MacBook Pro/w Retina display (2013) vs MacBook Air (2014)

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Is the six-month old MacBook Pro still better than the MacBook Air 2014?

Wireless connectivity & ports

Both machines pack identical wireless connections in the form of 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4. There is a difference in physical ports though.

MacBook Air - The Airs have limited space on the 17mm chassis. The 11in features 2 x USB 3 ports and a single Thunderbolt connection. The 13in model has the same ports and with the addition of an SD card slot.

MacBook Pro w/Retina - There's more space on the thicker Pros so they include 2 x USB 3 ports, 2 x Thunderbolt ports and an HDMI connection. Every Pro device also includes an SD card slot.

Winner - MacBook Pro w/Retina Display - Wireless connectivity is equal, so the Pro wins thanks to the greater number of physical ports.

Khidr Suleman
Khidr Suleman is the Technical Editor at IT Pro, a role he has fulfilled since March 2012. He is responsible for the reviews section on the site  - so get in touch if you have a product you think might be of interest to the business world. He also covers the hardware and operating systems beats. Prior to joining IT Pro, Khidr worked as a reporter at Incisive Media. He studied law at the University of Reading and completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Magazine Journalism and Online Writing at PMA Training.
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