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Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M5 Pro) vs Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4)
Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M5 Pro) ($2,999) vs Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) ($989) — 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 (M5 Pro) | Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,999 | $989 |
| Weight | 2140g | 1510g |
| Chip | M5 Pro | M4 |
| Display | 16.2" Liquid Retina XDR, 1600 nits peak | 15.3" Liquid Retina |
| Refresh | 120Hz ProMotion | — |
| Battery | Longest of any Mac | — |
| Ports | 3× Thunderbolt, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3 | MagSafe 3, 2x Thunderbolt, headphone |
| Weight | 2.14 kg (4.7 lb) | 1510g (Apple published) |
| Camera | — | 12MP Center Stage |
| Cooling | — | Fanless |
Pros & Cons
Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M5 Pro)
- The most performance available in a portable
- Longest battery life of any Mac
- 16-inch XDR is a genuine editing display
- Speakers rival dedicated desktop sets
- 2.14 kg dictates your entire bag choice
- $2,999 entry is professional-tier spend
- Overkill for anything short of pro media work
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4)
- Large silent laptop at 1510g
- M4 performance
- Six-speaker audio
- 1510g is real weight in a daypack
- No ProMotion
- Costs close to a 14-inch Pro used
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) is the better value at $989. Both are part of our curated pro laptop index — tap through to check current pricing.
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