- 15-inch MacBook Air: More screen real estate and better speakers, but heavier and more expensive.
- 13-inch MacBook Air: More portable and affordable, but smaller screen and speakers.
- Which is right for you? Depends on your needs and budget.
Now, let's delve into the notable differences between last year's MacBook Air and the current model.
If you want a more affordable option
The 13-inch MacBook Air's base model has received a significant price drop of $200 compared to the 15-inch MacBook Air. Despite the price difference, both laptops provide similar functions and capabilities. They are equipped with Apple's M2 chip and boast nearly identical specifications. If you have been considering the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip and are comfortable with its smaller size, now might be the ideal moment to make your purchase.
The most portable MacBook yet
The MacBook Air is an excellent choice for students and individuals with a mobile lifestyle. Weighing only 2.7 pounds, the 13-inch Air is remarkably thin, lightweight, and compact compared to its 15-inch counterpart, which weighs 3.3 pounds. This smaller size makes it a perfect fit for a backpack filled with textbooks and binders, ensuring convenient portability.
If you are seeking decent computing power
While the 15-inch MacBook Air boasts superior GPU performance on paper, 13-inch Air is more than capable for most users, unless you heavily engage in gaming or video editing. If your activities mainly involve streaming YouTube, casual web browsing, FaceTime calls, and email correspondence, the 13-inch Air is more than sufficient for your needs.
Need a major upgrade
If you happen to possess an older generation MacBook Air (or Pro), upgrading to the 15-inch Air could be a worthwhile leap forward. Particularly if you're open to investing an additional $200 for a bigger display and improved speakers. With upgraded graphics and enhanced compatibility with your other Apple devices, a MacBook Air equipped with Apple's M2 chip delivers a seamless and deeply integrated experience within your personal Apple ecosystem. It offers a streamlined experience and takes full advantage of the connectivity and functionality within your Apple devices.
Large screen with portability
If you find the 13-inch Air a bit too compact, the extra two inches on the 2023 MacBook Air can make a noticeable difference for you. The 15-inch model offers a larger display while maintaining the sleek and lightweight design characteristic of the Air lineup, giving it an unexpectedly light feel considering its size. Moreover, if you often require more screen real estate for tasks like browsing, managing multiple tabs, or enjoying multimedia content, the 15-inch display provides an enhanced viewing and listening experience with its six speakers, as opposed to the four found in the smaller model.
It's worth mentioning that despite the larger display, improved pixel resolution, and slightly increased computing power of this year's MacBook Air, Apple has made a deliberate choice to forgo an internal fan in order to preserve the thin and lightweight form factor.