MacBook 12” 2016 vs. MacBook Air 13” 2013: Full specs comparison

Here is a comparison of the specs between MacBook 12” 2016 and MacBook Air 13” 2013, including CPU, RAM, storage, battery, display, and more.

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MacBook 12” 2016 image

MacBook 12” 2016

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MacBook Air 13” 2013 image

MacBook Air 13” 2013

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MacBook 12” 2016 Pros

Reasons that MacBook 12” 2016 is better than MacBook Air 13” 2013.

Significantly newer manufacturing

2016 vs. 2013

Slightly faster CPU performance

Intel Core m7-6Y75 inside MacBook 12” 2016 has a 12% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core i7-4650U inside MacBook Air 13” 2013.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
MacBook 12” 2016 - Intel Core m7-6Y75
1,390
MacBook 12” 2016 - Intel Core m5-6Y54
1,295
MacBook Air 13” 2013 - Intel Core i7-4650U
1,236
MacBook Air 13” 2013 - Intel Core i5-4250U
1,147
MacBook 12” 2016 - Intel Core m3-6Y30
1,058
Supports faster memory

MacBook 12” 2016 supports a faster memory speed than the MacBook Air 13” 2013. It supports up to 1866MHz versus 1600MHz of system memory on the MacBook Air 13” 2013.

Memory type and speed
MacBook 12” 2016 - LPDDR3
1,866 MHz
MacBook Air 13” 2013 - LPDDR3
1,600 MHz
About 32% lighter

MacBook 12” 2016 weighed 2.03 pounds, 32% lighter than the 2.96 pounds MacBook Air 13” 2013.

WeightMacBook 12” 2016MacBook Air 13” 2013
Pound
2.03 lbs.
2.96 lbs.
Kilogram
0.92 kg
1.34 kg

MacBook Air 13” 2013 Pros

Reasons that MacBook Air 13” 2013 is better than MacBook 12” 2016.

10% larger display

MacBook Air 13” 2013 has a 13.3-inch screen size 10% larger than the 12-inch MacBook 12” 2016.

Display size
MacBook Air 13” 2013
13.3-inch
MacBook 12” 2016
12-inch

Key Similars

Similar characteristics share between MacBook 12” 2016 and MacBook Air 13” 2013.

Supports the same maximum memory size of up to 8GB

Both laptops supports up to 8GB of system memory.

Max system memory size
MacBook 12” 2016
8 GB
MacBook Air 13” 2013
8 GB

Prices

Here are the latest price updates and offers for both devices.

MacBook 12” 2016 Price
Apple MacBook 12in Laptop w/ Retina Display 1.2GHz Core M, (MJY42LL/A), 8GB Memory, 512GB Solid State Drive, Space Gray (Space Gray)(Renewed)
 Apple MacBook 12in Laptop w/ Retina Display 1.2GHz Core M, (MJY42LL/A), 8GB Memory, 512GB Solid State Drive, Space Gray (Space Gray)(Renewed)
By Apple
$358.90
$381.51 6% OFF
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2017 Apple Macbook with 1.2GHz Intel Core m3 (12-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) Space Gray (Renewed)
 2017 Apple Macbook with 1.2GHz Intel Core m3 (12-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) Space Gray (Renewed)
By Apple
$381.42
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Apple MacBook MF865LL/A 12-inch Laptop with Retina Display 512GB, Silver - (Renewed)
 Apple MacBook MF865LL/A 12-inch Laptop with Retina Display 512GB, Silver - (Renewed)
By Apple
$414.98
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MacBook Air 13” 2013 Price
Apple MacBook Air 13" (Mid 2013) - Core i5 1.3GHz, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD (Renewed)
 Apple MacBook Air 13" (Mid 2013) - Core i5 1.3GHz, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD (Renewed)
By Apple
$189.99
$199.99 5% OFF
See at Amazon
Early 2015 Apple MacBook Air with 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 (13.3 inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB) Silver (Renewed)
 Early 2015 Apple MacBook Air with 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 (13.3 inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB) Silver (Renewed)
By Apple
$225.00
$285.00 21% OFF
See at Amazon
Apple 60W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter for MacBook Pro with 13-inch Retina Display
 Apple 60W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter for MacBook Pro with 13-inch Retina Display
By Apple
$72.00
$79.00 9% OFF
See at Amazon

