even faster thanks to the addition of memory EDRAM. The most expensive 15-inch model uses a discrete Nvidia GeForce GT 750 graphics chip, which is automatically activated when running graphics-intensive applications such as games or Photoshop.

Battery life

An important aspect of a laptop's performance is how long you can use it away from an electrical outlet. After all, what's the point of carrying around a power bank all the time that adds weight to your bag? So the main idea is lost - to have a laptop computer.

The tiny 11-inch MacBook Air lasts about 9 hours on a single charge when surfing the web, and about 8 hours when watching videos. The 13-inch MacBook Air, which has almost a third more battery capacity, can run up to 12 hours on a single charge. This model rules the roost in battery capacity tests.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, despite its screen with high resolution, battery life is an impressive 9 hours. And the 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina has a battery life of 8 hours, despite all its powerful hardware inside.

The standard 13-inch MacBook Pro, with its hardware from 2012, has a battery life of approximately 7 hours.

Wireless connections

This year's entire lineup of laptops, except the $1,199 MacBook Pro, comes with 802.11ac wireless. In practice, an 802.11ac-equipped Mac is capable of transferring data over wireless communication up to three times faster than 802.11n Wi-Fi found on older machines like the standard MacBook Pro.

Naturally, the signal must be transmitted from 802.11ac base stations, such as the new AirPort Extreme or Time Capsule from Apple or other equipment operating in the same range. Otherwise, your new MacBook Pros won't make the most of 802.11ac speeds.

The Bluetooth 4.0 module is installed in the entire line of laptops from Apple.

External connectors

MacBook Air has two USB 3.0 ports and one Thunderbolt port. The Thunderbolt connector can be used to connect to an external monitor, RAID system, and other devices. The 13-inch MacBook Air adds an SDXC card slot, making it easy to import photos and videos from SD cards to your computer.

SDXC card slots are standard on MacBook Pro with Retina display. They are also the first Apple laptops to support Thunderbolt 2. This is a high-speed interface that transfers data twice as fast as the original Thunderbolt. What's more, there are two Thunderbolt 2 ports. There are also two USB 3.0 ports and an HDMI connector, so you can connect the MacBook Pro directly to an HDTV if necessary.

$1,199 MacBook Pro has built-in Gigabit Ethernet, FireWire 800, one Thunderbolt port, two USB 3.0 ports, and an SDXC card slot.

operating system

All new Macs come preinstalled with OS X 10.9 Mavericks. Mavericks, released in October 2013, features new UI elements like Finder tabs, as well as new apps like a redesigned Calendar, Maps, and iBooks. iCloud integration has increased significantly, so you'll notice improved workflow efficiency when you share files and data between your Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

But what really makes Mavericks an exceptional OS is the way Apple has redesigned its internals to improve performance and battery life. Laptops running Mavericks will last longer than before thanks to important changes like Timer Coalescing and App Nap. Thanks to them, it was possible to use processor resources more efficiently.

Who should buy a MacBook Air?

I would compare the MacBook Air to a roadster like the Mazda Miata. It looks airy and flying over the waves. But once you get behind the wheel, you get a completely different feeling - it's flexible, nimble and a lot of fun to drive.

For the same reason, the MacBook Air is very pleasant to use; its PCIe-coupled holistic architecture makes it fast and responsive. Mac users who surf the web will enjoy performance software, graphics and design. The MacBook Air is a perfectly balanced machine that does a lot without costing a fortune.

The disadvantage is the limited memory capacity. 128 GB may not be enough for everyone. But there is an inexpensive solution - external hard disk.

Who should buy the standard one?MacBook Pro?

The standard MacBook Pro sits between the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro with Retina display. It plays an important role in the Apple ecosystem: it's a laptop for people who need much more space than they can afford with an SSD-equipped system or built-in optical storage.

The downside is that it lacks fast Wi-Fi, high-speed graphics and better battery life, like this year's models. Thus, it is a compromise solution. It can be said that the 13-inch MacBook Pro remains a popular choice for many users. This is the Mac for those looking for a good, reliable laptop with a lot of features. That's why Apple kept it in the current lineup. If you are looking powerful computer with a large amount of memory, then this is a great option.

Who should buy a MacBook Pro withRetina display?

At $1,299, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is the best in its class. Its size fits most people. The price is also not overpriced. Don't forget that this year's MacBook models are faster than ever, thanks to powerful processors and Mavericks.

