Yes, I gave a M2 Pro MacBook to start working with a MacBook Air M4. Well, I gave it to my partner. And in return, he gave me his MacBook Air. Call it a gift, call it barter, but in the background, yes, my MacBook was worth much more than his laptop. Why would you do something like that?
The trigger was a trip to France. Next week, I'm lying in Paris, but I'm leaving from Madrid and I'm going back to Zaragoza. Of course, I arrive two days before Madrid is with my parents and, therefore, I have to work. And when I come back to another airport, I have to take the Mac with me. If I already made little fun to go through two airports, Metro de Paris, Tourism in the city with the backpack and the laptop inside … Add the idea of loading with something like the MacBook Pro.
This is where I said: “It is already worth taking care of him with him. I want something smaller and light. “”
The context: from Intel Core i3 to the Apple silicon revolution
I have always been from MacBook Pro. I wear years devoting me to content creation (text, audio and video). I also worked in an Apple distributor and I saw how before, with Intel teams, it was more necessary than ever to have a MacBook Pro if you wanted to do more than sail online. Clear things: Apple had a dark era with Intel processors. It could not be that a MacBook Air crossed you a thousand dollars and had an Intel Core i3.
Fortunately, everything that has happened in history. From 2020, the M1 chip completely changed the rules of the game. And since then, each time the processors are more powerful, but my tasks remain more or less. And that's what made me consider everything.
I worked with an M1, then I went to the M1 Pro, then to the M2 Pro. We are talking about processors three years ago with which I work very well, but of course, so we see the performance of the M4 base and says: “It is that, in many ways, it already exceeds the M2 Pro”. Do I need a pro processor? Did I want to check.
The reality of performance: can with everything, but …
What surprised me the most of the M4 chip is The power that removes without heating. This is an indicator of two fundamental things: first, which is incredibly effective, and secondly, that you can use it in many different places and situations.
MacBook Pro Geekbench score (left) and MacBook Air (right). Higher, it's better.
My daily life is quite demanding. In the morning, I write with Google Chrome and 30 tabs open at the same time, safari with many others, Slack, Chatgpt, Perplexity, Photo editor, telegram, WhatsApp … everything works at the same time. The MacBook Air does not start. The fact that now has 16 GB of basic ram changes everything. You don't just have two or three open applications.
In the web browsing with the “Speedbert 3” test, the MacBook Air is faster
But the thing becomes serious in the afternoon. I modify all kinds of content in Final Cut Pro: short videos to Complete courses of more than 400 GB and a duration of one hour. And here is the fat: if that has resisted the MacBook Air M4, I tell you that it can practically everything.
The two computers can with what you are launching, but Yes, there are differences when you work for long hours. It is more a feeling than something concrete, but it shows. However, when exporting a 4K 20 -minute video and more than 200 GB of weight, the MacBook Air exported it to my MacBook Pro. So, not even, “I can enter” to justify my MacBook Pro.
|
MacBook Pro M2 Pro |
MacBook Air M4 |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Geekbench 6 |
13.902 |
14.745 |
|
Speed counter 3 |
34.9 |
47.2 |
|
cinebench |
14.703 |
11.420 |
|
Disk speed test |
3.374/4.925 |
1.372 / 2.713 |
|
Final export cut (22 minutes and 200 GB of video) |
12 min 46 themselves |
11 min 15 themselves |
The only part I found a difference It is in the use of video games or 3D molding. Here, I recognize that this is not my specialty. To play, I have a PS5 and 3D conceptions are not mine. To do this, I succeeded in the Cinebench test. A test that puts the mac graphics nuclei for ten minutes. And although here the MacBook Pro M2 Pro wins, the difference is not so high either.
In the graphic test, the MacBook Air is below, its 8 GPU nuclei against the 19 of the MacBook Pro are noticed (but not so much for the difference in nuclei number)
Eye with 256 GB of storage
Here, I will be clear for you: the basic capacity of the hard drive is completely insufficient to work. Literally impossible. Shortly after installing a few applications and content, you will have constant problems. Honestly, tAnd I recommend extend even 512 GBAlthough it depends on the use you are going to give.
This is surely the reason why he returns to the MacBook Pro M2 Pro. That, To make someone use the Mac to navigate, no problem. But as you want to work a little more seriously, I recommend that you download. And yes, you can buy external hard drives, depend on iCloud. But you feel that you are putting a continuous patch. And the idea of having everything in a thin and light Mac, but with the suspended hard drive, that did not convince me.
The speed of the SSD in the MacBook Air M4 is much lower, although day by day, I did not notice any difference (except in the intense video edition)
Why was change the best decision
The MacBook Pro, Light which is the light is not. We returned. It is much larger than that of 2016 and heavier. We have won a spectacular screen, an incredible battery, better sound, but loading (as the word says) is a load.
I move a lot, I work at home but also between different cities. And having a MacBook Air is wonderful. Each letters. Since I have it, I have worked much more comfortable. I can move more, take it home, enjoy friends knowing that, if I am aware of something, I take it in a merger. It's really incredible.
Difference in thickness between the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air
This comfort and this freedom of movement perfectly compensate for the additional minutes that can take treatment. I can be productive in many other places, and this is worth gold to An autonomous who, as we already know, never closes.
The things I missed (but not so much)
Of course, the MacBook Pro is objectively higher in almost all aspects, I will not lie to you. The screen is wonderful, brighter, better to work outside when the sun shows you, more precise colors. When you leave a terrace Or you work in places with a lot of natural light, Yes, the difference shows.
The speakers are also overwhelming compared to those of the air. This is one of the biggest differences, but it is also true that I reproduce audio with the Airpods, so that did not affect me as much day by day.
MacBook Pro speakers are clearly higher, perforations in the monohull housing are noticed
On performance, it depends on everyone. If you are going to make 3D models, really demanding things … You don't have another one. You will have to continue with a MacBook Pro. And although I miss this graphic nuclei supplement, How much is this freedom of movement worth? It's like the dilemma of cars: do you buy a bigger one, capable of going everywhere? Or do you prefer a smaller one that takes you everywhere and is traveling in any corner of the city? Even the MacBook Air Charger is smaller, everything counts.
There is no better quality price option than MacBook Air
To all this, we did not talk about the cost. The MacBook Air starts at 1,199 dollars and the MacBook Pro at 1,929 dollars. All this with the same chip. Because if we go to an M4 Pro, there are already 2,449 dollars. More than a thousand dollars from (Promotions apart). This is something that sincerely gives a lot to think. And, as I lived my experience with the MacBook Air M4, it is clear to me that the pro model no longer needs to work as a pro.
MacBook Air Apple 2025 13 inch with M4 chip: designed for Apple Intelligence, 13.6 -inch liquid retina screen, 16 GB of unified memory, 256 GB of SSD, Spanish keyboard; Midnight
* A price may have changed compared to the last review
Obviously, if you can afford to opt for a higher model, you will notice, but you must ask yourself what you use. If you work to create content (but not for hours and hours), writing, writing, online teaching … Stay with the air. You save money and desire in mobility. This Wonder design perfectly provides small differences in performance in extreme tasks. At least, from my most personal experience.
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