Apple - MacBook Air 13 M4 vs Apple - MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro
Between the MacBook Air 13 M4 and MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro, the MacBook Air 13 M4 comes out ahead in weight, while the MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro wins on storage and refresh rate. Overall, the MacBook Air 13 M4 scores 52.8 and the MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro scores 63.7 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 10.9 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the MacBook Air 13 M4 if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight.
Pick the MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro if the display is what you stare at all day — refresh rate, brightness, or sharpness is where the difference will be most visible. Its strongest claims are storage, refresh rate, ram, among others.
Both ship with comparable backlit keyboard, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - MacBook Air 13 M4 wins
- ▲Weight — 0.31 kg less. 1.24 vs 1.55.
Why Apple - MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro wins
- ▲Storage — 100.00% more. 512 GB vs 256 GB.
- ▲Refresh rate — 100.00% more. 120 Hz vs 60 Hz.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 24 GB vs 16 GB.
- ▲Battery — 35.85% more. 72 Wh vs 53 Wh.
- ▲Claimed battery life — 22.22% more. 22 h vs 18 h.
- ▲CPU cores — 20.00% more. 12 vs 10.
- ▲Screen size — 4.41% more. 14.2 " vs 13.6 ".
- ▲Thunderbolt ports — 1.00 more. 3 vs 2.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - MacBook Air 13 M4 | Apple - MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1.24 kglead | 1.55 kg |
| Thickness | 11.3 mmlead | 15.5 mm |
| Build material | aluminum | aluminum |
| Backlit keyboard | true | true |
| Fingerprint reader | true | true |
Display
| Spec | Apple - MacBook Air 13 M4 | Apple - MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 13.6 " | 14.2 "lead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 60 Hz | 120 Hzlead |
| Panel typeⓘ | IPS | OLEDlead |
Performance
| Spec | Apple - MacBook Air 13 M4 | Apple - MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Apple M4 | Apple M4 Pro |
| CPU cores | 10 | 12lead |
| GPUⓘ | Apple M4 10-core GPU | Apple M4 Pro 16-core GPU |
| RAMⓘ | 16 GB | 24 GBlead |
| Storageⓘ | 256 GB | 512 GBlead |
| Storage typeⓘ | SSD | SSD |
Battery & Ports
| Spec | Apple - MacBook Air 13 M4 | Apple - MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Batteryⓘ | 53 Wh | 72 Whlead |
| Claimed battery life | 18 h | 22 hlead |
| USB-C ports | 2 | 3lead |
| Thunderbolt portsⓘ | 2 | 3lead |
| HDMI | false | truelead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery life, MacBook Air 13 M4 or MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro?+
MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro claims up to 22 hours — 18h vs 22h.
Which is lighter, MacBook Air 13 M4 or MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro?+
MacBook Air 13 M4 is lighter at 1.24 kg vs 1.55 kg.
Which has more RAM, MacBook Air 13 M4 or MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro?+
MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro offers 24GB of RAM.
Which has an OLED display, MacBook Air 13 M4 or MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro?+
MacBook Pro 14 M4 Pro has an OLED display; MacBook Air 13 M4 uses IPS.
Spec-level deep dives
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