Apple makes it so simple.
You half expect and fully hope that the large 13-inch MacBook Pro will soon become the even larger 14.1-inch MacBook Pro with a new keyboard. It seems likely that this will happen for a while, it does not seem likely that we will have to wait a very long time, and it might be worth the wait.
Or when it seems fairly certain that Apple will move from Intel to ARM processors in its Macs, perhaps the predictions that it will start with the MacBook Air are true. If so, it would surely make a new MacBook Pro a great buy.
Only, even if none of these machines were known, there would be a better MacBook Pro and a better MacBook Air to come one day. The machine you buy now will be beaten to the specs very soon, and it may even be beaten to the price.
It’s true now, it’s true tomorrow, it was also true during the PowerBook era.
What is also invariably true, however, is that you need to choose the right laptop for your needs. You can spend too little, or you can spend too much, and you still don’t have what you really need.
And to decide your needs, you need to know when you need to have a new Mac. If you can wait a few days, weeks, or months, of course, you will probably get a better MacBook.
However, some potential future MacBooks are of no use to you. You have to make the decision for a while, and when that happens today, here are not only the current specific models that you should consider, but how to always choose between one of Apple’s offerings.
Macbook Air | 13-inch MacBook Pro | 16-inch MacBook Pro | |
---|---|---|---|
Starting price ($) | 1099 | 1299 | 2399 |
Retina screen size (in) | 13.3 | 13.3 | 16 |
Screen brightness (slow) | 400 | 500 | 500 |
Dimensions (inches) | 0.16 to 0.61 height, 11.97 width, 8.36 depth | 0.59 height, 11.97 width, 8.36 depth | 0.64 height, 14.09 width, 9.68 depth |
Weight (pounds) | 2.75 | 3.02 | 4.3 |
Max processor | 2-core Intel Core i5 | 4-core Intel Core i7 | 8-core Intel Core i9 |
Maximum RAM (GB) | 16 | 16 | 64 |
SSD max (TB) | 1 | 2 | 8 |
Battery life (hours) | 12 | ten | 11 |
Where and when
We said you should look at the type of work you need to do on your Mac, but that includes where you will do it. If you never or rarely leave your desk, buy a desktop Mac. Invariably, a desktop Mac is cheaper and more powerful than any comparable laptop.
However, when you have to work on the go, you can choose between the MacBook Air, the 13-inch MacBook Pro – in two versions – and the 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Choose between MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
The MacBook Air is the cheapest option, starting at $ 1,099. It’s a very good price for a very good machine, but for an additional $ 200, you get a much better buy with the 13-inch MacBook Pro.
For a while in 2019, the 13-inch MacBook Pro was the go-to laptop if someone asked you which MacBook to buy. If they weren’t already aware that they needed more power and hadn’t already told you that their budget was limited, you recommended the 13-inch MacBook Pro safely.
Then the 16-inch MacBook Pro came out and that changed everything. There is a $ 1,300 difference between this 16-inch model and the MacBook Air, so it’s not like this new machine competes with the cheapest.
This new machine gives us hope for another piece of news. Specifically, this rumor said that the 14.1-inch MacBook Pro replaced the 13-inch model. This would mean not only a larger screen in virtually the same chassis, but also a new keyboard, in the same way that the old 15-inch MacBook Pro was updated.
The previous type of keyboard, which is still in the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro, has a reputation for failing. It may or may not be deserved, and it is still too early to really know if the revised 16-inch MacBook is really more reliable. Still, if a new keyboard is coming soon to the 13-inch MacBook Pro, that’s reason to hesitate to buy.
Do not hesitate long. Check if there is an Apple version in March, then check if it includes a revised MacBook Pro. It can happen during an event in March, but we don’t know if it will happen – or even if there will be an event at that time.
So even if you’re not sure, take a look at the 13-inch MacBook Pro on sale and compare it to everything that’s available, not a potential new version.
