Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) vs Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14: Which Laptop Should You Buy?
Quick Verdict
The Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) scores 8.5 versus 8.4 for the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14, making it the stronger all-rounder. The Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) is the cheaper option at $1,349. Choose based on the use cases below: the MacBook Air 13 (M4) leads overall, while the Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 can still be the better pick for specific needs.
Key Differences
- Faster overall: Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) (Geekbench multi 14,800 vs 11,000).
- Longer battery: Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) (18h vs 15h web).
- Lighter: Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 (1.23 kg vs 1.24 kg).
- Display: IPS (Liquid Retina) (Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4)) vs AMOLED (Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14).
- Cheaper: Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) (saves about $300 CAD).
MacBook Air 13 (M4) vs Galaxy Book5 Pro 14: Full Breakdown
Performance: the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) is the stronger performer, posting a multi-core Geekbench score of 14,800 against 11,000 for the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 — roughly 35% faster in CPU-heavy work like exports and compiling. In our 1080p gaming suite, the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) averaged 34 FPS versus 30 FPS. The Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) is the better pick if you game or edit video.
Battery and portability: the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) lasts longer away from a charger, running 18 hours in our web-browsing test versus 15 hours. The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 is also easier to carry at 1.23 kg versus 1.24 kg, which matters if you commute or travel.
Display: the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) uses a 13.6-inch IPS (Liquid Retina) panel (2560 x 1664, 60Hz), while the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 has a 14-inch AMOLED panel (2880 x 1800, 120Hz). The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 measured brighter at 502 nits, and covered 100% of DCI-P3 — relevant for outdoor use and colour work.
Price and value: the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) is the cheaper option in Canada, about $300 less than the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14. Weighed against our test scores (8.5 vs 8.4 overall), the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) offers the better value for the money, while the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) is the stronger laptop outright if budget is not the deciding factor.
For the complete testing data, read our full Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) review and Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 review.
Where these laptops rank
Both the MacBook Air 13 (M4) and the Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 feature in these BestLaptop.ca rankings:
Winner by Use Case
Specs & Scores Comparison
| Spec | MacBook Air 13 (M4) | Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.5 ✓ | 8.4 |
| Price (CAD) | $1,349 ✓ | $1,649 |
| CPU | Apple M4 (10-core) | Intel Core Ultra 7 258V |
| GPU | Apple M4 GPU (8-core) | Intel Arc 140V (integrated) |
| RAM | 16GB Unified LPDDR5x | 16GB LPDDR5x |
| Storage | 256GB | 512GB ✓ |
| Display | 13.6" IPS (Liquid Retina) | 14" AMOLED |
| Brightness | 476 nits | 502 nits ✓ |
| Battery (web) | 18 h ✓ | 15 h |
| Weight | 1.24 kg | 1.23 kg ✓ |
| Geekbench multi | 14,800 ✓ | 11,000 |
| Gaming (1080p) | 34 fps ✓ | 30 fps |
| OS | macOS | Windows 11 |
| Warranty | 1-year limited (AppleCare+ available) | 1-year limited |
Which Should You Buy?
The Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) scores 8.5 versus 8.4 for the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14, making it the stronger all-rounder. The Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) is the cheaper option at $1,349. Choose based on the use cases below: the MacBook Air 13 (M4) leads overall, while the Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 can still be the better pick for specific needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I buy the MacBook Air 13 (M4) or the Galaxy Book5 Pro 14?
The Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) scores 8.5 versus 8.4 for the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14, making it the stronger all-rounder. The Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) is the cheaper option at $1,349. Choose based on the use cases below: the MacBook Air 13 (M4) leads overall, while the Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 can still be the better pick for specific needs.
Which is better for school?
The Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) is the better choice for school.
Which is better for business?
The Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) is the better choice for business.
Which is better for gaming?
The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 is the better choice for gaming.
Which is better for multimedia?
The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 is the better choice for multimedia.
Which is better for programming?
The Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) is the better choice for programming.
Which is better for travel?
The Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) is the better choice for travel.
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