Best MacBook in 2024: Which Apple laptop should you buy? (2024)

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Best MacBook in 2024: Which Apple laptop should you buy? (1)

The list in brief
1. Best Overall MacBook
2. Cheapest MacBook
3. Best 15-inch MacBook
4. Best Cheap MacBook Pro
5. Best Video Editing MacBook
6. How to Choose the Best MacBook for You
7. How We Test MacBooks
8. Why Trust Laptop Mag

Choosing the best MacBook isn’t easy as it’s now a fairly extensive lineup. But we’re here to help. At Laptop Mag we have reviewed and tested every current MacBook Air and MacBook Pro to help you decide which one is right for you.

The MacBook Air M2 currently reigns atop our best laptop page, so it should come as no surprise that it is also our pick for the best MacBook overall, but with the announcement of the MacBook Air M3 that may change soon. For now though, it holds on to that top spot as the 13.6-inch laptop lands at a sweet spot for pricing, typically available for $999. It’s fantastically portable, while also offering enough power and battery life to meet the needs of students, professionals, content creators and more

The Apple Silicon powering the MacBooks is the key ingredient to Apple’s recipe for success with a blend of performance and efficiency that its Windows rivals are unable to match. From the venerable M1 to the all-powerful M3 Max, these chips cover a wide variety of needs, meaning there is a MacBook for just about every type of user. That’s true when it comes to price as well with the MacBook Air M1 often available for as low as $749, while the Pro lineup starts at $1,599 with the MacBook Pro 14 M3 and $3,499 for the most powerful 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 Max.

The MacBook Air M1 has finally been removed from Apple's website with the announcement of the Air M3, but it remains readily available from other retailers so we will hold removing it from this list until we have reviewed the Air M3. With the departure of the Air M1, all MacBooks sold by Apple now feature restored features like MagSafe charging on the Air models along with an HDMI port and an SD card reader on the Pro line. The MacBook Pro models were just refreshed in November 2023, so don’t expect any updates there until this fall at the earliest.

Read on for our full thoughts on each Apple laptop and we will help you find the best MacBook for your needs.

The Quick List

Best MacBook overall

1. Apple MacBook Air M2

The best MacBook overall

The MacBook Air M2 gives you Apple's updated design with 14 hours of battery life, outstanding performance, a comfortable keyboard, and the always popular MagSafe charging.

Read more below

Cheapest MacBook

2. Apple MacBook Air M1

Cheapest MacBook

The MacBook Air M1 is now on its way out, but if you can find it for under $749 it is still a worthwhile options for users with more modest performance needs.

Read more below

Best 15-inch MacBook

3. Apple MacBook Air 15

The best 15-inch MacBook

The MacBook Air 15 fills a gap in Apple's laptop lineup, a big screen that doesn't cost you $2,500+. Sure it's just an M2 Air with a bigger display, but that's a perfect laptop for many people.

Read more below

Cheapest MacBook Pro

4. MacBook Pro 14 (M3)

Cheapest MacBook Pro

Whether you’re editing photos or videos, creating music, or just working on a massive spreadsheet, the MacBook Pro 14 is the way to go. The M3's power and endurance are off the charts.

Read more below

Best Video Editing MacBook

5. MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max)

Best Video Editing MacBook

There's no task the MacBook Pro 16 with M3 Max can't handle. Whether it's the larger display, higher peak performance, or over 18 hours of battery life, the Pro 16 earns its premium price.

Read more below

Best MacBook Overall

Best MacBook in 2024: Which Apple laptop should you buy? (7)

1. MacBook Air (M2, 2022)

The best MacBook overall

Specifications

CPU: Apple M2

GPU: Apple M2

RAM: 8GB/16GB/24GB

Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB

Display: 13.6-inches, 2560 x 1600 pixels

Size: 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches

Weight: 2.7 pounds

Reasons to buy

+

Elegant redesign

+

Good performance

+

Bright, colorful screen

+

Comfortable keyboard

+

Excellent battery life

Reasons to avoid

-

SSD somewhat slower than M1 Air

While most will be happy with the MacBook Air M1, there's no denying the appeal of the new design and of course chip inside the MacBook Air M2. The notch in the display isn't my favorite design choice, but the rest of the changes are great with the addition of MagSafe charging freeing up those two Thunderbolt 4 ports for other purposes.

