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- We've updated our buying usher with the latest M4 MacBook models. Take a look!
Is it clip for a caller MacBook, but you're not definite which exemplary is close for you? Do you request power, affordability, oregon thing successful between? We person immoderate recommendations to assistance you decide.
UPDATE: 04/28/2025
We've updated our buying usher with the latest M4 MacBook models. Take a look!
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Amazon
MacBook Air (M4)
Best MacBook Overall
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MacBook Air (M2) 13-inch
Best Budget MacBook
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Amazon
MacBook Pro with M4 Pro 12-core 14-inch
Best MacBook for Gaming
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Apple MacBook Pro (14-Inch, M4)
Best MacBook for Professionals
What to Look For successful a MacBook
As of 2024, Apple has afloat moved to Apple Silicon chips, with the latest mentation being the M4 chip (released archetypal connected the caller iPad Pro models). While MacBook models with an Intel spot inactive work, we don't urge buying into a processor architecture that is respective years old. You tin prevention wealth by buying second-hand oregon refurbished products, but the benefits of Apple Silicon outweigh the magnitude you whitethorn prevention otherwise.
There are galore benefits to the Apple Silicon spot architecture beyond large show gains successful optimized software. These see improved powerfulness and vigor ratio for longer artillery beingness and little halfway temperatures, fast unified RAM, and integrated GPU cores that outpace older AMD mobile GPUs.
Related
All MacBooks tally Apple's macOS alternatively of Windows. Modern MacBooks with an Apple Silicon spot nary longer enactment Boot Camp, truthful you won't beryllium capable to dual-boot Windows and macOS anymore. To tally Windows connected your Mac, you'll request to bash it utilizing virtualization and an app similar Parallels moving Windows 11 for ARM.
But if you spell this route, you'll request to cognize that the ARM mentation of Windows 11 has additional limitations you should beryllium alert of. If you privation to tally Windows 11, you whitethorn beryllium amended disconnected getting a Windows-based laptop instead.
Mac enactment for originative apps and productivity mainstays similar Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop is good. Still, if you're considering switching from a PC, it's worthy checking whether the bundle you trust connected volition enactment connected a Mac first. For example, astir PC games lone tally connected Windows and won't enactment connected a Mac, meaning your purchases whitethorn spell to waste.
With each that retired of the way, you're apt wondering—which is the champion MacBook to buy? Let's get to the champion ones connected the marketplace today.
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How-To Geek's merchandise recommendations travel from the aforesaid squad of experts who person helped radical hole their gadgets implicit 1 cardinal times. We lone urge the champion products based connected our probe and expertise. We ne'er judge outgo to endorse oregon reappraisal a product. Read More »
Best MacBook Overall: Macbook Air 15-inch M4
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Excellent M4 spot performance |
Still nary OLED oregon precocious refresh rate |
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Supports 2 outer monitors without closing the lid |
Lacks ports |
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Six-speaker strategy sounds excellent |
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16GB RAM basal configuration |
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Cheaper than the M3 15-inch Air |
The MacBook Air 15-inch M4 is simply a straightforward prime if you conscionable privation an all-around MacBook offering fantabulous worth and suited to astir tasks. It’s not trying to reinvent anything, but it does nail the essentials. It whitethorn look mostly the aforesaid arsenic the erstwhile year's M3 model, but with the much almighty M4 chip, an upgraded webcam, and a little starting price, it’s an altogether much appealing machine.
As for the size options, the 15.3-inch surface gives you that spot much country to respire than the much fashionable 13-inch version. Additionally, the surface is arsenic crisp and vibrant arsenic ever, portion the plan remains highly bladed and lightweight. The six-speaker strategy is different item with wide midrange frequencies and a deeper bass than astir laptops produce. All this makes the MacBook Air 15-Inch M4 an fantabulous laptop to usage for streaming Netflix oregon listening to Spotify.
Under the hood, you person the caller 10-core M4 spot delivering noticeable gains implicit the erstwhile chips. You'll get astir an 18 percent boost successful single-core show for mundane tasks similar web browsing and app use, on with stronger graphics that marque photograph editing, rendering, and airy gaming consciousness snappier.
And, acknowledgment to the continued fanless design, the laptop remains whisper-quiet whether you're juggling browser tabs, editing images, oregon conscionable watching YouTube videos. However, it tin get a spot lukewarm nether sustained loads, though it ne'er gets uncomfortable to touch.
Related
Apple MacBook Air Review: The Best Laptop For Most People for 2025
The M4 upgrade further confirms that the MacBook Air is the champion laptop for astir people.
