Which MacBook Should You Buy? M5 Air vs M5 Pro vs M3 Max Ranked
M5 Air vs M5 Pro vs M3 Max, ranked by benchmark score
After Apple's latest event the lineup spans the M5 Air (70/100) to the 16-inch M3 Max (91/100). We ranked every MacBook by benchmark score and value — with one clear winner for most people.
Featured Hardware Evaluated in This Guide
Apple’s lineup now spans the M5 Air at 70/100 to the 16-inch M3 Max at 91/100 on the DeviceBenchmark scale. Here is the short version, then the full ranking.
The short answers
Most people: MacBook Air 13 M5. Professionals: MacBook Pro 14 or 16 with M5 (80–85). Maximum performance: MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max (91). Avoid: 2019–2020 Intel models (50–52).
Every MacBook, ranked
Pro 16 M3 Max 91 · Pro 16 M5 85 · Pro 16 M4 82 · Pro 14 M5 81 · Pro 14 M5 (2025) 80 · Air 13/15 M5 70 · Air 15/13 M4 69 · Air M3 66 · Air M2 64 · Pro 13 M1 62/61 · Intel 2019–2020 50–52. Only the M3 Max 16-inch carries a confirmed launch price in our database ($2,499) — check current retail pricing for the rest, as Apple pricing moves with configurations and sales.
Air vs Pro
The Air line (M4/M5, 66–70) covers everyday work, study, and travel with silent fanless designs. Step to a Pro 14/16 when sustained workloads — compiles, renders, big datasets — need active cooling and the extra GPU headroom that shows up in the 10–15 point score gap.
What the Apple event changed
The M5 generation is now the current line across Air and Pro, making discounted M4 machines the value play and M3 Airs only worth it on deep clearance. M3 Max (2023) remains the raw-performance king for heavy workflows despite its age.