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We've been reviewing MacBooks since the very first polycarbonate MacBook appeared in 2006 -- and we covered Apple's PowerBooks and iBooks before that. Apple's current laptop lineup is split between the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, and the differences between the two lines are significant. The current MacBook Pros are great for those who need higher-level processing and graphics performance for content creation, graphic design, advanced STEM work and gaming. The Air is more of an everyday laptop that favors portability over performance, though it has power to spare and a long battery life, according to our tests. That’s why the MacBook Air is CNET’s pick for the best MacBook for most people.
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- The 4 Best MacBooks You Can Buy Right Now (June 2025)
- What is the best overall MacBook?
- Best MacBooks of 2025
- Best MacBook overall
- Best MacBook for college students
- Best budget MacBook
- Best MacBook for creatives
- Apple MacBooks compared
- Most recent additions
- Factors to consider when buying a MacBook
- How we test laptops
- Other laptops we've tested
- Laptop FAQs
What is the best overall MacBook?
With the release of the M4 MacBook Air, both the MacBook Pro and Air lines feature Apple's latest silicon. The 15-inch MacBook Air acts as the bridge between the 13-inch MacBook Air and MacBook Pro line, providing a bigger display without the MacBook Pro premium. With Apple dropping the price by $100 for the M4 MacBook Air models, the price gap between MacBook Pro is even bigger than it was before.
Starting at $1,199, the 15-inch Air sits in the sweet spot, making it the best MacBook for most people. The 13-inch Air remains a great pick for students and others with busy lives and slim wallets. The older MacBook M1 is still available as a Walmart exclusive for just $649 for budget shoppers, and the 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 provides the added power for graphics pros but at a great expense. For more, check out CNET's MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro comparison and see the new look and features of the next version of Apple's Mac operating system, MacOS Tahoe.
Read more:
Best MacBooks of 2025
Pros
- Optimal balance of screen size and system weight
- M4 processor provides good balance of performance and battery life
- Lower $1,199 starting price
Cons
- 256GB SSD is too small for the price
- $200 upcharge for more RAM or storage is steep
- Smooth ProMotion display still exclusive to MacBook Pro
The 15-inch MacBook Air is proof that you don't need a Pro to get a larger display. It supplies a larger screen that you once found only on the pricier Pro models. If you're eyeing the 14- or 16-inch Pro models primarily for the added screen size, the MacBook Air 15 is the more affordable option you should go for, especially at its new lower starting price.
Why we like it
The roomy, 15.3-inch display is powered by Apple's M4 chip and 16GB of RAM. The M4 update adds incremental improvements (and a new sky blue color) to an already fantastic laptop that sits in the Goldilocks Zone of Apple's MacBook lineup.
Who it's best for
With its roomy display, trim design and new lower starting price, the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air should be viewed as the default Air, with its cheaper and smaller 13-inch sibling a good alternative for students and others with tighter budgets and busy, on-the-go lifestyles.
Pros
- Big performance gains from M1, Intel MacBook Airs
- Great design, features
- Support for two external displays simultaneously with MacBook display
- 12-megapixel Center Stage camera
Cons
- 256GB SSD might fill up fast
- Expensive upgrades
For Apple’s latest MacBook Air, the bigger news than moving from Apple's M3 silicon to M4 chips is the drop in price.
Why we like it
Starting at $999, the MacBook M4 Air is $100 cheaper than the entry point for the previous M3 models. In addition to a slight bump in performance over the previous generation, the M4 Air adds a Center Stage webcam, better support for external displays and a new ice blue color option.
Who it's best for
The M4 refresh adds up to a good, if minor, update to an already fantastic laptop that’s now more affordable for students and those on tight budgets. With its mix of strong overall performance, long battery life and a trim design, it’s no wonder it’s such a popular laptop for campus life.
Pros
- M1 Air easily outperforms old Intel versions
- Great battery life
- Fanless design runs cool and quiet
Cons
- No external design or feature changes
- No mobile broadband options, 5G or otherwise
This model has been surpassed, but not totally replaced, by the newer M2, M3 and M4 models. It's available at Walmart for $649, which is a hefty $350 less than its original price. It's also $350 less than the cheapest M4 Air.
Why we like it
For many years, this was everyone's favorite laptop. It was reasonably priced, thin, light and built like a tank. It could last for years and take lots of falls and bumps. You get only two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports, but that's enough for most people, as long as you can get a compatible dongle.
