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The MacBook in all its forms
The MacBook Air over the years
Apple has been manufacturing MacBooks for many years now, and they come in two designs: the Air and the Pro. While they each fall under the same concept of being an Apple MacBook laptop, they also bear significant differences that set them apart. The MacBook Air is thinner and lighter, whereas the MacBook Pro is more powerful and performative, drawing on other distinctions that set them apart.
Each of these lines have gone through iterative improvements over the years, with the Pro largely offering models with larger displays, including 15-inch and 16-inch models. The Air is most commonly found in a 13.3-inch size, though Apple did also make 11.6-inch MacBook Airs until 2016. That 13.3-inch screen is the one commonality the two lines have, as you can easily find Air and Pro models featuring Retina displays at that size.
Apple has traditionally positioned each line into broader categories. For instance, the MacBook Pro may be heavier, but is also more of a workhorse, given that it often has more processing power and memory to handle more demanding tasks. The MacBook Air is considered more of a casual laptop that is capable of getting things done when your needs aren’t as substantial.
How MacBooks have changed
Up until 2020, Apple designed its MacBooks to run on Intel-based processors using x86 architecture, which is the same as that Windows PC laptops use. That was the year Apple introduced its own silicon in the M1 chipset. The ARM system on a chip (SoC) is a different architecture altogether, and since it was built with macOS in mind, the efficiency and power-saving performance greatly improved how apps and tasks ran on the hardware and software.
M1 is the same chipset the iPad Pro uses, and because of that, it’s possible to run iOS and iPadOS apps on MacBooks. The newer chip should also boost battery life because of that extra efficiency. Intel-based MacBooks do have an advantage, at least for now, in that they can run anything without running into compatibility issues for programs unable to run on the M1 chip. Check with the apps you use most to ensure you won’t run into any of those issues.
Do more with either MacBook
MacBooks are laptops, but with the right accessories, can be so much more. There aren’t a lot of ports, so you may need a hub or adapter to provide the additional ports you need. The latest MacBook Air and Pro models only have a limited number of USB-C ports. They’re capable and offer plenty of throughput under Thunderbolt limits, but plugging in multiple peripherals does require additional ports.
Plug in a larger monitor with an external keyboard and mouse for a true desktop space. Use Sidecar on your iPad to make it a secondary Mac display when you need a second or third screen to work with. Slide in a memory card to work on photos or video by accessing them directly.
Newer MacBook Pro models have the Touch Bar, a sliver of a screen above the keyboard for additional input and shortcuts. You will also find Touch ID on the latest MacBook Airs, letting you log in by just placing your finger onto it to log in. With slick keyboards and smooth trackpads, any MacBook laptop is primed to simplify how easy it is to get the job done.
The MacBook in all its forms
The MacBook Air over the years
Apple has been manufacturing MacBooks for many years now, and they come in two designs: the Air and the Pro. While they each fall under the same concept of being an Apple MacBook laptop, they also bear significant differences that set them apart. The MacBook Air is thinner and lighter, whereas the MacBook Pro is more powerful and performative, drawing on other distinctions that set them apart.
Each of these lines have gone through iterative improvements over the years, with the Pro largely offering models with larger displays, including 15-inch and 16-inch models. The Air is most commonly found in a 13.3-inch size, though Apple did also make 11.6-inch MacBook Airs until 2016. That 13.3-inch screen is the one commonality the two lines have, as you can easily find Air and Pro models featuring Retina displays at that size.
Apple has traditionally positioned each line into broader categories. For instance, the MacBook Pro may be heavier, but is also more of a workhorse, given that it often has more processing power and memory to handle more demanding tasks. The MacBook Air is considered more of a casual laptop that is capable of getting things done when your needs aren’t as substantial.
How MacBooks have changed
Up until 2020, Apple designed its MacBooks to run on Intel-based processors using x86 architecture, which is the same as that Windows PC laptops use. That was the year Apple introduced its own silicon in the M1 chipset. The ARM system on a chip (SoC) is a different architecture altogether, and since it was built with macOS in mind, the efficiency and power-saving performance greatly improved how apps and tasks ran on the hardware and software.
M1 is the same chipset the iPad Pro uses, and because of that, it’s possible to run iOS and iPadOS apps on MacBooks. The newer chip should also boost battery life because of that extra efficiency. Intel-based MacBooks do have an advantage, at least for now, in that they can run anything without running into compatibility issues for programs unable to run on the M1 chip. Check with the apps you use most to ensure you won’t run into any of those issues.
Do more with either MacBook
MacBooks are laptops, but with the right accessories, can be so much more. There aren’t a lot of ports, so you may need a hub or adapter to provide the additional ports you need. The latest MacBook Air and Pro models only have a limited number of USB-C ports. They’re capable and offer plenty of throughput under Thunderbolt limits, but plugging in multiple peripherals does require additional ports.
Plug in a larger monitor with an external keyboard and mouse for a true desktop space. Use Sidecar on your iPad to make it a secondary Mac display when you need a second or third screen to work with. Slide in a memory card to work on photos or video by accessing them directly.
Newer MacBook Pro models have the Touch Bar, a sliver of a screen above the keyboard for additional input and shortcuts. You will also find Touch ID on the latest MacBook Airs, letting you log in by just placing your finger onto it to log in. With slick keyboards and smooth trackpads, any MacBook laptop is primed to simplify how easy it is to get the job done.