MacBook Air 11” 2015 vs. MacBook 12” 2015: Which is better?

Here is a side by side comparison between MacBook Air 11” 2015 and MacBook 12” 2015 specs including CPU, RAM, storage, battery, display, and more.

MacBook Air 11” 2015 Pros

Reasons that MacBook Air 11” 2015 is better than MacBook 12” 2015.

Significantly faster CPU performance

Intel Core i7-5650U inside MacBook Air 11” 2015 has a 35% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core M-5Y71 (1.3 GHz) inside MacBook 12” 2015.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
MacBook Air 11” 2015 - Intel Core i7-5650U
1,538
MacBook Air 11” 2015 - Intel Core i5-5250U
1,266
MacBook 12” 2015 - Intel Core M-5Y71 (1.3 GHz)
1,139
MacBook 12” 2015 - Intel Core M-5Y51 (1.2 GHz)
1,109
MacBook 12” 2015 - Intel Core M-5Y31 (1.1 GHz)
1,034

MacBook 12” 2015 Pros

Reasons that MacBook 12” 2015 is better than MacBook Air 11” 2015.

About 15% lighter

MacBook 12” 2015 weighed 2.03 pounds, 15% lighter than the 2.38 pounds MacBook Air 11” 2015.

WeightMacBook Air 11” 2015MacBook 12” 2015
Pound
2.38 lbs.
2.03 lbs.
Kilogram
1.08 kg
0.92 kg

Key Similars

Similar characteristics share between MacBook Air 11” 2015 and MacBook 12” 2015.

Supports the same maximum memory size of up to 8GB

Both laptops supports up to 8GB of system memory.

Max system memory size
MacBook Air 11” 2015
8 GB
MacBook 12” 2015
8 GB
Uses the same memory type and speed

Both laptops supports the same 1600MHz LPDDR3 RAM.

Memory type and speed
MacBook Air 11” 2015 - LPDDR3
1,600 MHz
MacBook 12” 2015 - LPDDR3
1,600 MHz

Prices

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

MacBook Air 11” 2015 Price
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
$195.51
$285.00 31% OFF
Apple Macbook Air MJVM2LL/A Intel i5 1.6GHz 8GB 128GB (Renewed)
Apple Macbook Air MJVM2LL/A Intel i5 1.6GHz 8GB 128GB (Renewed)
By Apple
$224.99
$238.99 6% OFF
Apple MacBook Air MJVP2LL/A 11.6-Inch 256GB Laptop (Renewed)
Apple MacBook Air MJVP2LL/A 11.6-Inch 256GB Laptop (Renewed)
By Apple
$299.99
MacBook 12” 2015 Price
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
Apple Macbook Retina Display 12in Laptop (2015) - 256GB SSD, 8 GB Memory, Silver (Renewed)
Apple Macbook Retina Display 12in Laptop (2015) - 256GB SSD, 8 GB Memory, Silver (Renewed)
By Apple
$341.98
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
$393.99

Availability

MacBook Air 11” 2015MacBook 12” 2015
Released20152015
Release Date
  • Available on March 10, 2015
  • Announced on March 9, 2015
  • Available on March 10, 2015
Pricing
  • $899
    Intel Core i5 5250U | 4GB RAM | 128GB SSD
  • $1,099
    Intel Core i5 5250U | 4GB RAM | 256GB SSD
  • $1,299
    Intel Core M-5Y31 | 8GB RAM | 256GB SSD
  • $1,599
    Intel Core M-5Y51 | 8GB RAM | 512GB SSD

Exterior

MacBook Air 11” 2015MacBook 12” 2015
Dimensions11.8” x 7.56” x 0.11 - 0.68” (300 mm x 192 mm x 3 - 17 mm)11.04” x 7.74” x 0.14 - 0.52” (280.5 mm x 196.5 mm x 3.5 - 13.1 mm)
WeightStarting at 2.38 pounds (1.08 kg)Starting at 2.03 pounds (920 g)
Colors
Silver
Silver Space Gray Gold
Keyboard and TrackpadFull-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
Full-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

Display

MacBook Air 11” 2015MacBook 12” 2015
Size11.6 Inches12 Inches
Info
  • 11.6-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with support for millions of colors
  • Supported resolutions: 1366 by 768 (native), 1344 by 756, and 1280 by 720 pixels at 16:9 aspect ratio; 1152 by 720 and 1024 by 640 pixels at 16:10 aspect ratio; 1024 by 768 and 800 by 600 pixels at 4:3 aspect ratio
Retina 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

Ports

MacBook Air 11” 2015MacBook 12” 2015
  • 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 MagSafe 2 power port
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)

Internal Specs

MacBook Air 11” 2015MacBook 12” 2015
Processor
  1. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-5250U
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.60 → 2.70 GHz, 3MB Cache, 15W
  2. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-5350U
    2 cores, 4 threads, 2.20 → 3.10 GHz, 4MB Cache, 15W
  1. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ M-5Y31
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.10 → 2.40 GHz, 4MB Cache, 6W
  2. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ M-5Y51
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.20 → 2.60 GHz, 4MB Cache, 6W
  3. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ M-5Y71
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.30 → 2.90 GHz, 4MB Cache, 6W
Integrated Graphics
  1. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-5250U
    Intel® HD Graphics 6000
    48 Execution Units, 300 → 950 MHz
  2. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-5350U
    Intel® HD Graphics 6000
    48 Execution Units, 300 → 1000 MHz
  1. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ M-5Y31
    Intel® HD Graphics 5300
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 850 MHz
  2. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ M-5Y51
    Intel® HD Graphics 5300
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 900 MHz
  3. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ M-5Y71
    Intel® HD Graphics 5300
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 900 MHz
Memory
4GB
Configurable to 8GB 1600MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
8GB
1600MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
Storage
128GB 256GB
Configurable to 512GB flash storage.
256GB 512GB
PCIe-based onboard flash storage.

