The best MacBooks of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

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MacBook Pro M4 (14-inch) | Best MacBook for creators

Best MacBook for creators

The MacBook Pro M3 Max is thing abbreviated of a desktop-class laptop with a stunning show susceptible of outputting a 120Hz refresh and 1,600 nits of highest brightness. Simply put, this laptop is an elegant beast, and our fig 1 pick.

With the caller merchandise of the M4 processor, Apple's sprawling lineup of laptops is harder than ever to differentiate. Luckily, we've gone hands-on with each of Apple's latest MacBooks, from the airy and portable MacBook Air to the powerhouse MacBook Pro. Taking into relationship memory, portability, features and value, we broke down the pros, cons, and perfect usage cases crossed Apple's laptops.

Informed by a operation of benchmarking programs, performance testing, and mundane use, we tested Apple's latest MacBooks to measurement artillery life, ocular quality, performance, and applicable usage successful mundane settings.

What's the champion MacBook close now?

The 15-inch MacBook Air M4 is the champion all-around laptop for the bulk of users. The 15-inch show is conscionable the close size, it's lightweight capable to commute with, and the upgraded M4 Air processor is accelerated and battery-efficient. The champion part? The M4 MacBook Air comes with much representation for less, with a 10-core CPU connected the debased extremity and a 32GB configuration connected the precocious end. This magnitude of representation was antecedently unavailable connected a MacBook Air, but now, the laptop that acceptable the modular for ultraportables is much almighty than ever.

Also: The champion laptops you tin buy

Before Apple announced the MacBook Air M4 successful aboriginal 2025, rumors abounded connected what caller features it would travel with. As the past of Apple's halfway enactment of devices to get the latest M4 chip, the MacBook Air is an incremental upgrade to the M3, much of a refinement and betterment than an earth-shattering caller release.

And that's a bully thing. The 15-inch MacBook Air M4 is our prime for the champion all-around MacBook for the bulk of users for its versatility, lightweight signifier factor, and almighty suite of features. The 15-inch show is conscionable the close size to beryllium portable yet inactive consciousness premium and spacious, and present supports 2 outer monitors portion the lid is open.

Review: Apple MacBook Air M4 (15-inch) review

During my investigating of the M4, I got implicit 14 hours of artillery beingness with the instrumentality moving a 4K video astatine fractional brightness, which is astir wherever I expected it to beryllium and about the aforesaid arsenic past year's MacBook Air M3. That translates to a afloat time astatine the office, adjacent with video calls. And speaking of, they look large with the crisp and wide 12MP Center Stage webcam with 1080p HD video recording.

Basically, if you are unsure what benignant of MacBook to get, we urge this one. Unless you request to propulsion the limits of show with a premium processor, the MacBook Air M4 is simply a susceptible MacBook for everyone, particularly since the upgraded unified representation makes it look a small much similar a MacBook Pro.

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The MacBook Pro M4 meets the needs of astir users, but is peculiarly well-suited for creatives looking for a almighty laptop for photograph and video editing. Yes, technically, the higher-tier M4 Pro and M4 Max chipsets person adjacent much powerfulness nether the hood for demanding workflows, but we privation to telephone retired the base-level MacBook Pro M4 due to the fact that of however good balanced and susceptible it is for the immense bulk of originative projects comparative to price.

Whether for photograph editing, video work, oregon airy gaming, the M4 handled everything smoothly successful our testing, adjacent outperforming the aged M1 Pro chip. Additionally, starting with 16GB of unified representation and going up to 24GB, the MacBook Pro M4 inactive has the powerfulness down it to propulsion that show to the adjacent level.

Review: MacBook Pro (M4)

Besides the earthy power, however, a fistful of quality-of-life features spell a agelong mode toward its practicality. The M4 MacBook Pro has 3 USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, with 1 connected the close broadside of the laptop. Also, the caller processor allows the machine to widen up to 2 monitors portion the lid is open. Previously, you'd person to adjacent the MacBook lid to powerfulness 2 outer monitors.

Lastly, the show looks large arsenic ever, with the caller brightness standing -- 1,000 nits astatine SDR and 1,600 nits astatine HDR -- paired with the optional, costly (but truthful satisfying) nano-texture coating makes this 1 of the best-looking laptop displays I've used. The matte-frosted layering importantly reduces glare, portion the brighter sheet conscionable manages to bushed retired agleam airy sources.

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If you're looking for a MacBook designed with nonrecreational creators successful caput and tin grip top-tier gaming, the MacBook Pro with the M4 Pro spot brings a full caller level of show to the series.

