What kind of MacBooks are there? Top Tips for Choosing a MacBook

We've been waiting for an update to the MacBook Pro line for five long years. Finally, Apple matured and introduced three new laptops at once: one without the Touch Bar and two with it. 13 inches and 15 inches, price: from 119,990 rubles to 349,590 rubles.

At the same time, the company stopped selling MacBook Air with a screen diagonal of 11 inches and excluded 15-inch models from the range. A logical question arose - which Apple laptop should I pay attention to now?

This material will not contain a detailed description of the characteristics and debriefing. But there will be many comparative tables with prices and options for choosing a specific model. All of these models are available for order in the official Apple online store. Which one to choose, I believe, you will be able to understand after comparing each model.

In Apple's assortment today:

• 6 models
• 88 modifications

Note: if you tap on each table, it will open in higher resolution and there you can see all the characteristics “under a magnifying glass.”

MacBook 2016

Verdict: Last year's updated model is perfect for typing and simple photo processing. This model is clearly not for games and intense workloads.

MacBook Air 2015 13"

Verdict: A frankly weak screen and a thickness that is now inferior to the entire line with the exception of last year's MacBook Pro. Buying a MacBook Air in 2016 is simply illogical. The only plus is the lowest price among all models, but it would be more logical to purchase a MacBook.

MacBook Pro 2015 13"

Verdict: The 15-inch model is gone and Apple exclusively offers the 13-inch version without discrete graphics. When choosing the Pro model, I recommend choosing the version with 16 GB of RAM. The price tag here starts from 123,790 rubles for a model with a 128 GB drive.

MacBook Pro 2016 13" (without Touch Bar)

Verdict: The youngest model of the updated MacBook Pro, which is positioned as a more productive alternative to the MacBook Air. And it wins in everything: from the screen to the processor and memory. Please note that the RAM is somewhat slower than models with a Touch Bar, but if you don’t need a touch panel, then you can save 30,000 rubles or more on the basic version.

MacBook Pro 2016 13" (with Touch Bar)

Verdict: Junior model with OLED Touch Bar. Built-in video card, Intel Iris Graphics 550: suitable for games, but don’t expect a miracle. An option with an average drive and 16 GB of RAM will save you from the agony of choosing a laptop for several years.

MacBook Pro 2016 15" (with Touch Bar)

Verdict: The flagship model for the price of a one-room apartment is a laptop option either for an obsessed designer or for a person who won’t notice that he spent 349,000 rubles. The lion's share of the cost is taken by the SSD drive: in the top configuration its cost exceeds 100,000 rubles, but the feasibility of such an investment is still questionable. The average model varies in price from 231 to 282 thousand rubles and depends on the size of the drive and processor power. All 2016 15-inch MacBook Pro models come with 16GB of RAM.

Bottom line

Without many words…

Author's humble opinion

I have a 2014 15-inch MacBook Pro with integrated Intel Iris Pro graphics and 16 GB of RAM. I don’t see any point in buying a new Pro and I won’t do it. If the question of purchase was open now, I would rather give preference to the 15-inch MacBook Pro 2015 in the top configuration with discrete graphics.

Why? Firstly, we already understood the marketing ploy about a 130% increase in productivity in the new MacBook Pro:

Those. comparison of indicators for the top model, the cost of which is 349,000 rubles.

Secondly, MagSafe, UBS 3.0, a slot for SD cards, a familiar keyboard with adequate key travel - all this is too convenient to give up right now.

Publication date: 11/21/2011

show to friends:

So, standing in front of a display window (or, much more likely, sitting in a cozy chair in front of a monitor) you are wondering which one Apple laptops will be the most suitable for you. The choice, on the one hand, is not so great: only three lines - classic macbook, ultraportable MacBook Air And powerful MacBook Pro. But this doesn’t make it much easier. Which line should I choose? Should you choose a MacBook Pro with a more powerful processor or one that is $400 cheaper? How much better is the new generation than the old one - maybe save money and take last year's version? Or, for example, I was completely fascinated by Air, but will it hold up to, say, Photoshop?

MacBook

The legendary MacBook will soon become a rarity. Apple now sells the classic white MacBook only to educational institutions. However, you can still find it in our stores - which means we are not discounting this option.

Why do they love him?