If you work with heavy graphics and video, you must work on a laptop that can quickly edit large files, such as Photoshop. Well, if you want to achieve maximum performance, then the 15-inch MacBook Pro will be yours the best solution. The Iris Pro graphics on it are simply amazing, and the discrete Nvidia graphics on the expensive version of the 15-inch MacBook Pro mean you don't have to compromise.

Still undecided?

If you're still having trouble deciding between MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Pro with Retina display, search forums for more information before you go shopping. Either way, you're looking at the best 2013 MacBook lineup, better than ever, and no matter your choice, you'll end up with best laptop which are sold on the market.

We hope this article will help you make your choice. If you have any questions or suggestions, be sure to leave them in the comments.

Instead of making life easier for the user, as Steve Jobs once advocated, Apple seems to be doing the opposite. Take, for example, the MacBook line - now there are three varieties of it (ultra-thin 12-inch, thin Air and powerful Pro), so it is quite difficult for a potential buyer to figure out which laptop to choose. If you are not well versed in the Apple product line or cannot make a choice, we will try to help you with this.

First, let's define the characteristics of Apple laptops:

• MacBook is a 12-inch ultra-thin laptop (thickness varies from 0.35 cm to 1.31 cm), weight 0.92 kg.
• MacBook Air is a 13-inch thin laptop (thickness from 0.3 cm to 1.7 cm), weight 1.35 kg.
• MacBook Pro (in this case we will talk about two versions of laptops) is a powerful, productive laptop with a screen diagonal of 13 and 15 inches, a thickness of 1.49 cm and a weight of 1.37 kg.

Display

This is perhaps one of the most important points to pay attention to when choosing a model. The point is that the latter Apple laptops are equipped with excellent Retina displays, providing high-quality images with rich colors. The new MacBook screens are much better than most Windows competitors.

Simple arithmetic applies here - the larger the screen, the larger the work area, but also the more you have to carry, and weight can be critical.

The MacBook has a 12-inch diagonal screen with a resolution of 2304 x 1440 (16:10) and a density of 226 ppi. This is exactly what a Retina display is, you really won’t be able to see the pixels with the naked eye, and the picture quality will pleasantly surprise you.

The MacBook Air is available only as a model with a 13-inch display (the 11-inch model has been discontinued) with a resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels (16:10) and a density of 128 ppi. This is a standard pixel density, and from a normal distance the “grain” of the screen is noticeable.

MacBook Pro comes in 13-inch with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels (16:10) and a density of 227 ppi, or 15-inch with a resolution of 2880 x 1800 (16:10) and a density of 220 ppi. Both screens are also Retina.

If we talk about the MacBook Pro 2016, they have a wider color gamut, so the colors look even brighter and more realistic. Other modifications use standard sRGB screens and display fewer colors than reality. The latest generation MacBook Pros offer a wider P3 color gamut—the color space is 25% wider, and with more colors, images look brighter, more realistic, and allow you to see even more detail. If you take a photo taken on an iPhone and compare it to the exact same photo in HDR, you'll see what we're talking about.

• If you want a high-quality picture and don't need a large work area, feel free to choose a MacBook.
• For full graphics work, any MacBook Pro is better suited.
• If color accuracy is a fundamental issue for you, then we recommend looking towards the MacBook Pro 2016.

External monitors

MacBooks are often used as a portable computer, to which external monitors can be connected if necessary. For example, at home or at work. And here too there are some nuances.

The MacBook can be connected to the monitor via USB-C or via HDMI (if an adapter is available). Here it should be immediately noted that at the same time you will not be able to charge the laptop, since it only has one connector. You can connect a monitor with a resolution of up to 3840 x 2160 pixels (30 Hz), or up to 4096 x 2160 pixels (24 Hz).

MacBook Air only works with Thunderbolt monitors with a resolution of up to 3840x2160 pixels.

The capabilities of the MacBook Pro are much wider: a monitor with a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels is connected using Thunderbolt (you can have two at once), but if you bought a top-end package (with AMD Radeon R9 M370X), you can connect a monitor of 5120x2880 pixels (60 Hz). "Proshka" also works with displays with resolutions of 1920x1080 (60 Hz), 3840x2160 (30 Hz) and 4096x2160 (24 Hz).