Specs Comparison

Availability

MacBook 12” 2016MacBook Air 13” 2013
Released20162013
Release Date
  • Announced on April 19, 2016
  • Available on April 19, 2016
  • Available on June 10, 2013
Pricing
  • $1,299
    Intel Core m3-6Y30 | 8GB RAM | 256GB SSD
  • $1,599
    Intel Core m5-6Y54 | 8GB RAM | 512GB SSD
  • $1,099
    Intel Core i5 4250U | 4GB RAM | 128GB SSD
  • $1,299
    Intel Core i5 4250U | 4GB RAM | 256GB SSD
Generations-

Exterior

MacBook 12” 2016MacBook Air 13” 2013
Dimensions11.04” x 7.74” x 0.14 - 0.52” (280.5 mm x 196.5 mm x 3.5 - 13.1 mm)12.8” x 8.94” x 0.11 - 0.68” (325 mm x 227 mm x 3 - 17 mm)
WeightStarting at 2.03 pounds (920 g)Starting at 2.96 pounds (1.35 kg)
Colors
Silver Space Gray Gold Rose Gold
Silver
Keyboard and TrackpadFull-size backlit keyboard with:
  • 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) individual LED backlit keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys with ambient light sensor
  • Force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and pressure-sensing capabilities; enables Force clicks, accelerators, pressure-sensitive drawing, and Multi-Touch gestures
Full-size backlit keyboard with:
  • 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys (inverted “T” arrangement) with ambient light sensor
  • Multi-Touch trackpad for precise cursor control; supports inertial scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, three-finger swipe, four-finger swipe, tap, double-tap, and drag capabilities

Display

MacBook 12” 2016MacBook Air 13” 2013
Size12 Inches13.3 Inches
InfoRetina display
  • 12-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology
  • 2304-by-1440 resolution at 226 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
  • 16:10 aspect ratio
  • Supported scaled resolutions:
    • 1440 by 900
    • 1280 by 800
    • 1024 by 640
  • 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with support for millions of colors
  • Supported resolutions: 1440 by 900 (native), 1280 by 800, 1152 by 720, and 1024 by 640 pixels at 16:10 aspect ratio and 1024 by 768 and 800 by 600 pixels at 4:3 aspect ratio

Ports

MacBook 12” 2016MacBook Air 13” 2013
One USB Type-C port with support for:
  • Charging
  • USB 3.1 Gen 1 (up to 5 Gbps)
  • Native DisplayPort 1.2 video output
  • VGA output using USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter (sold separately)
  • HDMI video output using USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter (sold separately)
  • 1 x Thunderbolt ports
    Supports data transfers up to 10 Gbps.
  • 2 x USB 3.0 ports
    Supports data transfers up to 5 Gbps.
  • 1 x 3.5 mm headphone jack
  • 1 x SDXC card reader
  • 1 x MagSafe 2 power port

Internal Specs

MacBook 12” 2016MacBook Air 13” 2013
Processor
  1. 6th Gen Intel® Core™ m3-6Y30
    2 cores, 4 threads, 0.90 → 2.20 GHz, 4MB SmartCache, 4.5W
  2. 6th Gen Intel® Core™ m5-6Y54
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.10 → 2.70 GHz, 4MB SmartCache, 4.5W
  3. 6th Gen Intel® Core™ m7-6Y75
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.20 → 3.10 GHz, 4MB SmartCache, 4.5W
  1. 4th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-4250U
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.30 → 2.60 GHz, 3MB SmartCache, 15W
  2. 4th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-4650U
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.70 → 3.30 GHz, 4MB SmartCache, 15W
Integrated Graphics
  1. 6th Gen Intel® Core™ m3-6Y30
    Intel® HD Graphics 515
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 850 MHz
  2. 6th Gen Intel® Core™ m5-6Y54
    Intel® HD Graphics 515
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 900 MHz
  3. 6th Gen Intel® Core™ m7-6Y75
    Intel® HD Graphics 515
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 1000 MHz
  1. 4th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-4250U
    Intel® HD Graphics 5000
    40 Execution Units, 200 → 1000 MHz
  2. 4th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-4650U
    Intel® HD Graphics 5000
    40 Execution Units, 200 → 1100 MHz
Memory
8GB
1866 MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
4GB
Configurable to 8GB 1600MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
Storage
256GB 512GB
PCIe-based onboard flash storage.
128GB 256GB
Configurable to 512GB flash storage.