In the USA, the white MacBook is especially loved by students. The model successfully combined versatility and an affordable price, so the poppy growers started with it. Now the price for it is almost the same as for the cheapest 11-inch Air, but the display diagonal of the MacBook is larger - 13.3 inches. And keep in mind that these are not just extra inches: these are inches of display with excellent viewing angles and impeccable color reproduction (something that all Macs are traditionally famous for).

MacBook remains the ideal model for the cautious. Firstly, its initial characteristics are quite decent. Secondly, there is a DVD burner and the ability to connect to wired Internet. Thirdly, you can eventually (the volume can be increased to 8 GB) change the hard drive to a more capacious one. Note that the weight, although significantly greater than that of air line laptops, allows you to carry the MacBook with you without the risk of overstraining yourself: the white laptop weighs 2.13 kg.

Who was it invented for?

Perhaps you already have a desktop computer at home with the same enormous upgrade capabilities, and all the factors listed in the previous paragraph seem insignificant to you. But if you are thinking about using a laptop as your main computer, they immediately come to the fore. In short, the white MacBook is addressed primarily to those who are looking for a laptop “for everything.”

Which one should I buy?

There are, one might say, no alternatives in this line now. You can only find it in stores. But the future owner will not have to suffer the agony of choice!

What's the catch?

Please note: MacBook is a universal laptop in every sense of the word. It easily handles all traditional tasks, but if high performance is important to you (for example, you do video editing or 3D modeling), then this is not your option. In this case, you should look towards Pro.

For the role of an ultraportable computer that spends most of its time in a bag on the shoulder of the owner (and even more so the hostess), the Air is ideal. Of course, for its class, the white MacBook is quite light. But if you take your laptop with you every day or often go on business trips with a laptop under your arm, the weight category begins to play a decisive role.

MacBook Air

One day, the owner of a MacBook Air had to miss his flight - an American airport security officer detained him because he suspected something was wrong. He simply could not believe that a laptop, in principle, could be so thin and light, and even not have a hard drive on board (instead, the Air is fast). This story suggests two conclusions. First: beauty requires sacrifice; second: MacBook Air is truly something special.

Why do they love him?

Actually, this is precisely why it captivates - with its exclusivity. Typically, laptops are built according to the formula “light, productive, long-lasting - choose any two points.” Air owners don't have to choose; they get everything at once.

The chic laptop, housed in a single sheet of aluminum, weighs about the same as two glossy magazines: the 11-inch Air weighs 1.08 kg, the 13-inch 1.35 kg. It takes up much less space in your bag than two issues of Esquire - the maximum thickness of the laptop is 1.7 cm, and at its thinnest point it is only 3 mm. The latest Air models carry a dual-core Core i5 processor (there is the option of installing a Core i7), an integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics card and 2 or 4 GB of RAM. A bonus is the Mac OS X operating system, which allows you to squeeze the maximum possible out of the configuration.

To this gentleman's set, the engineers added a battery that provides 7 hours of battery life - and in web surfing mode, with the Wi-Fi adapter turned on, which, as you know, consumes a considerable part of the energy. In this matter, Apple compares favorably with many other manufacturers, who bashfully indicate the time based on an abstract user who will read a text document from the screen for several hours in a row, turning the backlight to a minimum and not poking his nose into the Internet.

Needless to say, the MacBook Air looks great. A simple fact is enough: in 90% of cases when we see a person with a laptop in a film in recent years, it will be a MacBook, and at least half of them will be an Air. You can, of course, think that Apple bought all of Hollywood, but without going into conspiracy theories, the obvious reason remains: Air is simply beautiful.

Who was it invented for?

The obvious answer: for those who constantly carry a laptop with them. However, it should be noted that the latest models based on powerful new generation processors have somewhat changed the situation: now MacBook Air is more than just a portable laptop, it is also a completely worthy replacement for the main computer for those who do not need crazy speeds from their work machine. The configuration allows you to cover all the needs of most users, and with a margin.

Of course, the most resource-intensive tasks, such as professional work with graphics, are still too tough for this apple. But we note that the Air plays Full HD video without any hiccups.

As for the notorious Photoshop, it all depends on the year of manufacture of the model and on your tasks. The 2010 Air handles simple digital retouching and small file sizes without slowing down; 2011 models - with manipulations of medium complexity and files of medium size. The most resource-intensive tasks, including working with 3D files, are already the prerogative of the MacBook Pro.

The general conclusion is this: if you are not a designer, not an architect, and are not going to play Crysis 2 at the airport, you can safely buy the Air without worrying about performance.

Which one should I buy?

