Apple’s laptops have long been held up as a gold standard for portable computers. Though quality has slipped of late (see: butterfly keyboards), MacBooks were the first to bring technologies like aluminum unibody construction, super-sharp IPS screens, backlit keyboards, and multitouch trackpads to the mainstream.
Which Mac portable should you spend your hard-earned money on? Given that you’ll likely pay more for a MacBook than a competing model from HP, Dell, or even Microsoft, it’s important to weigh your options.
Be sure to also check out our latest buying guides, especially our picks for Best iPhone, Best iPad, and Best Laptops.
Updated February 2020: We’ve updated our picks, pricing, and recommendations.
When you buy something using the links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. You can also support our reporting and reviewing by purchasing a 1-year print + digital WIRED subscription for $5 (Discount).
Apple MacBook Air (13-inch)
The Best All-Arounder
The MacBook Air remains the Mac to get. Apple upgraded the MacBook Air last year, adding the company’s True Tone tech to the Retina display and dropping the price to $1,099.
The new Air is a lot like the MacBook Pro models, with a sharp 13-inch Retina display, a responsive trackpad, an improved butterfly keyboard (with a dust shield), surprisingly potent speakers, and two USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports for charging and hooking up peripherals. It also comes in gold, if that’s your jam.
On the inside is a 1.6 GHz dual-core eighth-generation Intel Core i5 processor and a 128-gigabyte solid state drive, along with up to 16 GB of RAM. Having only two USB-C ports can feel limiting. You’ll need to buy multiport adapters like this one to plug stuff in and stay charged at the same time.
There are a few things you might miss from higher-end MacBook Pros. Those pricier machines sport extra USB-C ports, as well as more robust capabilities.
MacBook Air costs $1,099 from Apple or $1,000 from Amazon
Small Upgrade: If you have a lot of locally stored photos or files, get the 256 GB MacBook Air for $200 more ($1,231 from Amazon).
Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch)
The Best for Power Users
