Looking at the two specs, I am not sure what makes the Air and Pro two different machines worth considering. The i5 Air is the same price as the entry model Pro (and the i5 is probably the most common choice amongst Air users) and aside from the extra storage, what are the reasons to choose the Air over the entry Pro?
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We couldn't recommend 2018 MBA due to the Pro, is it the same now that the 2020 pro is out?
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The entry level Pro is still using an 8th gen processor and older graphics hardware. So there’s that to consider.
The single-core performance of the Air is better than the entry level MBP, multi-core is a bit worse.
But overall, the 10th Gen in the Air is why I ended up plumping for it. It benches about the same as my Late 2015 i5 Retina 5K iMac. So that’s good enough for me. Sure synthetic benchmarks aren’t the be all and end all, but they are interesting none the less.
iMac Retina 5K Late 2015 Core i5 - Single Core: 912 Multi-Core: 3028
MacBook Air 2020 Core i5 - Single core: 1038 Multi-Core: 2634
So, not a whole heck of a difference.
The single-core performance of the Air is better than the entry level MBP, multi-core is a bit worse.
But overall, the 10th Gen in the Air is why I ended up plumping for it. It benches about the same as my Late 2015 i5 Retina 5K iMac. So that’s good enough for me. Sure synthetic benchmarks aren’t the be all and end all, but they are interesting none the less.
iMac Retina 5K Late 2015 Core i5 - Single Core: 912 Multi-Core: 3028
MacBook Air 2020 Core i5 - Single core: 1038 Multi-Core: 2634
So, not a whole heck of a difference.
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It's impressive when you put it into that kind of context.
They really sorted out the MacBook Air lineup didn't they.
Here is a detailed review of the i5 MBA. They have benchmarks with comparisons to the 2019 MacBook Pro with 2 Thunderbolt ports.
I think some people like the MBA's tapered keyboard deck for typing.
I think some people like the MBA's tapered keyboard deck for typing.
You should also consider that the 2020 MBA has released at $100 less than previous generations and has 256GB at base model. I think it's very compelling at $1k ($900 edu) and puts it solidly in a different price range than the $300 more expensive base MBP that comes with older gen CPU/RAM until you hit $1800. It really depends on your use, but if it's on the lighter side I think the 2020 MBA is a stronger option than previous years.
This is one of those 'it depends' type of comparisons. For most people and the regular things done on a computer the Air is plenty fast and works great. It never felt slow when I was using it.
But for anything that needs more sustained power, the Air will do the job but the fans will kick in. For me the older Air's seemed better designed for this sort of thing, it wasn't overall faster... but was able to sustain performance a little better without needing the fan.
The MacBook Pro is better at that kind of thing, boosting a little bit to do some continuous work and not needing to cool right away.
If you want that kind of thing, the Air isn't a good replacement for the Pro... despite having a newer gen CPU.
But will you use your computer in that way? And rather save some money and have a lighter/smaller machine? For most people I think it'll work great. The Pro is better for somethings, but if you don't do that... will won't notice the difference.
But for anything that needs more sustained power, the Air will do the job but the fans will kick in. For me the older Air's seemed better designed for this sort of thing, it wasn't overall faster... but was able to sustain performance a little better without needing the fan.
The MacBook Pro is better at that kind of thing, boosting a little bit to do some continuous work and not needing to cool right away.
If you want that kind of thing, the Air isn't a good replacement for the Pro... despite having a newer gen CPU.
But will you use your computer in that way? And rather save some money and have a lighter/smaller machine? For most people I think it'll work great. The Pro is better for somethings, but if you don't do that... will won't notice the difference.
It’s an improvement, no doubt. But bear in mind, for sustained performance the MacBook Pro will have better thermal efficiency.
Having said that, it all depends on your use. I just wanted something small and portable, and I like the tapered front of the Air compared to the MacBook Pro for typing.
Mostly, I’ll be writing on mine, which to be fair I can do just as well on my 12.9” iPad Pro. But I also wanted to be able to do the occasional bit of coding away from my main machine. The Air has been fine for that so far. If you were going to use it as your only Mac and require it to be capable of sustained heavier workloads, the Pro is where you should look, if you want a laptop.
Not in the US. $1099 for an i5/8/256 Air vs $1299 for an i5/8/256 Pro. If you do need 512 storage then it's $1299 vs $1499.
Another factor - for some - is the Air retains the function key row rather than the touchbar.
Good god, how did I forget to mention the most important thing on the computer
Without a word of a lie, I spent over 4 grand on my MacBook Pro (with TouchBar) and hated it so much, I sold it 4 months later.
It’s so nice having a physical row back there. I’d have preferred if Apple had made an interactive screen/trackpad combo and left my beloved function keys alone. Or god forbid, give us function keys and the TouchBar. But y’know, that’s just me.