The 13-inch MacBook Pro 2016 supports connecting one monitor with a resolution of 5120x2880 (5K), but the 15-inch works with two such screens at once. So if you plan to use two external monitors, you should choose a MacBook Pro.

Camera

Perhaps one of the few elements in Apple laptops that requires serious improvement. The company allows you to use FaceTime video calling not only on the iPhone, but also on the MacBook, and video calls in general do not lose their relevance.

The 12-inch MacBook has a 480p camera, which is, to put it mildly, rather weak. The remaining models use a camera that shoots in 720p resolution. Even in the latest MacBook Pro – 1080p front cameras portable Apple computers do not support. Actually, the choice here is simple - if you want high-quality video shooting, buy additional camera with USB connection.

CPU

Processor - second important point, which is worth paying attention to when choosing a MacBook. Hardware affects performance, and we need to understand what tasks we are buying a laptop for.

MacBook is considered the weakest laptop in terms of performance. The 12-inch model is based on Intel Core M chips with Skylake architecture, which are significantly weaker than Core i5 or i7. On the plus side, this processor doesn't require a fan, and the smallest MacBook is completely silent. Apple offers configurations with M3, M5 or M7 chips - they differ in performance, but not much.

The MacBook Air uses an outdated chip with Broadwell architecture, but it is a proven Intel Core i5 or i7, depending on the configuration. This laptop is more powerful than the previous one, although it is worth remembering about weak displays.

The MacBook Pro runs on Skylake (13-inch), the 15-inch version runs on Broadwell. Both laptops, depending on the diagonal, are equipped with a Core i5 (2.7 GHz and 2.8 GHz) or Core i7 (3.1 GHz and 2.8 GHz) processor.

MacBook Pro 2016 runs on Skylake with almost identical parameters: 13 inches – Core i5 (2.0 GHz), Core i7 (2.4 GHz); 15 inches – Core i7 (2.6 GHz, 2.7 GHz, 2.9 GHz); Version with Touch Bar – Core i5 (2.9 GHz, 3.1 GHz), Core i7 (3.3 GHz)

• If you want a thin and beautiful laptop but with decent performance, choose the M7-based MacBook.
• If you want a portable machine, but with better performance, the MacBook Air.
• If you need a powerful laptop for everyday use, the MacBook Pro is your choice.
• If you need a top-end laptop for complex tasks like video rendering, you'll have to fork out for a 15-inch MacBook Pro 2016 and forget about upgrading for three years.

Graphic arts

Apple laptops don't have super-powerful graphics, and you're unlikely to be able to fully play video games on a MacBook. Again, a lot depends on the configuration - the GPU power may not be enough to comfortably play games rich in 3D graphics, but Apple laptops can handle complex multimedia content quite well.

The MacBook uses the simplest Intel HD Graphics 515, which is enough to work on one Retina screen. The MacBook Air runs on HD Graphics 6000, which is better than the MacBook, but still may not be enough to handle complex processes.

The 2015 MacBook Pro is equipped with an Intel HD Graphics 6100 chip, which is slightly more powerful integrated graphics than the MacBook Air. The top version provides a fairly powerful AMD video card Radeon R9 M370X with 2 GB GDDR5 memory.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro 2016 received Intel Iris Graphics 540 (model without Touch Bar) and Intel Iris Graphics 550 (with Touch Bar) with the ability to upgrade to Radeon Pro 450 / 460. The 15-inch has Intel HD Graphics 530 and discrete graphics Radeon Pro 455 / 460.

The choice here is obvious - to work with multimedia content, you should take a closer look at the MacBook Pro 2015 or MacBook Pro 2016.

Autonomy

Everyone understands how important laptop battery life is. Whether you are flying on a plane, traveling on a train or bus, or even just sitting with a laptop in the park, these “last” 15-20 minutes are usually not enough to finish an important report, finish a presentation, or watch an interesting video. Wherever we need a working computer, and there are no sockets nearby, an additional plus to the laptop’s autonomy will not be out of place.

Fortunately, the MacBook has no problems with this - all models work without recharging for a very long time.

• MacBook: 10 hours of browsing, 11 hours of video playback, 30 days of standby time.
• MacBook Air: 12 hours browsing, 12 hours video playback, 30 days standby time.
• MacBook Pro 13 inches: 10 hours of browsing, 12 hours of video playback, 30 days of standby time.
• MacBook Pro 15 inches: 9 hours of browsing, 9 hours of video playback, 30 days of standby time.
• MacBook Pro 2016: 10 hours of browsing, 10 hours of video playback, 30 days of standby time.

