The MacBook in all its forms
MacBooks have been popular laptops for study, work, content creation and so much more thanks to their performance and reliability. Right now, Apple laptop Boxing Day deals are here, and that means you can open one up for less! A MacBook is a premium laptop from Apple known for its sleek aluminum design, powerful performance, and macOS operating system, Apple’s intuitive operating system that works with the apps you like for work and play. They come in different sizes allowing you to find one that’s lightweight and easy to bring along wherever you go.With the App Store, plus all the apps available directly online, you can find all the tools and games you want for work and play at your leisure.
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 and higher spec counts. The MacBook Air is available in compact 13-inch models as well as larger 15-inch versions, offering flexibility for users who want portability or extra screen space. You can easily find both Air and Pro models featuring Retina displays in a range of sizes depending on your needs.
Apple has traditionally positioned each line into broader categories. For instance, the MacBook Pro may be slightly heavier (though getting lighter with each generation), 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. Though it’s a very capable laptop for most people in its own right, especially for use on the go.
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 M series chipsets, which are found in the latest models.
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 improve how apps and tasks run on the hardware and software.
The newer chips also boost battery life because of that extra efficiency. There are also improvements in CPU performance, GPU performance, and machine learning capabilities. Since the introduction of the M1 chip, Apple has continued evolving its Apple silicon lineup with newer generations including M2, M3, M4, and the latest M5 family of chips. Bottom line: Apple M chips are making MacBooks more and more powerful, feature-rich, intelligent, and efficient with each new generation.
Do more with either MacBook
MacBooks are laptops, but with the right accessories, can be so much more. Use the included ports, ranging from USB-C to Thunderbolt, or grab a hub or adapter to expand what you can connect to the computer.
Plug in a larger monitor with an external keyboard and mouse, for example, 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.
Modern MacBook models also include features like Touch ID for secure login and authentication, allowing you to unlock the computer and sign into apps or websites quickly using stored credentials. With comfortable keyboards and smooth trackpads, any MacBook laptop is designed to simplify how easy it is to get work done.