If you’re in the market for a new laptop, it’s a good idea to compare the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air. Both are good machines, and they’re designed to be powerful and durable. The two laptops have different strengths, though. For instance, the MacBook Air isn’t as powerful as its bigger brother, and the webcam isn’t as fancy.

However, the newest versions of both machines are still able to handle the most common tasks. Moreover, the latest models have terrific battery life. A 15-hour runtime is pretty good, and they’re more than capable of running the day’s work on a single charge. That said, if you’re going to be doing some storage-heavy activities on the go, it might be wise to invest in a MacBook with more storage. You may also need to upgrade to a larger screen to get a better image.

While the MacBook Air is a worthy contender for the title of best laptop, it’s not quite the high-end option it once was. Luckily, the company has recently redesigned the lineup and has added a couple of extra features to the machine. One of them is a dedicated AMD Radeon Pro graphics card, which will give you a much-needed boost to your gaming experience.

Likewise, the 15-inch Pro has an SDXC card slot and three USB-C connectors. This gives you more flexibility than you’d expect. Another feature you may have missed is the Touch Bar, which is a thin multifunction light strip.

In terms of design, the MacBook Air is certainly impressive. It’s slim, svelte, and lightweight. And the metal shell isn’t just for looks, it naturally vents heat. On top of that, the speakers are upward-facing grills that sound more impactful than traditional laptop speakers. They don’t offer a stellar display, however, as it’s only 720p.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro has a few other tricks up its sleeve. For starters, it has a fan to keep its processor cool. Similarly, the M1 chip in the machine is capable of fine-tuning itself. Apple is even able to optimize the chip to boost its performance.

Lastly, the M1 has a snazzy-looking Touch Bar, and the best part is that it can be used to display content from a variety of sources. This includes not only your laptop’s own keyboard and trackpad, but also a built-in display and keyboard for an external monitor.

Overall, the MacBook Air is a surprisingly capable laptop that’s perfect for students looking to save some money, or for casual users who want a portable device that can handle basic business tasks. At the same time, it isn’t the most powerful, so if you’re into serious computing, you’ll likely need to opt for the more powerful Macbook Pro. But, if you’re only in the market for a small laptop, the Air is an excellent choice. Those seeking a bit more power should consider the M1, which is the highest rated model in the series and offers better display support for external displays.