Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3) vs Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max)
41.4Performance91.1
29.8Display74.3
55.3Battery99.5
79.6Portability53.3
2 spec wins — Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3)9 spec wins — Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) wins this laptop face-off, 81.9 to 48.4, pulling ahead mainly in performance (+50) and display (+45). Apple MacBook Air 15 (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 15 (M3)
- Stronger portability score: 80 vs 53
- 32% lower thickness: 11.5 mm vs 16.8 mm
- 30% lower weight: 1.51 kg vs 2.15 kg
- Lower launch price: $1,299 vs $3,899
Reasons to pick the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max)
- Stronger performance score: 91 vs 41
- Stronger display score: 74 vs 30
- Stronger battery score: 100 vs 55
- 700% higher storage: 2,048 GB vs 256 GB
- 350% higher RAM: 36 GB vs 8 GB
Display
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 15.3 ″ | 16.2 ″+6% |
| Panel type | IPS (Liquid Retina) | Mini-LED (Liquid Retina XDR) |
| Resolution | 2880x1864 | 3456x2234 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz+100% |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits | 1,600 nits+220% |
Performance
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M3 (8-core) | Apple M5 Max (18-core) |
| Graphics | Apple M3 10-core GPU | Apple M5 Max 32-core GPU |
| RAM | 8 GB | 36 GB+350% |
| RAM type | LPDDR5 (unified) | LPDDR5X (unified) |
| Storage | 256 GB | 2,048 GB+700% |
| Storage type | SSD | SSD |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,130Top 26% | 4,336+39%Top 2% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 12,066Bottom 19% | 30,057+149%Top 2% |
Battery
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 67 Wh | 100 Wh+50% |
| Charging | 35 W | 140 W+300% |
Design
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1.51 kg+30% | 2.15 kg |
| Thickness | 11.5 mm+32% | 16.8 mm |
| Material | Recycled Aluminum | Recycled Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt / 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 15 (M3) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | macOS Sonoma | macOS Tahoe |
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