With the announcement of the MacBook Pro M4 this week, Apple has revamped its entire line of personal computers. From now on, MacBook Airs all have a base configuration of 16 GB of RAM for the same price, so they become even more interesting than before. However, one anomaly remains: the 15-inch MacBook Air M3. With its price significantly higher than the small models, and with a similar configuration, its price is dangerously close to the 14-inch MacBook Pro M4. Did Apple just kill its full-size MacBook Air?
A minimal price difference between Air and Pro
Let’s play a game and compare the price of the MacBook Air M3 15″ with that of the cheapest newly released MacBook Pro M4. The latter has an unrestricted M4 chip (unlike the entry-level iMac), 16 GB RAM, 512 GB of storage and a 14-inch 120Hz screen It has the luxury of costing €100 less than the previous model, which is to say. €1,899.
Now, let’s compare to the MacBook Air M3 15″ released last spring. In its configuration with 512 GB of storage, the closest to the MacBook Pro, Apple sets a price of €1,829 with all the concessions that we know compared to the MacBook Pro. This is how we realize that there is only 70€ difference between the two machines even though they are diametrically different and an entire generation differentiates them. Either the MacBook Air is a terrible deal or the MacBook Pro is a great one. It’s up to you to see the glass half full or half empty.
HDMI, 120 Hz, autonomy, other advantages of the Pro
Beyond the chip, the MacBook Pro M4 stands out with some comfort advantages. Its 120 Hz ProMotion screen offers unrivaled display fluidity, a feast for the eyes, with superior resolution and brightness. And its active cooling system allows it to better keep up with intensive use, where the MacBook Air will have to reduce its performance to avoid overheating. Additionally, the additional USB-C Thunderbolt ports, SD port, HDMI port, and included 70W charger tip the scales even further in favor of the MacBook Pro.
| MacBook Air | MacBook Pro | |
| Processor | M2 or M3 – 8 cores | M4, M4 Pro or M4 Max – up to 16 cores |
| Storage | Up to 2TB | Up to 8TB |
| Memory | 8, 16 or 24 GB | 8 to 128 GB |
| Graphics | Up to 10 cores | Up to 40 cores |
| Neural engine | 16 hearts | 16 hearts |
| Webcam | 1080p | 12MP central camera with 1080p video |
| Speakers | 4 speakers with wide sound, 6 speakers with 15 inches | 6 high fidelity speakers |
| Microphones | 3-mic array | Studio-quality 3-mic array |
| Thermal management | Without fan | Active cooling with fans |
| Apple Intelligence | ✅ | ✅ |
| Actual screen size | 15.3 inches | 14.2 inches |
| Resolution | 2880×1864 | 3024×1964 |
| Ratio | 16:10 + notch | 16:10 + notch |
| PPI | 224 | 254 |
| Nits (brightness) | 500 | 1000 sustained, up to 1600 peaks for HDR; SDR up to 1000 outdoors |
| Liquid Retina Display | ✅ | ✅ +XDR |
| Nano-texture option | ❌ | ✅ |
| ProMotion (up to 120 Hz) | ❌ | ✅ |
| mini-LED backlit | ❌ | ✅ |
| True tone | ✅ | ✅ |
| Wide color P3 | ✅ | ✅ |
| Magic Keyboard | ✅ | ✅ |
| Touch ID | ✅ | ✅ |
| 12MP central camera with desktop view | ❌ | ✅ 1080p |
| FaceTime Camera | ✅ 1080p | – |
| Thunderbolt ports | 2x Thunderbolt 3 | Up to 3x Thunderbolt 5 |
| Headphone jack | ✅ | ✅ |
| HDMI | ❌ | ✅ |
| SDXC card reader | ❌ | ✅ |
| MagSafe Charging | ✅ | ✅ |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11.ax) | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11.ax) |
| External display support | 2 external displays with up to 6K at 60 Hz for 1 and 5K at 60 Hz for the 2nd when the MacBook Air lid is closed | M4 and M4 Pro: up to 2 external displays at 6K/60Hz over Thunderbolt, or 1 at 6K/60Hz over Thunderbolt and 1 at 4K/144Hz over HDMI
Or 1 external display at 8K/60Hz or 1 at 4K/240Hz over HDMI M4 Max: up to 4 external displays: up to 3 at 6K/60Hz over Thunderbolt and 1 at 4K/144Hz over HDMI Or Up to 3 external displays: up to 2 to 6K/60Hz over Thunderbolt and 1 to 8K/60Hz or 1 to 4K/240Hz over HDMI |
| Weight | 1.51k | 1.55, 1.60 or 1.62 kg |
| Thickness | 1.15cm | 1.55cm |
| Width | 34.04 cm | 31.26 cm |
| Depth | 23.76cm | 22.12 cm |
| Finishes | Silver, Space Gray, Starlight, Midnight | Silver or space black |
| Wireless Web Battery | 3 p.m. | Until 4 p.m. |
| Video playback | 6 p.m. | Up to 24 hours |
| Power adapter included | 35W or 70W USB-C + MagSafe | 70W or 96W USB-C + MagSafe |
| Battery capacity | 66.5Wh | 70Wh |
| Fast charging | ✅ with 70W | ✅ with 96W |
So many little extras which, for only €70 more, give a definite MacBook Pro M4 advantage for those who need power and autonomy (+ 6 hours in favor of the Pro). The MacBook Air M3 15″ undeniably retains the advantage of weight (although only 40g difference) and silence, criteria which remain priorities for some users. It also has the possibility of being configured with only 256 GB of SSD, which brings the bill down to €1,599.
Conclusion of the buying guide
Our advice, take a 13-inch MacBook Air M3 at €1,199 (or at €1,099 on sale on Amazon) for its versatility or upgrade directly to a MacBook Pro M4 for its general performance (at 1,899 euros on Amazon).
And you, what choice would you make? Also find our iPad buying guide.
Note: iPhoneSoft uses affiliate links whenever possible. When you click on a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission, which helps us maintain this site and at no extra cost to you.
