The Mac family is known for its astonishing design, functionality, portability, and expensive nature. Once upon a time, the MacBook Air used to be Apple’s thinnest laptop, but with the 12-inch MacBook and 13-inch MacBook Pro, the Air seems to have lost its reputation for now.
It can be difficult choosing between the two Macs, especially for those who haven’t taken a closer look at what each of them has to offer. In this review, I will be comparing the two flagships in terms of design and performance to see which is better and gives you value for your money.
Design
Looking at the exterior part of both laptops, you won’t find any significant difference between the two. The MacBook Pro and the 12-inch MacBook are both beautifully designed and sleek. This isn’t surprising as Apple is known for going the extra mile when it comes to design.
However, the two keyboards are quite different. The Pro comes with a third-generation butterfly keyboard which is absent in the MacBook. This new keyboard has a better feel and makes less sound compared to the 12-inch Mac, an advantage a typist will enjoy a lot.
In design, the Mac falls short in the number of ports available. With just two ports, a USB-C port, and a headphone jack, the 12-inch Mac limits its users from using multiple peripheral devices simultaneously. The Pro, on the other hand, has two USB-C ports and a headphone jack, which is more for the same price.
The screen size isn’t much of a difference, except you prefer a slightly bigger screen of which the Pro will be a better choice with its 13-inch screen.
Performance
The Pro beats the smaller MacBook in performance with its 7th generation core i5 processor which starts at 2.3GHz and can turbo boost up to 3.6GHz. This powerful processor speed combined with its integrated Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 offers you impressive superspeed without any lag.
The MacBook, on the other hand, is equipped with a 7th generation core m3 processor and an Intel HD Graphics 615. The m3 processor can boost up to 3.0GHz and lags when you run too many tabs, unlike the Pro, which handles more workload smoothly.
Both laptops are equipped with 16GB of RAM. However, the Pro supersedes the MacBook in storage space with 1TB storage capacity compared to the Mac’s 512GB.
The picture quality is slightly different between the two flagship models. The MacBook Pro offers a 2560X1600 screen resolution compared to the MacBook’s 2304X1440 resolution. The difference isn’t much even though the Pro has a slightly better picture quality.
Portability
This is the MacBook’s most significant advantage over the 13-inch MacBook Pro. The Mac weighs 2.03lbs which is 1lbs lighter than the Pro’s weight at 3.02lbs. Although, this weight difference won’t be noticeable if you’re using a desk unless you are using the laptop on your laps for a long period.
The battery life of the MacBook is impressive, it can last for up to 8 hours of continuous video play and can serve you throughout the day if you’re doing normal tasks. The 13-inch MacBook Pro lasts longer, reaching a limit of 10 hours of continuous video play.
Final verdict
The MacBook Pro offers you better performance than the 12-inch MacBook for the same price. Therefore, except you want a smaller screen, then we recommend the MacBook Pro for you.