We're talking a 14-core CPU and 20-core GPU with up to 48GB of unified representation and a superb 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR display. When it comes to on-device AI, the M4 Pro features a 16-core neural motor for powering accelerated and businesslike section AI tasks, which are plentifulness successful the latest macOS.

Also: I swapped my Windows laptop for a MacBook Air M4, and yet recognize the hype

Connectivity is besides a immense measurement up from the basal MacBook Pro with 3 Thunderbolt 5 ports, an HDMI port, SDXC paper slot, headphone jack, and MagSafe 3 larboard -- each prime of beingness features that creatives moving crossed aggregate mediums volition appreciate.

But it's not conscionable each astir processor performance. Video and audio are studio-quality with the M4 Pro, with ProMotion exertion for adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz and a high-fidelity six-speaker dependable strategy with woofers to elevate the gaming and amusement experience.

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With each caller twelvemonth of MacBook upgrades, it's casual to constitute disconnected erstwhile versions arsenic obsolete. But the information is that models from two, three, oregon much years agone are inactive highly competitory machines successful 2025. Case successful point: the MacBook Air M2 from 2022 is simply a almighty laptop successful its ain right, but rather a spot much affordable present that the M4 is connected shelves.

If you're looking for a caller MacBook but privation to prevention immoderate money, this is simply a large option. The configuration with 8GB of unified representation and 256GB of retention starts astatine $749 astatine Best Buy close now, which is fractional the outgo of a caller MacBook Air M4 portion retaining galore of the aforesaid features.

Review: MacBook Air M2

For example, the 13-inch MacBook Air M2 is conscionable arsenic ultraportable and lightweight, with fantastic artillery beingness and entree to the latest Apple Intelligence features successful macOS. Even though it doesn't person the Center Stage camera that automatically centers you successful the screen, the webcam successful the M2 inactive looks great. It's a 1080p FaceTime HD camera with a three-mic array and a four-speaker dependable strategy with Spatial Audio for an enjoyable video calling experience.

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When it archetypal came retired successful 2024, we called the MacBook Air M3 Apple's AI machine for the masses, noting it arsenic the palmy culmination of Apple's bladed and airy lineup, portion inactive being pro capable for astir users. Today, each of that remains true, adjacent with the MacBook Air M4 successful the game.

The 13-inch M3 is differentiated from the newer mentation by a fewer cardinal features, namely the M4's quality to enactment 2 outer monitors with the lid open, a 10-core CPU (as opposed to the 8-core connected the M3), the enactment for much memory, and a somewhat amended webcam, but that's wherever astir of the similarities end.

Review: MacBook Air M3 (13-inch)

The M3 is comparable successful power, performance, and artillery life, with a terms that often dips good beneath the $1,000 mark, particularly erstwhile connected sale. For a enactment laptop, the M3 MacBook Air is well-positioned to grip regular tasks with an all-day battery, 16-core neural engine, and champion of all: the bladed and airy signifier origin that acceptable the barroom for ultraportables.

If the horsepower down a $2,000+ MacBook Pro is overkill, we suggest springing for the M3 MacBook Air arsenic a enactment laptop that's much than capable, particularly for hybrid commuters who don't privation to tote astir a bulky device.

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What are the tariffs successful the US?

The caller US tariffs connected imports from countries similar China, Vietnam, and India purpose to boost home manufacturing but are apt to thrust up prices connected user electronics. Products similar smartphones, laptops, and TVs whitethorn go much costly arsenic companies rethink planetary proviso chains and measurement the outgo of shifting production.

Also: Tariff warfare has tech buyers wondering what's next. Here's what we know

Laptops and PCs are besides deed hard by the caller U.S. tariffs, with import duties perchance expanding prices by up to 35%. Many large brands inactive trust connected Chinese and Vietnamese factories for assembly, meaning consumers could soon wage importantly much for everything from fund Chromebooks to high-end gaming rigs.

These tariffs whitethorn accelerate efforts to determination accumulation to regions similar Mexico oregon India, but shoppers tin expect higher costs and less discounts successful the abbreviated term.

Right now, it looks similar immoderate tech whitethorn beryllium exempt from the issued tariffs, but since it's ever changing and developing, we are keeping an oculus connected it and volition update you connected the latest.

Also: Tariff exemptions for electronics connection a interruption for tech - but not for long

ZDNET's apical prime for the champion MacBook is the 15-inch Air M4, sporting the latest successful Apple Silicon spot technology, a gorgeous display, large artillery life, and much representation for a little starting price. We deliberation it's the champion MacBook for astir users, but determination are some much almighty and much budget-friendly MacBooks retired there.

This illustration breaks down however the MacBooks stack up with the apical features, from terms to CPU/GPU, surface size, and show resolution.

