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Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro) vs Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M1)
Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro) ($1,853) vs Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M1) ($249) — side-by-side specs, weight, pros and cons to help you pick the right pro laptop.
Spec-by-spec
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro) | Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M1) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,853 | $249 |
| Weight | 2140g | 1290g |
| Chip | M4 Pro | M1 |
| Display | 16.2" 120Hz mini-LED XDR | 13.3" Retina |
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3 | 2x Thunderbolt, headphone |
| Cooling | Active, dual fan | Fanless |
| Weight | 2140g (Apple published) | 1290g (Apple published) |
| Battery | — | Up to 18 hours |
Pros & Cons
Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro)
- Genuinely desktop-class performance
- Thunderbolt 5
- Enormous, superb XDR display
- Best-in-class battery even at this size
- 2140g, the heaviest thing in this catalog by a wide margin
- Needs a real bag, not a sleeve
- Expensive even used
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M1)
- Extraordinary value at this price
- Fanless and silent
- Battery life still excellent
- Fast enough for real work in 2026
- Wedge shape is thicker at the back than modern Airs
- Only two ports and no MagSafe
- 8GB base memory
- 1290g, heavier than an M2 Air
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M1) is the better value at $249. Both are part of our curated pro laptop index — tap through to check current pricing.
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