You also get a nice performance bump and it still delivered 14 hours and 6 minutes in our battery life test, placing it easily ahead of the Windows competition and ridiculously so when factoring in performance. The fact that it does all this while staying whisper quiet and cool without fans remains astounding.

The list of upgrades also includes a brighter display, a quad-speaker array and the new 1080p webcam. That first will be particularly welcome to those that are using the Air M2 on the go and may be faced with less than optimal lighting conditions.

The biggest consideration with the Air M2 is the price if you need to upgrade much from the $1,199 base model. As I mentioned the Air M1 stuck around at $999, so you are paying a premium for the M2 model. If you find yourself cresting the $1,499 mark for your configuration then you may want to consider the base 14-inch MacBook Pro, which I cover later in this list and can now be regularly found for $1,799.

See our full MacBook Air M2 review

Cheapest MacBook

Best MacBook in 2024: Which Apple laptop should you buy? (8)

2. MacBook Air (M1, Late 2020)

Cheapest MacBook

Specifications

CPU: Apple M1

GPU: Apple M1

RAM: 8GB/16GB

Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB

Display: 13.3 inches, 2560 x 1600 pixels

Size: 12 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches

Weight: 2.8 pounds

Reasons to buy

+

Breathtaking performance

+

Outstanding battery life

+

Slim unibody aluminum chassis

+

Great speakers and Magic keyboard

Reasons to avoid

-

Limited ports

-

Older design

The MacBook Air M1 was finally retired by Apple as part of the announcement of the MacBook Air M3. I'm withholding removing it from this list until we have completed our review of the MacBook Air M3 as if you have modest performance needs and can find it for under $749, it remains a reasonable choice for those looking to get into macOS on a budget.

While the performance won't hold up to today's competition, it's still plenty for typical productivity work and the battery life remains outstanding, delivering 14 hours and 41 minutes of battery life in our testing. For any typical computing tasks, the MacBook Air M1 is more than equal to the challenge and will outlast most competitors too.

So why buy the MacBook Air instead of the Pro? While the Pro has better-sustained performance, the MacBook Air is cheaper and is pin-drop silent because it doesn't have a fan. And, of course, Apple's least expensive 13.3-inch model is the most portable, coming in at only 0.6 inches thick and 2.8 pounds.

As long as you don't mind the older design, the MacBook Air M1 remains one of the best laptop deals.

See our full MacBook Air with M1 (2020) review

Best 15-inch MacBook

Best MacBook in 2024: Which Apple laptop should you buy? (9)

3. MacBook Air 15

Best 15-inch MacBook

Specifications

CPU: Apple M2

GPU: Apple M2

RAM: 8GB/16GB/24GB

Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB

Display: 13.6-inches, 2560 x 1600 pixels

Size: 13.4 x 9.35 x 0.45 inches

Weight: 3.3 pounds

Reasons to buy

+

Ultra-slim chassis

+

Lovely Liquid Retina display

+

Excellent battery life

+

Good performance

+

Affordable

Reasons to avoid

-

Limited ports

It's just a bigger MacBook Air M2 is a perfectly reasonable complaint about the MacBook Air 15, other than a slightly larger battery and of course the 15.3-inch display, Apple didn't change anything for the first larger Air.

However, the good news is that Apple didn't slam you with a significant price bump either. The MacBook Air 15 delivers everything that was excellent about the MacBook Air 13 M2 while giving you almost an extra hour of battery life and a 1.7-inch larger display, starting at $1,299.

That's a solid value, particularly when you consider getting a MacBook with a 15-inch+ display has historically cost you $2,500 or more. Finally we have an affordable big-screen MacBook that delivers all of the performance that the average user needs for work, school, or general use.

See our fullApple MacBook Air 15 M2 review.

