15″ Macbook Air vs. iMac: Which One Wins?

Key Points

• The 15″ Macbook Air has a more powerful processor than the iMac, with an Apple M2 chip and a 10-core GPU.
• The Macbook Air now offers a 15″ Liquid Retina display, while the iMac has a 24-inch LED-backlit display.
• The Macbook Air is more portable and convenient, with a built-in keyboard and trackpad, while the iMac offers a more immersive desktop experience with a larger display and the ability to connect peripherals.
• The iMac is more upgradable, allowing users to upgrade components like RAM and storage, while the Macbook Air is not easily upgradable.
• Overall, the Macbook Air is a great choice for portability and everyday tasks, while the iMac excels in resource-intensive tasks and provides a more immersive desktop experience.

Apple’s new 15” Macbook Air offering has some impressive numbers behind it, but how does it stack up against the perennial favorite, the iMac? In some cases, it may be like comparing apples and oranges, since one is a laptop and one is a desktop. But when you break down which each offers in terms of processors, storage, display and other features, the two may be more similar than you think.

Each is a top-of-the-line version of itself, equipped with the latest Apple hardware and features. Which is better? We look at everything from hardware to display specs to figure that out.

15” Macbook Air vs. iMac: Side by Side Comparison

15” Macbook Air vs. iMac: What’s the Difference?

When weighing the pros and cons of the Macbook Air vs. the iMac, it helps to remove the fact that one is a laptop and one is a desktop, and look at the features they have in common.

Performance

The iMac offers some pretty solid numbers when it comes to performance. It houses an Apple M1 CPU, included with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores. It also has a 7-core GPU.

Before June 2023, the iMac trumped the Macbook Air in processing, but when the new 15″ Macbook Air was released in June 2023, it eclipsed the iMac. It has an Apple M2 chip, which eclipses the M1 chip in the iMac. It also has a 10-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine, making it more powerful than the iMac.

Display

For years, the only option for the Macbook Air was the 13″ display version. With this new offering, Macbook Air has increased its display to 15″, giving the user more screen and better picture. With a Liquid Retina display, the Macbook Air has the ability to do everything from screen movies to editing high-quality photos.

The desktop, however, will always win the display war. Without the need for portability, the iMac has a 24-inch display at its smallest option. This not only gives you more visuals, but the LED-backlit display offers a sharp picture and a vibrant, colorful display.

User Experience

Both the iMac and the 15″ Macbook Air offer the same user-friendly operating system that runs the Apple products. The similarities in user experience end there.

As a laptop, the Macbook Air is more convenient for users, since it is easily portable and faster than its iMac counterpart. It also has a built-in keyboard and trackpad, allowing for a compact and self-contained system.

On the other hand, the iMac provides a more immersive desktop experience with its large display and the option to connect additional peripherals, such as external monitors, keyboards, and mice, for enhanced productivity.

Upgradability

Laptops are notoriously difficult to upgrade, making the 15″ Macbook Air less desirable if you are looking for upgrade flexibility. Its slim frame makes it impossible to make upgrades.

The iMac, being a desktop computer, offers more flexibility in terms of upgrading components like RAM and storage. This allows users to adapt their iMac to their evolving needs by increasing performance and storage capacity over time.

The History of the iMac

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11/26/2023 04:00 am GMT

The iMac started with a colorful shell and an idea. In 1998, it heralded the return of Steve Jobs to Apple. One of the most advanced computers of its time, it was priced at $1299 for the base model, which is similar to the price today. It was also the first Apple product launched with the letter “i” in front of it. Now, we have iPhones, iPads, iWatches and more.

Since it launched, it has changed many times. Still offered in bright colors just like the original, the processing power of the iMac has skyrocketed since its start. Its first processor was a 233MHz PowerPC G3 processor. Now, it sports a Apple M2 chip, which eclipses the original processor many times over.

The iMac has grown up when it comes to storage as well. In 1998, it came with just a scant 32MB of memory. Now, you can customize an iMac for up to 2TB of memory. It was also the first computer to have USB ports instead of floppy drives.

How the Macbook Air Evolved

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11/26/2023 10:11 am GMT

The Macbook Air was Apple’s answer to the weight of its Macbook laptop. It was launched 10 years after the iMac in 2008. At the time, it was known as the world’s slimmest notebook, and launched a new category of computer with the term ultrabook.

In 2010, the Macbook Air was redesigned, which included a smaller model size with an 11″ display. Apple also updated the display resolution, while also giving it a longer battery life.

In 2018, Apple launched a new version of the Macbook Air that had better display metrics. It also included Amber Lake processors, which were a step up from the previous version, USB-C ports and Thunderbolt ports as well as an audio jack.

Finally, in June of 2023, Apple launched the anticipated update of the Macbook Air, offering a 15″ inch display and an Apple M2 processor, the fastest processor that Apple currently makes.

15” Macbook Air vs. iMac: 5 Must-Know Facts

• Our pick in the race of Macbook Air vs. iMac is the Macbook Air, because of its processing power and portability.
• Surprisingly, the Macbook Air actually provided more processing power than the iMac, with an option of an Apple M2 chip compared to iMac’s M1 chip.
• The iMac will always have a bigger, better display because it’s a desktop system.
• The 15″ Macbook Air is the newest Apple product, and with Apple, newer almost always means better, since it includes all the latest bells and whistles.
• The most obvious fact is that one is a desktop and one is a laptop, so if you are looking for portability, the Macbook Air is the only choice.

15” Macbook Air vs. iMac: Which One Is Better? Which One Should You Use?

It would seem like an easy answer; the desktop for processing power and the laptop for portability. The 15″ Macbook Pro, however, has a faster processor than the iMac, making it more powerful. They each still have their own pros and cons, though.

If you prioritize portability, versatility, and the convenience of working from anywhere, the MacBook Air is an excellent choice. Its lightweight design, solid performance, and vibrant display make it suitable for everyday tasks.

On the other hand, if you need a larger display and the ability to upgrade components, the iMac is a compelling option. It excels in resource-intensive tasks and provides a more immersive desktop experience.

It really comes down to what you need, but overall, the Macbook Pro just has more options that make it a great all-around choice for most of your computer needs.

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