Torn between the M1 MacBook Air, M1 iMac, and the new M1 Pro MacBook Pro? Here's a guide to help you decide.
If you need a portable Mac, you buy a MacBook. If you want the most powerful Mac experience, you buy an iMac—right?
Deciding between a desktop and a laptop isn't quite as simple as you might think. We have to balance our expectations, real-world requirements, and a realistic budget before taking the plunge.
So we've done the agonizing for you. Here's a guide to how Apple's flagship machines stack up, so you can decide whether a MacBook Air, Macbook Pro, or an iMac would be better suited to your needs.
Comparing the MacBook Air vs. Macbook Pro vs. iMac
Apple currently offers many configurations for its three main product lines: the Macbook Air, the Macbook Pro, and the iMac. For the purpose of this comparison, we'll look at three different models: the 24-inch iMac model, 16-inch MacBook Pro, and the 13-inch Macbook Air.
Apart from these, Apple offers a 13-inch Macbook Pro (with an M1 chip), a 14-inch MacBook Pro (with an M1 Pro or Max chip), and a 21.5-inch or 27-inch iMac (powered by Intel chips). You'll likely have your own wishlist for a custom-built Mac, but this comparison is fairly representative of the differences between the models, whatever your budget.
Even at this stage, it's worth thinking about the lifespan of the product. Of the many reasons why people buy Macs, hardware reliability and longevity is perhaps the most important. Make sure that whatever you choose will fit the bill for a few years. This is especially true when it comes to storage capacity since Apple's machines are less upgradeable than ever before.
Now let's take a look at each aspect of Apple's computers by directly comparing hardware and, ultimately, value for money.
MacBook Air vs. Macbook Pro vs. iMac: CPU and RAM
There once was a time when the desktop variants would run away with the show here. But thanks to the ever-shrinking Apple silicon chip, it's far less clear-cut than it once was. Apple's latest computer chips are very efficient, which means performance is always outstanding across these machines. This doesn't necessarily translate into a black and white performance comparison, though.
The 24-inch iMac comes with Apple's M1 silicon chip. There are three different models of the iMac, which differ in SSD storage and the GPU cores of the M1 chip. The lower-end model features an 8-core CPU and 7-core GPU M1 processor, whereas spending $200 more can get you an 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU model. The difference isn't substantial, but it's worth considering if you are planning to do graphics-intensive work.
The 16-inch MacBook Pro has an M1 Pro or M1 Max chip, with a 10-core CPU and a 16- or 32-core GPU, depending on your chip choice. On the other hand, the Macbook Air also comes with Apple's original M1 silicon chip with an 8-core CPU and 7-core GPU. You can upgrade to the higher-end M1 model (8-Core CPU and 8-core GPU) for an extra $250.
The Macbook Air is also powered by Apple's M1 silicon chip, which means it has performance comparable to the iMac. The main factor here is its portability since you can get similar performance in a much more smaller machine.
In terms of processing power, while the Macbook Pro has the advantage due to a more powerful processor, you're unlikely to notice the difference unless you have power-intensive tasks such as video editing, graphics processing, etc. For daily use (surfing the web, writing reports, etc.) the difference is negligible.
The 24-inch iMac and 13-inch Macbook Air come with a standard 8GB of RAM, which you can upgrade to 16GB for an extra $200. You cannot upgrade the RAM beyond 16GB. On the other hand, the Macbook Pro comes with 16GB of RAM as standard, with extra charges for upgrades to 32GB ($400) and 64GB ($800).
Conclusion: Processing power between the M1 models is comparable. However, the 16-inch Macbook Pro with its M1 Pro or M1 Max is much more impressive for intensive work.
MacBook Air vs. Macbook Pro. vs. iMac: GPU and Display
Both the Macbook Air and MacBook Pro feature a Retina-quality display, which means the pixel density is high enough that you can't make out individual pixels. However, while the MacBook Air tops out at a brightness of 500 nits, the MacBook Pro goes all the way to 1,000 nits. Both use the P3 wide color gamut offering 25 percent more colors compared to standard RGB. The iMac features a 4.5K Retina display, which means it is able to display 4K content.
The most obvious difference is size, with the Macbook Air featuring a 13-inch screen, the Macbook Pro having a 16-inch screen, and the iMac coming in at a 24-inch display. This leads to a difference in resolution: the 13-inch Macbook Air has a resolution of 2560x1600, the MacBook Pro manages a native resolution of 3456x2234 whereas the iMac has a native 4.5K display at a jaw-dropping resolution of 4480x2520 pixels.
All options will make your videos and photos pop and the hours you spend staring at your screen more pleasant. There really is something to be said for the iMac's massive 4K screen, though you'll need to sacrifice portability for the privilege.
The MacBook Pro also features a slightly taller display with a notch at the top for the FaceTime camera and can support adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz, using Apple's ProMotion technology.
You're certainly not going to see a greater performance on the iMac, but there's no mistaking the fact that the best visual performance is found on the desktop. This is further compounded by the heat generated by GPUs under load, which is far more noticeable on a laptop than it is on a desktop.
That added heat might limit your use of the MacBook under extreme load. If you're going to stress the GPU regularly with lengthy video editing or gaming sessions, the iMac will provide a more pleasant base of operation. You'll also have a lot more screen real estate at your disposal.
Conclusion: The MacBook Pro's top-tier M1 Pro or Max chips are a force to be reckoned with, but the iMac still looks much cooler.
