With devices like the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and MacBook that are instantly identifiable, one of the biggest producers of consumer electronics in the world is Apple, which was founded in 1976. Apple mainly produces high-end laptops with a productivity focus, therefore their selection of laptops is limited in comparison to other manufacturers like Dell, HP, Lenovo, and ASUS. Nonetheless, MacBooks are routinely among the highest-quality and most well-built computers available. Since Apple began producing laptops with its own SoC, the M1, they are among the best laptops available in terms of performance and battery life.
2014 Apple MacBook Pro
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021), the smaller of the two “Pro” computers with Apple’s new design and an M1 Pro or M1 Max SoC, is the greatest Apple laptop we’ve tested. It has a crisp Micro LED display with deep blacks, extreme brightness, and coverage of the complete DCI P3 color gamut, making it appropriate for viewing and creating HDR video. Considering how well-calibrated it is out of the box, you probably won’t need to do any color work before calibrating it. It also supports ProMotion, which allows it to dynamically change the refresh rate up to 120Hz to make motion more fluid or decrease it to save battery life.
There are three USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 connections, one HDMI connector (2.0, regrettably), a full-size SD card reader, and a high-output headphone jack for challenging-to-drive headphones. This is an excellent port selection. Apple’s M1 Pro and M1 Max SoCs are more than capable of handling demanding jobs like video editing and 3D animation in terms of performance. It’s better to buy adequate storage and memory up front because they aren’t user-replaceable and come in capacities of up to 64GB and 64GB, respectively. The battery lasts roughly 12 to 13 hours under light use, however it lasts substantially less during intensive use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is the clear choice if screen size is more essential to you than portability. The only differences between it and its 14-inch sister are better speakers and a longer battery life. The same fantastic 1080p webcam, larger touchpad, and superb keyboard are still included. Its higher cost is the only drawback. The new MacBook Pro 14 and 16 from Apple use the M2 Pro and M2 Max CPUs, which are allegedly 20% quicker. These new models appear to be merely an internal upgrade, despite the fact that we don’t have many specifics about them.
2013 Apple MacBook Air
Get the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022), which is the replacement for the extremely popular Apple MacBook Air 13 if you just undertake light duties like word processing, web browsing, and video playback (M1, 2020). This updated version features a redesigned design with slimmer bezels, an improved 1080p webcam (up from 720p), and a quicker M2 SoC with media engines to perform more demanding applications like video editing. This time, the display is even sharper and brighter—enough to be used outside in broad daylight. You receive a roomy keyboard with full-size function buttons and, it’s hard to imagine, an even bigger touchpad than the one before it.
The M2 SoC contains media engines to assist with tasks like video editing, as was already announced. Nevertheless, it doesn’t perform as well as the M1 Pro and M1 Max on the MacBook Pro 14 and 16. The M2 SoC’s limited GPU compute capability and the MacBook Air’s lack of a fan mean that while it can complete the task, you’ll probably encounter stutters when editing intricate, high-resolution videos and lengthy export delays.
How about the 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro 2022? The most recent design debuted alongside the M2 MacBook Air. The M2 MacBook Pro, which has larger bezels and the contentious Touch Bar, has the identical design as the M1 MacBook Pro except from a SoC upgrade. Although it bears the designation “Pro,” this model is less of a real “Pro” computer and more of a MacBook Air with active cooling (fans) because it lacks the processing power and premium features found in the MacBook Pro 14 and 16 models, such as Apple’s Mini LED ProMotion display. If you occasionally need extra processing power for a heavy workload, this is a fine choice; otherwise, go with the M2 MacBook Air.
2013 Apple MacBook Air
The older Apple MacBook Air 13 is still available, which is excellent news if the price of the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022) is a turnoff for you (M1, 2020). It frequently goes on sale, especially around Black Friday, and its base price is lower. To be clear, even though this is our recommendation for the lowest price, Apple’s laptop lineup only classifies it as “budget” because it is the least expensive. This laptop is anything but cheap. It has a similar premium feel to the choices above, so you’re still getting a superbly well-made product with a wonderful user interface. Most of the sacrifices, such as the design, webcam, and SoC, are negligible when compared to the newer M2 MacBook Air, so unless there is a specific feature you need on the current model, this is a fantastic choice that will save you a significant amount of money.
Conclusion
Whether you’re currently a part of the Apple ecosystem or not, Apple MacBooks are among the greatest options if you’re searching for a productivity laptop. They feature a premium user experience, feel exceptionally well-built, and have a lengthy battery life. But, a Chromebook or a Windows device is ideal if you want greater adaptability, such as a 2-in-1 convertible or a laptop with greater game compatibility.