Who it's best for
It's a great pick for budget shoppers looking for a speedy and stylish do-it-all laptop.
Pros
- Fast
- Excellent screen
- Improved webcam
- Same solid design as previous model
Cons
- Heavy
- Big drop in performance in low-power mode
- Prone to fingerprint smudges
Apple's latest update to its 16-inch MacBook Pro delivers M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max processors, an improved webcam and an optional nano-texture nonreflective finish for the display.
Why we like it
The design remains unchanged from the previous version, but under the hood the new M4 Pro chip offers better overall performance and, sees big gains in multicore and rendering performance. Although the design didn't receive an update, it's still solid and offers a reasonable weight given the roomy display.
Who it's best for
Graphics pros and creators who need the power and big screen of the 16-inch MacBook Pro will be best served by this laptop. Like the previous series, the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 Pro processor starts at $2,499, and the M4 Max model starts at $3,499. If you need the speed, it's worth the dough.
Apple MacBooks compared
See how the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models measure up.
| 13-inch MacBook Air (M4) | 15-inch MacBook Air (M4) | 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4) | 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) | 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) |
| $999 | $1,199 | $1,599 | $1,999 | $2,499 |
| M4 | M4 | M4 | M4 Pro | M4 Pro |
| 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 |
| 8 | 10 | 10 | 16 | 20 |
| 16GB | 16GB | 16GB | 24GB | 24GB |
| 256GB | 256GB | 512GB | 512GB | 512GB |
| 13.6 in | 15.3 in | 14.2 in | 14.2 in | 16.2 in |
| 2,560x1,664 pixels | 2,880x1,864 pixels | 3,024x1,964 pixels | 3,024x1,964 pixels | 3,456x2,234 pixels |
| 2.7 lbs | 3.3 lbs | 3.4 lbs | 3.5 lbs | 4.7 lbs |
| 0.44 x 11.97 x 8.46 in | 0.45 x 13.4 x 9.35 in | 0.61 x 12.31 x 8.71 in | 0.61 x 12.31 x 8.71 in | 0.66 x 14.01 x 9.77 in |
| Thunderbolt 4 x2, headphone, MagSafe 3 | Thunderbolt 4 x2, headphone, MagSafe 3 | Thunderbolt 4 x3, HDMI, SDXC card, headphone, MagSafe 3 | Thunderbolt 4 x3, HDMI, SDXC card, headphone, MagSafe 3 | Thunderbolt 5 x3, HDMI, SDXC card, headphone, MagSafe 3 |
| 52.6-watt‑hour | 66.5-watt‑hour | 72.4-watt-hour | 72.4-watt-hour | 100-watt-hour |
The new M4 versions of the MacBook Airs are the newest additions to the list. The 15-inch Air acts as the bridge between the 13-inch MacBook Air M4 and MacBook Pro line and offers fans the best of both worlds: a larger display without the MacBook Pro premium. Since Apple has dropped the price by $100 for the M4 MacBook Air models, the price gap between the Air and Pro has grown.
The first fork in the road you'll come to when shopping for a MacBook is whether to follow the Air path or head down the Pro road. For people who are looking for an everyday home laptop or a work laptop for running basic office apps, a MacBook Air will suffice. An Air is also a better pick for students on tight budgets. For creative types who need the added processing and graphics muscle of Apple's new M4 Pro and Max chips, a MacBook Pro is worth the added cost. To help you find the right MacBook for your needs and budget, here are the main considerations to keep in mind.
Price
The entry price for a MacBook is $649. That gets you the M1 MacBook Air that was released in 2020, but that offer is exclusive to Walmart. If you are shopping at Apple, pricing starts at $999 for the13-inch MacBook Air M4 and $1,199 for the 15-inch MacBook Air M4. Stepping up to a MacBook Pro model starts at $1,599. Here are the starting prices of Apple's current MacBook lineup:
- 13-inch M4 MacBook Air: $999
- 15-inch M4 MacBook Air: $1,199
- 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro: $1,599
- 16-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pro: $2,499
Size and display
If you'll be taking your MacBook with you to class, work or even down to your local coffee shop most mornings, an Air is the better choice. The 13-inch MacBook Air models weigh less than 3 pounds, and the roomier 15-inch Air weighs only 3.3 pounds, which is still lighter than the 14-inch MacBook Pro.
The flip side to portability is screen size. The 16-inch MacBook Pro gives you ample room to work and multitask, while the 14-inch MacBook Pro tries to hit the sweet spot between roomy display and travel ease. Unless you need Pro-level performance, we feel the 15-inch Air does a better job of hitting that target.
- 13.3-inch M1 MacBook Air: 13.3-inch display (2,560x1,600 pixels), 2.8 pounds
- 13.6-inch M4 MacBook Air: 13.6-inch display (2,560x1,664 pixels), 2.7 pounds
- 15.3-inch M4 MacBook Air: 15.3-inch display (2,880x1,864 pixels), 3.3 pounds
- 14.2-inch M4 MacBook Pro: 14.2-inch display (3,024x1,964 pixels), 3.4 pounds
- 16.2-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pro: 16.2-inch display (3,456x2,234 pixels), 4.7 pounds
Processor
The processor, aka the CPU, is the brains of a laptop. MacBooks have used Apple's own processors since the introduction of the M1 processor in 2020. The M1-based MacBooks were clear improvements over Apple's earlier Intel-based machines in terms of overall performance, efficiency and battery life. The M1 MacBooks were more powerful, boasted longer runtimes and operated more coolly and quietly.
The latest lineup of MacBook Airs feature Apple's latest M4 chip, and the MacBook Pro line offers a choice of M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max processors. The M4 MacBook Air models offer slightly better performance than the M3-based versions, but the jump in performance is not nearly the same as going from Intel CPUs to the M1.
Graphics
The graphics processor handles all the work of driving the screen and generating what gets displayed, as well as speeding up a lot of graphics-related (and increasingly, AI-related) operations. Apple's M-series CPUs integrate the GPU. The more processing cores the GPU has, the better the graphics performance. Here's the breakdown:
- M1: 7-core or 8-core GPU
- M2: 8-core or 10-core GPU
- M3: 8-core or 10-core GPU
- M4: 8-core or 10-core GPU
- M4 Pro: 20-core or 32-core GPU
- M4 Max: 32-core or 40-core GPU
Memory
Memory (or RAM) is where the operating system stores all the data for currently running applications, and it can fill up fast. After that, it starts swapping between RAM and SSD, which is slower. With the exception of the older M1 Air sold at Walmart, MacBook Air models now start at 16GB of RAM along with the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro. The minimum on the M4 Pro MacBook Pro models is 24GB, and the M4 Max MacBook Pros serve up 36GB or more.
You can't upgrade the memory on recent MacBooks post purchase, so you'll need to get all of the RAM you'll need up front. MacBooks are able to smoothly run MacOS and the preinstalled apps with the minimum RAM offered, but doubling the RAM will make your MacBook feel faster and likely lead to a longer life of the laptop.
Storage
MacBooks feature solid-state drives, or SSDs. MacBook Air models start with a 256GB SSD, and MacBook Pros offer a 512GB SSD at minimum. If you use cloud storage for your files, music collection and photo library, then you might be able to get away with a 256GB SSD without filling it up before too long. We were happy to see the 13-inch MacBook Pro with its paltry 256GB SSD go away -- Pro users need 512GB at the very least.
The review process for laptops consists of two parts: performance testing under controlled conditions in the CNET Labs and extensive hands-on use by our reviewers. This includes evaluating a device's aesthetics, ergonomics and features with respect to price. A final review verdict is a combination of both objective and subjective judgments.
Our benchmark tests consist of a core set we run on every compatible system, including several we can run on both MacOS and Windows PCs. There's also an extended set of tests for specific use cases, such as gaming or content creation, where systems may have more powerful GPUs or higher-resolution displays that need to be evaluated.
The new M1 Air next to the 2020 Intel Core i5 Air.
Dan Ackerman/CNETFor the hands-on portion of the reiview, the reviewer uses the laptop for their work during the review period, evaluating how well the design, features like the screen, camera and speakers) and manufacturer-supplied software operate as a cohesive whole. We also place importance on how well everything works given the cost, and where the manufacturer has potentially made upgrades or trade-offs for the price.
The list of benchmarking software and comparison criteria we use changes over time as the devices we test evolve. You can find a more detailed description of our test methodology on our How We Test Computers page.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition: It’s a great business laptop but can get pricey fast with upgrades.
Acer Swift 14 AI: This midrange Copilot Plus PC offers incredible battery life but is missing one key feature.
HP EliteBook X G1a: X does not mark the spot for this biz laptop when the Ultra version costs roughly the same and supplies a far better display inside a slimmer, more compact design.
HP EliteBook Ultra G1i: With its compact, elegant design and excellent OLED display, HP's flagship EliteBook is a fantastic machine -- but it's worth waiting for a sale before buying.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 Gen 10: It's ultrastylish and ultracompact, but maybe don't hide the camera behind the display next time?
Acer Chromebook Plus 516: The 16-inch display provides plenty of room to work but Acer has a similar model that offers more for less.
HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14: Similarly priced systems offer better performance and longer battery life, but HP's flagship convertible laptop boasts an unrivaled design and awesome OLED panel.
Acer Aspire 14 AI: Neither the design nor the display will wow you, but the performance and battery life from its Intel Lunar Lake CPU provide excellent value to budget laptop shoppers.
HP Pavilion Plus 14 (2025): Parts of the HP Pavilion Plus 14 are great, but there's one feature that totally ruins the experience.
Acer Swift 16 AI: It's thin. It's light. It's long-running. Plus, it boasts a big, bright 16-inch OLED display. So, what's holding this Copilot Plus PC back from being more than just a big-screen productivity machine?
HP Pavilion Aero 13: When it comes to runtime, Snapdragon X laptops and the MacBook Air run laps around it.
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i: It's thin and light for its size, but a short runtime and a few design miscues make this a low-cost laptop to skip.
Acer Swift Go 14 AI: This Snapdragon X-powered laptop can run all day, but its overall look might put you to sleep.
Acer Swift 14 AI: It’s a long-lasting, if basic, Copilot Plus PC. But do we really need an AI indicator light on the touchpad?
Which is better: MacOS or Windows?
For many people, deciding between a MacOS laptop and a Windows machine will come down to personal preference and budget. Apple's base model laptop, the M4 MacBook Air, starts at $999. You can sometimes find it discounted or you can get educational pricing from Apple and other retailers. In general, it'll be at least $1,000 for a new MacBook, and the prices just go up from there.
For the money, you're getting great hardware top to bottom, inside and out, but you're limited to just Apple laptops. With Windows and Chromebooks, you get an amazing variety of devices at a wide range of prices.
Software between the two is plentiful, so unless you need to run something that's available on only one platform, you should be fine to go with either. Gaming performance is definitely an advantage for Windows laptops, though.
What’s the difference between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro?
On the whole, MacBook Pro models are more powerful and more expensive, while also being slightly thicker and heavier than their Air counterparts.
The MacBook Air is available with a 13.6-inch or a 15.3-inch display. The 13-inch Air starts at $999, and the 15-inch Air starts at $1,199. The MacBook Pro is available with a 14.2-inch or 16.2-inch display. The 14-inch Pro starts at $1,599, and the 16-inch Pro starts at $2,499.
The 16-inch model has such a higher starting price because it has a more powerful M4 Pro chip, while the base model of the 14-inch Pro features a regular M4 chip. The M4 Pro chip in the 16-inch MacBook Pro is truly a pro-level processor, with 14 CPU cores and 20 GPU cores, while the M4 chip in the baseline 14-inch model has 10 CPU cores and 10 GPU cores.
If you don’t need the power of a MacBook Pro, you can save on weight with an Air. The 13-inch MacBook Air weighs 2.7 pounds, and the 15-inch Air weighs 3.3 pounds. The 14-inch MacBook Pro weighs 3.4 pounds, and the 16-inch Pro weighs 4.7 pounds.
For more, check out my MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro article.
Which Macs support Apple Intelligence?
The current generation of MacBook Air and Pro models as well as the previous generation allow you to use Apple Intelligence features. Both the M3 and M4 chips feature a 16-core neural engine that supports Apple Intelligence, but Apple claims that the M4 is twice as fast as the M3 with AI workloads.
What are the best MacBook alternatives?
The two Windows laptops I’ve tested that come closest to a MacBook’s mix of solid build quality, streamlined design, strong performance and long battery life are the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 and HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14. Based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon X CPU, the Surface Laptop 7 offers strong application and AI performance along with outstanding battery life. It was the first Windows laptop I've tested with a longer runtime than that of the MacBook Air. The OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 doesn’t offer as long a runtime but supplies a high-resolution OLED display that detracts from battery life, but is beautiful to look at.