Connectivity

MacBook Air 11” 2015MacBook 12” 2015
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 Air 11” 2015MacBook 12” 2015
Size38 Wh lithium‑polymer battery39.5 Wh lithium‑polymer battery
Battery Life
  • Up to 9 hours of wireless web
  • Up to 10 hours of iTunes movie playback
  • Up to 30 days of standby time
  • Up to 9 hours of wireless web
  • Up to 10 hours of iTunes movie playback
  • Up to 30 days of standby time
Power Supply45W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter
With cable management system; MagSafe 2 power port.
29W USB-C Power Adapter

Software

MacBook Air 11” 2015MacBook 12” 2015
OSShipped with OS X El CapitanShipped with OS X Yosemite
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 Safari Mail Messages FaceTime Calendar Notes App Store iTunes iBooks Maps Contacts Reminders

Camera & Audio

MacBook Air 11” 2015MacBook 12” 2015
Camera720p FaceTime HD camera480p FaceTime HD camera
Audio
  • Stereo speakers
  • Dual microphones
  • Headphone port
  • Support for Apple iPhone headset with remote and microphone
  • Stereo speakers
  • Dual microphones
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack
    • Support for Apple iPhone headset with remote and microphone

Misc

MacBook Air 11” 2015MacBook 12” 2015
In the box
  • MacBook Air 11″
  • Power adapter
  • AC wall plug
  • Power cord
  • MacBook
  • 29W USB-C Power Adapter
  • USB-C Charge Cable (2 m)
WarrantyLimited 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.Limited 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. 
MoreVideo Support
  • Dual display and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 3840 by 2160 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)
Video Support
  • Intel HD Graphics 5300
  • Dual display and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 3840 by 2160 pixels on an external display, both at millions of colors

Key Features

MacBook Air 11” 2015MacBook 12” 2015
At Glance
Released in Early
2015
16:10 HD+
11.6”
756p 60Hz
Weight
2.38 lb
1.08 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
Released in Early
2015
16:10 QHD
12”
1440p 60Hz
Weight
2.03 lb
0.92 kg
Up to
Intel Core M-5Y71 (1.3 GHz)
2C/4T, 1.30 → 2.90 GHz
Geekbench 5
598
Single Core
Geekbench 5
1,139
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® HD Graphics 5300
24 Execution Units, 300 → 900 MHz
8GB
1600 MHz LPDDR3

Comparison Summary

MacBook Air 11” 2015 vs. MacBook 12” 2015

Apple has released the MacBook Air 11” 2015, a 11.6-inch machine, in early-2015. It is powered by up to a dual-core Intel Core i7-5650U with a boost clock speed up to 3.10 GHz. The laptop has an integrated graphics option up to Intel® HD Graphics 6000 (48 Execution Units, 300 → 1000 MHz).

On the other hand, we have the 12-inch MacBook 12” 2015 was introduced by Apple around the same time in early-2015. It comes with up to a dual-core Intel Core M-5Y71 (1.3 GHz) with a boost clock speed up to 2.90 GHz. It has an integrated graphics option up to Intel® HD Graphics 5300 (24 Execution Units, 300 → 900 MHz).

Geekbench 5 Single Core

MacBook Air 11” 20151
5th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-5250U61082.77%
2
5th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-5350U737100.00%
MacBook 12” 20151
5th Gen Intel® Core™ M-5Y3152270.83%
2
5th Gen Intel® Core™ M-5Y5154974.49%
3
5th Gen Intel® Core™ M-5Y7159881.14%
0737

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

MacBook Air 11” 20151
5th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-5250U1,26682.31%
2
5th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-5350U1,538100.00%
MacBook 12” 20151
5th Gen Intel® Core™ M-5Y311,03467.23%
2
5th Gen Intel® Core™ M-5Y511,10972.11%
3
5th Gen Intel® Core™ M-5Y711,13974.06%
01,538

The MacBook Air 11” 2015 has a 11.6-inch display which is quite similar size to the 12-inch MacBook 12” 2015. In addition, the MacBook Air 11” 2015 weighs 2.38 lbs. about 17% heavier than the 2.03 lbs. MacBook 12” 2015. Moreover, measured at 11.8” x 7.56” x 0.68”, the MacBook Air 11” 2015 is considerably bulkier than the MacBook 12” 2015 at 11.04” x 7.74” x 0.52”.

MacBook Air 11” 2015MacBook 12” 2015

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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