MacBook Air 13” 2019 vs. MacBook 12” 2017: Which is better?

Here is a side by side comparison between MacBook Air 13” 2019 and MacBook 12” 2017 specs including CPU, RAM, storage, battery, display, and more.

MacBook Air 13” 2019 Pros

Reasons that MacBook Air 13” 2019 is better than MacBook 12” 2017.

Newer manufacturing

2019 vs. 2017

Supports faster memory

MacBook Air 13” 2019 supports a faster memory speed than the MacBook 12” 2017. It supports up to 2133MHz versus 1866MHz of system memory on the MacBook 12” 2017.

Memory type and speed
MacBook Air 13” 2019 - LPDDR3
2,133 MHz
MacBook 12” 2017 - LPDDR3
1,866 MHz
10% larger display

MacBook Air 13” 2019 has a 13.3-inch screen size 10% larger than the 12-inch MacBook 12” 2017.

Display size
MacBook Air 13” 2019
13.3-inch
MacBook 12” 2017
12-inch

MacBook 12” 2017 Pros

Reasons that MacBook 12” 2017 is better than MacBook Air 13” 2019.

About 27% lighter

MacBook 12” 2017 weighed 2.03 pounds, 27% lighter than the 2.75 pounds MacBook Air 13” 2019.

WeightMacBook Air 13” 2019MacBook 12” 2017
Pound
2.75 lbs.
2.03 lbs.
Kilogram
1.25 kg
0.92 kg

Key Similars

Similar characteristics share between MacBook Air 13” 2019 and MacBook 12” 2017.

Similar CPU performance

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

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
MacBook 12” 2017 - Intel Core i7-7Y75
1,470
MacBook 12” 2017 - Intel Core i5-7Y54
1,457
MacBook Air 13” 2019 - Intel Core i5-8210Y
1,455
MacBook 12” 2017 - Intel Core m3-7Y32
1,423
Supports the same maximum memory size of up to 16GB

Both laptops supports up to 16GB of system memory.

Max system memory size
MacBook Air 13” 2019
16 GB
MacBook 12” 2017
16 GB

Prices

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

MacBook Air 13” 2019 Price
Apple MacBook Air (13-inch Retina display, 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, 128GB) - Space Gray (Renewed)
Apple MacBook Air (13-inch Retina display, 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, 128GB) - Space Gray (Renewed)
By Apple
$370.28
2019 Apple MacBook Air with 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD Storage) Space Gray (Renewed)
2019 Apple MacBook Air with 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD Storage) Space Gray (Renewed)
By Apple
$389.42
Mid 2019 Apple MacBook Air with 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 (13 inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB) Silver (Renewed)
Mid 2019 Apple MacBook Air with 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 (13 inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB) Silver (Renewed)
By Apple
$424.56
$472.00 10% OFF
MacBook 12” 2017 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
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
$399.99
Apple MacBook 12in Retina 2017 (Newest Version) 256GB SSD / 8GB RAM - Space Gray (Renewed)
Apple MacBook 12in Retina 2017 (Newest Version) 256GB SSD / 8GB RAM - Space Gray (Renewed)
By Apple
$379.97

Availability

MacBook Air 13” 2019MacBook 12” 2017
Released20192017
Release Date
  • Available on June 27, 2019
  • Announced on June 5, 2017
  • Available on June 7, 2017
Pricing
  • $1,099
    Intel Core i5 8210Y | 8GB RAM | 128GB SSD
  • $1,299
    Intel Core i5 8210Y | 8GB RAM | 256GB SSD
  • $1,299
    Intel Core m3-7Y32 | 8GB RAM | 256GB SSD
  • $1,599
    Intel Core m5-7Y54 | 8GB RAM | 512GB SSD
Generations-

Exterior

MacBook Air 13” 2019MacBook 12” 2017
Dimensions11.97” x 8.36” x 0.16 - 0.61” (304.1 mm x  212.4 mm x 4.1 – 15.6 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 2.75 pounds (1.25 kg)Starting at 2.03 pounds (920 g)
Colors
Gold Space Gray Silver
Silver Space Gray Gold Rose Gold
Keyboard and TrackpadBacklit Magic 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) 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

Display

MacBook Air 13” 2019MacBook 12” 2017
Size13.3 Inches12 Inches
InfoRetina display
  • 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2560-by-1600 native resolution at 227 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
  • Supported scaled resolutions:
    • 1680 by 1050
    • 1440 by 900
    • 1024 by 640
  • 16:10 aspect ratio
  • True Tone technology
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 13” 2019MacBook 12” 2017
Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB‑C) ports with support for:
  • Charging
  • DisplayPort
  • Thunderbolt (up to 40Gb/s)
  • USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10Gb/s)
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 13” 2019MacBook 12” 2017
Processor
  1. 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-8210Y
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.60 → 3.60 GHz, 4MB SmartCache, 7W
  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
Integrated Graphics
  1. 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-8210Y
    Intel® UHD Graphics 617
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 1050 MHz
  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
Memory
8GB
Configurable to 16GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
8GB
Configurable to 16GB 1866 MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
Discrete GraphicsSupport for Thunderbolt 3–enabled external graphics processors (eGPUs)-
Storage
128GB 256GB
Configurable to 512GB or 1TB SSD
256GB 512GB
PCIe-based onboard SSD.

