MacBook 12” 2016 vs. MacBook Air 13” 2017: Which is better?

Here is a side by side comparison between MacBook 12” 2016 and MacBook Air 13” 2017 specs including CPU, RAM, storage, battery, display, and more.

MacBook 12” 2016 Pros

Reasons that MacBook 12” 2016 is better than MacBook Air 13” 2017.

Supports faster memory

MacBook 12” 2016 supports a faster memory speed than the MacBook Air 13” 2017. It supports up to 1866MHz versus 1600MHz of system memory on the MacBook Air 13” 2017.

Memory type and speed
MacBook 12” 2016 - LPDDR3
1,866 MHz
MacBook Air 13” 2017 - LPDDR3
1,600 MHz
About 32% lighter

MacBook 12” 2016 weighed 2.03 pounds, 32% lighter than the 2.96 pounds MacBook Air 13” 2017.

WeightMacBook 12” 2016MacBook Air 13” 2017
Pound
2.03 lbs.
2.96 lbs.
Kilogram
0.92 kg
1.34 kg

MacBook Air 13” 2017 Pros

Reasons that MacBook Air 13” 2017 is better than MacBook 12” 2016.

Newer manufacturing

2017 vs. 2016

Slightly faster CPU performance

Intel Core i7-5650U inside MacBook Air 13” 2017 has a 10% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core m7-6Y75 inside MacBook 12” 2016.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
MacBook Air 13” 2017 - Intel Core i7-5650U
1,538
MacBook 12” 2016 - Intel Core m7-6Y75
1,390
MacBook Air 13” 2017 - Intel Core i5-5350U
1,350
MacBook 12” 2016 - Intel Core m5-6Y54
1,295
MacBook 12” 2016 - Intel Core m3-6Y30
1,058
10% larger display

MacBook Air 13” 2017 has a 13.3-inch screen size 10% larger than the 12-inch MacBook 12” 2016.

Display size
MacBook Air 13” 2017
13.3-inch
MacBook 12” 2016
12-inch

Key Similars

Similar characteristics share between MacBook 12” 2016 and MacBook Air 13” 2017.

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” 2017
8 GB

Prices

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

MacBook 12” 2016 Price
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
$352.69
Apple Early 2016 MacBook with 1.3GHz Intel Core m7 (12 inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) Space Gray (Renewed)
Apple Early 2016 MacBook with 1.3GHz Intel Core m7 (12 inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) Space Gray (Renewed)
By Apple
$375.00
Apple Macbook Retina Display 12 Inch Core M-5Y31 1.1GHz 8GB RAM 256GB SSD (Renewed)
Apple Macbook Retina Display 12 Inch Core M-5Y31 1.1GHz 8GB RAM 256GB SSD (Renewed)
By Apple
$319.99
MacBook Air 13” 2017 Price
Apple 13in MacBook Air (2017 Newest Version) 1.8GHz Core i5 CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD (Renewed)
Apple 13in MacBook Air (2017 Newest Version) 1.8GHz Core i5 CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD (Renewed)
By Apple
$239.00
$255.00 6% OFF
2017 Apple Macbook Air with 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD Storage) (QWERTY English) Silver (Renewed)
2017 Apple Macbook Air with 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD Storage) (QWERTY English) Silver (Renewed)
By Apple
$241.92
$289.99 17% OFF
Mid 2017 Apple MacBook Air with 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) Silver (Renewed)
Mid 2017 Apple MacBook Air with 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) Silver (Renewed)
By Apple
$274.74
$290.00 5% OFF

Availability

MacBook 12” 2016MacBook Air 13” 2017
Released20162017
Release Date
  • Announced on April 19, 2016
  • Available on April 19, 2016
  • Available on June 6, 2017
Pricing
  • $1,299
    Intel Core m3-6Y30 | 8GB RAM | 256GB SSD
  • $1,599
    Intel Core m5-6Y54 | 8GB RAM | 512GB SSD
  • $999
    Intel Core i5 5350U | 8GB RAM | 128GB SSD
  • $1,199
    Intel Core i5 5350U | 8GB RAM | 256GB SSD
Generations-