If battery life is a key factor for you, the 13-inch MacBook Air is worth a look.

RAM

The more RAM in a laptop, the more apps you can run simultaneously without reducing performance, process photos or videos.

The MacBook only offers one option: 8GB 1866MHz LPDDR3 memory

The 13-inch MacBook Air also only comes with 8GB of RAM.

MacBook Pro 2015: 8 or 16 GB 1866 MHz LPDDR3 RAM for the 13-inch version. The 15-inch MacBook Pro 2015 has 16 GB of 1600 MHz DDR3L memory.

MacBook Pro 2016: 8 GB 1866 MHz LPDDR3 RAM for the model without Touch Bar, upgradeable to 16 GB. 13-inch MacBook Pro 2016 with touch panel The Bar is equipped with 8 or 16 GB of 2133 MHz LPDDR3 memory. The 15-inch model is offered with 16 GB of 2133 MHz LPDDR3 memory.

• If you care RAM, choose MacBook Pro.

SSD drive

MacBook: 256GB PCIe SSD, upgradeable to 512GB.

MacBook Air: 128 GB, expandable to 256 GB or 512 GB.

MacBook Pro 2015: 13-inch – 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB; 15-inch – 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB.

MacBook Pro 2016: 13-inch – 256 GB, 1 TB; 15-inch – 256 GB, 512 GB, 2 TB.

Ports

MacBook: one USB-C, 3.5mm audio jack.

MacBook Air: two USB ports, one Thunderbolt 2 port, SD card slot, and 3.5mm audio jack.

MacBook Pro 2015: two USB ports, two Thunderbolt ports, an HDMI port, an SD slot, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

MacBook Pro 2016: two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports for the version without Touch Bar, four Thunderbolt 3 ports for the version with Touch Bar, while on the 13-inch model two of them do not work at full capacity.

Force Touch trackpad and keyboard

Force Touch technology allows you to press with force. To do this, you need to press down on the trackpad and then apply additional force. In this way you can activate additional features many programs and system functions Mac. The Force Touch trackpad is available on MacBook and MacBook Pro.

Laptop keyboards are different - the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 2015 are equipped with conventional keyboards with a mechanism called “scissors”, which has one significant drawback - the keys are slightly loose around the edges. If you press such a key closer to the edge, it may hit the bottom before the mechanism registers the press.

Applies to MacBook and MacBook Pro 2016 new keyboard, which uses a butterfly mechanism. It is a solid element made of more rigid materials with a larger support area. Thanks to this, the keys are more stable, respond more accurately to pressing and at the same time take up less space in height.

Colors

MacBooks are available in different color options. MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 2015 are available in silver, the MacBook is available in four shades (silver, gold, space gray, rose gold), the MacBook Pro 2016 is available in two colors (silver, space gray).

conclusions

The MacBook is perfect for managers and travelers who need the thinnest and lightest laptop with modern technologies for comfortable work.

The MacBook Air will be the choice for those who need the most affordable laptop from Apple - the device still has almost all the necessary ports, but the model itself is quite outdated.

MacBook Pro 2015 is a good and high-quality laptop with all ports; it is suitable as an alternative to a desktop computer for almost any user. Although it is not very convenient for travel.

Well, if you need the most advanced and productive laptop, choose the MacBook Pro 2016 (but remember that the “apple” no longer lights up there, if this is important to you).

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Today, Apple provides us with an extremely large range of equipment and programs. These include:

• telephones;
• tablets;
• laptops;
• computers;
• players;
• headphones and other related audio equipment.

The products of this manufacturer are extremely popular, have a stylish design, and are also distinguished by the quality of their assembly and components. Every year, the collection of software and devices is replenished with new models, for which people are not only willing to pay a lot of money, but also stand in huge queues in order to be one of the first to receive the coveted smartphone or laptop.

Apple's individuality is not limited to design alone, so as not to be similar to others, all Apple products work on their own platforms: laptops and computers run on macOS control, and smartphones and tablets are controlled by iOS. This fact It also tells us that the software is also being developed only for its own devices.

MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are very similar at first glance, but these slight similarities are mainly reflected in the design. Their internal shells have many differences and are selected in accordance with the individual needs of the user. Fans of productive machines most often prefer the second option, since its hardware is more powerful. Those for whom lightness and compactness are paramount, buy the first one because it is extremely thin.

Before you buy a MacBook for yourself or your relatives, you should remember that such a product is not cheap, the price will vary depending on the diagonal of the display, its type, country and the store where you make the purchase. The filling is usually chosen according to individual needs, which means that you don’t have to reach for the high cost and choose a model if you don’t fully use its functionality. Otherwise, such an investment will be inappropriate.

The good thing about choosing Mac OC as an operating system is that today there are no viruses or other malware that can harm your PC. However, the method of hacking by identifying your account's personal information still remains, so you need to choose your password carefully and not trust it to third parties.

Usually Apple products They compare it with equipment from other manufacturers, arranging countless holivars on the topic “the more beautiful the apple” and “is it worth paying for the show-off.” You would want to determine the similarities and differences between Cupertino laptops only in the case of an acute question: “what to choose?” And you can be stuck choosing between MacBook Pro and MacBook Air for a long time, especially if you get access to the bodies and turn in your hands wonderful-looking devices with price tags that are no longer frightening, but stop you. Of course, within each line of versions there are many, and the hardware of representatives of one model can differ significantly, so the comparison mainly concerns design, main technical characteristics and user tasks and capabilities.

Definition

Apple MacBook Air- a laptop from Apple, considered the thinnest in the world at the time of its release. Sales began in 2008, today the fifth generation is relevant.

Apple MacBook Air

Apple MacBook Pro- a laptop from Apple, introduced in 2006 and today supplied in the sixth generation of the line. Positioned as a full replacement desktop computers for home and professional use.

Apple MacBook Pro

Comparison

The difference between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro seems to be very subjective, since both laptops are quite productive and can cope with a huge amount standard tasks. The first thing users pay attention to is the design and dimensions of laptops with an apple: in comparison with equipment from other manufacturers, they look elegant and stylish, which is what most people buy (and the brand, of course). Both laptops are made in an aluminum Unibody case - solid, without cracks, do not hang or creak.

Dimensions are determined primarily by the diagonal size of the screen, and the MacBook Air line has 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch options, while the MacBook Pro shows 13.3 inches, 15 inches and 17. The latter diagonal size is not relevant today , because Apple refused such laptops in the Pro model. The weight of the Air reaches a maximum of 1.35 kg, the weight of the Pro is 2.56 kg (for variants with a 15-inch screen diagonal). If we compare models of the same matrix size, the Pro weighs 700 g more (however, it all depends on the specific configuration). The thickness of the MacBook Air is 1.7 cm, the Pro is somewhat more substantial - 2.4 cm. Accordingly, we can say about the Air that it is more focused on solving mobile problems. The eleven-inch Air model can be safely placed in a magazine or folder with documents; with a more “adult” model, this trick will not work. MacBook Pro still requires more careful handling and a special case or bag. In a word, Air is a justified name (although let us remember that Apple still challenged the status of the thinnest laptop, and successfully).

If we talk about the display, the main selection criterion is now considered not to be the diagonal, but the screen matrix and its quality characteristics. In this regard, the MacBook Pro beats the Air very beautifully, although in a tricky way: recently the Pro has been equipped with a Retina display, familiar to us from tablets and smartphones. This means higher resolution, higher pixel density and, accordingly, sharper images and smoother fonts. The Pro models, which have a simpler matrix, show a screen resolution slightly worse than that of the Air (1280x800 versus 1240x900 with a 13.3-inch diagonal).

Inside Apple cases, the hardware content is usually level, and it is not possible to compare the performance of different configurations. It is worth noting that the MacBook Air does not have a powerful video system, and the graphics are integrated into the processor, and the RAM for the graphics core is reserved in RAM. The MacBook Pro, which plays in the league of professional laptops, is not distinguished by such modesty, and is equipped with a discrete graphics card of a good level. Fifteen-inch models are equipped NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M.

The processors in the MacBook Air do not offer high performance - Intel Core Duo, i5 or i7 with a frequency of up to 2 GHz (but with the new Haswell architecture), while the MacBook Pro offers all 2.6 GHz in top models (and with Turbo Boost overclocking even 3.6 GHz). Four cores are available only for the older model. IN typical configurations Air is equipped with an SSD drive with a capacity of 128 GB or 256 GB (possibly 512 GB, but on request), while the Pro makes do with hard drives up to 750 GB (we have seen up to 1 TB), and can also be found with solid-state drives. In the case of the MacBook Air, Apple considered its brainchild ideal and did not leave users the opportunity to change anything, blaming their crooked hands. But the MacBook Pro can be customized to suit you by changing the system configuration yourself.