With implicit 20 hours of video playback, artillery beingness holds up well, too. More demanding tasks similar installs and gaming volition propulsion that fig down a bit, but it inactive offers much than capable powerfulness to get done 1 oregon 2 workdays without stress.
Another utile update to the 15-inch MacBook Air is that you nary longer request to adjacent the lid erstwhile connecting to 2 outer displays. That’s a large triumph for distant workers, coders, contented creators, oregon anyone utilizing a laptop successful a semi-docked setup.
However, if you were waiting connected irritating holdovers from earlier models to beryllium upgraded, you'll unluckily beryllium disappointed. The 2 Thunderbolt 4 and MagSafe ports are inactive crammed unneurotic connected the left, and the LED display, portion good, inactive hasn’t been upgraded to OLED similar galore of its Windows competitors.
However, with the agreeable terms tag and 16GB RAM, the worth is hard to reason with. The MacBook Air 15-inch M4 is simply a polished, almighty instrumentality with fewer compromises and a layout that conscionable makes sense.
Best MacBook Overall
Macbook Air 15-inch (M4)
The 15-inch MacBook Air M4 softly fixes what needed fixing and keeps everything other that already worked successful place. It’s an casual go-to for anyone who conscionable wants a fast, reliable MacBook with a spot much surface abstraction to work.
Best Budget MacBook: MacBook Air (M2) 13-inch
Apple
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Solid M2 performance |
Base configuration whitethorn not beryllium capable for some |
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Portable and lightweight |
Only 2 Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports |
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Good value |
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Configurable options |
The M2 MacBook Air is often the go-to prime for Mac lovers seeking a equilibrium of portability, performance, and affordability. While nary longer disposable successful the Apple Store, the M1-chipped exemplary mostly satisfied astir customers. However, determination is small quality successful terms betwixt the M1 and M2 chips, truthful we urge fund seekers opt for the MacBook Air M2 13-inch for the champion value. However, if you are an M1 idiosyncratic presently wondering whether to upgrade and if you’re utilizing your laptop for mundane productivity, past you tin astir apt clasp disconnected for now.
However, you whitethorn beryllium tempted to take the M3 version. However, similar the M1 to M2, the terms quality betwixt the M2 and M3 is not much. But determination isn’t a massive quality successful performance, either. So, it's amended to prevention a spot of wealth and instrumentality with the M2 MacBook Air alternatively of upgrading.
The basal exemplary of the M2 mentation comes with 8GB of unified representation and 256GB of SSD storage. This is ample for wide web browsing, Netflix streaming, papers creation, and wide productivity. Like each MacBooks, it is configurable earlier acquisition (not after), and you tin opt for up to 24GB of unified representation and 2TB of storage.
This each comes astatine an other cost, of course. So, if you’re trying to support the terms down, opting for the basal configuration is the astir affordable option. However, you should enactment that you cannot alteration your caput aft purchase, truthful picking a suitable configuration is crucial.
But, if you extremity up opting for the M3 MacBook Air, chances are you’ll beryllium blessed with the latest offering portion inactive not handing implicit excessively overmuch of your hard-earned cash. One of the biggest draws to purchasing an M3 MacBook Air is its enactment for 2 outer displays. The M2-chipped MacBook Air lone supports 1 outer display, truthful if this is important to you, past the M3 exemplary is the amended choice.
Best Budget MacBook
MacBook Air (13-Inch, M2)
The MacBook Air 13-inch offers an fantabulous equilibrium of portability, performance, and affordability, with the M2 and M3 versions providing large worth and ample options for customization. Whether you take the M2 oregon M3, you tin expect a high-quality acquisition with features that cater to mundane productivity and much precocious needs.
Best MacBook for Students: MacBook Air 13-inch M4
Amazon
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Excellent M4 show successful a smaller, lighter body |
256GB basal retention tin capable up fast |
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Cheaper than the 15-inch mentation with akin performance |
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Supports 2 outer displays with the lid open |
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16GB RAM is yet modular connected the basal model |
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Ideal size and value for backpacks and tiny desks |
Just similar the 15-inch version, the MacBook Air 13-inch M4 gets the latest chip, an upgraded 12MP webcam, and enactment for 2 outer displays without the request to adjacent the lid. What makes the 13-inch exemplary successful peculiar the standout prime for students is the size, weight, and price, which are each little and much suitable for busy, mobile routines.
The 13-inch exemplary is perfect for anybody, not conscionable students, who wants much portability and a little price. Compared to our apical pick, it has conscionable a fewer scaled-down features and is acold from an inferior MacBook.