Connectivity

MacBook Air 13” 2019MacBook 12” 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 4.2 wireless technologyBluetooth 4.0 wireless technology

Battery

MacBook Air 13” 2019MacBook 12” 2017
Size49.9 Wh lithium‑polymer battery41.4 Wh lithium‑polymer battery
Battery Life
  • Up to 12 hours wireless web
  • Up to 13 hours Apple TV app video playback
  • Up to 30 days of standby time
  • Up to 10 hours of wireless web
  • Up to 12 hours of iTunes movie playback
  • Up to 30 days of standby time
Power Supply30W USB‑C Power Adapter29W USB-C Power Adapter

Software

MacBook Air 13” 2019MacBook 12” 2017
OSShipped with macOS MojaveShipped with macOS High Sierra
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 Music Podcasts TV Books App Store Time Machine Find My QuickTime Player
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 Air 13” 2019MacBook 12” 2017
Camera720p FaceTime HD camera480p FaceTime HD camera
Audio
  • Stereo speakers
  • Three microphones
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack
  • Stereo speakers
  • Dual microphones
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack

Misc

MacBook Air 13” 2019MacBook 12” 2017
Sensors
  • Touch ID sensor
  • Ambient light sensor
-
Security
  • Touch ID sensor
  • Apple T2 Security Chip
-
In the box
  • MacBook Air
  • 30W USB‑C Power Adapter
  • USB-C Charge Cable (2 m)
  • MacBook
  • 29W USB-C Power Adapter
  • USB-C Charge Cable (2 m)
WarrantyYour MacBook Air comes with 90 days of complimentary technical support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase AppleCare+ to extend your coverage to three years from your AppleCare+ purchase date and add up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $99 for screen damage or external enclosure damage, or $299 for other repairable damage, plus applicable tax.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
  • Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at millions of colors and:
    • One external display with 5120-by-2880 resolution at up to 60Hz
    • Up to two external displays with 4096-by-2304 resolution at up to 60Hz
     
  • Thunderbolt 3 digital video output
    • Native DisplayPort output over USB‑C
    • VGA, HDMI, and Thunderbolt 2 output using adapters (sold separately)
Video 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

Key Features

MacBook Air 13” 2019MacBook 12” 2017
At Glance
Released in Mid
2019
16:10 WQXGA
13.3”
1600p 60Hz
Weight
2.75 lb
1.25 kg
Powered By
Intel Core i5-8210Y
2C/4T, 1.60 → 3.60 GHz
Geekbench 5
728
Single Core
Geekbench 5
1,455
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® UHD Graphics 617
24 Execution Units, 300 → 1050 MHz
Up to
16GB
2133 MHz LPDDR3
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

Comparison Summary

MacBook Air 13” 2019 vs. MacBook 12” 2017

Apple has released the MacBook Air 13” 2019, a 13.3-inch machine, in mid-2019. It is powered by a dual-core Intel Core i5-8210Y with a boost clock speed up to 3.60 GHz. The laptop has an integrated graphics option up to Intel® UHD Graphics 617 (24 Execution Units, 300 → 1050 MHz).

On the other hand, we have the 12-inch MacBook 12” 2017 was introduced by Apple about two years earlier in mid-2017. It comes with up to a dual-core Intel Core i7-7Y75 with a boost clock speed up to 3.60 GHz. It has an integrated graphics option up to Intel® HD Graphics 615 (24 Execution Units, 300 → 1050 MHz).

Geekbench 5 Single Core

MacBook Air 13” 20191
8th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-8210Y728100.00%
MacBook 12” 20171
7th Gen Intel® Core™ m3-7Y3265890.38%
2
7th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-7Y5467192.17%
3
7th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-7Y7571498.08%
0728

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

MacBook Air 13” 20191
8th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-8210Y1,45598.98%
MacBook 12” 20171
7th Gen Intel® Core™ m3-7Y321,42396.80%
2
7th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-7Y541,45799.12%
3
7th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-7Y751,470100.00%
01,470

The MacBook Air 13” 2019 has a 13.3-inch display which is slightly larger than the 12-inch MacBook 12” 2017. In addition, the MacBook Air 13” 2019 weighs 2.75 lbs. about 35% heavier than the 2.03 lbs. MacBook 12” 2017. Moreover, measured at 11.97” x 8.36” x 0.61”, the MacBook Air 13” 2019 is considerably bulkier than the MacBook 12” 2017 at 11.04” x 7.74” x 0.52”.

MacBook Air 13” 2019MacBook 12” 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.

Comments

Ask questions or share your thought and experience about the comparison between MacBook Air 13” 2019 and MacBook 12” 2017.

Loading Comments...