There are more options here than with a white MacBook. You can, for example, save money and purchase the previous generation Air - its power is also enough for traditional user tasks. But keep in mind that the mid-2011 model has the latest processors, which gives a twofold increase in speed compared to the previous generation. So if you crave lightning speed, the choice is clear. By the way, a nice little thing: in 2011, the MacBook Air returned the keyboard backlight, which, to the indignation of users, was absent in the 2010 models.

We’ve decided on the generation, let’s move on to the amount of RAM. The subtlety here is that it will not be possible to add memory to this laptop over time, so the best solution is to take it with a small margin. The youngest models are equipped with 2 gigabytes. This is the bare minimum; We recommend taking a laptop with 2 GB only if you are absolutely sure that your computer requirements will not increase in the foreseeable future. 4 GB is the optimal amount, but if you want to play it safe, you can also look for a configuration with 8 GB.

But you shouldn’t chase increasing storage capacity. If 64 or 128 GB is not enough for you, then 256 is unlikely to be enough for you. In this case, it is easier to purchase the required volume: it is both more effective and much cheaper.

As for the choice between the 11- and 13-inch model, this is entirely a matter of personal preference.

What's the catch?

We have already mentioned that the MacBook Air is a laptop that is not upgradeable. This fact remains to be taken for granted and choose Air with an eye to the future.

The second feature is the absence of many interfaces that we are used to seeing in portable devices. For example, the designers of the MacBook Air hope that the owner of the laptop will not think of connecting it to a wired network (there is no connector for this). However, this kind of problem can be solved by purchasing the necessary adapters. But the new models are equipped with a Thunderbolt port, providing data transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps, that is, twice as high as what the USB 3.0 interface is capable of.

MacBook Pro

The most powerful of Apple laptops in 2009 was included in the list of the most significant inventions of the year, and also became the best-selling in the United States. And, in general, it is not surprising that buyers rushed to the stores after him.

Why do they love him?

Just like the Air and white MacBook mentioned above, MacBook Pro made in such a way as to meet all the needs of the target audience - that is, those who need a powerful and representative laptop for work.

Naturally, Apple started with a good configuration: Intel Core i5 (for the youngest model) or i7, 4 GB of RAM (the volume can be increased to 8 GB), a hard drive that can hold from 500 to 750 GB of data. As for the video card, there are options. The 13-inch models are equipped only with integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000, the younger 15-inch model has an AMD Radeon 6750M under the hood, and the top Pro models have an AMD Radeon HD 6770M with a gigabyte of memory on board. (In all cases, we're talking about the latest generation, released at the end of 2011.) Good news for those who can't stand glossy displays - the 15- and 17-inch models can also come with a matte screen.

The ability of the MacBook Pro to work without recharging for 7 hours is worthy of mention as a separate item. The battery is the weak point of many powerful laptops. Manufacturers are guided by the fact that such models are taken as replacements, and expect that the user will not move away from the outlet for more than an hour and a half. For those who frequently work outside the home or office, the MacPro's phenomenal endurance can be a deciding factor.

To think that a professional doesn’t care what his work laptop looks like is quite short-sighted. Stylish and solid equipment is appreciated by many, and the image component has not been canceled either. After all, many people have to take a laptop with them to business meetings, and not every client will seriously take an aggressive gaming model taken out of their bag. So the elegance of the MacBook Pro is a significant advantage.

Who was it invented for?

A powerful configuration plus a display that reproduces excellent colors - this combination could not leave designers, photographers and those involved in video editing indifferent.

Another segment of the MacBook Pro audience is lovers of elegant and complete solutions. A set of ports and a slot for SD cards allow you not to fill your bag with additional adapters and card readers. There is also no need to carry an external drive with you - instead of an optical drive (yes, there is one here too!) you can install a second hard drive or SSD of the required size in the Pro case. You can also leave the mouse at home - it will be replaced by a trackpad with multi-touch support (there is a high probability that it will be even more convenient to use).

Which one should I buy?

Well, first of all, there is no point in buying a Pro that was released before 2011. Performance is the key advantage of this laptop, and a model that was released in April 2010 (an eternity ago, by the standards of the IT world) will no longer be able to give its owner the maximum possible today.

Secondly, you need to decide on your priorities. If you know you can't get by with integrated graphics, the 13-inch Pro can be safely discounted. The same goes if you want the most powerful processor possible: quad-core CPUs are installed in medium and large MacBook Pros. The ExpressCard expansion slot is only available on the 17-inch model; The 15- and 13-inch ones are equipped with an SD card slot instead.

