Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3) vs Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro)
44.5Performance87.1
29.8Display74.3
66.7Battery92.2
88Portability53.6
2 spec wins — Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)10 spec wins — Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro) wins this laptop face-off, 79 to 53.5, pulling ahead mainly in display (+45) and performance (+43). Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3) still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)
- Stronger portability score: 88 vs 54
- 42% lower weight: 1.24 kg vs 2.14 kg
- 33% lower thickness: 11.3 mm vs 16.8 mm
- Lower launch price: $1,099 vs $2,699
Reasons to pick the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro)
- Stronger performance score: 87 vs 45
- Stronger display score: 74 vs 30
- Stronger battery score: 92 vs 67
- 300% higher storage: 1,024 GB vs 256 GB
- 300% higher charging: 140 W vs 35 W
Display
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 13.6 ″ | 16.2 ″+19% |
| Panel type | IPS (Liquid Retina) | Mini-LED (Liquid Retina XDR) |
| Resolution | 2560x1664 | 3456x2234 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz+100% |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits | 1,600 nits+220% |
Performance
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M3 (8-core) | Apple M5 Pro (18-core) |
| Graphics | Apple M3 8-core GPU | Apple M5 Pro 20-core GPU |
| RAM | 16 GB | 24 GB+50% |
| RAM type | LPDDR5 (unified) | LPDDR5X (unified) |
| Storage | 256 GB | 1,024 GB+300% |
| Storage type | NVMe SSD | SSD |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,050Top 33% | 4,295+41%Top 7% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 12,000Bottom 17% | 28,436+137%Top 6% |
Battery
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 53 Wh | 100 Wh+89% |
| Web browsing endurance | 15 h | 17 h+13% |
| Charging | 35 W | 140 W+300% |
Design
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1.24 kg+42% | 2.14 kg |
| Thickness | 11.3 mm+33% | 16.8 mm |
| Material | Aluminum | Recycled Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro) |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 3 / USB 4, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm | 3x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 6 |
| Webcam | 1080p FaceTime HD | 12MP Center Stage |
| Biometrics | Touch ID | Touch ID |
Software
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | macOS Sonoma | macOS Tahoe |
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