Cheapest MacBook Pro

Best MacBook in 2024: Which Apple laptop should you buy? (10)

4. MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3)

Cheapest MacBook Pro

Specifications

CPU: Apple M3/M3 Pro/M3 Max

GPU: Apple M3/M3 Pro/M3 Max

RAM: 16GB/32GB/64GB/96GB/128GB

Storage: 512GB/1TB/2TB/4TB/8TB

Display: 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display (3024x1964 pixels)

Size: 12.3 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches

Weight: 3.4

Reasons to buy

+

Impressive performance

+

Over 17 hours of battery life

+

Great port selection

+

Beautifully vibrant display with crisp detail

+

Excellent audio

Reasons to avoid

-

Off-putting notch

-

Still no Face ID

After rumors abounded that the M3 MacBooks weren't coming until 2024, Apple surprised us all with a new round of MacBook Pros to close out 2023 with the 14-inch MacBook Pro the most notable as it got a new base M3 option starting at $1,599.

That base M3 is going to offer plenty of performance for most users and the laptop still boasts incredible longevity with 17 hours and 16 minutes of battery life in our testing. , the hardware is otherwise largely the same excellent laptop we got 2 years ago. Now if you are a content creator, a power user, or dare we say it even a gamer then the M3 Pro or M3 Max models may be calling to you. While Apple still isn't challenging the best gaming laptops, it is making a meaningful plunge into gaming after just dipping its toe in for years.

Our complaints with the 14-inch MacBook Pro are nothing new, the notch still isn't our favorite design choice and it still stings that they are using up all that display real estate without giving us Face ID. However, these are minor quibbles regarding an outstanding laptop that is now available for a more affordable price.

See our full 14-inch MacBook Pro (2023, M3) review.

Best Video Editing MacBook

Best MacBook in 2024: Which Apple laptop should you buy? (11)

5. MacBook Pro (16-inch, M3 Max)

The best video editing MacBook

Specifications

CPU: Apple M2 Pro/Apple M2 Max

GPU: Apple M2 Pro/M2 Max

RAM: 16GB/32GB/64GB/96GB

Storage: 512GB/1TB/2TB/4TB/8GB

Display: 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display (3024 x 1964 pixels)

Size: 14 x 9.8 x 0.7 inches

Weight: 4.8 pounds

Reasons to buy

+

Powerful overall and gaming performance

+

First-in-class battery life

+

Excellent audio

+

Beautiful display

Reasons to avoid

-

$2,499 starting price

We called the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Max the "new king of MacBooks" and while you might think that means it belongs at the top of this list, the price makes it a choice you need to carefully consider despite how phenomenal it is.

Starting at $2,499 for the M3 Pro model and $3,499 for the M2 Max model, the 16-inch MacBook Pro isn't for everyone. However, if you are a creative professional or someone who just wants the biggest and best without concern over cost this belongs on your short list.

The notebook’s design is still virtually identical to the 2021 and early 2023 models, but that's not a complaint just yet. That means the new model retains the blessedly returned full HDMI and SDXC card reader. Battery life is mind-boggling for a laptop this powerful at just over 18 hours on a charge in our test, it also delivers that show-stopping Super Retina XDR mini-LED display, a super comfortable keyboard, and an excellent audio system.

I still would recommend a gaming laptop with a discrete GPU for those who want the best overall gaming experience, but the 16-inch MacBook Pro is finally good enough to meet the needs of more casual gamers and there is evidence that things are only going to improve.

Overall, the 16-inch MacBook Pro is one of the best laptops on the market and the only real hurdle a buyer needs to clear is that price.

See our full 16-inch MacBook Pro (2023) review

Best MacBook in 2024: Which Apple laptop should you buy? (12)

How to Choose the Best MacBook for You

For us, the MacBook Air is an easy choice. It comes in at $999 (on the rare occasions when it isn't on sale) yet sports solid performance and incredible endurance thanks to its M1 processor. It's also the most portable of the bunch, and the improved 13.3-inch display is great for watching TV shows or movies.If you want a little more power, screen real estate, and a fresh design the MacBook Air M2 is your answer.

However, those looking for endurance and better performance over longer periods should consider the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3. It lasts for a remarkable 17 hours and 16 minutes on a charge and scored benchmark numbers that blow away much of the competition.

Those three options should cover at least 90% of users. However, if you need either a larger screen or vastly more power for professional apps then the 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro with either the M3 Pro or M3 Max are outstanding, if expensive, options.

