{"id":7852,"date":"2015-03-20T12:30:55","date_gmt":"2015-03-20T17:30:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.nccomputertech.com\/?p=7852"},"modified":"2015-03-20T12:30:55","modified_gmt":"2015-03-20T17:30:55","slug":"13-inch-broadwell-macbook-showdown-should-you-go-pro-or-get-an-air","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2015\/03\/20\/13-inch-broadwell-macbook-showdown-should-you-go-pro-or-get-an-air\/","title":{"rendered":"13-inch Broadwell MacBook showdown: Should you go Pro or get an Air?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/arstechnica.com\/apple\/2015\/03\/13-inch-broadwell-macbook-showdown-should-you-go-pro-or-get-an-air\/\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" height=\"653\" width=\"980\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/dsc00299-980x653.jpg?resize=980%2C653\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The 13-inch MacBook Pro and the 13-inch MacBook Air were once very different computers that served very different needs. One was bulkier but pretty fast and user-serviceable, while the other was thin-and-light to a fault, arriving with anemic low-power CPUs and GPUs, slow hard drives, and no easy means to upgrade.<\/p>\n<p>In the last two-to-three years, that gap has narrowed substantially. The Air has become more powerful and less compromised, while the Pro has slimmed down and dumped features like user-replaceable RAM and its Ethernet jack. Both use Thunderbolt 2. Both use modern dual-core CPUs with some of Intel\u2019s better integrated GPUs. They\u2019re even priced in the same ballpark. What was once an easy recommendation has gotten more difficult.<\/p>\n<p>Last year as part of our review process, we took a good long look at both laptops, picked the best and worst things about each, and made purchasing recommendations based on what you need in your 13-inch Mac laptop. We\u2019ll post similar individual reviews soon to better consider how each computer stacks up compared to the wider PC market, but this piece serves a very specific purpose.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re interested in a new Mac laptop but shy away from the extremes (the extreme power of a 15-inch Pro, the extreme portability of an 11-inch Air), which new 13-inch offering do you buy?<\/p>\n<p>Specs at a glance: 13-inch 2015 Apple MacBook Air 13-inch 2015 Apple Retina MacBook Pro<\/p>\n<p>Screen 1440\u00d7900 at 13.3&#8243; (128 PPI) 2560\u00d71600 at 13.3&#8243; (227 PPI)<\/p>\n<p>OS OS X 10.10.2 Yosemite OS X 10.10.2 Yosemite<\/p>\n<p>CPU 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-5250U (Turbo up to 2.7GHz) 2.7GHz Intel Core i5-5257U (Turbo up to 3.3GHz)<\/p>\n<p>RAM 4GB 1600MHz LPDDR3 (soldered, upgradeable to 8GB at purchase) 8GB 1866MHz LPDDR3 (soldered, upgradeable to 16GB at purchase)<\/p>\n<p>GPU Intel HD Graphics 6000 (integrated) Intel Iris 6100 (integrated)<\/p>\n<p>HDD 128GB PCIe 2.0 x4 solid-state drive (upgradeable to 256GB or 512GB) 128GB PCIe 2.0 x4 solid-state drive (upgradeable to 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB)<\/p>\n<p>Networking 867Mbps 802.11a\/b\/g\/n\/ac, Bluetooth 4.0 1.3Gbps 802.11a\/b\/g\/n\/ac, Bluetooth 4.0<\/p>\n<p>Ports 2x USB 3.0, Thunderbolt 2, card reader, headphones 2x USB 3.0, 2x Thunderbolt 2, HDMI, card reader, headphones<\/p>\n<p>Size 12.8&#8243; \u00d7 8.94&#8243; \u00d7 0.11-0.68&#8243; (325 mm \u00d7 227 mm \u00d7 3-17 mm) 12.35&#8243; \u00d7 8.62&#8243; \u00d7 0.71&#8243; (314 mm \u00d7 219 mm \u00d7 18 mm)<\/p>\n<p>Weight 2.96 lbs (1.35 kg) 3.48 lbs (1.58 kg)<\/p>\n<p>Battery 54Whr 74.9Whr<\/p>\n<p>Warranty 1 year 1 year<\/p>\n<p>Starting price $999.99 $1,299.99<\/p>\n<p>Price as reviewed $999.99 $1,299.99<\/p>\n<p>Other perks Webcam, backlit keyboard, dual integrated mics Webcam, backlit keyboard, dual integrated mics<\/p>\n<p>External changes<\/p>\n<p>Winner: N\/A<\/p>\n<p>Read More: <a href=\"http:\/\/arstechnica.com\/apple\/2015\/03\/13-inch-broadwell-macbook-showdown-should-you-go-pro-or-get-an-air\/\" target=\"_blank\">13-inch Broadwell MacBook showdown: Should you go Pro or get an Air? | Ars Technica<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 13-inch MacBook Pro and the 13-inch MacBook Air were once very different computers that served very different needs. One [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2,3,10],"tags":[150,642],"class_list":["post-7852","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-apple","category-hardware","category-technology","tag-broadwell","tag-macbook"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/papNkV-22E","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9812,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2024\/11\/08\/slow-and-steady-m4-macbook-pro-apple-q424-pixelmator\/","url_meta":{"origin":7852,"position":0},"title":"Slow and Steady &#8211; M4 MacBook Pro, Apple Q424, Pixelmator","author":"NCCT","date":"November 8, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/etW5-oInyGA As expected following the end of last week's MacBreak Weekly, Apple announced the new M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max MacBook Pros. Jason recaps the results of Apple's Q424. And Apple acquires Pixelmator. \u2022 Early Apple M4 Pro and M4 Max