Apple's recently announced M5 MacBook Pro non Pro 14-inch does nothing to change my belief that there's not a lot of room for a system between an M4-based MacBook Air 13/15 inch and the M4 Pro-based MacBook Pro. Almost all macOS notebook users who don't need high-end processor power are well served by either version of the Air.
Since its introduction in November 2023, the Pro non Pro 14-inch (Apple doesn't make a similar 16-inch system) has resided in a strange place. It has almost exactly the same performance as a concurrent MacBook Air, but adds 13% more pixels per inch (ppi), increased screen brightness, and more ports. Perhaps most notably, it adds higher expense ($200 to $400 more in an equivalent configuration) and 15% greater weight.
The additional ports bear further discussion. In October 2025, all MacBooks of any type include MagSafe 3 power, at least two USB 4/Thunderbolt 4 ports, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and a headphone jack. The MacBook Pro non Pro adds one additional USB 4/Thunderbolt 4 for a total of three, but does not get the Thunderbolt 5 that the M4 Pro and M4 Max-based MacBook Pros get. All MacBook Pros do get a Secure Digital slot and an HDMI 2.1 port.
Purchasing Advice
The upshot is that the M4-based MacBook Air remains the default choice for purchasers of a new macOS-based notebook. I've written in the past that the Air is "annoyingly good," and it is even more so with the M4 version, which adds true dual external display capability. Make sure to order any MacBook with at least 24 GB of RAM—16 GB will be limiting at some point during the expected life of a system, which reasonably extends until at least 2029. Remember that no Apple notebook has had user-upgradeable RAM for well over a decade.
John Mulhern III, posted October 19, 2025
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