If you're considering the MacBook Air (2022), its advantages include a more recent and efficient Apple M2 chip which translates to silent, fanless operation and potentially longer battery life, making it highly portable and suitable for general use. On the other hand, the MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) boasts a larger screen and more powerful Intel and AMD processors suitable for more intensive tasks like video editing or 3D work. However, it's heavier and might not be as easily transportable as the Air. The Pro also has more robust speakers and a bigger battery, but these features also contribute to its greater weight. If cost is a significant factor and you don't need the latest processor or require prolonged battery life for light tasks, the Pro could be a more economically sensible choice with additional computing power for demanding applications. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2022)
Very good for software development
Excellent portability
Excellent battery life
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019)
Very good for content creation
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.6/10
7.8/10
13.6in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
477.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 16 for software development, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen for AI, engineering and design, and software development.
Both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro have excellent displays with high resolution and brightness, making them great for everyday tasks and watching content. Their wide color gamuts ensure precise color reproduction, crucial for engineering and design professionals who need accuracy for their work. However, for 3D applications that benefit from high refresh rates, these MacBooks may fall short as they prioritize resolution and color accuracy over faster screen updates, which are essential for smooth motion in gaming or real-time 3D rendering.
Battery
15.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Excellent
Good
13.6in
SIZE
16.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$899
$540
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $899 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) costs $540.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) are both good for general use.
The MacBook Air (2022) with its lightweight design and efficient Apple M2 processor is well-suited for general use, offering portability and long battery life, making it ideal for use on the go. In contrast, the MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) with a more powerful Intel i7 processor and additional RAM enhances performance for more demanding tasks, and while it has a larger, higher-quality screen, it's less portable and has a shorter battery life, making it better suited for stationary use or power users needing more robust performance.
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
6.4/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
7.5/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.5/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) with its Apple M2 CPU, integrated M2 GPU, and high-quality IPS display is well-suited for engineering and design due to its excellent portability and silent operation, which comes at the cost of having less RAM and storage compared to the Pro model.
Content Creation
7.9/10
8.0/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.5/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
8.0/10
7.9/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air (2022) to be very good for software development, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Build Quality
10.0/10
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) both have best in class build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) compare to other laptops
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
"The Apple MacBook Pro 16 2023: M2 Max challenges GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The new MacBook Pro 16 2023 with the M2 Max SoC is the most powerful laptop Apple has on sale right now. While we do not get the expected performance and efficiency improvements from completely new 3 nm chips, which we expected ahead of the launch, the 2023 model is still a solid update. The CPU of the M2 Max can be up to 20 % faster than the old model and we also see an advantage of 25-30 % for the GPU with 38 cores. However, both components also consume more power, so the efficiency did not change that much under maximum load."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019)
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.