Otherwise, everything is individual and depends on your demands on resources and display size.

What's the catch?

There is no catch. The MacBook Pro is a great, powerful laptop that's also upgradable. It is comfortable to operate, pleasant to hold, looks impeccable and does not weigh that much for a device in its class. The only thing that can cause serious complaints is the price, but it’s hard to call it a catch: it’s usually one of the first things that a potential owner pays attention to.

All rights to materials published on the website are intellectual property and are protected in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation. When quoting materials from this site, a direct hyperlink is required.

Instead of making life easier for the user, as Steve Jobs once advocated, Apple seems to be doing the opposite. Take, for example, the MacBook line - now there are three varieties of it (ultra-thin 12-inch, thin Air and powerful Pro), so it is quite difficult for a potential buyer to figure out which laptop to choose. If you are not well versed in the Apple product line or cannot make a choice, we will try to help you with this.

First, let's define the characteristics of Apple laptops:

• MacBook is a 12-inch ultra-thin laptop (thickness varies from 0.35 cm to 1.31 cm), weight 0.92 kg.
• MacBook Air is a 13-inch thin laptop (thickness from 0.3 cm to 1.7 cm), weight 1.35 kg.
• MacBook Pro (in this case we will talk about two versions of laptops) is a powerful, productive laptop with a screen diagonal of 13 and 15 inches, a thickness of 1.49 cm and a weight of 1.37 kg.

Display

This is perhaps one of the most important points to pay attention to when choosing a model. The fact is that the latest Apple laptops are equipped with excellent Retina displays, providing high-quality images with rich colors. The new MacBook screens are much better than most Windows competitors.

Simple arithmetic applies here - the larger the screen, the larger the work area, but also the more you have to carry, and weight can be critical.

The MacBook has a 12-inch diagonal screen with a resolution of 2304 x 1440 (16:10) and a density of 226 ppi. This is exactly what a Retina display is, you really won’t be able to see the pixels with the naked eye, and the picture quality will pleasantly surprise you.

The MacBook Air is available only as a model with a 13-inch display (the 11-inch model has been discontinued) with a resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels (16:10) and a density of 128 ppi. This is a standard pixel density, and from a normal distance the “grain” of the screen is noticeable.

MacBook Pro comes in 13-inch with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels (16:10) and a density of 227 ppi, or 15-inch with a resolution of 2880 x 1800 (16:10) and a density of 220 ppi. Both screens are also Retina.

If we talk about the MacBook Pro 2016, they have a wider color gamut, so the colors look even brighter and more realistic. Other modifications use standard sRGB screens and display fewer colors than reality. The latest generation MacBook Pros offer a wider P3 color gamut—the color space is 25% wider, and with more colors, images look brighter, more realistic, and allow you to see even more detail. If you take a photo taken on an iPhone and compare it to the exact same photo in HDR, you'll see what we're talking about.

• If you want a high-quality picture and don't need a large work area, feel free to choose a MacBook.
• For full graphics work, any MacBook Pro is better suited.
• If color accuracy is a fundamental issue for you, then we recommend looking towards the MacBook Pro 2016.

External monitors

MacBooks are often used as a portable computer, to which external monitors can be connected if necessary. For example, at home or at work. And here too there are some nuances.

The MacBook can be connected to the monitor via USB-C or via HDMI (if an adapter is available). Here it should be immediately noted that at the same time you will not be able to charge the laptop, since it only has one connector. You can connect a monitor with a resolution of up to 3840 x 2160 pixels (30 Hz), or up to 4096 x 2160 pixels (24 Hz).

MacBook Air only works with Thunderbolt monitors with a resolution of up to 3840x2160 pixels.

The capabilities of the MacBook Pro are much wider: a monitor with a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels is connected using Thunderbolt (you can have two at once), but if you bought a top-end package (with AMD Radeon R9 M370X), you can connect a monitor of 5120x2880 pixels (60 Hz). "Proshka" also works with displays with resolutions of 1920x1080 (60 Hz), 3840x2160 (30 Hz) and 4096x2160 (24 Hz).

The 13-inch MacBook Pro 2016 supports connecting one monitor with a resolution of 5120x2880 (5K), but the 15-inch works with two such screens at once. Therefore, if you plan to use two external monitors, you should choose the MacBook Pro.

