For many years I was used to working on 13" MacBooku Air without an external display connected. Those times are long gone, and I sit in my office every day with a 32" 4K monitor, which I just got. MacBooku Air connected, however, when I need to go somewhere from time to time, for example, I have no problem working on a relatively small 13" machine, thanks to my past.
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However, as I get more and more used to the larger display area and my habits of working with windows in macOS change a bit, I occasionally toy with the idea of whether a 15" would make more sense for me after all. MacBook Air than its smaller sibling. That's exactly what I decided to try in the last few days, as I had a few in my office after a recent performance. MacBooků Air M5 both sizes varianty. And I must say that I am in a way nestI started to wonder what was different between the 13" and 15" models.
Before I get into my review, it's worth taking a quick look at the basic differences in price and specifications. As I wrote above, MacBook Air The M5 is available in 13" and 15" variant, with the 13" starting at 29,990 CZK. In addition to 16GB RAM and 512GB storage, this basic model offers the M5 chip in a 10-core CPU and 8-core GPU configuration. However, there is also a choice of the M5 chip in a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU configuration, which according to the words Applu will provide the user with faster processing of graphics tasks and so on, and this configuration costs CZK 32,990.
What about 15"? MacBooku Air, it is only available with one type of M5 chip, unsurprisingly the higher one with a 10-core CPU and a 10-core GPU. The price of this machine is then set at 35,990 CZK – that is, about 3000 CZK higher than the cost of an equally powerful MacBook Air at 13". Just for an idea, basic 14" MacBook Pro then it comes out to 46,990 CZK, so the price difference between the 15" Air14" Pro is still significant.
What can be quite disappointing in my opinion is the fact that although the 15" model is noticeably larger, it offers the same (18-hour) battery life as the 13". varianta. While M5 MacBook Pro in 14" it can handle up to 24 hours on paper, which is quite a paradox considering that MacBooky Air have long been synonymous with long battery life. However, the narrow body requires compromises in the form of a smaller battery, and in the case of the 15" model it is clear that although it has a larger battery, it also has a larger display with higher energy consumption. All these aspects must therefore be taken into account when purchasing.
If you are then asking what it is like for users of 13" MacBooku Air to suddenly switch to a 15" model, then it is quite strange at first, to be honest. Although it is essentially the same computer, just in different dimensions, the larger body brings with it a number of things that can be a bit confusing. You will have to get used to just typing on the keyboard, which suddenly feels completely different under your hands on the 15" model with larger edges. However, your hands will of course get used to the larger body after a while and then you will no longer feel that typing is unnatural. However, the beginning was quite rough, at least for me, because I am used to orienting myself on the keyboard based on the distance of individual keys from the edge of the computer, and with the 15" model I suddenly did not have this guide available.
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What you will get used to right away, on the other hand, is the larger display. It may not look significantly larger on paper, but the reality is that working with windows on it is much more pleasant than on a 13" model. Although the extra 2" in diagonal size does not seem like a fundamental difference, the additional display area allows you to "stretch" your work better according to your needs, which in turn makes you more productive, because you are able to see and manage more "right away". On the other hand, going back to a 13" is quite restrictive for a person, and I believe that anyone who has been on a 15" Air Once he gets used to it, the 13" model is no longer for him.
In connection with the display, I would also like to say that although the bezels around its perimeter are as wide as on the 13" model, thanks to the larger diagonal and total display area, it paradoxically feels narrower than on the smaller sibling of this machine. In fact, the 15" model feels somehow more elegant, thinner, and generally "better" because your head constantly convinces you that it is an incredibly thin device for its size, which might not stand out as much on a smaller model.
But the practical side of things is also quite interesting - specifically working on a computer, performance, etc. Of course, the M5 chip used in MacBooks Air i Pro It's no longer surprising that the version with a higher number of GPU cores logically handles tasks related to graphics a little better. I certainly wouldn't say that it's a leap, but for example, when editing photos and the like, you will save a little time. However, what interested me perhaps a little more was that the 15" model is more resistant to heating thanks to its larger metal body.
I verified this simply by doing exactly the same things on the 13" and 15" models and the smaller machine warmed up a few minutes faster. It wasn't an extreme, but it's clear that physics can't be bent and that a larger metal surface can distribute heat better than a small one. I have to add here that, for example, in the Cinebench test, the 15" Air The M5 warmed up slightly later than the 13" model, but at the end of the test it was more or less as warm, so passive cooling is logically reaching its limits here. That's why the M5 looked almost comical next to these machines. MacBook Pro, which turned on the fan during the benchmark and was therefore audible, but was almost cold at the end of the test.
Blackmagic Disk Speed Test
Cinebench
Geekbench 6
Passive cooling is of course limiting due to the throttling of the power, which Air against Pro model cannot be avoided. Although it is not a drastic change, it is necessary to take it into account and not to think that the 15" body is self-sufficient and passive cooling will work much better on it than on the 13" model. Unfortunately, this is not the case and probably never will be.
However, given the nature of my work, performance was never a big concern for me, as I preferred practicality and productivity. And while the 15" model is definitely superior in productivity compared to the 13" machine, practicality is logically worse for me due to the significantly larger dimensions. We are certainly not talking about a computer that you can just put on a table in a cafe, on a table in front of you on the train, or on your lap in the park. So yes, it can be done, but it is not nearly as comfortable as it is with a smaller machine.
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Underlined, added up – both 13" and 15" MacBook Air (not only) with the M5 it has something in common and therefore it is certainly not possible to say that the first is better than the second and vice versa. Pro Personally, the 13" model remains my favorite, because the benefits it offers me do not exceed those of the "15". However, I completely understand users who cannot afford the 15" model and, on the contrary, cannot imagine working on the 13" version. After the last few days with the 15" AirBut I really almost want to say that even though it's still Air, it's so damn different Air than its 13" brother and it is almost unbelievable how similar, but also different, these machines are.
After six years I moved from MacBooku Pro 13” (2020, Intel) on MacBook Air 15” with the M5 and honestly – the jump in performance really surprised me. I expected an improvement, but not this significant. Everything is immediately snappy, quiet and completely smooth.
What probably shocked me the most was the fact that even on Airus 24 GB RAM runs Cyberpunk quite well. Of course, it's not a gaming machine and I don't use it for that - they are still better for games Windows machines with RTX graphics or PlayStation-type consoles. But even so, it's a pretty nice bonus for a "basic" work laptop.
This machine doesn't limit me at all for normal work. And as for the display – 15” is ideal for me. Yes, it doesn't have 120 Hz or miniLED like new Pro models, but I don't really miss it. I can tell the difference when they are next to each other, but not at all in normal use. Plus, I use an external 32” OLED 4K 120 Hz monitor most of the time, so this is not essential for me.
Overall – quiet, powerful, durable and a larger display. Exactly what I wanted.
Thanks for the nice summary. :) From Intel to Apple Silicon That must have been a very tasty crossing. So serve!
Wish they would make a smaller device than the 12″ it used to be Macbook. Those who want a larger display for work can easily connect it to an external monitor.
Hi Filip, how do the speakers compare?
Hi, the 13” and 15” sound the same – both on paper and for me personally. PS: I’m Jirka 😄
No, the 15′ has two extra speakers.
Then I dare say that it's not audible 😄