Best MacBook in 2024: Which Apple laptop should you buy? (13)

How We Test MacBooks

We put MacBooks through extensive benchmark testing — both synthetic and real-world — before they end up in the hands of our reviewers. We evaluate everything from speed and battery life to display brightness, speaker volume and system heat.

We use a Klein K10 colorimeter to detect the brightness and DCI-P3 color gamut of a laptop's display. For performance benchmarking, we run the laptop through a gauntlet of benchmarks, including Geekbench 5.4 and 3DMark professional graphics tests.

To determine real-world performance, we task the laptop to convert a 4K video to 1080p resolution and to duplicate a 25GB multimedia file. Our real-world graphics tests include Assasin's Creed Valhalla, Far Cry New Dawn, Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm and Shadow of the Tomb Raider with 1080p or higher resolution when the display supports it.

We also run heat tests by playing a 15-minute full-screen video and our battery test consists of continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness. We consider everything over roughly 10 hours to be a good result. Of course, these tests are complemented with hands-on testing from our reviewers.

Why Trust Laptop Mag

Laptop Mag reviews over a hundred different laptops every year, from paperweight ultralights to everyday workhorses to lumbering gaming notebooks that scorch the frame rates of even the hottest AAA games.We're not just experts in the laptop field, as we go one step further by meticulously testing smartphones, tablets, headphones, PC accessories, software, and even the latest in gaming.

We are 100% independent and have decades of experience to help you buy with confidence. In fact, Laptop Mag has been testing and reviewing products for three decades, and we continue to deliver trustworthy reviews you can rely on.

Our experienced team of writers and editors scour the available information about the laptop and put it through its paces to determine which is best for you. But before they start, the testing team subjects each system to a rigorous regimen of synthetic and real-world tests to see how a system handles the type of work and games you’re most likely to throw at it.

Our editorial trustworthiness is enforced by one of the world's largest technology publishers,Future Publishing. As a company, we have unrivaled experience across every tech sector — and we're the group's specialist for all things mobile tech.

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Best MacBook in 2024: Which Apple laptop should you buy? (14)

Sean Riley

Sean Riley has been covering tech professionally for over a decade now. Most of that time was as a freelancer covering varied topics including phones, wearables, tablets, smart home devices, laptops, AR, VR, mobile payments, fintech, and more. Sean is the resident mobile expert at Laptop Mag, specializing in phones and wearables, you'll find plenty of news, reviews, how-to, and opinion pieces on these subjects from him here. But Laptop Mag has also proven a perfect fit for that broad range of interests with reviews and news on the latest laptops, VR games, and computer accessories along with coverage on everything from NFTs to cybersecurity and more.

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Best MacBook in 2024: Which Apple laptop should you buy? (2024)

FAQs

Best MacBook in 2024: Which Apple laptop should you buy? ›

The biggest differences between the two are pricing and computing power. The most affordable MacBook Pro with an M3 chip will cost more than the most affordable Air with an M3 chip. However, the Pro is more powerful, thanks to the upgraded internals under the hood.

Which MacBook is the best to buy right now? ›

The best MacBooks you can buy today
  1. Apple MacBook Air M3. The best laptop for the money. ...
  2. MacBook Pro 14-inch (M3) The best MacBook Pro overall. ...
  3. MacBook Air 15-inch (M2) The best big-screen MacBook. ...
  4. MacBook Pro (M3 Max) The best MacBook for power users. ...
  5. MacBook Air (M1) The best budget MacBook. ...
  6. MacBook Pro (M3 Pro)
May 6, 2024

What is the new Mac in 2024? ›

Late 2024 to Early 2025
  • iMac - The 24-inch iMac will be updated with the next-generation M4 chip in late 2024. ...
  • MacBook Pro - Apple will refresh the MacBook Pro lineup with the M4-series chips in late 2024. ...
  • Mac mini - The Mac mini will likely be refreshed around the same time as the MacBook Pro in late 2024.
May 17, 2024

Is a MacBook Air or Pro better? ›

The biggest differences between the two are pricing and computing power. The most affordable MacBook Pro with an M3 chip will cost more than the most affordable Air with an M3 chip. However, the Pro is more powerful, thanks to the upgraded internals under the hood.