Exterior

MacBook 12” 2016MacBook Air 13” 2017
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” 2017
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
  • Widescreen display
  • 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” 2017
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 2 port
    Supports data transfers up to 20 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” 2017
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. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-5350U
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.80 → 2.90 GHz, 3MB Cache, 15W
  2. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-5350U
    2 cores, 4 threads, 2.20 → 3.10 GHz, 4MB Cache, 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. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-5350U
    Intel® HD Graphics 6000
    48 Execution Units, 300 → 1000 MHz
  2. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-5350U
    Intel® HD Graphics 6000
    48 Execution Units, 300 → 1000 MHz
Memory
8GB
1866 MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
4GB 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” 2017
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” 2017
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 12 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” 2017
OSShipped with OS X El CapitanShipped with macOS Mojave
Built-in Apps
Photos iMovie GarageBand Pages Numbers Keynote Safari Mail Messages FaceTime Calendar Notes App Store iTunes iBooks Maps Contacts Reminders
Photos iMovie GarageBand Pages Numbers Keynote Siri Safari Mail FaceTime Messages Maps News Stocks Home Voice Memos Notes Calendar Contacts Reminders Photo Booth Preview iTunes Books App Store Time Machine

Camera & Audio

MacBook 12” 2016MacBook Air 13” 2017
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” 2017
In the box
  • MacBook
  • 29W USB-C Power Adapter
  • USB-C Charge Cable (2 m)
  • MacBook Air 13″
  • Power adapter
  • AC wall plug
  • Power cord
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
  • Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 3840-by-2160 resolution at 60Hz on an external display, both at millions of colors
    • Thunderbolt digital video output
    • Native Mini DisplayPort output
    • VGA, HDMI, DVI, and dual-link DVI output using adapters (sold separately)

Key Features

MacBook 12” 2016MacBook Air 13” 2017
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
2017
16:10 WXGA+
13.3”
900p 60Hz
Weight
2.96 lb
1.34 kg
Up to
Intel Core i7-5650U
2C/4T, 2.20 → 3.10 GHz
Geekbench 5
737
Single Core
Geekbench 5
1,538
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® HD Graphics 6000
48 Execution Units, 300 → 1000 MHz
Up to
8GB
1600 MHz LPDDR3

Comparison Summary

MacBook 12” 2016 vs. MacBook Air 13” 2017

Apple has released the MacBook 12” 2016, a 12-inch machine, in early-2016. It is powered by up to a dual-core Intel Core m7-6Y75 with a boost clock speed up to 3.10 GHz. The laptop has an integrated graphics option up to Intel® HD Graphics 515 (24 Execution Units, 300 → 1000 MHz).

On the other hand, we have the 13.3-inch MacBook Air 13” 2017 was introduced by Apple about a year later in mid-2017. It comes with up to a dual-core Intel Core i7-5650U with a boost clock speed up to 3.10 GHz. It has an integrated graphics option up to Intel® HD Graphics 6000 (48 Execution Units, 300 → 1000 MHz).

Geekbench 5 Single Core

MacBook 12” 20161
6th Gen Intel® Core™ m3-6Y3046563.09%
2
6th Gen Intel® Core™ m5-6Y5458178.83%
3
6th Gen Intel® Core™ m7-6Y7563986.70%
MacBook Air 13” 20171
5th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-5350U65488.74%
2
5th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-5350U737100.00%
0737

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

MacBook 12” 20161
6th Gen Intel® Core™ m3-6Y301,05868.79%
2
6th Gen Intel® Core™ m5-6Y541,29584.20%
3
6th Gen Intel® Core™ m7-6Y751,39090.38%
MacBook Air 13” 20171
5th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-5350U1,35087.78%
2
5th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-5350U1,538100.00%
01,538

The MacBook 12” 2016 has a 12-inch display which is slightly smaller than the 13.3-inch MacBook Air 13” 2017. In addition, The MacBook 12” 2016 weighs 2.03 lbs. about 45% lighter than the 2.96 lbs. MacBook Air 13” 2017. Moreover, measured at 11.04” x 7.74” x 0.52”, the MacBook 12” 2016 is much more portable than the MacBook Air 13” 2017 at 12.8” x 8.94” x 0.68”.

MacBook 12” 2016MacBook Air 13” 2017

Moving over to upgradability, you can't make any upgrades on both devices. All major components including memory and storage are soldered on to the motherboard. So make sure you get the specs that work best for your current and future workload.

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