The MacBook Air has been sold as a single 13-inch option for years, while customers who want a larger-screen laptop have to opt for the MacBook Pro. This makes sense from a certain point of view since most users who prioritize having a large screen are professionals. However, a lot has changed since then, and now it seems that Apple may introduce a 15-inch MacBook Air. Here’s why this is a good idea.
MacBook Air is more capable than ever
Back in the Intel era, MacBook Air was considered Apple’s entry-level laptop not only because of its price but because of its weaker hardware. Due to design limitations and the Intel processors, the MacBook Air was only suitable for lighter tasks such as surfing the web and editing documents.
I never considered myself a heavy user, but I always needed more than Apple’s entry-level laptops like the MacBook Air had to offer. That’s why I always opted for the MacBook Pro. But as I mentioned, things have changed with the Apple Silicon chips coming to the Mac.
When Apple introduced the M1 Macs, the performance difference between the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air was so small that I was tempted to get my first MacBook Air. After all, the Air is not only cheaper than the Pro but also thinner and lighter. To this day, I still have my M1 MacBook Air, and it’s certainly the best laptop I’ve ever had.
I can do pretty much everything with this machine, from writing text to editing 4K video to using Xcode – all without any performance concerns. At the same time, the MacBook Air has excellent battery life. Apple now has even more capable MacBook Pros with the 14-inch and 16-inch models, but I’m so used to the form factor of the MacBook Air that I feel I don’t want a MacBook Pro anymore.
But there’s one thing about the MacBook Pro that I wish I had on the Air, and that’s a bigger screen.
15-inch MacBook Air is on the way
The latest MacBook Pro models are considerably thicker and heavier than their predecessors. Of course, this brings a lot of benefits for professional users, such as a better thermal system and room for more ports. But as someone who can live with a MacBook Air, all I want is a bigger screen while keeping the same thin and light form factor that I love.
When I’m at home, I use my MacBook connected to an external display most of the time. However, when I’m traveling, I only take my MacBook with me, and that’s when I feel the need for a model with a larger display.
The M2 MacBook Air has a slightly taller display due to its edge-to-edge design with a notch. However, the bezels are thicker than those of the 14-inch MacBook Pro display, so this doesn’t make much difference in practice when it comes to usable area for content. A 15-inch MacBook Air would fit my needs perfectly.
Luckily, rumors suggest that Apple has indeed been working on a 15-inch MacBook Air. Details about the hardware are a bit unclear at this point, but this new model would essentially be an M2 MacBook Air with a larger screen. In the past, Apple has offered the MacBook Air in two different sizes (11-inch and 13-inch), so it doesn’t seem impossible to me that this will happen again.
What about the MacBook Pro?
Some people might argue that this could hurt MacBook Pro sales. While there are definitely some people who end up buying the Pro models because of the display, I don’t believe that most customers who buy a MacBook Pro would switch to the Air because of this.
Except for the 13-inch MacBook Pro that shouldn’t even exist, there are a lot of other differences between the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro. Even with a larger display, it seems obvious to me that Apple would keep features like ProMotion, more ports, and faster chips for the Pro models.
With a 15-inch MacBook Air, Apple would give a new option to its customers who need more screen area for work but don’t want to give up the thin design of the MacBook Air.
But what about you? Would you buy a 15-inch MacBook Air instead of a MacBook Pro? Let me know in the comments section below.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments