MacBook Vs. MacBook Pro

If you are in a conundrum about which MacBook would be the best for you, this article will offer you some help in that matter. We present a one-on-one comparison between the new MacBook and MacBook Pro, to help you decide which one to go for.

Designed for Silence
The new MacBook is Apple’s first fan-less laptop, which is designed for a completely silent operation.

With smartphones and tablets getting more and more powerful each day, what does the future hold for that faithful old breed of electronics – the laptops? Well, with the unveiling of its new 12-inch, ultra-light, ultra-thin, yet immensely capable new MacBook, Apple seems to have answered this question.

But that isn’t all! Along with it, Apple has also unleashed the revamped versions of its MacBook Pro and MacBook Air on the unsuspecting public, thus creating a lot of confusion.

Since an Apple can only be compared with an Apple, in the following lines, we shall compare the new MacBook and the revamped Pro on several important points of consideration, and help you decide which one of them will be the right choice for you computing needs.

MacBook Vs. MacBook Pro: Specifications

Display

If you were to go by numbers alone, the 12-inch display of the MacBook, having a resolution of 2,304 × 1,440, might clearly seem to be outclassed by the 13.3-inch screen of the MacBook Pro, which has a higher resolution of 2,560 × 1,600. However, there is more to this than meets the eye – literally!

The new MacBook sports the Retina display technology, which allows it to display colors and graphics in rich and vibrant details, and stunning crystal-like clarity. However, the Pro is no slow horse either, and is more than capable of going the distance, delivering outstanding visuals. To all but those with the keenest of eyes, the difference between these two displays will seem to be only minimal. For those desiring a slightly larger screen-size, the Pro will be the better choice.

Performance

The ‘Pro’ lineup of MacBooks has always been top of the line, and even with the introduction of the new MacBook, things continue to remain the same. The overhauled version of MacBook Pro features a new 2.7 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, which smokes the 1.1 Ghz dual core Intel Core M processor of the new MacBook. The pro also features up to 16 GB of RAM, as opposed to the 8 GB of the MacBook. The entry-level models of both these laptops feature 128 GB of disk storage. However, the Pro offers up to 1 TB on the high-end version, compared to the 512 GB of the high-end MacBook.

Thus, performance-wise, clearly the Pro has an edge. The Macbook should work satisfactorily for most everyday activities, including browsing, emailing, word processing, and even regular multimedia. However, for CPU-intensive tasks, such as video-editing, simultaneously working on multiple spreadsheets, playing HD movies and games, etc., the Pro will be the way to go.

Size and Weight

The size and weight of a laptop might not seem very important points of consideration, until your daily routine requires you to haul your PC around from place to place. That is when you begin to appreciate the effort that Apple has put in to minimize the thickness and weight of its laptops.

With a practically microscopic 0.51 inches at its thickest part, the MacBook is one of the world’s thinnest laptops, slimmer than the already slim Pro which measures 0.71 inches at its thickest portion, making it a highly portable device. Also, at 2.03 pounds, the feather-light MacBook is much easier to carry around than the 3.5 pounds Pro.

Battery Back-up

Considering how thin both these laptops are, especially the new MacBook, it is truly amazing how Apple has managed to impart them with such an impressive battery-backup. To slim-up the MacBook, Apple had to make-do by fitting it with a 39.7 watt-hour battery, which is much smaller than the 74.7 watt-hour one on the Pro. Even so, as claimed by Apple, on a single charge, the MacBook will allow wireless Internet usage of up to 9 hours – only an hour less than the 10 hours of the Pro. Both these are impressive figures, and more than enough for the average user.

Connectivity

The absence of the regular USB and other connectivity ports on the new MacBook might seem confounding at first – until you locate the almost invisible single USB-C port on the upper left corner of the laptop. USB-C is a new standard which is faster, more versatile, and easier to use than regular USB, and Apple has introduced this technology ahead of other laptop manufacturers. However, being new in the market, the USB-C is a bit inconvenient to use, as users are required to purchase at least one of the USB-C adapters that Apple sells, which can cost up to $79 for multi-port adapters featuring HDMI and VGA ports as well.

The Macbook Pro, on the other hand, features two USB 3.0 ports and two Thunderbolt ports, in addition to the HDMI port. Both, the new MacBook and the Pro comprise dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, Thus, as far as convenience is concerned, for now, the Pro is clearly the winner. However, as the world of electronics breaks free from all its wired shackles and leashes, and becomes wireless and free, the inconvenient MacBook of today will certainly seem the perfect choice in the future.

Price

The base models of both the new MacBook and MacBook Pro start at $1,299. However, the MacBook will still require you to shell out that little bit extra for the USB-C adapter.

Thus, both MacBook and MacBook Pro are great laptops from the stables of Apple, which will cost you the same, but will offer you a different set of features. If it is convenience and performance that you seek, then go for the Pro. However, if you are looking for a chic and laptop which is portable, and also has a few space-age features, then go for the new MacBook.