benchmarks hint at a massive performance boost. \u2022\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Apple&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Apple","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/apple\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/etW5-oInyGA\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9940,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2025\/05\/16\/the-blue-and-the-gray-m4-macbook-air-m4-max-mac-studio-apple-intelligence\/","url_meta":{"origin":7852,"position":1},"title":"The Blue and the Gray &#8211; M4 MacBook Air, M4 Max Mac Studio, Apple Intelligence","author":"NCCT","date":"May 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/e_K-4_7i08k Is Apple's 'Sky Blue' really blue? Apple is delaying its 'more personalized Siri' Apple Intelligence features. Is anyone excited about RollerCoaster Tycoon coming to Apple Arcade? And Dropbox now supports Live Photos! ... after ten years. \u2022 Sky (blue)\u2019s the limit: M4 MacBook Air offers lower price, improved camera,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Apple&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Apple","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/apple\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/e_K-4_7i08k\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9818,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2024\/11\/11\/intel-is-cooked\/","url_meta":{"origin":7852,"position":2},"title":"Intel is cooked.","author":"NCCT","date":"November 11, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/ub27Ol4igwY 0:00 Welcome to Paul\u2019s Tech News - Nov 10, 2024 1:33 AMD Ryzen 9800X3D Post Launch Diagnosis - sold out in minutes 3:18 AMD May Add 3D V-cache to Mobile APUs, Threadripper 4:15 Nvidia ousts Intel from Dow Jones Index after 25-year run 5:43 For the first time ever,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Technology&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Technology","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/technology\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/ub27Ol4igwY\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9430,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2018\/11\/05\/the-prosecco-experience-this-week-in-tech-691\/","url_meta":{"origin":7852,"position":3},"title":"The Prosecco Experience &#8211; This Week in Tech 691","author":"NCCT","date":"November 5, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/9Pm9vDm1-sg Apple\u2019s new Macs and iPads, CIA\u2019s not-so-secret websites, Twitter voter suppression, and more. -- Apple announces new MacBook Air and Mac Mini, then blows them both away with its new iPad Pro. -- Apple will no longer tell us how many iPhones it sells. -- How to kill an\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Apple&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Apple","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/apple\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/9Pm9vDm1-sg\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9370,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2018\/06\/24\/this-week-in-tech-672-meme-the-queen\/","url_meta":{"origin":7852,"position":4},"title":"This Week in Tech 672: Meme the Queen","author":"NCCT","date":"June 24, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/ZCttWvS1qJw Two HUGE Supreme Court decisions, Apple admits its keyboards suck, Europe's war on memes, and more. -- The US Supreme Court kills warrantless cell phone location fishing and okays state sales taxes on internet purchases. -- Apple offers refunds on MacBook butterfly keyboard repairs and wants to let you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Apple&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Apple","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/apple\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/ZCttWvS1qJw\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9434,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2018\/11\/19\/big-boy-easy-bake-oven-this-week-in-tech-693\/","url_meta":{"origin":7852,"position":5},"title":"Big Boy Easy Bake Oven &#8211; This Week in Tech 693","author":"NCCT","date":"November 19, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/UZTkCVjGjWQ - Facebook's latest crisis is... its reaction to its last crisis. - Waymo plans a driverless car service. - Amazon announces its new headquarters in Queens and North Virginia. - Google's \"smart city\" in Toronto gets some pushback. - Julian Assange has been charged with... something? - SpaceX gets\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Technology&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Technology","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/technology\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/UZTkCVjGjWQ\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7852","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7852"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7852\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7852"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7852"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7852"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}