M3 MacBook Pro vs. M2 MacBook Air: A detailed comparison

Apple introduced the next-generation 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro at its “Scary Fast” powered by M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips on October 30. All three chips are built on TSMC’s advanced 3nm process, making them more efficient and powerful processors than the M2 chips.

However, Apple also launched the 15-inch MacBook Air powered by the M2 chip in June 2023. It features a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, which is the largest display on a MacBook Air to date. The new MacBook Air also has up to 18 hours of battery life on a single charge, which is more than any other MacBook.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro and 15-inch MacBook Air are two of the best laptops on the market. They are both powerful, portable, and have long battery lives.

If want to know which MacBook model is right for you, then we have a detailed comparison of the two laptops to help you decide. 

14-inch MacBook Pro vs. 15-inch MacBook Air: A detailed comparison

14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 vs. 15-inch MacBook Air with M2: Specs comparison

Feature 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 15-inch MacBook Air M2
Processor M3 Pro or M3 Max M2
Display 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion technology 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display
Resolution 3024 x 1964 pixels 2880 x 1800 pixels
Refresh rate Up to 120Hz Up to 60Hz
Brightness Up to 1600 nits Up to 500 nits
Wide color gamut Yes Yes
True Tone Yes Yes
Battery life Up to 17 hours Up to 18 hours
Ports Three Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports, HDMI port, SD card slot, and headphone jack Two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports, a MagSafe charging port, and a headphone jack
Magic Keyboard with Touch ID Yes Yes
Force Touch trackpad Yes Yes
FaceTime HD camera Yes Yes
Storage Starting at 512GB Starting at 256GB
Memory Starting at 16GB Starting at 8GB
Operating system macOS Ventura macOS Ventura

14-inch MacBook Pro vs. 15-inch MacBook Air: Full Comparison

Display

The 14-inch MacBook Pro has a Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion technology, which means it can refresh at up to 120Hz for a smoother and more responsive experience. The 15-inch MacBook Air has a standard Liquid Retina display with a refresh rate of 60Hz.

Performance

The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Max is the most powerful MacBook Apple has ever made. It has a 10-core CPU and 32-core GPU, which makes it ideal for demanding tasks like video editing, 3D rendering, and software development. The 15-inch MacBook Air with M2 is also very powerful, but it’s not quite as powerful as the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Max. It has an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU.

Memory and storage

The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Max comes standard with 16GB of unified memory and 512GB of SSD storage. You can configure it with up to 64GB of unified memory and 8TB of SSD storage. The 15-inch MacBook Air with M2 comes standard with 16GB of unified memory and 256GB of SSD storage. You can configure it with up to 24GB of unified memory and 2TB of SSD storage.

Ports

The 14-inch MacBook Pro has a wider range of ports than the 15-inch MacBook Air. It has three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port, a MagSafe 3 port, and a headphone jack. The 15-inch MacBook Air has two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a MagSafe 3 port, and a headphone jack.

Battery life

The 14-inch MacBook Pro and the 15-inch MacBook Air both have excellent battery life. Both devices can last for up to 18 hours on a single charge.

Price

The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Max is more expensive than the 15-inch MacBook Air with M2. The base model of the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Max starts at $1,999, while the base model of the 15-inch MacBook Air with M2 starts at $1,499.

Which laptop is right for you?

It depends on your needs and budget. If you need a more powerful machine for professional-level rendering, editing, or gaming, then the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 is the way to go. But if you’re on a tighter budget or don’t need quite as much power, then the 15-inch MacBook Air with M2 is a great option.

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About the Author

I'm a passionate tech enthusiast here to break down the latest trends, gadgets, and software. Whether you're a seasoned programmer or just curious about the digital world, I aim to deliver insightful articles that are both informative and engaging.