Which MacBook is best for seniors? ›

If you were to buy the best laptop for seniors today, we'd recommend getting the MacBook Air (M1) 2020. The laptop comes with a mid-range price tag and offers some great features like a powerful processor, long battery life, and a stunning display.

Which MacBook is best for second hand? ›

The sweet spot(s) for Mac model years

Depending on your budget, we recommend a 2014 or 2015 MacBook Pro or -- if you have the budget -- a 2020 or 2021 machine with Apple's renewed M1 chipset. As mentioned, the older machines are Intel-based and are become more and more obsolete.

Which laptop is better than MacBook? ›

The Razer Blade 16 has all the glitz and glamor of a MacBook Pro, but with hardware that can beat it in every race, including an Intel Core i9-13950HX, an Nvidia RTX 4090 and 32GB of RAM.

Is the MacBook Air M1 worth it in 2024? ›

Yes, the MacBook Air M1 is still worth getting in 2024

However, the MacBook Air M1 is still arguably the lightest, cheapest and most useful notebook you can buy. There are few other laptops in this price range offering the same level of overall functionality.

What Mac is outdated? ›

As of May 2023, Apple considers the following Macs and older Obsolete: 11-inch MacBook Air (early 2014 and older) 13-inch MacBook Air (early 2014 and older) 13-inch MacBook Pro (mid 2014 and older)

How long are Macs expected to last? ›

Macs are typically on sale for around a year, though some models have been sold for much longer. That means a typical Mac lasts eight years from a hardware perspective.

How long do MacBook Airs last? ›

A Mac's useful economic life is about seven years, but there is no limit to how long it can continue to work exactly the same as it did when you bought it. To maximize that useful economic life, then specify its maximum performance, storage, and memory when you buy it. Only you can decide what that may be.

What is the disadvantage of MacBook Air? ›

Cons: Apple's lightest laptop has always been light on ports, which remains true with the M2 Air. Although the MagSafe charger made a triumphant return, you still only get a pair of Thunderbolt 3/USB 4 ports and a headset jack to work with, so you might need a dongle or two. See our full MacBook Air M2 review.

Are MacBook Airs or pros more expensive? ›

As much as you might want the MacBook Pro's superior screen, booming sound and blazing processors, it's a much pricier system than the MacBook Air. So expensive, in fact, that the 16-inch MacBook Pro we tested is $3,999, which is 3.6 times the price of our 13-inch MacBook Air unit.

Is it worth buying a MacBook Air? ›

Stellar everyday performance for most people

For general use, including writing, work, video streaming and light gaming, the MacBook Air M1 is still an excellent choice. Sure, the M1 chip isn't the newest processor out there but its performance is still sometimes better than Windows laptops in its price range.

Is M1 still good in 2024? ›

That price alone is tempting, but there are other reasons why the MacBook Air M1 is still worth considering in 2024. Lowest price! It's no longer Apple's flagship, but the MacBook Air M1 offers fantastic performance and value.

What is the difference between the MacBook Pro 13 and 14? ›

The 13" MacBook Pro features Apple's M2 Chip. An 8-core processor with a configuration of 4 high-efficiency and 4 high-performance cores. The 14" MacBook Pro features Apple's M1 Pro Chip, or you can even choose to add the M1 Max. In this case, the processor will have 8 or 10 cores depending on your chosen model.

Is it worth getting a MacBook Air? ›

Stellar everyday performance for most people

For general use, including writing, work, video streaming and light gaming, the MacBook Air M1 is still an excellent choice. Sure, the M1 chip isn't the newest processor out there but its performance is still sometimes better than Windows laptops in its price range.

What is the most economical Mac on the market? ›

Here are the starting prices of Apple's current MacBook lineup:
  • 13-inch M1 MacBook Air: $699.
  • 13-inch M2 MacBook Air: $999.
  • 13-inch M3 MacBook Air: $1,099.
  • 15-inch M3 MacBook Air: $1,299.
  • 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro: $1,599.
  • 14-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro: $1,999.
  • 16-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro: $2,499.
6 days ago

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