Coming from a 16” M1 Pro and before that 13” M1 Air the 15” feels like the sweet spot between portability and screen size.
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Did you go for the 15” or 13” MacBook Air and why?
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13" and didn't even consider the 15". The 13" is the perfect size for me. I've tried the 15" but it was too unwieldy.
I had been using a MBA M1 13" since August 2021. In January of this year (2025) I bought a MBA M3 15", having decided not to wait around for the M4. (No, I don't regret getting the M3 vs. M4). My reason for the 15" screen was the ability to tile windows next-to, above each other and have two (or more) on screen at once. These eyes are getting older, of course, and I needed the larger space; I have the resolution set to 1440 x 932, which suits me perfectly. My day is spent writing and editing journal articles, and side-by-side windows allows me to copy/paste much more easily than with my previous 13". I opted for 24gb/1tb to "future proof."
Picked up the M4 15" 16gb/256 from Best Buy this morning
While I probably don’t need it, I’m thinking of picking up an M4 MacBook Air. I’m just trying to decide whether to stick with a base 16/256 or to bump that up to 24/512. Or to consider a 15-inch MBA for that matter. It would hardly be my main machine but the M4 MBA seems like a lot of fun.
It depends entirely on how you use the machine. Do you have the money to spend? Is portability more important than screen space, or is it the other way around? and if it's a don't-need-it purchase, how high to you want to go? TBH if advising in the blind, I'd bump memory before storage, because you can always add decent external storage, but you can't add RAM to an Apple Silicon machine. (not without a lot of hassle, anyway.)
13'' all the way, at home I have it docked to a 4k 27 inch monitor and when I'm travelling I want the extra portability and lightweight design.
13" for the win. I had a 15" MBA last year and missed the smaller form factor of the 13".
At least for me, I used to do all my design work on an Intel MBP so the 15" was the way to go for me for the extra working space. Now that I have a Mac Studio + external monitor to do the heavy lifting for me, I relegate the laptop to simpler tasks (project planning, answering emails) when I'm away and find that I can get away with less space. Love the 13" portability.
I've said this a few times on these forums, but I feel like many people would go back and forth in terms of liking the 13" MacBook, 14" MacBook Pro and 15" MacBook Air. I am typing this on my M2 MacBook Air - I fully planned on getting a 13" M4 this weekend, but I wanted to think about it. Here are my views
1) 13" Air is good for many - offers great portability, very few places where it wouldn't fit
2) 14" Pro is more for screen quality, pro processor, etc. IMO - the screen size doesn't add anything meaningful in terms of work area versus the 13" Air
3) 15" Air offers super spacious workspace. Also betters speakers and battery life. IMO it offers the best MacOS experience of these three. There will be some spaces (like certain airplane seats) where it won't fit
Honestly I think the 15" is the best, most unique offering Apple makes in this space.
1) 13" Air is good for many - offers great portability, very few places where it wouldn't fit
2) 14" Pro is more for screen quality, pro processor, etc. IMO - the screen size doesn't add anything meaningful in terms of work area versus the 13" Air
3) 15" Air offers super spacious workspace. Also betters speakers and battery life. IMO it offers the best MacOS experience of these three. There will be some spaces (like certain airplane seats) where it won't fit
Honestly I think the 15" is the best, most unique offering Apple makes in this space.
When I originally decided to give a personal laptop a shot again, I had decided on the 15". I have a 13" HP and 15" Dell for work, and I find that when working, I much prefer the Dell (though I have a docking station setup I usually use with a 32" monitor instead).
However, I bought this laptop just to experiment with macOS again after not having a laptop for about 4 years. I don't actually have a lot of personal documents to work on so other than the occasional video edit or photo edit, most of my usage is light gaming and web browsing.
So because of this, the situations I'd most use my laptop (on the couch, in bed, etc.), the 15" was just too big to be comfortable most of the time. Don't get me wrong, I loved the size, but in those situations it was just too cumbersome.