If specifications for you - an empty set of letters and sounds, then MacBook comparison Air and MacBook Pro should be task-oriented. Eleven-inch Air models are a hiking option, lightweight and compact, easily fitting into a briefcase, bag, or backpack. It can do a lot, especially in comparison with tablet satellites. Watch videos on the road, read, work with documents, scroll through websites and play low-segment games - this is enough for this, and even more than enough. If you plan to use it as a home computer, then you will need a 13-inch diagonal, and you will have to say goodbye to a high level of comfort of movement. However, Air still remains a mobile solution, and its ability to work 9-12 hours from the built-in battery is expensive. MacBook Pro is an attempt to replace stationary solutions and leave the ability to “walk” the device without heavy stress on the body. It will handle resource-intensive applications, the graphics system will cope with heavy loads, but the performance will not let you run wild - about 7 hours of battery life with a connection to wireless networks.

Choosing Apple equipment based on price is a certain kind of oddity, more often called stupidity. If you decide not to do without a scrap on aluminum, then you will have to spend a significant part of the budget, and plus or minus a certain number of orange pieces of paper will not make a difference. But still, if price matters, then the MacBook Air will save money: eleven-inch models start at 42 thousand rubles, thirteen-inch models start at 46 thousand. The MacBook Pro in its most modest version (13.3 inches) will cost 48 thousand (and 60 thousand for Retina), and 15 inches - 72 thousand (and 88 thousand, respectively).

Conclusions website

1. MacBook Air is thinner and lighter.
2. The MacBook Air has a small screen diagonal of 11.6 inches.
3. The MacBook Pro has a 15-inch screen diagonal.
4. The screen resolution of the Air, when the diagonal sizes and standard matrices match, is higher.
5. MacBook Pro is also available with a Retina display.
6. The MacBook Air has an integrated video system, while the MacBook Pro has a discrete one.
7. The processors in the MacBook Pro line are more powerful.
8. MacBook Air can only be installed SSD drives, in Pro -hard disks and SSD (optional).
9. The MacBook Pro has more storage capacity.
10. MacBook Pro allows system upgrades, Air does not allow interference.
11. MacBook Air is slightly cheaper.

Very often, many users who want to buy a laptop from Apple ask themselves the question: “Which MacBook should I choose?” And indeed, everything is not as simple as it might seem. There are a lot of different models of Apple devices, and they are all very similar in their characteristics, but they differ noticeably in price. In today's material we will take a detailed look at some of the most interesting and best laptops from Apple that you can definitely buy.

Apple MacBook Air 13 (MMGF2)

The first model that comes to mind when asked “which MacBook to choose” is, of course, the MacBook Air 13. This laptop can easily be called the most balanced and popular among all Apple devices in the company’s budget segment. Not only is it perfect for home use and work, but it will also be an excellent device for travel and travel.

Delivery set and appearance

The laptop is delivered in a relatively small branded box white, which contains images of the model itself. The packaging also indicates the main characteristics of the device and key features. The scope of delivery is as follows: laptop user manual, warranty card, network cable with a power supply, and, in fact, that’s all.

It’s difficult to find fault with the exterior, because it looks very cool and beautiful. The body is made of metal and has a pleasant texture to the touch. On the top cover there is traditionally the company logo in the form of an apple, which glows when turned on.

On the left side there is a USB 3.0 port, a 3.5 mm headphone jack and a socket for the power cable. On the right side there is a card reader, another USB version 3 port and a Thunderbolt 2.0 connector.

As for the laptop screen, it has a diagonal of 13.3 inches and a resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels. The matrix type is TN+film, and the pixel density is 127.7ppi. Apple Company It is very famous for its well-calibrated and tuned screens, so here everything is at its best in terms of picture quality. Color rendition is good, correct, there is a reserve of brightness and contrast, and everything is in order with saturation. The only negative that is worth noting is the glossy finish of the display. Fingerprints remain on it, and they are visible to the naked eye.

