Following on from our previous two articles today that looked at how the iPod touch compared to the iPod nano, and the iPad Air and iPad mini comparison, we thought we would round up the day with a review of how the MacBook Pro vs. MacBook Air with Haswell compare. We will also throw in a video review to help you come to a decision as to which of these two Macs would be the better choice for you.
Before we even begin you know that the MacBook Air was upgraded to the Haswell chip, but missed out on a retina display, unlike the MacBook Pro, which benefitted from the two in its 2013 refresh – although the standard Pro never received the upgrades
It is for this reason why it would be fairer to compare the MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro without Retina, as you get a better idea of battery life and screen performance. We know this Pro doesn’t have Haswell either, but it is still a better comparison in terms of price and specs
There are two screen sizes for the MacBook Air, 11-inch and 13-inch, compared to just 13-inch for the Pro. It is the Retina model that has the 15-inch display, but did not see the much-demanded return of a 17-inch model last month.
When comparing the MacBook Pro and Air specs it is obvious that there will be differences, although we can’t help notice just how much improved the Retina model is in terms of its hardware, and shows how much better a MacBook Air with Retina would be.
The MacBook Air comes with a choice of 1.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 or 1.7GHz i7 processor, compared to 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 or i7 processor for the Pro. Both have a choice of 4GB and 8GB of RAM and up to 512GB flash storage for the Air and 1TB hard drive or up to 512GB SSD for the Pro.
Apple’s 2013 MacBook Air sports Intel HD Graphics 5000, whereas the Pro has Intel HD Graphics 4000. Again, it is the Retina model that makes use of the upgraded Intel Iris Graphics.
Battery life for the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are up to 9 hours wireless web for the former and 7 hours for the latter, although the 13-inch Air can go for up to 12 hours.
You can get a far better picture how these two compare by visiting Apple, along with the other MacBook Pro’s in the range. However, the biggest factor when choosing the MacBook Air or Pro isn’t price, but rather if you will be using it at home or the office or while out and about, as one is far more portable than the other.
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