Best MacBook	Starting price	CPU/GPU	Memory/Storage
MacBook Air M4 (15-inch)	$1,169	10-core CPU, 10-core GPU	Up to 32GB, up to 2TB
MacBook Pro M4 (14-inch)	$1,449	10-core CPU, 10-core GPU	Up to 32GB, up to 2TB
MacBook Pro M4 Pro (16-inch)	$2,499	14-core CPU, 20-core GPU	Up to 48GB, up to 4TB
MacBook Air M2 (13-inch)	$889	8-core CPU, 10-core GPU	Up to 24GB, up to 1TB
MacBook Air M3 (13-inch)	$1,099	8-core CPU, 10-core GPU	Up to 24GB, up to 2TB

We get it, erstwhile you commencement looking astatine each the antithetic MacBooks broadside by side, it tin get a small confusing. If you're looking for an all-around coagulated MacBook that tin bash a spot of everything, we deliberation the MacBook Air M4 (15-inch) is your champion bet, but determination are different options that mightiness beryllium amended for you personally.

Here's a well-researched (and tested) database of our favourite MacBooks for the astir communal usage cases.

Choose this MacBook…	If you want…
MacBook Air M4 (15-inch)	The newest MacBook Air that's almighty capable for enactment and play, with a middle-ground 15-inch size.
MacBook Pro M4 (14-inch)	A much almighty MacBook with the latest M4 processor with much memory, but don't privation to walk $2,500 oregon much connected the top-tier configuration.
MacBook Pro M4 Pro (16-inch)	One of the astir almighty MacBooks you tin buy, with almighty hardware and a ample Liquid Retina XDR show that supports ray tracing.
MacBook Air M2 (13-inch)	A bladed and airy 13-inch MacBook without breaking the bank.
MacBook Air M3 (13-inch)	A almighty but ultraportable laptop for work.

We usage a operation of methods to trial laptops present astatine ZDNET. First, we get information from benchmarking bundle to analyse a system's metrics nether the hood and comparison those to advertised numbers. Then, we walk an extended magnitude of clip with the laptop -- usually a week oregon 2 -- utilizing it the aforesaid mode a mean user would, to measure its portability, signifier factor, and however good the battery actually holds up. For an extended breakdown, cheque retired our comprehensive laptop investigating methodology.

Benchmarking: First, we tally a bid of tests to enactment the computer's hardware done the wringer successful bid to spot what it's susceptible of. Cinebench is 1 of the astir commonly utilized hardware investigating suites, which tests the laptop's rendering show connected azygous and aggregate cardinal processing portion (CPU) cores. PCMark 10 is different almighty programme that covers a wide assortment of tasks performed successful the workplace, and determination are galore others that we usage successful tandem to stitchery arsenic overmuch information arsenic we can. Some components we tally tests connected include:
Processor: The "brain" of the laptop and 1 of the astir important factors that determines performance. The 4 biggest manufacturers that marque astir of the CPUs recovered successful laptops contiguous are Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, and Apple -- successful Apple machines only. This is tested successful benchmarking software.
The display: The size of the show -- measured diagonally from country to country -- is besides what dictates the laptop's wide size and plays a large relation successful the device's cost. Brightness is measured successful "nits," and colour spectrums are tested successful benchmarking software.
The graphics processor (GPU): Whether it's integrated into the CPU oregon a dedicated graphics card, however good the instrumentality handles graphics is simply a cardinal origin erstwhile it comes to demanding tasks similar video editing, rendering, and of course, gaming. We trial the GPU with a operation of benchmarking software, gaming, and media playback.
Physical signifier factor: Finally, the laptop's wide quality and carnal signifier origin encompasses its weight, thickness, however the keyboard and trackpad feel, and whether it has a show that tin beryllium folded backmost to signifier a tablet. We transportation the laptop astir for astatine slightest a week and enactment however good it commutes.
Battery testing: We trial a unit's artillery successful a fewer ways. A fistful of benchmarking programs person their ain artillery investigating components, but we volition besides conscionable fto the laptop tally for arsenic agelong arsenic it tin nether a mean load. We guarantee screensavers and hibernation mode are turned off, acceptable the display's brightness and audio astatine 50%, load up a livestream connected YouTube successful Chrome, and hold 'til the end.
The quality element: As we mentioned earlier, metrics and strategy information are important, but numbers unsocial don't springiness you the afloat picture. This is wherever we weave successful our idiosyncratic acquisition with the instrumentality and pat into the applicable usage cases that consumers really attraction about.

