The main difference between the MacBook vs. MacBook Pro is the MacBook is made of polycarbonate and is colored white whereas the Pro is made of aluminum.
The Macbook is the "basic" version of their laptops, because it is best for you if you like to do basic functions on a computer like surfing the web, loading pictures, saving videos. The MacBook Air is a much thinner and lighter model.
The white MacBook has a better Wi-Fi range than the aluminum model owing to the fact that aluminum often blocks Wi-Fi signals.
A Macbook Pro is their most powerful notebooks yet. Apple intends these computers to have powerful capabilities, with many more applications, storage, speed, etc. These computers are best for graphics design, video editing & compressing, music creating & editing, etc.
The MacBook Pro has a generally higher spec - includes FireWire port, SD card slot etc. and has a backlit keyboard which are not included with the MacBook.
Here is a comparison chart for the MacBook 13 inch models.
MACBOOK AIR 13” vs MACBOOK PRO 13” COMPARISON CHART
MacBook Air 13” | |||
General Features | |||
Screen Size | 13.3” | 13.3" | |
Weight (Approx Lbs.) | 4.5 | 2.96 | |
Battery Life (Approx. Hrs) | Up to 7 hours | Up to 7 hours | |
Processor Type | 2.3GHz Intel i5 Core Dual 2.7GHz Intel i7 Core Dual | 1.7GHz Intel i5 Core | |
Graphics | Intel HD 3000 with 384MB | Intel HD 3000 with 384MB | |
Warranty | 90 days | 90 days | |
Memory RAM (GB) | 4GB supports 8GB | 4GB of 1333MHz | |
L3 cache | 3MB shared 4MB shared | 3MB shared | |
Hard Drive Size (GB) | 320MB & 500MB | SD card slot | |
Operating System | MacOSX Lion | Mac OS X Lion | |
Communication | |||
Webcam | ü | ü | |
Microphone | ü | ü | |
Bluetooth | ü | ü | |
Ethernet LAN | ü | ü | |
Wi-Fi | ü | ü | |
The MacBook Air's lightness and thinness the MacBook Pro still offers a valuable alternative.
The MacBook Pros include a range of optical drives. Multiple ports abound including an ExpressCard slot, FireWire, Ethernet, multiple USB ports, audio input, and optical audio output.
Also the MacBook Pro ship with faster processors of the 2.0GHz to 2.4GHz compared with the Air's 1.6GHz Core 2 Duo or, a 1.8GHz chip. The Air is limited by heat and space issues.
Space and heat issues also limit the MacBook Air's storage options. Because the laptop is so thin, it appears that only single-platter, 1.8-inch hard drives-the same type found in the 80GB iPod classic-fit. These drives are also slower than a typical laptop drive, at 4200rpm compared to 5400rpm, and are ATA rather than the now-common SATA. The only alternative here, performance-wise, is the optional 64GB solid-state drive, although the high prices for such drives add US$999 to your tab.
Finally, the MacBook Air you actually pay more for smaller size. Even though it isn't as full-featured as the MacBook, it costs $300 to $700 more than Apple's consumer-level notebook, and for only $200 more you can get a much more capable-but larger and heavier-Mac Book Pro.
