MacBook Pro 16-inch (M5 Max) vs MacBook Air

Specs side by side at each model's entry configuration, with the cheapest crypto price for each.

30 of 30 specs differ across these 2.

SpecMacBook Pro 16-inch (M5 Max)SCAN-LN169213from $5,939MacBook AirAPL-MBA15-M5-16-256from $1,274
Chip & memory
ChipApple M5 MaxApple M5
CPU cores18Best10
GPU cores10
Neural Engine cores16
Unified memory36 GBBest16 GB
Memory bandwidth120 GB/s
Storage
Storage2 TBBest256 GB
Storage typeNVMe SSD
Display
Screen size16"15.3"
PanelLiquid Retina IPS
Resolution2880 × 1864
Refresh rate60 Hz
Peak brightness500 nits
Ports & wireless
Thunderbolt ports2
Thunderbolt version4
HDMI No
SDXC card slot No
Headphone jack Yes
Wi-FiWi-Fi 7
Bluetooth6.0
Camera & sound
Camera12 MP Center Stage
SpeakersSix-speaker, Spatial Audio
Power & body
Battery66.5 Wh
Battery life18 h
Weight1.51 kg
Dimensions (mm)340.4 × 237.6 × 11.5
Software & options
Operating systemmacOS 27
FinishBlack
FinishesMidnight, Starlight, Silver, Sky Blue
Extended warranty available Yes

Questions

What is the difference between the MacBook Pro 16-inch (M5 Max) and the MacBook Air?

30 of the 30 specs we track differ at their base configurations. The table above marks every one, and flags the better value wherever a spec has a better direction.

Which is cheaper?

MacBook Air from $1,274 — $4,665 less than the MacBook Pro 16-inch (M5 Max). Both are the cheapest total, shipping included, for the entry configuration.

Are you comparing the same configurations?

Each model is shown at its entry configuration, which is the only fair basis for a like-for-like table. Open either product to switch memory, storage or chip and see how its price moves.