Well, in conclusion, a little about the keyboard and touchpad. In principle, everything here is also more than standard for the company. Keyboard "stripped down", without digital block, but the key layout is spacious and incredibly comfortable. The buttons have a not too large, but very clear stroke, and each press is accompanied by a pleasant click. In terms of ergonomics - a solid five. Those who work a lot with text will clearly be pleased.

The touchpad is also very interesting and convenient. The finger glides over the surface easily, there is support for gestures. The buttons are also easy and pleasant to press. Another advantage of the touchpad is its size - it is larger than in any other laptop, which makes the process of using it even more comfortable.

Characteristics

The MacBook runs on an Intel Core i5 5250U processor. The processor is dual-core, with a frequency of 1.6 GHz. There is an automatic overclocking mode in which the frequency increases to 2.7 GHz, which is quite good. The CPU also has a 3 MB L3 cache.

The laptop has 8 GB of memory, and there is no way to expand this volume. The RAM operates at a frequency of 1600 MHz. A 128 GB solid state hard drive (SSD) is used for storage.

Unfortunately, the laptop has an integrated video card, Intel HD 6000. It does not have its own video memory, so it will take up some part of the RAM.

Operating system Mac laptop OS X, not Windows, as many might mistakenly think. The fact is that Windows is not installed on a MacBook, this is Apple's policy.

And finally, a little about autonomy. The laptop battery has a capacity of 4900 mAh. Once fully charged, the device can work for up to 12 hours, which is an excellent indicator.

Reviews

Reviews about this laptop show that the MacBook Air is an excellent and balanced device in all its characteristics, with good speed and performance. Users especially note the high autonomy and excellent build quality of the model. The laptop has no shortcomings as such. Except that the screen is not Retina, and the price could be lower (75 thousand rubles).

Apple MacBook Pro 13 (MPXT2)

Continuing the topic “Which MacBook to choose,” we move on to the next model - Apple MacBook Pro 13. This laptop is already considered a higher class than the previous one. There is a Retina display, a more powerful processor, and higher performance; in general, it is better in all respects, but it is more expensive.

Equipment and appearance

The laptop is sold in a small white branded box. Inside the package there is the following delivery kit: warranty card, instructions, MacBook Pro 13 laptop and network cable with power supply and plug.

Externally, the laptop looks very cool, even better than the Air version. The body is still made of metal and painted silver. On the bottom of the laptop you can only find rubber feet, and the lid, according to tradition, is decorated with the company logo.

The only jacks on the right side are 3.5mm for headphones. On the left are 2 USB-C port(Thunderbolt 3). As you can see, there are no classic USB 3 ports here, so to connect the same flash drives you will have to use third-party USB hubs.

Now you can go to the display. Just a minus for the glossy finish, which will always leave fingerprints. Fortunately, this is the only drawback of the screen. The Retina display has a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels and a diagonal of 13.3. Pixel density - 227 ppi. Matrix type - IPS. There are no complaints at all regarding image quality. The picture is very clear, bright, rich, with rich colors, correct and natural color rendition. There is a reserve of brightness; there are no problems with contrast.

As for the keyboard, it is, as always, excellent. The layout is a little denser than the previous model, but there is still enough distance between the buttons to avoid pressing two keys at once. If we talk about the presses themselves, the buttons have a small, but very confident and clear stroke. The sound from touches is practically inaudible, which is certainly a plus.

The touchpad is much larger than the Air version, making it virtually a full mouse replacement. There is huge support for gestures and combinations of presses to perform certain functions. Also, this touchpad implements Force Touch technology, which, in essence, is a rejection of conventional buttons. Instead, there are special sensors that measure the force of pressing and perform appropriate actions. It is very convenient and to some extent even better than a classic mouse.

Laptop Specifications

It's time to move on to the specifications. The processor here is from Intel, model i5 7360U with two cores and four threads. Clock frequency is 2.3 GHz, and in automatic overclocking mode - 3.6 GHz. There is a level 3 cache, its size is 4 MB.

The laptop has 8 GB of RAM, not expandable. It operates at a frequency of 2133 MHz, which is an excellent indicator.

Integrated video card - Intel Iris Plus 640, without its own dedicated memory.

The hard drive of the MacBook is solid state, 256 GB. Unfortunately, the opportunity to install another one is not provided, so the only option is to replace the drive with a more capacious one.

