MacBook Air 13” 2014 vs. MacBook Air 11” 2015: Which is better?

Here is a side by side comparison between MacBook Air 13” 2014 and MacBook Air 11” 2015 specs including CPU, RAM, storage, battery, display, and more.

MacBook Air 13” 2014 Pros

Reasons that MacBook Air 13” 2014 is better than MacBook Air 11” 2015.

14% larger display

MacBook Air 13” 2014 has a 13.3-inch screen size 14% larger than the 11.6-inch MacBook Air 11” 2015.

Display size
MacBook Air 13” 2014
13.3-inch
MacBook Air 11” 2015
11.6-inch

MacBook Air 11” 2015 Pros

Reasons that MacBook Air 11” 2015 is better than MacBook Air 13” 2014.

Newer manufacturing

2015 vs. 2014

Significantly faster CPU performance

Intel Core i7-5650U inside MacBook Air 11” 2015 has a 24% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core i7-4650U inside MacBook Air 13” 2014.

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 Air 13” 2014 - Intel Core i7-4650U
1,236
MacBook Air 13” 2014 - Intel Core i5-4260U
1,183
About 20% lighter

MacBook Air 11” 2015 weighed 2.38 pounds, 20% lighter than the 2.96 pounds MacBook Air 13” 2014.

WeightMacBook Air 13” 2014MacBook Air 11” 2015
Pound
2.96 lbs.
2.38 lbs.
Kilogram
1.34 kg
1.08 kg

Key Similars

Similar characteristics share between MacBook Air 13” 2014 and MacBook Air 11” 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 13” 2014
8 GB
MacBook Air 11” 2015
8 GB
Uses the same memory type and speed

Both laptops supports the same 1600MHz LPDDR3 RAM.

Memory type and speed
MacBook Air 13” 2014 - LPDDR3
1,600 MHz
MacBook Air 11” 2015 - LPDDR3
1,600 MHz

Prices

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

MacBook Air 13” 2014 Price
Early-2014 Apple MacBook Air with 1.3GHz Core i5 (13-Inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB) (Renewed)
Early-2014 Apple MacBook Air with 1.3GHz Core i5 (13-Inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB) (Renewed)
By Apple
$265.00
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
$229.82
$285.00 19% OFF
Early 2015 Apple MacBook Air with 1.6GHz Core i5 (13 Inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) Silver (Renewed)
Early 2015 Apple MacBook Air with 1.6GHz Core i5 (13 Inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) Silver (Renewed)
By Apple
$259.99
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
$229.82
$285.00 19% 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
$225.56
$239.00 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
$255.00

Availability

MacBook Air 13” 2014MacBook Air 11” 2015
Released20142015
Release Date
  • Available on April 30, 2014
  • Available on March 10, 2015
Pricing
  • $999
    Intel Core i5 4260U | 4GB RAM | 128GB SSD
  • $1,199
    Intel Core i5 4260U | 4GB RAM | 256GB SSD
  • $899
    Intel Core i5 5250U | 4GB RAM | 128GB SSD
  • $1,099
    Intel Core i5 5250U | 4GB RAM | 256GB SSD
Generations-

Exterior

MacBook Air 13” 2014MacBook Air 11” 2015
Dimensions12.8” x 8.94” x 0.11 - 0.68” (325 mm x 227 mm x 3 - 17 mm)11.8” x 7.56” x 0.11 - 0.68” (300 mm x 192 mm x 3 - 17 mm)
WeightStarting at 2.96 pounds (1.35 kg)Starting at 2.38 pounds (1.08 kg)
Colors
Silver
Silver
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) 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 Air 13” 2014MacBook Air 11” 2015
Size13.3 Inches11.6 Inches
Info
  • 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
  • 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

Ports

MacBook Air 13” 2014MacBook Air 11” 2015
  • 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
  • 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

Internal Specs

MacBook Air 13” 2014MacBook Air 11” 2015
Processor
  1. 4th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-4260U
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.40 → 2.70 GHz, 3MB SmartCache, 15W
  2. 4th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-4650U
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.70 → 3.30 GHz, 4MB SmartCache, 15W
  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
Integrated Graphics
  1. 4th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-4260U
    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
  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
Memory
4GB
Configurable to 8GB 1600MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
4GB
Configurable to 8GB 1600MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
Storage
128GB 256GB
Configurable to 512GB flash storage.
128GB 256GB
Configurable to 512GB flash storage.

Connectivity

MacBook Air 13” 2014MacBook Air 11” 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 13” 2014MacBook Air 11” 2015
Size54 Wh lithium‑polymer battery38 Wh lithium‑polymer battery
Battery Life
  • Up to 12 hours wireless web
  • Up to 12 hours of iTunes movie playback
  • Up to 30 days 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.
45W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter
With cable management system; MagSafe 2 power port.

Software

MacBook Air 13” 2014MacBook Air 11” 2015
OSShipped with OSX MavericksShipped with OS X El Capitan
Built-in Apps
iPhoto iMovie GarageBand Pages Numbers Keynote Maps iBooks Safari Mail FaceTime Messages Calendar Contacts Reminders Time Machine Photo Booth iTunes Game Center Preview Notes Mac App Store
Photos iMovie GarageBand Pages Numbers Keynote Safari Mail Messages FaceTime Calendar Notes App Store iTunes iBooks Maps Contacts Reminders

Camera & Audio

MacBook Air 13” 2014MacBook Air 11” 2015
Camera720p FaceTime HD camera720p FaceTime HD camera
Audio
  • Stereo speakers
  • Dual microphones
  • Headphone port
  • 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 Air 13” 2014MacBook Air 11” 2015
In the box
  • MacBook Air 13″
  • Power adapter
  • AC wall plug
  • Power cord
  • MacBook Air 11″
  • Power adapter
  • AC wall plug
  • Power cord
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 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
  • 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)
Video 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)

Key Features

MacBook Air 13” 2014MacBook Air 11” 2015
At Glance
Released in Early
2014
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
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

Comparison Summary

MacBook Air 13” 2014 vs. MacBook Air 11” 2015

Apple has released the MacBook Air 13” 2014, a 13.3-inch machine, in early-2014. It is powered by up to a dual-core Intel Core i7-4650U with a boost clock speed up to 3.30 GHz. The laptop has an integrated graphics option up to Intel® HD Graphics 5000 (40 Execution Units, 200 → 1100 MHz).

On the other hand, we have the 11.6-inch MacBook Air 11” 2015 was introduced by Apple about a year later in early-2015. 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 Air 13” 20141
4th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-4260U57377.75%
2
4th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-4650U63285.75%
MacBook Air 11” 20151
5th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-5250U61082.77%
2
5th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-5350U737100.00%
0737

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

MacBook Air 13” 20141
4th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-4260U1,18376.92%
2
4th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-4650U1,23680.36%
MacBook Air 11” 20151
5th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-5250U1,26682.31%
2
5th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-5350U1,538100.00%
01,538

The MacBook Air 13” 2014 has a 13.3-inch display which is slightly larger than the 11.6-inch MacBook Air 11” 2015. In addition, the MacBook Air 13” 2014 weighs 2.96 lbs. about 24% heavier than the 2.38 lbs. MacBook Air 11” 2015. Moreover, measured at 12.8” x 8.94” x 0.68”, the MacBook Air 13” 2014 is considerably bulkier than the MacBook Air 11” 2015 at 11.8” x 7.56” x 0.68”.

MacBook Air 13” 2014MacBook Air 11” 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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