Key Takeaways
- MacBook Air: Slim, lightweight, affordable laptop suitable for everyday tasks and basic computing needs. It offers a Retina display, decent performance, and longer battery life compared to the MacBook Pro.
- MacBook Pro: Powerful laptop with a balance between performance and portability. It features high-resolution Retina displays, dedicated graphics options, faster processors, and Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, and is designed for demanding tasks like video editing and creative work.
- iPad Pro: Tablet device running on iPadOS with a touch-based interface. It boasts powerful processors, high-resolution Liquid Retina displays with ProMotion technology, Apple Pencil support, and USB-C ports, and is ideal for multitasking, creative work, and multimedia consumption. The iPad Pro blurs the line between a tablet and a laptop regarding performance and versatility.
What is MacBook Air?
MacBook Air is a line of laptops by Apple Inc. Apple brought these into the market in 2008. These are ultra-thin and lightweight, and as a result, they are highly portable. The MacBook Air is a favored option among students as well as professionals.
If you want a powerful laptop with long battery life and is also convenient to port, look no further; MacBook Air is your match. It retains a high-resolution Retina display and an inbuilt backlit keyboard. Users will also get a touchpad with multi-touch gestures.
What is MacBook Pro?
MacBook Pro is also a line of laptops developed and produced by Apple Inc. These are high-performance laptops that were introduced in the market in 2006.
People looking for a laptop with advanced features and processing power can opt for this laptop that carries fast processors, a high-quality display, and long battery life. It has two sizes available, one is 13 inches, and the other is 16 inches.
It has a touch bar with a touch-sensitive OLED strip. Using this, users can customize shortcuts and functions for present apps. People with creative projects tend to choose this device. Photographers, videographers, and developers use this widely.
What is iPad Pro?
iPad Pro is also a product of Apple Inc, but not a laptop. This line series is of tablets, first introduced in 2015. It is a better and more advanced version of the iPad. It has a Liquid Retina display with ProMotion technology.
The iPad Pro runs on the iPadOS operating system, under which the users will get features like split-screen multitasking and management of storage. Its Apple M1 chip efficiently completes gaming, video editing, and graphic design tasks.
Difference Between MacBook Air and MacBook Pro and iPad Pro
- MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are laptops, whereas the iPad Pro is a tablet.
- MacBook Air and MacBook Pro have macOS as their operating system, but the operating system of the iPad Pro is iPadOS.
- The MacBook Air comes with a 13-inch screen, and at the same time, MacBook Pro has options for screens that vary from 13-inch to 16-inch. On the other hand, iPad Pro possesses either an 11-inch or 12.9-inch screen.
- Regarding graphics performance, MacBook Pro stands as better than the MacBook Air. But the iPad Pro also has better graphics performance due to its in-built Apple-designed chip.
- The MacBook Air has the most extended battery life among the three. Then comes the MacBook Pro; the last on the list is iPad Pro.
Comparison Between MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, and iPad Pro
| Parameter of Comparison | MacBook Air | MacBook Pro | iPad Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form | It is a laptop. | It is also a laptop. | It is a tablet. |
| Operating system | It runs on macOS. | It works with macOS. | It works with iPadOS. |
| Processor | It comes with an Intel or M1 processor. | It also works with an Intel or M1 processor. | It has an Apple-designed A-series chip as its processor. |
| Keyboard | These come with built-in keyboards. | These also come with built-in keyboards. | It has an optional external keyboard. |
| Ports | It has multiple ports. | It also has multiple ports. | It only has a single USB-C port. |
| Cost | Comparatively, this costs the least. | It is the most costly compared to the other two. | It costs more than MacBook Air but less than MacBook Pro. |
- https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-93677-8_48
- https://www.atlantis-press.com/article/25881512.pdf
- https://www.sae.org/publications/technical-papers/content/2022-01-5083/
Last Updated : 19 July, 2023
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Sandeep Bhandari holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computers from Thapar University (2006). He has 20 years of experience in the technology field. He has a keen interest in various technical fields, including database systems, computer networks, and programming. You can read more about him on his bio page.
