Air screen quality compared to older MBP? Also sound?

[clv101]

I'm in the market for a new Apple laptop, to replace my Mid-2015 MBP with 15.4-inch (2880 × 1800).

First choice is the new M4 15" air with its 15.3" 2880x1864 screen, but I'm aware this is significantly inferior to the 14.2" 3024x1964 screen on the 14" MPB (brighter, higher refresh, higher pixel density)...

However my real question is how the M4 Air screen compares with my current, decade old Retina MBP? Is the Air a significant improvement on the old MBP? Air specs say 500 nits vs the old MBP's 300 nits?

Also wondering how the Air speakers (whilst inferior to the current MBP) compare with the decade old MBP?

I don't want to be disappointed, with the Air compared to my old MBP in any area, if the Air's screen and speakers aren't significantly better than the old MBP, I'd be tempted to go for the 14" Pro.

 

[russell_314]

I'm in the market for a new Apple laptop, to replace my Mid-2015 MBP with 15.4-inch (2880 × 1800).

First choice is the new M4 15" air with its 15.3" 2880x1864 screen, but I'm aware this is significantly inferior to the 14.2" 3024x1964 screen on the 14" MPB (brighter, higher refresh, higher pixel density)...

However my real question is how the M4 Air screen compares with my current, decade old Retina MBP? Is the Air a significant improvement on the old MBP? Air specs say 500 nits vs the old MBP's 300 nits?

Also wondering how the Air speakers (whilst inferior to the current MBP) compare with the decade old MBP?

I don't want to be disappointed, with the Air compared to my old MBP in any area, if the Air's screen and speakers aren't significantly better than the old MBP, I'd be tempted to go for the 14" Pro.

Paper specs are awesome, but that doesn’t always equal real life experience. If you can go to the Apple Store or another business that sells them and look at one in person.

Is lightweight important to you? If so, the Air is where you want to go. If weight doesn’t matter because it’s going to be sitting on a desk or you just don’t care about that then there’s no reason not to get the Pro. I’m not aware of any disadvantage of the Pro besides weight.

 

[GMShadow]

Having used both, both screen and speakers are better on the new Air. Speakers will of course be even better on the new Pro, screen is a bit more mixed? Neither is going to be a quantum leap forward.

 

[clv101]

I’m not aware of any disadvantage of the Pro besides weight.

Well, there's the extra cost!

 

[russell_314]

Well, there's the extra cost!

If you have to ask the price, then Apple products are not for you… Just kidding 😂


It’s a $200 difference comparing the 14” Pro 10/10 core 16/512 GB model to the 15” Air in the same configuration. These are USA prices so it might be different if you’re somewhere else. $200 is still $200 so it has to factor into your decision.

The Air can be purchased in lower configurations, and that’s probably where it shines when it comes to the price

 

[Mac-key]

I'm in the market for a new Apple laptop, to replace my Mid-2015 MBP with 15.4-inch (2880 × 1800).

First choice is the new M4 15" air with its 15.3" 2880x1864 screen, but I'm aware this is significantly inferior to the 14.2" 3024x1964 screen on the 14" MPB (brighter, higher refresh, higher pixel density)...

However my real question is how the M4 Air screen compares with my current, decade old Retina MBP? Is the Air a significant improvement on the old MBP? Air specs say 500 nits vs the old MBP's 300 nits?

Also wondering how the Air speakers (whilst inferior to the current MBP) compare with the decade old MBP?

I don't want to be disappointed, with the Air compared to my old MBP in any area, if the Air's screen and speakers aren't significantly better than the old MBP, I'd be tempted to go for the 14" Pro.

I'm curious about this too as I have an old mid-2015 15MBP. I have a studio display and a Mac mini for my professional photography and video work. So the screen isn't as big a deal for me, but I'm hoping the new air is an improvement over my current laptop. Also the speaker quality has to be better than a 10 year old MBP right?

 

[GregoriousMan]

I'm curious about this too as I have an old mid-2015 15MBP. I have a studio display and a Mac mini for my professional photography and video work. So the screen isn't as big a deal for me, but I'm hoping the new air is an improvement over my current laptop. Also the speaker quality has to be better than a 10 year old MBP right?

It won't be a significant improvement over your 15MBP screen. But it does display a very very wide color gamut, which is nice for photography and video. Really the only downsides about the screen is the refresh rate and the contrast ratio. Just not as nice as the miniLEDs on the Pros. But it's a fine screen otherwise.

Speaker quality is excellent. As are microphones. I don't have the 2015 MBP, but I'm sure it's a noticeable upgrade in both these respects.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I've spent ample time side by side with both an M2 and M3 15" MBA (2 different family member machines) right next to the 2015 15" MBP I'm typing on right now.

I find no meaningful difference or upgrade whatsoever.

If there is any, it's likely only discernible in testing of certain metrics.

 

[Miss Terri]

I've spent ample time side by side with both an M2 and M3 15" MBA.... right next to the 2015 15" MBP...

I find no meaningful difference or upgrade whatsoever.

I've been watching this thread as I'm looking to do just this: Replace my 2015 13" MBP, perhaps with a new Air. Thanks to the OP for starting the thread.

turbineseaplane: The one thing I'm surprised by is that the 500 nit screen is not noticeably brighter than the 300 nit screen (at least my 2015 MBP has a 300 nit screen). I often have this computer at maxed brightness and wish for a bit more.

I know the MBP has 1000 nits. And I've always had MBP in the past. But I'm carrying the computer in a backpack more and more, hence thought that this was finally my time to try the Air. Figured that almost double the nits would be noticeable. (Even though I'd love a port on the right side and the Nano-texture, dangit).

Anyone else with a 300 nit machine next to a 500 nit screen who cares to comment? (Or turbinseaplane if you have anything to add on screen brightness...)

(I'm like 5.5 hours round-trip to an Apple store, so not easy to see one in person.)

I won't miss the hideous screen coating on the 2015 MBP!

 

[turbineseaplane]

Anyone else with a 300 nit machine next to a 500 nit screen who cares to comment? (Or turbinseaplane if you have anything to add on screen brightness...)

All I can say is that it isn’t an issue for me and my usage contexts

It sounds like increased brightness will be a benefit for you for sure though

 

[Miss Terri]

All I can say is that it isn’t an issue for me and my usage contexts

It sounds like increased brightness will be a benefit for you for sure though

Ah okay. So it's not so much that you can't detect a difference in screen brightness; but rather 300 nits is plenty in your case, so more nits is of no consequence. (Obviously I'm hoping that another 60-ish% of nits will be noticeable/enough for me.)

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I'm curious about this too as I have an old mid-2015 15MBP. I have a studio display and a Mac mini for my professional photography and video work. So the screen isn't as big a deal for me, but I'm hoping the new air is an improvement over my current laptop. Also the speaker quality has to be better than a 10 year old MBP right?

I do not understand thinking like this. IMO the important comparison is to compare the new choices 2024 MBP versus 2024 MBA or whatever. The old box is just the old box being upgraded from.

I would never buy an MBA due to its having half the brightness, etc. of a comparable MBP. But FWIW after upgrading to an M2 MBP I still sometimes use my 2016 MBP for simple apps like browsing. Once in a while I will hop to Netflix, and when I do I promptly notice that I am on the 2016 box and go get the M2 MBP instead. The M2 MBP display and speakers immediately present as obviously superior to 2016 MBP. The same thing happens when I compare MBA against MBP in the Apple Store; MBP is much better.

 

[Miss Terri]

I do not understand thinking like this. IMO the important comparison is to compare the new choices 2024 MBP versus 2024 MBA or whatever. The old box is just the old box being upgraded from.

I can try to explain from my perspective:

I am deciding between an M4 MBA and an M4 MBP. I can easily read all the tech specs on Apple's website, so no need to ask about those here. (And of course I have compared them, spec-by-spec.) BUT.... hearing a real world comparison from someone running a machine like mine, and a new MBA is something I can't get from Apple. I can get it here.

