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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is more affordable and very portable, making it a good choice for everyday use, including web browsing, office tasks, and media consumption. With a fanless design, it runs silently but may not be ideal for high-performance tasks. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has more power and a larger high-resolution display, better suited for professional work like video editing, 3D rendering, and software development. However, it is heavier and less portable, making it less convenient for on-the-go use. Both have excellent build quality and speakers, but the MacBook Pro offers longer battery life and a Mini LED display with higher brightness and contrast for superior visual experiences. 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)
- Excellent portability
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
- Excellent for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.9
9.0
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
497.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
17.5 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
The MacBook Air (2022) offers portability and silent operation due to its lightweight design and fanless cooling, making it suitable for general use, but it has less power and memory compared to the MacBook Pro 16 (2021). The MacBook Pro provides more robust performance with its stronger CPU and more RAM, a larger and more vivid screen, and longer battery life, but it is heavier and less easy to carry, tailored more for intensive tasks rather than only general use.
Gaming and AI
6.4
7.0
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.0/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) provides better performance for 3D tasks mainly because it has a more powerful GPU with more cores, essential for graphical computations, and a higher screen refresh rate, which results in smoother visuals, particularly beneficial in 3D rendering and modeling. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Air (2022), with a less capable GPU and a standard refresh rate screen, offers fair performance for less demanding 3D activities, and may not be as smooth in rendering complex 3D scenes.
Engineering and Design
7.5
8.7
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.5/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) with its Apple M2 processor and integrated GPU handles engineering and design tasks well, particularly due to its compact design and silent operation, making it highly portable and unobtrusive in quiet environments.
Content Creation
7.9
8.8
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.5/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is 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
8.9
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both very good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
7.6
9.4
13.6in
SIZE
16.2in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
497.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
Regarding the MacBook Air, its screen delivers vivid colors and sharp images due to its high resolution and brightness, appealing for general activities and design work, but its standard refresh rate is less ideal for 3D rendering. The MacBook Pro 16's display adds even higher brightness and broader color support, enhancing visual accuracy for professional design and engineering tasks, though like the Air, its conventional refresh rate limits the 3D experience. Both laptops excel in visual clarity and color reproduction, with the Pro model taking the edge in professional settings, but those looking to work extensively with 3D graphics might find their screens lacking in fluidity.
Battery
15.0 Hours
17.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 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
16.2in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.7 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$799
$1,949
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $799 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) costs $1,949.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
10.0
10.0
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2022) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$799 | $1,949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.44'' | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.7 lbs | 4.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.46" | 9.77" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | Apple M1 Pro (10C) | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 17.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 52.6 Wh | 99.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.6" | 16.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1664 | 3456 x 2234 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 486 nits | 497 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | 4 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Air (2022)
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NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"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."
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | February 2023
"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 (2021)
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.
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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
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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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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