If the current 13-inch MacBook Pro was the ideal point of the range, it still is. For most people, the 13-inch MacBook Pro model is the best you can buy. It’s almost as light as the MacBook Air, and while it costs at least $ 200 more, what you get for that money is important.
AppleInsider tip: wait until after the event in March or go out if you can, otherwise buy the current model of the 13-inch MacBook Pro. If you are sure you are doing a light job, or if you know that your budget cannot exceed $ 200 more, the MacBook Air is a great machine.
Choose between the two 13-inch MacBook Pro models
At least this choice is quick. If Apple is updating the 13-inch MacBook Pro, it will likely update both versions of it. And even if it isn’t, there is still a quick way to choose between the current versions.
The most obvious physical difference between them is the number of Thunderbolt 3 ports they have. The basic 13-inch MacBook Pro, starting at $ 1,299, comes with two of these ports. There is a model with four Thunderbolt 3 ports, which starts at $ 1,799.
There are other differences between the two, especially with regard to the processor they have. The dual Thunderbolt 3 model starts with a 1.4 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor and goes up to a 1.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor. The four-port model starts with a 2.4 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor and ends with a 2.8 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor.
In practical and real daily use, you will see more difference compared to the number of Thunderbolt 3 ports than compared to the processors.
AppleInsider Tip: If you need a lot of peripherals, go for the four-port Thunderbolt 3 model, but for the vast majority of people, the two-port model is the best buy for the price / performance.
Choose between the 13-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro
Just to prove that Apple never stops and that your machine will always be replaced soon, there are already rumors that the new 16-inch MacBook Pro will be revamped later in 2020.
It is rumored that the screen will be replaced by a screen using a mini LED for high quality display.
The current model already has an excellent display. Right now, the 16-inch MacBook Pro is still new, and for its starting price of $ 2,399 (although it is currently on sale), you get a great screen and a new keyboard in a powerful Mac.
It is heavier than the 13-inch MacBook Pro and its chassis is also larger than that. When you are considering a 13-inch MacBook Air or 13-inch MacBook Pro, weight and size may be an issue, but not a big deal.
The MacBook Air weighs 2.75 pounds compared to 3.02 for the 13-inch MacBook Pro. But the 16-inch MacBook Pro weighs 4.3 pounds.
It also measures 14.09 inches wide and 9.68 inches deep, compared to the 11.97 inches and 8.36 inches of these two other machines.
It is therefore heavy like the MacBook Pro models, but you can configure it with up to 8 cores, twice that of the 13-inch MacBook Pro. You can get it with a maximum of 64 GB of RAM, compared to the total of 16 GB that you can install in the 13 inch model. And it can hold up to 8 TB of SSD storage compared to the 2 TB maximum of the smaller model.
All of this comes at a price, and if you maximize the processor, storage, and RAM, you’ll pay around $ 6,099.
It depends on your needs and your budget, whether it’s worth it, but it’s the fastest and best MacBook Pro ever.
AppleInsider tip: if you can afford it and need it, nothing beats the 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Choose what to buy when
This problem on cost and your type of work is ultimately more important than the specifications between machines.
If you bought a high-end 16-inch MacBook Pro today, and Apple will release a 20-inch model tomorrow at half price, you will still have a great machine. We’re not saying you’d be happy with it, but nothing from Apple in the future should affect your buying decision that you need to make today.
If only we knew for sure when we would have an updated 13-inch MacBook Pro.
How to Save on Your MacBook Purchase
The values listed above are Apple retail prices, but Apple resellers regularly offer MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models, with many exclusive discounts on coupons available for AppleInsider readers in our Apple price guides.
We suggest you bookmark the following Mac price guides to easily compare prices, including the latest deals and the latest prices.
Current models
Liquidation savings
Looking for a desktop Mac? See our Apple Buying Guide – Desktop Edition to find the Mac mini, iMac, or Mac Pro that’s right for you.
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