Pros and Cons Showdown: MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air with Retina Display Detailed Analysis

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MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air: Advantages and Disadvantages of MacBook Air/MBP

MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, which should you buy? What are the differences between them? If you can’t figure that out yourself, see the post here.

By Abby Poole ｜Last updated on April 13, 2021

MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, which one should you buy? Can you give me a quick answer? If not, the most obvious reason lies in that you lack sufficient yet clear understanding about these two MacBooks. What’s the differences and advantages of the two notebooks? Which one suits me? All these questions result in your uncertainty about these two products. To help you out of the allodoxaphobia, the most effective solution is to illustrate the similarities and differences between MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. Afterwards, I bet you will get your own answers.

1. Screen and Resolution

Screen

Actually,there is no big change in MBP display, but a significant improvement for MacBook Air. See, the Pro version offers users a 2560x1600 resolution at 227 pixels per inch for 13 inch model and 2880 x 1800 resolution at 220 pixels per inch for 15 inch model. Thus, users can play 4K video on MacBook Pro Retina with ultra HD resolution.

Well, the truly good news is for MacBook Air users. It’s reported that the MacBook Air would sport with a Retina display, up to 220 - 227 pixels per inch. That means you can playback your HD video and even UHD video on your MacBook Air Retina eventually, needless to envy MBP Retina users any more.

2. Keyboard

Keyboard

The biggest highlight of MacBook Pro might be the Touch Bar, which replaces the traditional functional keys of the MacBook Pro keyboard. It changes automatically based on what you’re doing to show you relevant tools you already know how to use - system controls like volume and brightness, interactive ways to adjust or browse through content, intelligent typing features like emoji and predictive text, and more. And now Touch ID enables instant access to logins and fast, secure online purchases with Apple Pay. Yet, every coin has two sides. This Touch Bar puts a huge challenge on users’ mastery degree of Mac operating system and Mac’s apps. Meanwhile, the previous shortcuts like Esc, keys for brightness/volume adjustment disappear now and some users might not be accustomed to these changes.

Certainly, recent there is also a flurry of rumor says Apple might have a different plan for upcoming MacBook Air. That is E-ink keyboard developed by Sonder Design, which is more customizable than Touch Bar and lets users to change the key labels on the fly. You can freely design a new keyboard for yourself, along with contextual shortcuts. So far, it’s unclear Apple use this new keyboard on MacBook Air or not. Still need time and patience to wait for the answer.

3. Touch ID

Touch ID

As for Touch ID, here is not going to distinguish the difference between MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, but the thing in common. Both the flagship MBP and MacBook Air will be featured with Touch ID.

As you know, Touch ID is the fingerprint sensor used on iPhone to make Apple Pay more secure. With the release of the latest macOS 11 Big Sur , MacBook users can eventually unblock you Mac in an instant, using Apple Pay to make secure online purchases, quickly access system settings and locked notes, and even switch between users - all with the touch of a finger. Consequently, they both will come with macOS and Touch ID feature.

4. USB-C Port

USB-C port

Do you remember the 2015 MacBook comes with a USB-C port? Now, the two macbooks will also carry this charging feature. An insider, who asked not to be named, reveals that Apple considers to add USB Type-C to both MacBook Pro and MacBook Air just like the 12-inch MacBook. And more importantly, there are four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports in MBP, since many a MacBook user complains USB-C port connection far from enough.

What also increases the credibility of this info is that the MacBook Air is said to be the last of its kind. MacBook Air series might be replaced by iPad Pro series. So, there is no reason for Apple not to make great efforts on the last version of MacBook Air and give it a perfect ending.

5. Processor

MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air processor

The MacBook Pro actually lags behind PC rivals in processor upgrades. See, Dell and HP have already updated to the seventh-generation Intel Kaby Lake processors in autumn 2017, while Apple still has no move on this aspect.

Eventually, the new MacBook Pro gets a progress on its processor, sporting with 2.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 chips for 15-inch model and 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 for 13-inch model (a little bit disappointment). To be brief, the next generation Intel processor will dramatically speed up MacBook Pro 2017, offers high speed file transfer and the convenient wireless charging. As for 2017 MacBook Air, it’s still uncertain whether it will include this processor or not.

