Over the past two months, Apple has breathed new life into the 13-inch MacBook Air , 13-inch MacBook Pro , and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, all of which share similarities in performance and functionality.
In this article, TipsMake.com provides a detailed performance comparison of all three new Apple devices, aiming to give readers insight into which option best suits their needs.
This article will compare Apple's entry-level devices, with the specifications and prices listed below:
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch with Magic Keyboard ($1350/31 million VND) - A12Z Bionic chip, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage.
- MacBook Pro ($1299/29.9 million VND) - 8th generation Intel Core i5 1.4GHz quad-core processor, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645, 8GB 2133MHz RAM, 256GB SSD.
- MacBook Air ($999/23 million VND) - 10th generation dual-core Intel Core i3 1.1GHz processor, Intel Iris Plus Graphics, 8GB 3733MHz RAM, 256GB SSD.
Note that the iPad Pro costs $999, but you need to purchase the Magic Keyboard separately to compare it to Apple's laptop. The Magic Keyboard costs $350 (approximately 8 million VND).
design
The MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are similar in design, featuring a unibody aluminum casing, dual Thunderbolt 3 ports , a 13-inch Retina display, a Magic Keyboard with scissor switches, the T2 security chip, and Touch ID.
The MacBook Pro has a brighter screen and a Touch Bar, while the MacBook Air has an hour longer battery life and supports displays up to 6K.
Both devices are the same size, but the MacBook Air has a slimmer and lighter design (1.3kg) compared to the MacBook Pro (1.4kg).
The iPad Pro, of course, is completely different because it's a tablet with a touchscreen, and its design is laptop-like with the addition of the Magic Keyboard. The Magic Keyboard also has scissor-switch keys and a trackpad, but it's smaller and doesn't use Force Touch.
The iPad Pro uses Face ID instead of Touch ID, and when paired with the Magic Keyboard, it weighs around 1.4kg, comparable to a MacBook Pro. The iPad Pro is far more versatile than a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro.
Benchmark comparison
The article used Geekbench 5 on all three devices to test overall performance, and unsurprisingly, Apple's iPad Pro was the fastest among them. Apple's modern A-series chips outperformed many comparable Intel processors.
The iPad Pro achieved a single-core score of 1116 and a multi-core score of 4686, slightly higher than the MacBook Pro's single-core score of 859 and multi-core score of 3621.
Both the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro outperform the MacBook Air with their Core i3 processors in multi-core performance, but the MacBook Air beats the MacBook Pro in single-core performance. The MacBook Air achieved a single-core score of 1076 and a multi-core score of 2350.
It's worth noting that the 13-inch MacBook Pro is using older, unupdated 8th-generation chips, while the MacBook Air features Intel's latest 10th-generation chips. There are MacBook Pro models that use the newer chips, but they start at a slightly higher price.
The iPad Pro features Apple's A12Z chip, similar to the A12X chip used in the 2018 iPad Pro, although an additional GPU core has been enabled in the new model for a slight performance boost.
Real-world testing
The article also conducted some real-world testing to see how those scores translate into actual performance, because how the device performs when used for everyday tasks is more important than benchmark results.
Transferring a 1.3GB video file took 5 seconds on a MacBook Air/MacBook Pro and 50 seconds on an iPad Pro, because the file management features on the iPad Pro are not as powerful as on a Mac.
Exporting a 5-minute 4K video in Final Cut Pro on a MacBook Pro took 4 minutes and 10 seconds, and on a MacBook Air it took 5 minutes and 30 seconds (this is not surprising since the MacBook Air has a slower CPU and GPU).
Of course, there's no Final Cut Pro software on the iPad Pro, so a direct comparison isn't possible, but exporting a 5-minute 4K video in Luma Fusion only took 3 minutes, faster than both the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.
Software and features
The iPad Pro is more powerful than both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro (when it comes to base models), but that's nothing compared to the fact that the iPad Pro can't do what some people need.
For example, as mentioned above, there is no Final Cut Pro on the iPad Pro for video editing , and the same goes for Logic Pro. There is no Xcode on the iPad Pro for app developers, and although the iPad Pro supports multitasking, it is limited to two apps open and used simultaneously.
Video quality on the iPad Pro is much better because Apple hasn't upgraded the 720p camera on MacBooks in years (which is great for Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, and other video interactions). The iPad Pro has a big advantage when it comes to activities like note-taking, reading, etc., thanks to the integrated Apple Pencil and the ability to use it in landscape or portrait mode.
The Apple Pencil is ideal for handwritten notes with diagrams and sketches. Reading in portrait mode is also easier than on a widescreen display.
Creative tasks can be performed on any device, but again, the iPad Pro has an advantage for artists thanks to its Apple Pencil support. Video and audio editing is more limited on the iPad Pro, for those already familiar with software like Final Cut Pro or Logic X.
Photo editing and graphic design can be done on the iPad using alternative apps like Photoshop and Lightroom.
When it comes to writing documents, browsing the web, and similar tasks, the Magic Keyboard elevates the iPad Pro to the same level as the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. This is crucial for those who want a laptop-like device but with much greater versatility.
Conclude
If the iPad Pro's shortcomings in software and multitasking capabilities don't affect your workflow, then it would be the best option among the three devices, as it offers seamless laptop-to-tablet conversion, Apple Pencil support, and the fastest performance.
The MacBook Air also has the lowest price among the three products (only $999). It's the perfect choice for all everyday tasks like creating documents, writing, and browsing the web. Additionally, it can handle video and photo editing and many similar tasks.
The MacBook Pro is a powerful machine, better suited for tasks requiring significant CPU and GPU power, but to truly take advantage of its capabilities, you'll likely need to spend extra money on an upgrade.