Camera

Perhaps one of the few elements in Apple laptops that requires serious improvement. The company allows you to use FaceTime video calling not only on the iPhone, but also on the MacBook, and video calls in general do not lose their relevance.

The 12-inch MacBook has a 480p camera, which is, to put it mildly, rather weak. The remaining models use a camera that shoots in 720p resolution. Even the newest MacBook Pro does not support 1080p front cameras on Apple laptops. Actually, the choice here is simple - if you want high-quality video shooting, buy an additional camera with a USB connection.

CPU

The processor is the second important point that you should pay attention to when choosing a MacBook. Hardware affects performance, and we need to understand what tasks we are buying a laptop for.

MacBook is considered the weakest laptop in terms of performance. The 12-inch model is based on Intel Core M chips with Skylake architecture, which are significantly weaker than Core i5 or i7. On the plus side, this processor doesn't require a fan, and the smallest MacBook is completely silent. Apple offers configurations with M3, M5 or M7 chips - they differ in performance, but not much.

The MacBook Air uses an outdated chip with Broadwell architecture, but it is a proven Intel Core i5 or i7, depending on the configuration. This laptop is more powerful than the previous one, although it is worth remembering about weak displays.

The MacBook Pro runs on Skylake (13-inch), the 15-inch version runs on Broadwell. Both laptops, depending on the diagonal, are equipped with a Core i5 (2.7 GHz and 2.8 GHz) or Core i7 (3.1 GHz and 2.8 GHz) processor.

MacBook Pro 2016 runs on Skylake with almost identical parameters: 13 inches – Core i5 (2.0 GHz), Core i7 (2.4 GHz); 15 inches – Core i7 (2.6 GHz, 2.7 GHz, 2.9 GHz); Version with Touch Bar – Core i5 (2.9 GHz, 3.1 GHz), Core i7 (3.3 GHz)

• If you want a thin and beautiful laptop but with decent performance, choose the M7-based MacBook.
• If you want a portable machine, but with better performance, the MacBook Air.
• If you need a powerful laptop for everyday use, the MacBook Pro is your choice.
• If you need a top-end laptop for complex tasks like video rendering, you'll have to fork out for a 15-inch MacBook Pro 2016 and forget about upgrading for three years.

Graphic arts

Apple laptops don't have super-powerful graphics, and you're unlikely to be able to fully play video games on a MacBook. Again, a lot depends on the configuration - the GPU power may not be enough to comfortably play games rich in 3D graphics, but Apple laptops can handle complex multimedia content quite well.

The MacBook uses the simplest Intel HD Graphics 515, which is enough to work on one Retina screen. The MacBook Air runs on HD Graphics 6000, which is better than the MacBook, but still may not be enough to handle complex processes.

The 2015 MacBook Pro is equipped with an Intel HD Graphics 6100 chip, which is slightly more powerful integrated graphics than the MacBook Air. The top version provides a fairly powerful AMD Radeon R9 M370X video card with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro 2016 received Intel Iris Graphics 540 (model without Touch Bar) and Intel Iris Graphics 550 (with Touch Bar) with the ability to upgrade to Radeon Pro 450 / 460. The 15-inch has Intel HD Graphics 530 and discrete graphics Radeon Pro 455/460.

The choice here is obvious - to work with multimedia content, you should take a closer look at the MacBook Pro 2015 or MacBook Pro 2016.

Autonomy

Everyone understands how important laptop battery life is. Whether you are flying on a plane, traveling on a train or bus, or even just sitting with a laptop in the park, these “last” 15-20 minutes are usually not enough to finish an important report, finish a presentation, or watch an interesting video. Wherever we need a working computer, and there are no sockets nearby, an additional plus to the laptop’s autonomy will not be out of place.

Fortunately, the MacBook has no problems with this - all models work without recharging for a very long time.

• MacBook: 10 hours of browsing, 11 hours of video playback, 30 days of standby time.
• MacBook Air: 12 hours browsing, 12 hours video playback, 30 days standby time.
• MacBook Pro 13 inches: 10 hours of browsing, 12 hours of video playback, 30 days of standby time.
• MacBook Pro 15 inches: 9 hours of browsing, 9 hours of video playback, 30 days of standby time.
• MacBook Pro 2016: 10 hours of browsing, 10 hours of video playback, 30 days of standby time.

If battery life is a key factor for you, the 13-inch MacBook Air is worth a look.

RAM

The more RAM in a laptop, the more applications you can run simultaneously without reducing performance, process photos or videos.

