MacBook 12” 2017 vs. MacBook Air 13” 2017: Full specs comparison

The following is a comprehensive comparison of the MacBook 12” 2017 and MacBook Air 13” 2017 specifications, including details on CPU, memory, storage, battery life, display quality, and other features.

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MacBook 12” 2017 image

MacBook 12” 2017

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MacBook Air 13” 2017 image

MacBook Air 13” 2017

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MacBook 12” 2017 Pros

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

Supports larger memory

MacBook 12” 2017 supports a larger memory capacity than the MacBook Air 13” 2017. It supports up to 16GB versus 8GB of system memory on the MacBook Air 13” 2017.

Max system memory size
MacBook 12” 2017
16 GB
MacBook Air 13” 2017
8 GB
Supports faster memory

MacBook 12” 2017 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” 2017 - LPDDR3
1,866 MHz
MacBook Air 13” 2017 - LPDDR3
1,600 MHz
About 32% lighter

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

WeightMacBook 12” 2017MacBook 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” 2017.

10% larger display

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

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

Key Similars

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

Similar CPU performance

Both laptops has a similar multi-core CPU performance score.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
MacBook Air 13” 2017 - Intel Core i7-5650U
1,538
MacBook 12” 2017 - Intel Core i7-7Y75
1,470
MacBook 12” 2017 - Intel Core i5-7Y54
1,457
MacBook 12” 2017 - Intel Core m3-7Y32
1,423
MacBook Air 13” 2017 - Intel Core i5-5350U
1,350

Prices

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

MacBook 12” 2017 Price
Apple MNYF2LL/A 12in MacBook, Retina, 1.2GHz Intel Core m3 Dual Core Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Mac OS, Space Gray (Newest Version) (Renewed)
 Apple MNYF2LL/A 12in MacBook, Retina, 1.2GHz Intel Core m3 Dual Core Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Mac OS, Space Gray (Newest Version) (Renewed)
By Apple
$352.98
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2017 Apple MacBook Laptop with Intel Core m3, 1.2GHz (MNYH2LL/A, 12in, Retina Display, Dual Core Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB, Intel HD Graphics, Mac OS) - Silver (Renewed)
 2017 Apple MacBook Laptop with Intel Core m3, 1.2GHz (MNYH2LL/A, 12in, Retina Display, Dual Core Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB, Intel HD Graphics, Mac OS) - Silver (Renewed)
By Apple
$450.00
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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
$330.99
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MacBook Air 13” 2017 Price
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
$208.78
$242.99 14% OFF
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Apple MacBook Air 13in (2017 Newest Version) 1.8GHz Core i5 CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD (Renewed)
 Apple MacBook Air 13in (2017 Newest Version) 1.8GHz Core i5 CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD (Renewed)
By Apple
$230.28
$249.00 8% OFF
See at Amazon
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
$249.00
$277.50 10% OFF
See at Amazon

Specs Comparison

Availability

MacBook 12” 2017MacBook Air 13” 2017
Released20172017
Release Date
  • Announced on June 5, 2017
  • Available on June 7, 2017
  • Available on June 6, 2017
Pricing
  • $1,299
    Intel Core m3-7Y32 | 8GB RAM | 256GB SSD
  • $1,599
    Intel Core m5-7Y54 | 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” 2017MacBook Air 13” 2017
Size Comparison
MacBook 12” 2017MacBook 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
  • 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” 2017MacBook 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” 2017MacBook 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” 2017MacBook Air 13” 2017
Processor
  1. 7th Gen Intel® Core™ m3-7Y32
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.10 → 3.00 GHz, 4MB SmartCache, 4.5W
  2. 7th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-7Y54
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.20 → 3.20 GHz, 4MB SmartCache, 4.5W
  3. 7th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-7Y75
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.30 → 3.60 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. 7th Gen Intel® Core™ m3-7Y32
    Intel® HD Graphics 615
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 900 MHz
  2. 7th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-7Y54
    Intel® HD Graphics 615
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 950 MHz
  3. 7th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-7Y75
    Intel® HD Graphics 615
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 1050 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
Configurable to 16GB 1866 MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
4GB 8GB
 1600MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
Storage
256GB 512GB
PCIe-based onboard SSD.
128GB 256GB
Configurable to 512GB flash storage.

Connectivity

MacBook 12” 2017MacBook 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” 2017MacBook Air 13” 2017
Size41.4 Wh lithium‑polymer battery54 Wh lithium‑polymer battery
Battery Life
  • Up to 10 hours of wireless web
  • Up to 12 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” 2017MacBook Air 13” 2017
OSShipped with macOS High SierraShipped with macOS Mojave
Built-in Apps
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
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” 2017MacBook Air 13” 2017
Camera480p FaceTime HD camera720p FaceTime HD camera
Audio
  • Stereo speakers
  • Dual microphones
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack
  • Stereo speakers
  • Dual microphones
  • Headphone port
  • Support for Apple iPhone headset with remote and microphone

Misc

MacBook 12” 2017MacBook 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 615
  • Dual display and video mirroring: simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 4096-by-2304 resolution at 60Hz 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” 2017MacBook Air 13” 2017
At Glance
Released in Mid
2017
16:10 QHD
12”
1440p 60Hz
Weight
2.03 lb
0.92 kg
Up to
Intel Core i7-7Y75
2C/4T, 1.30 → 3.60 GHz
Geekbench 5
714
Single Core
Geekbench 5
1,470
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® HD Graphics 615
24 Execution Units, 300 → 1050 MHz
Configurable up to
16GB
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

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