MacBook Air vs. Macbook Pro vs. iMac: Storage, SSDs
Here's where the comparison starts to get really interesting since the MacBook range led the SSD revolution many years ago with the arrival of the MacBook Air. SSDs (solid-state drives) are storage devices that use memory chips rather than moving parts to store data. This results in much faster read and write times, and they're a lot tougher.
The 13-inch Macbook Air, 16-inch Macbook Pro, and 24-inch iMac come with built-in SSDs that can be upgraded depending on your needs. The 24-inch iMac and Macbook Air come with 256GB of standard storage, which can be upgraded up to a max 1TB ($400) for the iMac and 2TB ($800) for the Macbook Air. However, the 16-inch Macbook Pro comes with 512GB of storage, which can be upgraded all the way to an 8TB SSD for a whopping extra $2400.
It comes down to performance, and the tradeoff you make between convenience and speed. One word of advice: always buy more storage than you think you need.
Conclusion: You'll get more space for your money in a Macbook Pro. However, if money is no object, you can upgrade any model to at least a 1TB SSD and laugh all the way home.
MacBook Air vs. Macbook Pro vs. iMac: Ports and Portability
If you've followed Apple's hardware decisions of late, you'll know that most MacBooks have fewer ports than any that came before it. Apple decided to strip all but a stereo output and four USB-C ports from the Macbook Air, MacBook Pro, and 24-inch iMac before finally reintroducing the HDMI port, SDXC card slot, and MagSafe charging with the new 16-inch MacBook Pro.
This means you'll need to rely on adapters and docks if you get a MacBook Air or iMac and want to use regular USB type-A connectors, drive an HDMI monitor, plug in a memory card, or connect to a wired network. Both the Macbook Air and Pro can be powered via USB-C, though the MacBook Pro also offers MagSafe. The Macbook Air has two USB-C ports, whereas the 16-inch Macbook Pro features three USB-C ports and a HDMI port for more connectivity.
The iMac also features two USB-C models by default, but there's a catch—you can upgrade to the higher-end four-port model for $200 extra, which features two USB-C and two USB-3 ports. This means you'll have greater connectivity and won't need to use as many dongles. The upgraded model even delivers a gigabit Ethernet port, something the MacBook range dropped years ago.
The two-port iMac is also compatible with the same adapters and docks, enabling HDMI and DVI out, or compatibility with Mini DisplayPort and Thunderbolt 2 devices with an adapter. You won't have to carry this adapter with you either, since your iMac lives on a desk.
Conclusion: The MacBook Air drops the ball in this department, with its stubborn USB-C-only approach. Thankfully the latest MacBook Pro range reintroduced the HDMI, SDXC, and MagSafe ports. As for the iMac, we're shocked Apple still builds a computer with an Ethernet port!
MacBook Air vs. Macbook Pro. vs. iMac: Everything Else
There are a few other areas you might not consider when shopping and, though they're not deal-breakers (to us), they're still worth highlighting.
Keyboard
While the MacBook Air and Pro have a built-in keyboard, the iMac comes with Apple's Magic Keyboard. You can also opt to ditch these and plug in any keyboard you want, something that makes more sense on the iMac.
Mice, Trackpads, and Touch Gestures
Apple has designed macOS with a number of touch-based gestures in mind. These include two-finger scrolling, swipes from left to right to change between desktop spaces, and quick reveal gestures for running apps and the desktop. macOS is better with a trackpad than it is with a mouse.
Apple's Macbooks have a giant trackpad front and center. Force Touch means you can press harder to access a third context-dependent input, just like 3D Touch on the Apple Watch.
The iMac comes with a Magic Mouse 2 by default. If you want the best macOS experience, you'll need to upgrade to a Magic Trackpad 2 for $50 at checkout.
Touch ID
Touch ID is a fingerprint scanner that works just like Touch ID on iOS. This is standard on all three models (the Macbook Air and Macbook Pro via the built-in keyboard) and the iMac (using the Magic Keyboard). You can use your fingerprint to store login credentials, unlock your Mac, and generally speed up daily authorization events.
MacBook Air vs. Macbook Pro. vs. iMac: Which One Should You Get?
The current 24-inch iMac is much cheaper than the 16-inch MacBook Pro. However, it still packs Apple's M1 processor, a bigger screen, more storage space, and a great array of ports. You also have the option to upgrade the RAM and storage according to your needs.
But the 16-inch MacBook Pro certainly the most powerful Mac of the bunch, with its M1 Pro or M1 Max chip, but the price makes it a prohibitive option for most people. And you only need that excessive amount of power for intensive tasks like 3D modelling or video editing.
The Macbook Air also stands strong, with its considerably smaller form factor and efficient M1 performance. The portability of the 13-inch Macbook Air means it's more geared for students or businessmen who need to have a capable machine on the go. You would be surprised at the difference a 13-inch machine and a 16-inch machine make in a bag—both size and weight.
For pricing, Apple's Macbook Air currently costs $999 for the base model, whereas the iMac 24-inch and 16-inch Macbook Pro cost $1,299 and $2,499 respectively. When you're paying an extra $1,500 for the 16-inch Macbook Pro you might want to ask yourself: do you really need all that power in a portable machine?
If you need as much power in the field as possible, then the MacBook Pro is your best bet at this stage. Just make sure you opt for a large enough SSD to see you through to your next upgrade.
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