Basically, I'd like to go with the Air, but want to make sure it feels like enough of an upgrade. That's a mixture of objective and subjective, so inputs here are valuable.

Obviously the Pro would be "better," spec-wise; but I'd like to avoid the weight if possible, because I'm carrying it in a backpack constantly. So it boils down not to which is better, spec-wise; but rather is MB Air going to be enough of an improvement compared to what I'm 'driving' now?

I know what my current 2015 MBP feels like, so that's my basis for deciding if the MBA is enough of an improvement. It doesn't matter if there is another, bigger/better option (because of course there is). This thread is helpful, so thanks to all who are contributing.

 

[codeunrwolfpack]

I can try to explain from my perspective:

I am deciding between an M4 MBA and an M4 MBP. I can easily read all the tech specs on Apple's website, so no need to ask about those here. (And of course I have compared them, spec-by-spec.) BUT.... hearing a real world comparison from someone running a machine like mine, and a new MBA is something I can't get from Apple. I can get it here.

Basically, I'd like to go with the Air, but want to make sure it feels like enough of an upgrade. That's a mixture of objective and subjective, so inputs here are valuable.

Obviously the Pro would be "better," spec-wise; but I'd like to avoid the weight if possible, because I'm carrying it in a backpack constantly. So it boils down not to which is better, spec-wise; but rather is MB Air going to be enough of an improvement compared to what I'm 'driving' now?

I know what my current 2015 MBP feels like, so that's my basis for deciding if the MBA is enough of an improvement. It doesn't matter if there is another, bigger/better option (because of course there is). This thread is helpful, so thanks to all who are contributing.

I'd say go buy the Air and you have 14 days to see if it is enough of an "upgrade" for you. If not, you can always return it and go with the MacBook Pro! You can always look at them both in the Apple Store as well! Good luck!

 

[Miss Terri]

Sorry, somehow I made a duplicate post and don't know how to delete it. See next post.

 

[Miss Terri]

Thanks for the ideas. I wish I were closer than ~6 hours round-trip to an Apple store! Luckily there is MacRumors to help fill in the gaps.

I will return the MBA 14 if I decide to buy it and it's not good enough. But, between waiting almost two weeks to get it in the first place (BTO), in addition to potential return replace times for an MBP, I'd be right up against a period where I'll be traveling. Pity the Air didn't come out a few weeks sooner.

So if I can make the right choice (for me) the first time, so much the better. Figured I'd wait just long enough after release to see posts from people getting their first M4 Airs. (Hang in there, flaky 2015 MBP!)

Up until now, the MBP was an obvious choice for me. Because I keep my computers so long, a newer MBP has always been thinner and (most importantly) lighter than my current one. And too, I always wanted more RAM than I could get in the Air (chronic ridiculous number of tabs open). But now.... the M4 MBP is basically exactly the same size and weight as my current MBP, so no joy on the weight improvement. And the Air now allows for twice as much RAM as I currently have (16GB now). So I would get the joy of a thinner, lighter machine (which is what's making me lean Air this time around). This is the first time I've really considered the Air.

(I would have loved to see a USB-C port on the right side, and the nano-texture option, but.... the Air can't have it all I guess.)

My biggest concern is actually whether the Air will get too hot. I don't do very intensive computing (save for the chronic tab problem); but I'm often in non-air-conditioned spaces. My 2015 MBP struggles, even with the fan cranking away. But then it's an Intel machine, and everything points to the M-chip running cooler. I also won't have any really hot weather until after a 14-day return period would be long over (more of a summer thing).

But okay, heat is not anything the OP asked about in this thread. And most people seem to do their laptopping in air-conditioned spaces, so not so many findable data points.

 

[prism]

In a nutshell, the mbp has faster sustained processing, more ports, a brighter and higher refresh screen and different dimensions to the mba.
It’s drawbacks vs mba would be the clearly thicker and heavier chassis, a pwm screen and the substantial price difference.