Armed with the Intel Core i7 processor, the MacBook Pro dramatically improves the speed for your file transfer between MacBook Pro and iPhone 7/Plus, iPad Pro, iPods. Coincidently, the Mac-based iPhone manager called MacX MediaTrans, built-in with Intel Quick Sync Video hardware accleration tech, also lets you transfer music, videos, photos, movies, iBooks, Ringtones, iTunes U, etc. from iPhone iPad to MacBook Pro or vice versa with world’s fastest speed, 10 seconds for 500 4K photos transfer and 140 seconds for a 396MB MKV video transfer. Both hardware and software are awesome and the iPhone transfer speed will reach to a new height!

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6. Portability

MacBook Pro vs Air

The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro are well-designed with only 0.59 inch/0.61 inch in height and 3.02/4.02 pounds for each in weight. In contrast, the 2015 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air are even thinner and lighter than MacBook Pro series. They are kept with 0.11-0.68 inch in size and weigh only 2.38/2.96 pounds. No doubt that MacBook Air is regarded as the thinnest notebook out there for quite a while.

Speaking of the upcoming MacBook Air, there are also some speculations indicating that the Retina MacBook Air will become thinner and lighter than its predecessors. How thin and light on earth? It remains to be seen.

Advantages and Disadvantages of MacBook Pro and Air

Pros:
• MacBook Air is the sure winner with respect to the thickness of a notebook. It’s definitely the thinnest yet lightest Mac you’ve ever used.
• MacBook Pro sports with Retina display and the high-end hardware configuration to make itself worth every penny.

Cons:
• MacBook Air benefits a lot from its thickness, but this also leads to a big compromise on its product performance.
• MacBook Pro : recently, the complaints about 2017 MacBook Pro battery life is constantly increasing. Users reflect that the 2017 MBP delivers battery life well below Apple’s claimed ten hours, mainly relying on GPU use.

13-inch Retina MacBook Pro vs Air: Specs Side by Side

For those who gonna get more detailed comparison between MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, you’re suggested to read on the following comparison table to further understand the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.

MacBook Pro 2017	MacBook Air 2017
Size	11.97 x 8.36 x 0.59 inches	12.8 x 8.94 x 0.68 inches
Weight	3.02 pounds	2.96 pounds
Display size	13 inches	13 inches
Resolution	2560 by 1600 pixels (Retina)	Unknown
OS	macOS Sierra/macOS High Sierra	macOS Sierra
Capacity	128, 256, 512GB	128, 256GB
Processor	2.3 GHz Dual-core Intel Core i5	Unkown
RAM	8GB	8GB
Camera	720p FaceTime HD camera	720p FaceTime HD camera
Video	5120 x 2880 at 60Hz, 4096 x 2304 at 60Hz	Unknown
Sensors	Touch ID, Force Touch	Touch ID
Apple Pay	Yes	Yes
Battery	Up to 10 hours wireless web	Up to 12 hours wireless web
Connection	USB-C port	USB-C port

Free Download Movies on MacBook Air or MacBook Pro

Both MacBook Pro and MacBook Air have a better Retina display, which is well-suited to play HD and Ultra HD movie thereon. For movie buffs, you can consider to resort to the highly sought-after MacX Video Converter Pro to free download YouTube HD video, YouTube movies, as well as download Hollywood movies from Dailymotion, Vimeo, crunchyroll, comedycenter, FaceBook, Metacafe, etc. 1000+ movie download sites and then playback movies on MacBook Pro/Air with Retina display. With 350+ mobile profiles, you also have the ability to convert video movie to iPhone, iPads, Android, etc. with parameter settings adjustment and video editing features (trim, crop, add subtitles, add watermark, etc.).

• Free download movies on MacBook: download video, movie, music, etc. on MacBook Pro/Air from YouTube, Facebook, Dailymotion, etc. 1000+ sites.

• All-sided Video Converter: Convert any video to over 180 video formats and 14 popular audio formats on Mac OS X, such as WebM to MP4, M2TS to MP4, MKV to AVI, WMV to MOV, FLV to AVI, AVCHD to MOV, etc.

• Convert Video to Android iPhone iPad: Super fast speed to convert videos to iPhone iPad Android with best parameter settings and video editing features.

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Pros and Cons Showdown: MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air with Retina Display Detailed Analysis