Key Takeaways

  • The 13-Inch M2 MacBook Air is recommended for students and casual users, with its affordable price and ability to handle day-to-day tasks.
  • The 15-Inch M2 MacBook Air offers a larger screen and better speakers than the 13-inch model, making it suitable for users who want a bigger display in a thin and light laptop.
  • The 14-Inch M3 MacBook Pro is a budget-friendly option with a faster chip, high-refresh mini-LED display, HDMI port, and SDXC card slot, making it a great choice for users who want more features without breaking the bank.

With Apple offering multiple MacBooks in various configurations, it can be time-consuming to determine which model is perfect for your needs. To help you out, we'll break down each MacBook so that you can better understand which one is right for you.

13-Inch M2 MacBook Air: Perfect for Students and Casual Users

M2 MacBook Air in Space Gray

First, we have the M2 MacBook Air, which Apple launched in mid-2022. The M2 version introduced a design overhaul that resembles the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, ditching the wedge-shaped form factor for the first time. As the name suggests, it packs the second-gen M2 chip, which offers moderate improvements over the original Apple silicon processor, the M1.

Even though the chip is more powerful, the M2 MacBook Air still gets up to 18 hours of battery life, according to Apple. The price tag is also one of the best reasons to purchase the M2 MacBook Air. It starts at $1,099 for the base model, and you can get a version with a better chip and more storage for $1,399. That's a compelling price point for many users who need a MacBook for school or personal use.

We highly recommend the M2 MacBook Air if you want a modern laptop that can easily handle your day-to-day tasks and school work. However, if you want your machine to sustain heavy workloads for long durations, you may need to step up to the higher-end MacBook Pro models.

15-Inch M2 MacBook Air: The Best All-Rounder

15-inch MacBook Air colors
Image Credit: Apple/YouTube

Next, we have the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air. Besides being a larger laptop, the 15-inch MacBook Air provides the same capable internals as the smaller 13-inch model.

It includes the same M2 chip and 18-hour battery life. However, the M2 chip with the 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU comes standard on the larger laptop, so you get a small bump in the number of GPU cores in the 15-inch base model over the 13-inch starting configuration. It also offers the same amount of RAM and storage options as the smaller model, maxing out at 24GB of memory and 2TB of SSD storage.

The 15-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,299 for the base model with 256GB of storage. Apple also offers a 512GB option for $1,499, which may be worth considering since 256GB may not be adequate for many users.

Like the 13-inch model, it can easily handle light to moderate tasks like web browsing, programming, photo editing, etc. The main difference you'll notice when picking the 15-inch MacBook Air over the 13-inch model is that it has more screen real estate to work with. Additionally, the bigger laptop won't make you feel as cramped or constrained as a 13-inch laptop. Besides the bigger screen, you also get six speakers instead of four, making it better for watching movies.

The 15-inch MacBook Air is excellent for those who don't need the power of the 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro but want a big display in a reasonably thin and light laptop. It's the perfect blend of size and capability for regular users.

14-Inch M3 MacBook Pro: A Budget Powerhouse

Woman using M3 MacBook Pro
Image Credit: Apple/YouTube

When Apple announced the refreshed 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models in October 2023, we were surprised to see a variant with the base M3 chip. While it may seem like a confusing move by Apple, this MacBook Pro variant is suitable for many people on a budget. But why would you buy the M3 MacBook Pro over the M3 Pro configuration or even the cheaper MacBook Air models?

The M3 MacBook Pro is an excellent middle-ground in Apple's laptop lineup. The company claims its M3 chip is up to 20 percent faster than the already powerful M2. And since the MacBook Pro has a fan, it can sustain its performance for longer, unlike the MacBook Air models. Although you don't get the higher-end Apple silicon chips, the M3's performance is adequate for most users.

Furthermore, the M3 MacBook Pro includes three notable features that the M2 MacBook Air lacks: a high-refresh mini-LED display, an HDMI port, and an SDXC card slot. So, if you want the MacBook Pro's stellar display and additional ports but don't need the M3 Pro or M3 Max processors, the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro offers a lot for its $1,599 price tag.

14-Inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro: The Best Bang for Your Buck

M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro
Image Credit: Apple

If you need a versatile high-end machine that's still reasonably portable and not overly expensive, look no further than the 14-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro. With the higher-end M3 Pro process, you can expect even better CPU and GPU performance. You can even configure it with the M3 Max chip if you want to take it up a notch.

This MacBook Pro supports up to 8TB of SSD storage and 128GB of RAM if you need the flexibility, although those configurations require the M3 Max. On the software side, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Max lets you enable High Power Mode, which allows the fans to run faster to help cool down the machine during CPU and GPU-intensive tasks.

The M3 Pro's performance is enough to make this model one of the best laptops for video editing, so if you're a content creator who's price-conscious, look no further. Additionally, the 14-inch MacBook Pro offers a solid selection of ports: MagSafe, three Thunderbolt 4-enabled ports, an SDXC card slot, and HDMI 2.1.

Lastly, just like the M3 version, the M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro features one of the best displays in laptops: the Liquid Retina XDR display. Overall, you can rely on the 14-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro to get your work done, and for $2,000, you get a lot of performance and versatility in a compact, portable laptop.

16-Inch MacBook Pro: For Creative Professionals

Apple Space Black MacBook Pro
Image Credit: Apple

Even though the 14-inch models offer excellent performance, there's a costlier option for creative professionals who want maximum performance, a big display, and excellent battery life while on the go: the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

The 16-inch MacBook Pro's starting configuration has similar specs as the smaller 14-inch model. However, the 16-inch MacBook Pro has a larger display, which can be helpful by allowing you to see more of your content. In addition to the big screen, the 16-inch MacBook Pro offers better battery life than the 14-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro—up to 22 hours.

So, if you don't mind carrying a larger laptop, it's perfect to work on while traveling. If time is money, the 16-inch MacBook Pro is an outstanding laptop that can be a vital tool to help you get your work done efficiently. And if you configure it with the top-end M3 Max chip, you won't have to question its performance for years to come.

Choose a MacBook That Fits Your Needs

It's easy to go crazy and overspend on a MacBook, then end up not utilizing all its power. But you don't have to spend excessive money to get a capable MacBook these days, thanks to Apple silicon. If you're a student, look no further than the 13-inch MacBook Air, whereas content creators on a strict budget can eye for the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro.

But for those who need the best performance to work efficiently, the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with the higher-end M3 Pro and M3 Max chips would better suit your workflows. Now that you know about all these models, you can finally make an informed decision.