Connectivity

MacBook 12” 2016MacBook Air 13” 2013
Wi-Fi
  • 802.11ac Wi‑Fi wireless networking
  • IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
  • 802.11ac Wi‑Fi wireless networking
  • IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
BluetoothBluetooth 4.0 wireless technologyBluetooth 4.0 wireless technology

Battery

MacBook 12” 2016MacBook Air 13” 2013
Size41.4 Wh lithium‑polymer battery54 Wh lithium‑polymer battery
Battery Life
  • Up to 10 hours of wireless web
  • Up to 11 hours of iTunes movie playback
  • Up to 30 days of standby time
  • Up to 12 hours wireless web
  • Up to 10 hours of iTunes movie playback
  • Up to 30 days standby time
Power Supply29W USB-C Power Adapter45W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter
With cable management system; MagSafe 2 power port.

Software

MacBook 12” 2016MacBook Air 13” 2013
OSShipped with OS X El CapitanShipped with OSX Mountain Lion
Built-in Apps
Photos iMovie GarageBand Pages Numbers Keynote Safari Mail Messages FaceTime Calendar Notes App Store iTunes iBooks Maps Contacts Reminders
Mail Messages Contacts Calendar Safari Reminders Notification Center Notes Dictation iCloud Time Machine FaceTime Photo Booth AirPlay Game Center the Mac App Store iTunes Gatekeeper Twitter and Facebook integration

Camera & Audio

MacBook 12” 2016MacBook Air 13” 2013
Camera480p FaceTime HD camera720p FaceTime HD camera
Audio
  • Stereo speakers
  • Dual microphones
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack
    • Support for Apple iPhone headset with remote and microphone
  • Stereo speakers
  • Dual microphones
  • Headphone port
  • Support for Apple iPhone headset with remote and microphone

Misc

MacBook 12” 2016MacBook Air 13” 2013
In the box
  • MacBook
  • 29W USB-C Power Adapter
  • USB-C Charge Cable (2 m)
  • MacBook Air 13″
  • 45W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter, AC wall plug, and power cord
  • Printed and electronic documentation
WarrantyLimited Warranty and ServiceYour MacBook comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan to extend your service and support to three years from your computer’s purchase date. Only the AppleCare Protection Plan provides you with direct telephone support from Apple technical experts and the assurance that repairs will be handled by Apple-authorized technicians using genuine Apple parts. For more information, visit Apple Support or call 800-823-2275. Limited Warranty and ServiceYour MacBook Air comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan to extend your service and support to three years from your computer’s purchase date. Only the AppleCare Protection Plan provides you with direct telephone support from Apple technical experts and the assurance that repairs will be handled by Apple-authorized technicians using genuine Apple parts. For more information, visit Apple Support or call 800-823-2775.
MoreVideo Support
  • Intel HD Graphics 515
  • Dual display and video mirroring: simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 3840 by 2160 pixels at 30Hz on an external display, both at millions of colors
Video Support
  • Dual display and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 2560 by 1600 pixels on an external display, both at millions of colors
  • Thunderbolt digital video output
    • Native Mini DisplayPort output
    • DVI output using Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter (sold separately)
    • VGA output using Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter (sold separately)
    • Dual-link DVI output using Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (sold separately)
    • HDMI audio and video output using third-party Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter (sold separately)

Key Features

MacBook 12” 2016MacBook Air 13” 2013
At Glance
Released in Early
2016
16:10 QHD
12”
1440p 60Hz
Weight
2.03 lb
0.92 kg
Up to
Intel Core m7-6Y75
2C/4T, 1.20 → 3.10 GHz
Geekbench 5
639
Single Core
Geekbench 5
1,390
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® HD Graphics 515
24 Execution Units, 300 → 1000 MHz
8GB
1866 MHz LPDDR3
Released in Mid
2013
16:10 WXGA+
13.3”
900p 60Hz
Weight
2.96 lb
1.34 kg
Up to
Intel Core i7-4650U
2C/4T, 1.70 → 3.30 GHz
Geekbench 5
632
Single Core
Geekbench 5
1,236
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® HD Graphics 5000
40 Execution Units, 200 → 1100 MHz
Up to
8GB
1600 MHz LPDDR3

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