Best MacBook Laptops of 2025: Top Apple Air & Pro Models

The 15-inch MacBook Air with the M4 chip is our top pick for most users. CNET praises it as the "best MacBook for most people,"cnet.com noting its updated M4 processor delivers a good balance of performance and battery life at a $1,199 starting price . It adds new features to the Air line – for example, it now supports two external displays simultaneously and includes a 12MP Center Stage webcam for video callsrtings.com– while keeping Apple’s sleek, lightweight design and up to ~18-hour battery life.

The 13-inch MacBook Air M4 is a slightly smaller, more affordable counterpart to the 15-inch model. CNET highlights that it now starts at $999 (a $100 drop vs. the M3) while still gaining the M4 chip’s speed boost.cnet.com It shares many features with the larger Air – including support for two external displays and the new 12MP Center Stage camera – in a lighter, super-portable package. This model is ideal for students and commuters who value performance and battery life in a compact size.cnet.com

The 2020 MacBook Air with Apple’s M1 chip remains a great budget option. CNN Underscored notes that this older model "remains a great option for those on a budget,"cnn.com offering a "sleek and powerful" experience for much less . It uses the same fanless design as the newer Airs, so it’s completely silent under load.rtings.com The M1 chip still outperforms most competitors in its class,rtings.com and the laptop can easily last a full day of work on a charge . You sacrifice newer features (like MagSafe charging and a higher-res webcam) for savings, but you get a surprisingly capable MacBook for cheap.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro (2024) with Apple’s M4 chip is built for users needing more power than the Air. ZDNet describes it as "a more powerful MacBook"zdnet.com with the latest M4 processor and extra memory while still costing less than the top-tier Pro models . It features a 14.2-inch Mini-LED XDR display (3024×1964) with 120Hz ProMotion and a 12MP Center Stage webcam. It also adds a full suite of ports – 3× Thunderbolt (USB-C), HDMI 2.1, SD card reader, headphone jack and MagSafe chargerrtings.com– and supports up to 32GB RAM (or 48GB on higher M4 Pro configs). This model is ideal for creative work: it balances professional performance with a relatively compact size.

The 16-inch MacBook Pro (2024) is Apple’s ultimate laptop for creatives. It’s available with M4 Pro or M4 Max chips,zdnet.com up to a 14-core CPU and 20-core GPU,rtings.com and up to 48GB RAM , . ZDNet notes that this model is ideal if you need top-tier performancezdnet.com(for video editing, 3D rendering or even high-end gaming) and have the budget for it . The 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED display (3456×2234, 120Hz) is extremely bright and color-accurate, and the chassis includes a 100Wh battery plus all the Pro ports (3× Thunderbolt 5, HDMI 2.1, SD card, headphone,rtings.com MagSafe) .