At 2.7 pounds and a half-inch thick, the MacBook Air 13-inch M4 is the easiest MacBook to transportation around, arsenic we notation successful our MacBook Air review:
This laptop is inactive incredibly bladed and light, with the 13-inch exemplary being truly casual to stash successful my container successful betwixt classes. Technically speaking, the caller M4 MacBook Air is 2 grams lighter than the M3 model, but that is arsenic negligible of a quality arsenic they come.
It’ll instrumentality up astir arsenic overmuch country successful your container arsenic a spiral notebook, and you’ll hardly announcement the other weight.
Like the 15-inch MacBook Air M4, this exemplary besides has 16GB of RAM by default—a invited alteration from older models that came with conscionable 8 GB. Combined with the M4 chip, it gives students plentifulness of powerfulness for multitasking, whether it's juggling web tabs, taking notes, joining Zoom classes, oregon editing the occasional video oregon coding project.
The basal 13-inch starts with an 8-core GPU, but 10-core versions are available, which are modular connected the 15-inch. While the 8-core exemplary is inactive accelerated for mundane use, GPU-heavy tasks similar video editing volition tally somewhat slower.
The CPU is identical to the 15-inch, truthful wide show is the aforesaid unless you propulsion the GPU. It’s accelerated and efficient, and the laptop runs astatine a hushed level, acknowledgment to the fanless design. It tin tally somewhat warmer nether unit than the 15-inch, but thing that affects usability. You won’t announcement overmuch quality unless you’re comparing them side-by-side nether sustained load, wherever the 15-inch model’s larger size helps it negociate vigor somewhat better.
Battery beingness volition alteration depending connected what you’re doing. It’s not a important leap implicit the M3 successful presumption of endurance, and it’s a spot shorter than the 15-inch astatine 15 hours. But generally, it holds up good for a afloat time of light-to-medium use.
The 13-inch besides scales down the audio to a four-speaker system, which is good for casual listening and video calls but not arsenic almighty arsenic the six speakers connected the 15-inch. Port enactment stays the same, with conscionable 2 Thunderbolt ports and the MagSafe crammed onto the near broadside and a headphone jack connected the right.
One diagnostic students whitethorn find utile is Apple’s caller on-device AI system. While it is inactive aboriginal days for the technology, it does connection a fewer adjuvant tools, including Clean Up, which removes distracting objects from photos, and Apple Intelligence Writing Tools, which see suggested rewrites for essays.
Additionally, determination mightiness not beryllium overmuch caller design-wise, but that’s okay. The 13-inch MacBook Air M4 stays focused connected what matters to students: it’s fast, light, and has capable representation to grip existent pupil workloads.
Best MacBook for Students
MacBook Air 13-inch M4
The 13-inch MacBook Air M4 offers the aforesaid show and features arsenic the 15-inch model, conscionable successful a much compact and student-friendly size. It’s a applicable prime for students who request a fast, reliable laptop that’s casual to carry.
Best MacBook for Gaming: MacBook Pro 16-inch M4 Pro
Amazon
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Smooth framework rates and beardown GPU performance |
macOS inactive has constricted crippled support |
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Dual-fan strategy keeps things chill and quiet |
Compatibility tools inactive required for galore games |
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Excellent mini-LED display |
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Massive artillery beingness for a show laptop |
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More affordable than the Max chip |
If you’re not successful the marketplace for a full-blown gaming laptop but inactive privation a MacBook that tin clasp its own, the 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) is the champion pick. This almighty instrumentality is built for originative work, but it doubles arsenic a amazingly susceptible gaming device. Apple truly has made a masterpiece present for anyone who wants powerfulness and play successful the aforesaid machine.
The M4 Pro spot is simply a measurement up from the regular M4, delivering beardown GPU show and creaseless framework rates successful supported titles. The M4 Max is simply a step-up again, but the other outgo of this spot isn’t justified for gaming alone, arsenic it offers small existent vantage fixed the limits of macOS crippled support.
The 20-core GPU successful the M4 Pro handles high-end visuals conscionable fine, and acknowledgment to the machine’s fantabulous thermals, the dual fans seldom request to footwear in. When you crippled for extended sessions, the instrumentality sound is hardly noticeable and the chassis remains comfortably cool, thing accepted gaming laptops can’t boast.
Of course, the MacBook Pro 16-inch M4 Pro inactive isn’t a gaming-first laptop, and macOS remains constricted regarding disposable titles. Of those available, immoderate tally natively, portion others tally done compatibility tools. If you’re superior astir gaming, determination are plentifulness of dedicated laptops awaiting your consideration.
However, if your superior absorption is dense workloads with a spot of cheeky gaming connected the side, the MacBook Pro M4 Pro fits the bill. And past some. The 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR show is simply stunning. Battery beingness pushes past 20 hours with mean use, and adjacent nether load, it remains susurration quiet. It tin grip demanding games portion plugged in, portion leaving country for video editing, compiling code, oregon immoderate other you propulsion astatine it.
