Side by side
MacBook Air M5 vs M4 Pro
MacBook Air M5
53 positive (93%) · 3 mixed (5%) · 1 negative (2%)
Trust + time weighted: +88%
Top excerpts
I wouldn't buy anything below the Air M5 24GB/1TB. Ideally the 32GB/1TB version.
That’s a lot of money for the specs and a limited OS
If you need portability macbook air m5 is good. If possible get with 24GB ram
Get the macbook. ... windows laptops are really behind macbooks these days and the gap is growing with the ram crisis. As much as I love Zenbooks, you really can't justify the added cost over macbooks (with the latest models), given the many advantages of a macbook over a windows laptop.
Double the storage definitely is.
M4 Pro
76 positive (83%) · 12 mixed (13%) · 4 negative (4%)
Trust + time weighted: +78%
AI summary — not a quote
The M4 Pro is regarded as a high-performance powerhouse, particularly valued for specialized workflows like machine learning, video editing, and music production. While it offers significant gains in GPU and multi-core performance over base models and older generations, some users noted that for standard development or daily tasks, the upgrade from an M1 or M3 can feel indistinguishable in real-world use.
Pros
- Significant GPU and multi-core performance improvements over base M4 and older Pro chips
- Excellent battery life, with users reporting 12+ hours under heavy business use
- Support for Thunderbolt 5 and faster internal storage speeds compared to external drives
- Effective active cooling with a dual-fan design in the MacBook Pro chassis
Cons
- High price point, especially for configurations with 24GB+ of RAM
- 24GB of RAM can still be a bottleneck for intensive AI workflows involving multiple agents
- Diminishing returns for users upgrading from recent M-series chips for general office or dev work
Top excerpts
I just upgraded from an M1 Mac mini with 16GB of ram to a MacBook Pro M4 Pro with 48GB of ram and I can’t tell a single difference
If you value the latest chip and longest OS support, get the M5 Pro or discounted M4 Pro.
My question is, for how long will a MBP M4 Pro will get the job done? Besides being not as good as futures upgrades ofc, for how long will it be a good machine?
If I were you I would buy a used M4 Pro chip with the 20 core GPU on eBay; this machine will absolutely slay with the Adobe Suite (The M4 Pro chip is more powerful than the base M5 chip btw).
I paid a whopping $3000 cad for my m4 pro with 24gb. you got yourself a good deal.