The MacBook only offers one option: 8GB 1866MHz LPDDR3 memory

The 13-inch MacBook Air also only comes with 8GB of RAM.

MacBook Pro 2015: 8 or 16 GB 1866 MHz LPDDR3 RAM for the 13-inch version. The 15-inch MacBook Pro 2015 has 16 GB of 1600 MHz DDR3L memory.

MacBook Pro 2016: 8 GB 1866 MHz LPDDR3 RAM for the model without Touch Bar, upgradeable to 16 GB. The 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar comes with 8GB or 16GB of 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory. The 15-inch model is offered with 16 GB of 2133 MHz LPDDR3 memory.

• If RAM is important to you, choose the MacBook Pro.

SSD drive

MacBook: 256GB PCIe SSD, upgradeable to 512GB.

MacBook Air: 128 GB, expandable to 256 GB or 512 GB.

MacBook Pro 2015: 13-inch – 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB; 15-inch – 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB.

MacBook Pro 2016: 13-inch – 256 GB, 1 TB; 15-inch – 256 GB, 512 GB, 2 TB.

Ports

MacBook: one USB-C, 3.5mm audio jack.

MacBook Air: two USB ports, one Thunderbolt 2 port, SD card slot, and 3.5mm audio jack.

MacBook Pro 2015: two USB ports, two Thunderbolt ports, an HDMI port, an SD slot, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

MacBook Pro 2016: two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports for the version without Touch Bar, four Thunderbolt 3 ports for the version with Touch Bar, while on the 13-inch model two of them do not work at full capacity.

Force Touch trackpad and keyboard

Force Touch technology allows you to press with force. To do this, you need to press down on the trackpad and then apply extra force. This way you can enable additional features for many Mac programs and system features. The Force Touch trackpad is available on MacBook and MacBook Pro.

Laptop keyboards are different - the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 2015 are equipped with conventional keyboards with a mechanism called “scissors”, which has one significant drawback - the keys are slightly loose around the edges. If you press such a key closer to the edge, it may hit the bottom before the mechanism registers the press.

The 2016 MacBook and MacBook Pro feature a new keyboard that uses a butterfly mechanism. It is a solid element made of more rigid materials with a larger support area. Thanks to this, the keys are more stable, respond more accurately to pressing and at the same time take up less space in height.

Colors

MacBooks are available in different color options. MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 2015 are available in silver, the MacBook is available in four shades (silver, gold, space gray, rose gold), the MacBook Pro 2016 is available in two colors (silver, space gray).

conclusions

The MacBook is perfect for managers and travelers who need the thinnest and lightest laptop possible with modern technologies for comfortable work.

The MacBook Air will be the choice for those who need the most affordable laptop from Apple - the device still has almost all the necessary ports, but the model itself is quite outdated.

MacBook Pro 2015 is a good and high-quality laptop with all ports; it is suitable as an alternative to a desktop computer for almost any user. Although it is not very convenient for travel.

Well, if you need the most advanced and productive laptop, choose the MacBook Pro 2016 (but remember that the “apple” no longer lights up there, if this is important to you).

Have you noticed how the MacBook line has grown over the past few years? Previously, you had to choose between the powerful Pro and the compact Air. Now the model range includes five (!) laptops and a dozen modifications.

It’s not easy even for fans to understand them, let alone for new users. I will try to ease the pain of choice and tell you which MacBook to choose in 2018.

MacBook Air

MacBook Air is the most affordable, but also controversial laptop in the line.

The design hasn't changed for six years, but it still looks fresh. The brushed aluminum body is beautifully built and, by the way, stronger than modern MacBooks. You have to try hard to damage or scratch it. New MacBooks have become much more delicate, so they develop chips from scratch.

MacBook Air weighs just over a kilogram, so you can carry it with you all day long and work wherever it is convenient. Despite its compact size, battery life consistently lasts for 10–12 hours. You can easily work with photographs and texts, even edit simple videos.

The usual ports are in place. There are a couple of USBs and an SD card slot, which the new Pro lacks.

The last (but not least) argument in favor of the MacBook Air is the price. This is the most affordable Apple laptop and, in my opinion, the best option in the segment under 70 thousand rubles. Prices for new MacBooks start at 100 thousand, and not everyone can afford them.

However, if you decide that the MacBook Air is the ideal laptop, take your time.