Best MacBook for Gaming
MacBook Pro 16-inch M4 Pro
The MacBook Pro 16-inch M4 Pro delivers awesome gaming show alongside its pro-level power. It’s a sleek, quiescent instrumentality that plays supported titles with easiness connected a sharp, high-quality display.
Best MacBook for Professionals: MacBook Pro 14-inch M4
Amazon
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Fast, businesslike M4 spot handles astir nonrecreational workflows |
No large plan changes implicit the M3 version |
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Excellent artillery life |
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Stunning Liquid Retina XDR display |
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Supports 2 outer monitors |
Most moving professionals volition find the MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 to beryllium the astute choice. It’s fast, quiet, lightweight, and built to grip everything from spreadsheets and Zoom calls to originative enactment and dense multitasking.
You get pro-level powerfulness successful a commutable size, and it doesn’t scope the precocious terms points of the Apple Silicon M4 Pro oregon Max chips. While those pricier chips present much performance, the basal M4 spot is nary slouch, and plentifulness of powerfulness for astir people. Professionals who request to juggle aggregate apps, enactment crossed unreality platforms, edit images, oregon enactment connected airy coding volition find it has much than capable power.
However, determination are instances wherever you whitethorn privation to take 1 of the much almighty chips. If your enactment involves video editing, bundle development, graphic design, oregon moving aggregate virtual machines, the MacBook Pro M4 Pro is simply a amended fit. It gives you much GPU and CPU headroom, other representation bandwidth, and amended show successful apps similar Final Cut Pro, Logic, and Xcode.
If you bash 3D modeling, high-end VFX, AI training, oregon thing that regularly maxes retired GPU and RAM, past the pricey MacBook Pro M4 Max whitethorn beryllium worthy the measurement up. It’s built for heavy-duty enactment requiring arsenic overmuch GPU powerfulness arsenic possible.
However, let’s get backmost to the regular M4 chip. Like the different M4 MacBooks, the MacBook Pro 14-inch's artillery beingness is outstanding astatine 20 hours with airy use. Additionally, the Liquid Retina XDR show is crisp and color-accurate for reviewing plan files and fine-tuning presumption visuals.
You besides get the aforesaid sturdy physique arsenic the pricier options, an fantabulous keyboard, 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports, an SD paper reader, and an HDMI port. The caller 12MP camera and studio-quality mics besides marque a quality for those perpetually successful meetings oregon signaling content.
The MacBook Pro besides supports 2 outer monitors to widen your workspace. And similar different M4 upgrades, you tin proceed utilizing the laptop’s show alongside them.
Best MacBook for Professionals
Macbook Pro 14-inch M4
The MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 offers a large equilibrium of performance, portability, and artillery beingness for astir professionals. It's accelerated and quiet, but if your workload demands more, it’s disposable successful much almighty Pro and Max configurations.
FAQ
How bash I mill reset my MacBook?
Whether you're trading your Mac distant oregon it's efficaciously bricked, a mill reset tin rewind the timepiece to a like-new MacBook. Check retired our usher connected factory resetting your Mac for a step-by-step walkthrough, nary substance what exemplary you have.
How bash I link my AirPods to my MacBook?
The Apple ecosystem makes your beingness overmuch easier---if you cognize however it works. Connecting your AirPods to your Mac is usually beauteous painless connected the archetypal spell around, and adjacent simpler each clip thereafter, acknowledgment to automatic receptor detection.
How bash I cleanable my MacBook surface and keyboard?
Cleaning your MacBook screen safely and efficaciously takes conscionable a fewer swipes from a brushed (preferably microfiber) cloth with the assistance of immoderate 70% isopropyl intoxicant solution (which you tin get astatine conscionable astir immoderate market store). Cleaning the particulate and debris retired of your Mac's keyboard is simply a spot much time-consuming, but you'll beryllium truthful gladsome you did it erstwhile it's finished.
How bash I instrumentality a screenshot connected my MacBook?
Screenshots are a keyboard shortcut away; cheque retired our full usher connected taking Mac screenshots.
How bash I transcript and paste connected a MacBook?
If you've ever utilized the copy-and-paste shortcuts connected a Windows machine, you'll admit the Mac variant of this utile function. Command + C copies substance oregon images to your clipboard, portion Command + V pastes the elements presently successful the clipboard.
How bash I update my MacBook?
Updating your MacBook is casual enough, particularly erstwhile you usage the automatic update functionality to support your laptop tip-top. Follow on with our usher connected updating your MacBook for elaborate instructions.
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