Black Friday MacBook deals are going strong as many vendors have reduced the cost of Apple’s laptops. If you’re looking for one of the best MacBooks at a discounted price, now is an excellent time to pick one up. Of course, this begs the question — which MacBook should you buy for Black Friday?
Your main choices are between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. If you’re looking for the entry-level model of each, the MacBook Air 13-inch M3 is discounted to $844 while the MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 is $1,399. If you want the absolute lowest price, the older 13-inch MacBook Air M2 currently costs $749.
For those willing to spend a little more, the MacBook Air 15-inch M3 is $1,044. The MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 Pro is $1,749, while the MacBook Pro 16-inch M4 Max is $3,199, which saves you $300. The latter MacBook Pros are certainly expensive even at these discounted prices.
You might see all of the prices outlined above and decide to go with the cheapest option. That’s fine, as any current-day MacBook delivers the goods in terms of performance and battery life. However, there are two MacBook models for a reason.
Below, I’ll explain the biggest differences between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops to help you decide which one to get for Black Friday.
MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Specs compared
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | MacBook Air 13-inch M2 | MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 |
| Price | $749 (normally $999) | $1,399 (normally $1,599) |
| Colors | Midnight, Starlight, Space Gray, Silver | Silver, Space Black |
| Processor | M2 chip | M4 chip |
| Display | 13.6 inches (2560 x 1664) | 14.2 inches Liquid Retina XDR (3024 x 1964 pixels), 120Hz |
| RAM | 16GB | 16GB |
| Storage | 256GB | 512GB |
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt / USB-4, 1x MagSafe | 3x Thunderbolt 4, 1x HDMI, 1x SDXC, 1x 3.5mm headphone |
| Webcam | 1080p | 12MP Center Stage |
| Size | 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches | 12.31 x 8.71 x 0.61 inches |
| Weight | 2.7 pounds | 3.4 pounds |
MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Biggest differences
At a glance, the MacBook Air and MacBook Pros are strikingly similar. Both have the flat utilitarian design introduced with 2021’s MacBook Pros. You’ll get MagSafe support, Liquid Retina displays and comfortable keyboards. The laptops also have the controversial notch in the top center of their respective displays, though people seem to have accepted this unique design quirk.
While the laptops share many common aspects, their distinguishing features make them better suited for different users.
The MacBook Air is the best MacBook for most people since it’s excellent for work, watching videos and even some light gaming. Both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air M3 models make great travel companions since they’re so light and thin. MacBook Air laptops are the ones I recommend to anyone looking to upgrade from a MacBook that’s five years or older or those who are brand-new to MacBooks (or Macs in general).
Choosing between the 13- or 15-inch MacBook Airs isn’t daunting since they’re the same laptop just in different sizes. But I’m sure you’re wondering about the cheaper $749 MacBook Air M2 model. If you only use laptops for work or watching YouTube videos, then this older model will suit you just fine as its M2 chip delivers great performance and close to 15 hours of battery life. This is specifically the MacBook I’ve recommended to most people.
MacBook Pro laptops like the MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 and MacBook Pro 16-inch M4 Pro are tailored for people who need a powerful laptop that can easily handle demanding tasks like video editing and gaming at high settings. These laptops also have more ports than MacBook Airs, which is ideal if you plan to use the Pro laptop as your primary desk computer and need to connect multiple peripherals. And since MacBook Pros have internal fans, they’re capable of sustaining better performance than the fan-less MacBook Airs.
The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros are relatively portable, especially the 14-inch model. However, you’ll definitely feel the weight of the nearly 5-pound 16-inch MacBook Pro when carrying it. That said, the larger laptop is perfect for typists thanks to its roomy keyboard and huge touchpad.
MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Which should you buy?
No matter which MacBook you buy during Black Friday, you’ll have a fantastic laptop that will be useful for many years to come.
If you want a MacBook for everyday work and for watching videos, then get either the 13- or 15-inch MacBook Air M3. Don’t need the latest and greatest, then the 13-inch MacBook Air M2 is still a brilliant choice for most people. This is especially true as Amazon is selling the model with 16GB of RAM for $749, which is a fantastic deal.
For those looking for MacBooks with more than enough power for video editing and that can serve as your main desk computer, you can’t go wrong with the 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Pro or M4 Max model. However, if want a smaller and lighter Pro that can deliver plenty of performance and last all day on a single charge, the MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 is your best bet.
