The M1 MacBook Pro and M1 MacBook Air were released in late 2020, marking the first time in more than a decade that Apple has produced the processors for their own computers. The M1 chip offers unprecedented levels of efficiency and performance that are very difficult to find in a laptop. However, many people are wondering why there is a $300 price difference between the base model M1 MacBook Air and base model M1 MacBook Pro.
They both have the same processor, same amount of RAM, and same 256GB storage capacity. They are also both 13 inches. The quality of a computer isn’t determined only by those specifications. The build quality, how robust the design is, cooling system, features, battery life, screen quality, and more should be taken into consideration.
Battery Life: The MacBook Air offers 18 hours of battery life, and the MacBook Pro offers 20 hours.
Thermal Performance: The MacBook Pro has far better protection against overheating and thermal throttling (slowing down the CPU due to excessively high temperatures), leading it to outperform the MacBook Air in some cases. This is largely due to the fact that the MacBook Pro has a fan and the Air does not.
Touch Bar: The MacBook Pro has a Touch Bar, the Air doesn’t.
Power Adapter: The MacBook Pro has a 61-Watt power adapter. The MacBook Air has a 30-Watt power adapter.
Screen brightness: The MacBook Pro has a screen brightness of 500 nits, the Air is 400 nits.