Ultimately, our extremity is to interruption down the capabilities of each and each laptop we trial into digestible presumption that existent radical find useful. There is simply a batch of sound and disorder erstwhile it comes to navigating the laptop and machine user market, truthful we anticipation to bring an intuitive constituent to the full process by leveraging our team's decades of experience.

Even though MacBooks mightiness look beauteous akin connected the surface, determination are immoderate large differences betwixt them. The champion 1 for you depends connected what you program connected utilizing it for. Do you privation thing bladed and airy for traveling to work, oregon bash you request important RAM and retention for demanding workloads? Here are immoderate cardinal considerations.

Portability: The MacBook Air lineup features the thinnest and lightest MacBooks. Obviously, the 13-inch MacBook Air is thinner and lighter than the 15-inch Air, but the tiny size mightiness beryllium excessively overmuch of a trade-off. If you extremity up plugging the laptop into an outer show anyway, the small-sized 13-inch laptop mightiness marque small difference.
Performance: Apple's Silicon processors commencement astatine the basal level M2, M3, oregon M4, past determination up to the Pro, past astatine the apical of the show illustration are the Max chips. Each consequent procreation is somewhat much almighty than the previous, but the differences betwixt the M3 and M4, for example, are not earth-shattering.
Storage and RAM: The much unified representation your MacBook has, the amended equipped it is astatine performing analyzable tasks. The MacBook Air M4 is present offered with 32GB of memory, an upgrade from erstwhile versions, which capped retired astatine 24GB. MacBook Pro devices standard to overmuch higher representation options, but you volition rapidly spot the terms inflate.
Purpose: We broke down the 5 champion MacBooks for the astir communal use-cases, and are assured 1 of them would beryllium close for you. If you're unsure astir which 1 applies, the 15-inch MacBook Air M4 is the champion all-around MacBook that the bulk of users volition love.
Value: The champion laptop tin beryllium a pricey investment, truthful we considered qualities that guarantee you'll get your money's worth. The older MacBooks, peculiarly M2 and earlier, are often heavy discounted, contempt inactive being competitory machines successful 2025.

While Apple's iMac, Mac Mini, and Mac Studio desktops person their just stock of fans, MacBooks outsell each of those devices combined acknowledgment to the wide enactment of sizes, usage cases, and conscionable however enjoyable they are to use.

With the latest M4 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, you tin inactive link to 2 outer monitors with the laptop's show open, promoting a desktop-style idiosyncratic experience, anyhow (earlier versions conscionable necessitate you to adjacent the lid for 2 displays).

While you tin tally little demanding games connected a MacBook Air, we urge opting for a MacBook Pro if you're into much superior titles. The further processing powerfulness combined with much GPU cores, enactment for ray tracing, and amended cooling mean you're going to person a overmuch amended experience. The M4 MacBook Pro is simply a amazingly bully gaming laptop successful 2025, adjacent though Apple computers person notoriously been second-choice machines for gamers.

It truly depends connected the student, but determination are immoderate communal factors to see erstwhile buying for a laptop for school. You'll privation thing tiny and lightweight for easier commutes to and from schoolhouse and betwixt classes.

Also: The champion laptops for college: Expert tested

You'll besides privation thing with astatine slightest 8 hours of artillery beingness to get done a emblematic schoolhouse time without needing to plug in. This is fantabulous for younger kids who whitethorn beryllium forgetful and permission their charging cablegram astatine home. The MacBook Air M3 is 1 of the champion all-around laptops for school, but the 13-inch MacBook Air M2 is a astute enactment arsenic good for a precise approachable price.

Whether you're looking for a azygous laptop for yourself oregon a fleet for your business, the champion MacBooks for enactment connection large performance, aggregate connectivity options, and durable builds.

You'll astir apt privation a MacBook with astatine slightest 16GB of RAM, a 512GB retention drive, and a show ample capable to enactment connected without being excessively bulky to question with. You'll besides privation a exemplary with astatine slightest 8 hours of artillery beingness to get done a emblematic time of enactment without needing to recharge constantly.

The MacBook Pro M4 is simply a fantastic instrumentality for work, but if you privation thing airy and portable, we urge the 13-inch MacBook Air M3, which is airy and casual to carry, but performs good erstwhile connected to outer monitors.

We powerfully urge getting an M4 MacBook and purchasing Final Cut Pro, an editing bundle exclusive to the Mac ecosystem. Buying the MacBook M3 Max is different bully enactment if you privation immoderate superior earthy power. It sports an M3 Max spot and offers large show for contented creators, portion seeing a spot of a reduced terms since the merchandise of the M4. The instrumentality tin besides grip 4TB of footage with ease, and sports further I/O.

Review: The champion laptops for video editing: Expert tested