The MBA 13 and MBP 14 have very similar working real estate on their displays. See their default scaled resolutions for better understanding.
The MBA 15 and MBP 16 have very similar working real estate on their displays. Again, see their default scaled resolutions for better understanding.
If someone is okay with a smaller working real estate on their display, they should consider a MBA 13 or MBP 14. If they want or need MORE working real estate, they shoud consider a MBA 15 or MBP 16.
It’s a pet-peeve of mine when people look at the price of the MBA 15 and recommend that someone get the MBP 14 instead. They are very different experiences and some people won’t be happy with the smaller working space
Most of the times the MBP is closely priced to the MBA with similar specs and in that case MBP 14 is a MUCH better deal.
MiniLED display is just out of this world and nobody would want to go back to LCD after using it. The speakers are just too fantastic.
People who do any heavy task for prolonged periods will definitely need a cooling system like a proper heat sink and Fan
At work I went from a 15 to a 13 and it annoys me how small the screen is. Thankfully 99% of the time it’s plugged into my 38” ultrawide but when it’s not it feels so tiny and I lose so much space to the sidebars in figma
I’m with you 100% OP
But you can just increase the scaled resolution on the MBP 14, and get similar working space anyway. And going for the 14" MBP gets you a screen that’s better in every way, along with more battery (esp. on the M3 model), and much more I/O.
You can adjust the Pro 14 resolution to some degree. But it won’t look as good or be as easy to read as the MBA 15. Also if someone was adjusting screens the could adjust the MBA 15 screen and get even more working real-estate than the adjusted MBP.
I have a MBP 16 and I prefer my old MBP 15 screen better. I can’t stand the halo-effect of the MiniLED. I never notice the Promotion. I rarely watch HDR. I don’t notice the supposed advantage. The avantages of MBA 15 over MBP 14 include being slimmer, better form factor, quieter, lighter, less moving parts, less dust, cheaper, bigger display, no halo-effect, higher default scaled resolution and usually better battery life (but maybe the base M3 can compete)
I understand you dude. In my mind it’s 15air or 16pro and 13-14 whatever.
For my usage even 16pro isn’t enough for demanding tasks and i knew it. But as a laptop to work, test, enjoy almost best laptop in the market yet. YES!!! Finally i found it!
I switched from 17in laptop so what is less than mba 15in is almost useless for me.
the better screen is better than the real state imo, your post is really pointless
The MBP14 has FAR more display area than the 15 when you operate both at 1:1 scaling. The MBA15 cheats by using a crappy “default for display” setting that should be labeled “more space.” The simple fact is that the 14 has more pixels than the 15.
I used the 15/16 inch MBP for years for work but still prefer the 13/14 inch MBP as my personal laptop for the portability
honestly screen brightness is why I went with the pro lol, I have it at or above 100% pretty much all the time except when I’m in a super dark room and I’m reading text and not watching something
Does the 16in really get more working real estate?
Like you can functionally fit more on the screen? Because there’s so many times I need two windows next to each other. And I need to be able to do that.
Here is my observation from using the 14, 15, and 16. While the MacBook Pro 14” may seem superior on paper, the MacBook Air 15” excels in productivity with its larger screen real estate. Side-by-side windows and a higher resolution make tasks like Zoom meetings and referencing PDFs more comfortable, reducing eye strain. The Air’s extended battery life ensures a full work day, a feature lacking in the MacBook Pro 14”. Additionally, typing on the 14” Pro often leads to palm irritation.
Compared to the MacBook Pro 16”, the MacBook Air 15” balances portability and productivity, making it preferable for various environments. Resale value dynamics reveal that upgrading the 15" doesn’t significantly boost value, while the base 16/512 configuration tends to hold better resale value.
Considering my MacBook Air 15” is used as as a secondary device, features like mini led become less crucial, especially I consume content primarily on my oled tv. The observed bloom effect on mini led is a concern, but my ability to remote into my desktop for additional power supports the practicality of the MacBook Air 15” as an efficient secondary device for your specific use case.
A program like RDM eliminates the screen real estate issue.
The MBP 14 is a more powerful machine than the MBA and might be better suited for many workflows.
RDM won’t really fix the problem. If you make the resolution too high things will be too hard to read on the smaller display.
The MBP are more powerful machines and some people might get value from that. But for the majority of people, the M2 is more than fast enough. And some people will find value in the bigger display and be better off with a MBA 15 or MBP 16.
All I’m saying is if your gonna recommend someone looking at the MBA 15 get the MBP 14, make sure they are okay with going back to a MBA 13 size screen.
The screen itself is better, brighter and the MBA has no cooling, so
You speak like a man that never experienced the mbp 14 screen. Get out of here. This is not for you.
Having purchased the MBA15, I think that I’d have been happier with the size smaller MBA. I’ve found myself needing to pan my head/neck more than I’d like, and hold the laptop closer that I’m accostomed to focussing. Power and speed -wise, the M2 chip is plenty fast, and the battery lasts forever. Also, the laptop never heats up like my old MacBook Pro did.