I decided after seeing the Sky Blue M4 to just trade in the 15" and get the 13". I saw it as me paying $200 (as I bought a base model) to get a better screen size and double the ram (as my 15" was an M3 with 8GB). Though the speakers aren't as good and watching videos on it isn't exactly as good as the 15", since it's smaller, overall, this is a much better size to deal with. it's much more convenient and easier to use. So, I'm glad I swapped it with my 15". I can actually sit on the couch with it and use it without feeling awkward and uncomfortable.
However, I bought this laptop just to experiment with macOS again after not having a laptop for about 4 years. I don't actually have a lot of personal documents to work on so other than the occasional video edit or photo edit, most of my usage is light gaming and web browsing.
So because of this, the situations I'd most use my laptop (on the couch, in bed, etc.), the 15" was just too big to be comfortable most of the time. Don't get me wrong, I loved the size, but in those situations it was just too cumbersome.
I decided after seeing the Sky Blue M4 to just trade in the 15" and get the 13". I saw it as me paying $200 (as I bought a base model) to get a better screen size and double the ram (as my 15" was an M3 with 8GB). Though the speakers aren't as good and watching videos on it isn't exactly as good as the 15", since it's smaller, overall, this is a much better size to deal with. it's much more convenient and easier to use. So, I'm glad I swapped it with my 15". I can actually sit on the couch with it and use it without feeling awkward and uncomfortable.
I have no experience with the 14” MBP but I agree with both sentiments regarding 13” and the 15” haha
What a tricky decision for people who have to opt for only one
I went for the 13" M1 back in 2020. I never take it out of the house and 75% of the time use it sitting in an easy chair. The 15" would be too unwieldy and unnecessary for my use.
Since all the correct M chips are strong enough for my needs, my priority would be as small and light as possible with good battery life, so 13” MBA with 24GB RAM/1TB storage would be my choice.
And if they’ll release 12” MacBook and it will fit my needs, then this will be my choice.
And if they’ll release 12” MacBook and it will fit my needs, then this will be my choice.
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I bought the 14" Pro as an upgrade for my Intel 2020 13" MBA.
One reason I bought the Pro instead of the Air is that I didn't want to wait 5 months for the Air to come out
.Another reason is that it has a great display which I run at 1800x1169. I wear reading glasses but this resolution is great for me.
13” M2
Why is because the 15” didn’t come out till later. I’d probably still buy the 13” today because I prefer smaller MacBooks. My first MacBook was a 13” MacBook Pro.
I’ll qualify this because I haven’t actually held the 15” in my hands so when it comes time to get a new one, I’m going to look at them in person at the Apple Store.
Why is because the 15” didn’t come out till later. I’d probably still buy the 13” today because I prefer smaller MacBooks. My first MacBook was a 13” MacBook Pro.
I’ll qualify this because I haven’t actually held the 15” in my hands so when it comes time to get a new one, I’m going to look at them in person at the Apple Store.
- 13” as more backpackable, usable on cramped tables (airplane/train, possibly uni) and suitable for daily commuting
- 15” when primarily moved around the house (or by car), and used as desktop replacement without external display
I agree with most of what you are saying. I've had M1 and M2 14"MBP and MBA, and I currently have the 14" MBP. The only things that make me keep the MBP are the speakers and increased brightness. I might go back to the 15 MBA at some point. They are both excellent machines.
Exactly. Both are great machines. I suspect that, as much as I like the 13-inch MBA, I’ll probably go with the 15-inch version because A) it’ll probably be used around the house (or taken by car to someone else’s house) most often, and B) I have a 13-inch M2 iPad Air. If I didn’t have the iPad Air, I’d probably go with the 13-inch MBA.
13.6” for me hits the sweet spots for me in all situations. Yah Logic Pro is cramped, but somehow I am more focused working on the smaller notebooks. I love the size on the couch and at the desk. Works for me. Typing comfort is another thing that really makes a difference for my choice of the smaller form factor. I do a lot of writing and that does impact my choice. I waffled and tested and I know when the redesigned MacBook Pro comes in 2026, I will be adding the 14.2” version to my Mac life. I no longer use external monitors, as I find that just getting down to getting stuff done with the least amount of “stuff” is where I am at now.