The OS is the proprietary Mac OS Sierra, which has many useful and interesting features, as well as excellent optimization.

To summarize the technical part, it is worth noting this: the system works very quickly, without any delays or slowdowns. The laptop's performance level is good - it is suitable not only for home use, but also as a device for video editing, working with photographs and even 3D graphics. In conclusion, a few words about autonomy. The MacBook Pro 13 battery has a capacity of 6580 mAh, which allows the laptop to work for just over 10 hours on a full charge. Considering the characteristics and capabilities of the model, this indicator can be considered very good.

Reviews about the laptop

Reviews about the laptop show that the MacBook Pro 13 model turned out to be very successful, interesting and with excellent characteristics, but it is not without its drawbacks. Thus, users note the lack of regular USB ports, only 2 USB-C ports, a scratchy screen coating, strong heating during prolonged use (an additional cooling pad is needed), lack of an HDMI port, not very successful charging technology and a high price. Otherwise there are no complaints.

Apple MacBook Pro 15 (MPTU2)

Well, the last one for today is the MacBook Pro 15 laptop. Another representative of the Pro line that deserves attention. There's a bigger screen, even better performance and features, an incredibly high-quality screen, and more. More details below.

Laptop delivery set and appearance

There is no particular point in writing about the packaging, since it is the same as above, so you can go straight to the packaging. Inside the package, in addition to the MacBook Pro 15 itself, there is a network cable with a power supply, a plug, an instruction manual and a warranty card.

On appearance And you don’t have to dwell too much on the design, since this is almost the same laptop as the previous one, only slightly larger. The body is also metal, everything is assembled perfectly, the only thing is that the color is different - it is lighter.

As for the elements and their location, almost everything is unchanged. On the right side there are 2 USB-C (Thunderbolt 3) and a 3.5mm headphone input. On the left side there are 2 more USB-C (Thunderbolt 3) and that's it. There is no disk drive, card reader or anything else additional here, as before.

The Retina screen has a diagonal of 15.4 inches with a resolution of 2880 x 1800 pixels and a pixel density of 220 ppi. Matrix type IPS. There are no complaints about the quality of the display. The matrix is ​​configured and calibrated very precisely. Colors are reproduced correctly, contrast, saturation and brightness are very high level. The display will definitely appeal to those who work with photographs or vector graphics. Unfortunately, the screen has a downside - a glossy finish. Apple will probably never give it up. Anyway.

There is no point in talking too much about the keyboard and touchpad, since they are essentially the same as those of the previous model. The layout and layout are identical, the buttons have a short but clear stroke, which is accompanied by a click. The keyboard is comfortable to use and those who type a lot will definitely appreciate it.

As for the touchpad, it is still slightly larger than in the Pro 13 laptop, but it is made using the same Force Touch technology, with all its features, comfort and convenience.

The only other thing this model has is a touchbar, a strip above the top row of keyboard buttons. This touchbar is a small touch panel on which, depending on the situation, various controls appear. For example, when watching movies on the touchbar, a time bar is displayed, with which you can rewind. Useful thing.

MacBook Pro 15 Specifications

The device operates on a quad-core Intel processor Core i7 7700HQ. In addition to 4 cores, there are also 8 threads, which will be a huge plus in applications for 3D graphics or video editing. The CPU clock frequency is 2.8 GHz, and in automatic overclocking mode it is 3.8 GHz. The size of the second level cache has been increased to 1 MB, and the third level cache has a capacity of 6 MB.

The MacBook Pro 15 has as much as 16 GB of RAM. As always, there is no room for expansion. The RAM operates at a frequency of 2133 MHz.

Finally, the video card is discrete - AMD Radeon Pro 555 with 2 GB of memory on board. However, there is also a discrete video card here - this is an Intel HD 630, without its own memory.

The drive is traditionally installed as a solid-state one, but only 256 GB, and without the ability to add another drive. Expectations from a laptop of a higher class are somewhat different. I would, of course, like the SSD to be at least 500 GB, but alas, it is what it is.

The operating system of the model is the same as above - Mac OS Sierra. Everything works quickly, smoothly, without brakes or freezes.

In general, when it comes to overall performance, the laptop is simply excellent. It can be safely used to work in heavy applications, especially where multitasking is required.

If we talk about battery life, then everything is fine here too. The battery has a capacity of 6320 mAh, which allows it to work for 5-6 hours on a full charge.