The MacBook Air has an outdated display in every sense with a resolution of 1,440 × 900 pixels. It quickly tires the eyes, the picture is faded and grainy. You can't look at the new Pro without tears.

The second drawback is the old keyboard and trackpad without Force Touch. Typing on a butterfly is more convenient and faster. You get used to the short key travel and don’t want to go back.

I don't recommend buying a MacBook Air. It has a frankly bad screen, an old keyboard and not the thinnest and lightest body. New models bypass it in these parameters. The main advantage is the lowest price among all MacBooks. But you are obviously buying an outdated device. I am sure that after the summer presentation the MacBook Air will be removed from sale and it will become history.

If you need a small laptop, pay attention to the following model.

MacBook

macworld.com

Next in the lineup is the MacBook. Just a MacBook.

If the MacBook Air is compact, then the MacBook is tiny. It weighs 900 grams, sometimes you check whether you forgot to take it with you. Smaller than the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. This super mobility makes it indispensable on business trips and travel. You can work comfortably on a train, in a car, or anywhere.

The screen on the MacBook is excellent and second only to the Pro models. Diagonal - 12 inches, resolution - 2,304 × 1,440 pixels, thin frames around. The picture is bright and rich, watching movies and editing photos is a pleasure. It is curious that the baby has impressive autonomy - on average 8–9 hours. During the working day, you can forget about the outlet.

The MacBook has passive cooling. There are no coolers, so it works silently. It does not heat up much, only in the most resource-intensive applications.

The MacBook is the first Apple laptop to feature a butterfly keyboard. I got used to it quickly, I like the short key travel, and now it’s inconvenient to work on another keyboard. It feels like your fingers are falling through.

thenextweb.com

When Apple introduced the first generation MacBook in 2015, many did not take it seriously. Small, weak processor, only one USB-C port. “Dear typewriter” - that’s what they called him. For me, it was the main computer that coped with all tasks. I often went on business trips, wrote posts on the road, and processed photographs.

Of course, it was inferior in speed to the MacBook Pro, but this is a case where size matters. In 2017, the third generation was introduced with two processors - the mobile m3 and the “adult” i5. The laptop noticeably increased in speed and learned to easily cope with heavy software.

I solved the problem of the only port by purchasing a 27-inch monitor with USB-C. On the road, the laptop remains small and convenient, and at home I work in front of a large screen. I connect the peripherals directly to the monitor; there is a USB pair for this. In the process, the monitor also charges the MacBook. All this through one USB-C port - this is the wireless future.

The only drawback of the MacBook is its high price. Costs the same as a MacBook Pro 13 without Touch Bar. If performance and number of ports are more important, pay attention to it.

If you need a mobile, fast and beautiful laptop, MacBook is the best choice.

MacBook Pro 13 without Touch Bar

The youngest model in Apple's line of professional laptops. It was presented as the successor to the MacBook Air. It's smaller, more powerful, with a new keyboard and a stunning display. It differs from older models, in fact, in the number of ports and the absence of a Touch Bar.

A pair of USB-C is enough to connect a monitor and accessories. But the lack of a slot for an SD card, a fingerprint scanner and a discrete graphics processor will be considered disadvantages.

If the MacBook is a fashion item, then the MacBook Pro 13 without Touch Bar is a practical option: it covers most of the tasks of the average user.

It is worth overpaying about 20 thousand rubles for a model with? I think no.

MacBook Pro 13 with Touch Bar

The MacBook Pro 13 with Touch Bar may seem like the perfect laptop. Good hardware, a cool screen with a wide color gamut, four Thunderbolt 3 ports, a fingerprint scanner and a Touch Bar.

But in 2017, Apple reduced the battery capacity from 5,800 to 4,300 mAh, which eliminated the advantages of the laptop. The battery lasts for a maximum of five hours, which is absurd for a work tool.

Is there any use for the Touch Bar? Probably not. You can find a use for it, and you will find it; it’s not for nothing that you overpaid. But it does not make the workflow more convenient. Think of it as a nice addition, but not a reason to buy a laptop.

I do not recommend buying the 2017 MacBook Pro 13 with Touch Bar. It is better to take the version without Touch Bar or the 2016 model with a more capacious battery.

MacBook Pro 15

A universal laptop for any task. Already in the basic configuration - a quad-core i7 with a frequency of 2.8 GHz, 16 GB of RAM, Radeon Pro 555 graphics with 2 GB of memory and Intel HD Graphics 630. Depending on the tasks, the graphics processor automatically switches. The top version comes with a Radeon Pro 560 with 4 GB, but you’ll have to pay about 30 thousand rubles.

