Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) vs Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max)
53.7Performance65.4
30.2Display85.3
69.7Battery73.6
79.6Portability53
4 spec wins — Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4)8 spec wins — Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) wins this laptop face-off, 69.9 to 56, pulling ahead mainly in display (+55) and performance (+12). Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4)
- Stronger portability score: 80 vs 53
- 32% lower thickness: 11.5 mm vs 16.8 mm
- 30% lower weight: 1.51 kg vs 2.16 kg
- 19% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 3,700 vs 3,120
- 15% higher Web browsing endurance: 15 h vs 13 h
- Lower launch price: $1,199 vs $3,499
Reasons to pick the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max)
- Stronger performance score: 65 vs 54
- Stronger display score: 85 vs 30
- Stronger battery score: 74 vs 70
- 300% higher storage: 1,024 GB vs 256 GB
- 220% higher Peak brightness: 1,600 nits vs 500 nits
Display
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 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 (M4) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M4 (10-core) | Apple M3 Max (14-core) |
| Graphics | Apple M4 10-core GPU | Apple M3 Max 30-core GPU |
| RAM | 16 GB | 36 GB+125% |
| RAM type | LPDDR5X (unified) | LPDDR5 (unified) |
| Storage | 256 GB | 1,024 GB+300% |
| Storage type | NVMe SSD | NVMe SSD |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,700+19% | 3,120 |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 14,700 | 20,200+37% |
Battery
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 67 Wh | 100 Wh+50% |
| Web browsing endurance | 15 h+15% | 13 h |
| Charging | 70 W | 140 W+100% |
Design
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1.51 kg+30% | 2.16 kg |
| Thickness | 11.5 mm+32% | 16.8 mm |
| Material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm | 3x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Webcam | 12MP Center Stage | 1080p FaceTime HD |
| Biometrics | Touch ID | Touch ID |
Software
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | macOS Sequoia | macOS Sonoma |
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