Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) vs Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max)
65.5Performance66.2
29.8Display74.3
55.3Battery77.1
79.6Portability53
3 spec wins — Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5)8 spec wins — Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) wins this laptop face-off, 68.2 to 56.9, pulling ahead mainly in display (+45) and battery (+22). 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 53
- 34% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 4,195 vs 3,120
- 32% lower thickness: 11.5 mm vs 16.8 mm
- 30% lower weight: 1.51 kg vs 2.16 kg
- Lower launch price: $1,299 vs $3,499
Reasons to pick the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max)
- Stronger display score: 74 vs 30
- Stronger battery score: 77 vs 55
- 220% higher Peak brightness: 1,600 nits vs 500 nits
- 133% higher charging: 140 W vs 60 W
- 125% higher RAM: 36 GB vs 16 GB
Display
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | 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 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M5 (10-core) | Apple M3 Max (14-core) |
| Graphics | Apple M5 10-core GPU | Apple M3 Max 30-core GPU |
| RAM | 16 GB | 36 GB+125% |
| RAM type | LPDDR5X (unified) | LPDDR5 (unified) |
| Storage | 512 GB | 1,024 GB+100% |
| Storage type | SSD | NVMe SSD |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,195+34%Top 11% | 3,120Top 28% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 16,995Top 38% | 20,200+19%Top 19% |
Battery
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 67 Wh | 100 Wh+50% |
| Web browsing endurance | — | 13 h |
| Charging | 60 W | 140 W+133% |
Design
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1.51 kg+30% | 2.16 kg |
| Thickness | 11.5 mm+32% | 16.8 mm |
| Material | Recycled Aluminum | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | 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 7 | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 6 | 5.3 |
| Webcam | 12MP Center Stage | 1080p FaceTime HD |
| Biometrics | Touch ID | Touch ID |
Software
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | macOS Tahoe | macOS Sonoma |
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