The prices for the MacBook Pro 15 are scary, but they choose it for specific tasks. This solution is not for everyone, but it is worth the money.

It has a stunning 15.4-inch 2,880 x 1,800 pixel display, a giant trackpad, and awesome sound. With such speakers, there is no need for additional acoustics.

The battery, fortunately, has not changed compared to last year and lasts an honest 6-7 hours.

The only downside is the lack of an SD card slot. Why it didn’t find a place in the Pro models remains a mystery to me.

Verdict

• MacBook- a beautiful thin laptop for those who value mobility. An excellent solution for working with text or editing photos on the go.
• MacBook Pro 13 without Touch Bar- for those who do not have enough performance of a regular MacBook and one port, but want to have a small and light laptop. A worthy replacement for the MacBook Air.
• MacBook Pro 15- a professional tool for which you will have to pay a considerable amount. He can handle any task, be it working with graphics or photography. At the same time, it remains a compact and thin laptop.

I definitely don’t recommend buying a MacBook Air. And think several times about whether it’s worth paying extra for the MacBook Pro 13 with Touch Bar.

The question of choosing a MacBook if you are making such a purchase for the first time is always difficult. It seems that everything is simple - here’s Air, and here’s Pro in two diagonals, 13 and 15 inches. And if you firmly decide that you need a firmware, then deciding on the diagonal will still be easier than choosing between the “air” Air and a model from the Pro line, with a 13-inch diagonal.

Despite some similarities in terms of technical characteristics of the basic models, you need to understand that these are two completely different product lines. If the MacBook Air is intended for those who put mobility at the forefront of everything, and are not ready to overpay, agreeing to some compromises, then the MacBook Pro 13 is for those who care about performance. Even if you have to gain weight and pay an extra few hundred dollars.

Let's take a closer look at in what cases it is worth choosing one or another model, and at the end of the article, we will provide an additional comparison of them based on technical characteristics.

Who needs a MacBook Air?

This is Apple's most affordable full-size laptop, unless you count the 11-inch model, which is too small for work. It weighs little, is quite fast in operation, and can run on battery for an impressive amount of time - up to 10-12 hours on a single charge!

So, you should choose MacBook Air if:

• you have a limited budget, but you, by all means, want to become the owner of an Apple laptop;
• practically all of your work consists of tasks of a more office nature; you do not work with resource-intensive tasks such as video or photo processing;
• You spend a lot of time traveling, so not only portability is important to you, but also high autonomy.

This is an excellent choice for a student, a journalist, or just a person who needs a laptop for surfing the Internet, office tasks, and using low-resource applications.

When to choose a MacBook Pro

We can say that the MacBook Pro 13 is even better in some ways than its 15-inch brother. After all, with smaller dimensions and weight, you still get the same magnificent retina screen, high performance and a full-size keyboard. And if the screen diagonal is not a critical point for you, you will get real pleasure from using it, at a fairly moderate price for a device of this class.

You should buy a MacBook Pro if:

• In addition to stylish design, the issue of performance is no less important for you;
• your work involves photo processing, in which case a retina screen will be an excellent solution;
• you will have to solve more resource-intensive tasks that require performance comparable to a desktop PC;
• the greater number of available ports does not limit the connection of peripherals;
• A $200 difference is not a serious argument for you.

When you upgrade to a laptop with a high-definition screen, you will no longer be able to look at regular monitors without crying. For many, choosing between the 13-inch Air and Pro comes down to a question of screen quality. And, believe me, even if we ignore all other factors, the retina screen is worth the difference in price that they ask for it.

Let's also compare the technical characteristics of the MacBook Air 13 with the basic Pro model of a similar diagonal:

So what should you choose?

With the introduction of the 2012 MacBook Pro, Apple took a giant technological leap compared to other laptop manufacturers. And if then it seemed like a laptop from the future, now it is a current reality, which embodies an impressive balance of functionality, quality materials and design. It's noticeably superior to the Air in most features, and the price difference is only $200.

At the same time, the MacBook Air has changed little since 2010 and is equipped with the same outdated TN+Film matrix. After the release of the 12-inch MacBook in 2015, the future of this line remains unclear. And the only argument in favor of choosing this particular model is that the low price makes it the most affordable option for those who want to become the owner of one of the Apple computers for the first time.