Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) vs Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max)
65.5Performance78.2
29.8Display74.3
55.3Battery66.6
79.6Portability71
4 spec wins — Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5)7 spec wins — Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) wins this laptop face-off, 73.4 to 56.9, pulling ahead mainly in display (+45) and performance (+13). Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) 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 (M5)
- Stronger portability score: 80 vs 71
- 26% lower thickness: 11.5 mm vs 15.5 mm
- Lower launch price: $1,299 vs $3,199
Reasons to pick the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max)
- Stronger performance score: 78 vs 66
- Stronger display score: 74 vs 30
- Stronger battery score: 67 vs 55
- 220% higher Peak brightness: 1,600 nits vs 500 nits
- 125% higher RAM: 36 GB vs 16 GB
Display
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 15.3 ″+8% | 14.2 ″ |
| Panel type | IPS (Liquid Retina) | Mini-LED (Liquid Retina XDR) |
| Resolution | 2880x1864 | 3024x1964 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz+100% |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits | 1,600 nits+220% |
Performance
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M5 (10-core) | Apple M4 Max (14-core) |
| Graphics | Apple M5 10-core GPU | Apple M4 Max 32-core GPU |
| RAM | 16 GB | 36 GB+125% |
| RAM type | LPDDR5X (unified) | LPDDR5X (unified) |
| Storage | 512 GB | 1,024 GB+100% |
| Storage type | SSD | SSD |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,195+9%Top 11% | 3,864Top 14% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 16,995Top 38% | 23,035+36%Top 9% |
Battery
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 67 Wh | 72 Wh+9% |
| Web browsing endurance | — | 13 h |
| Charging | 60 W | 96 W+60% |
Design
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1.51 kg+7% | 1.62 kg |
| Thickness | 11.5 mm+26% | 15.5 mm |
| Material | Recycled Aluminum | Recycled Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm | 3x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 6 | 5.3 |
| Webcam | 12MP Center Stage | 12MP Center Stage |
| Biometrics | Touch ID | Touch ID |
Software
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | macOS Tahoe | macOS Sequoia |
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