MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro 2026: Which Mac Should You Actually Buy?

The MacBook Air M4 (starting at $1,099) and MacBook Pro M4 (starting at $1,599) are separated by $500. The Air handles 95% of everyday professional tasks with no fans, lighter weight, and lower price. The Pro earns its premium with sustained performance under heavy workloads (video rendering, 3D, ML training), a better display (ProMotion, more brightness), more ports, and MagSafe. For most users — students, remote workers, developers doing light-to-medium work: Air. For video editors, ML engineers, and power users: Pro.