Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) vs Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14
Laptops comparison: specs, VersusAnything Score, key differences and a clear recommendation.
Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) and Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 are two of the most cross-shopped laptops right now, and the gap between them is narrower in some rows and wider in others than the marketing suggests. The 13-inch MacBook Air M4 is Apple's thinnest and most popular laptop, now starting with 16 GB of memory and a 12 MP Center Stage camera. The Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 is a 1.23 kg Windows laptop with a 3K AMOLED touchscreen, Intel Core Ultra 7 256V and tight integration with Galaxy phones.
Quick verdict
Galaxy Book5 Pro scores 58 to MacBook Air M4's 52 on our category weighting, making it the stronger overall pick for Galaxy phone owners who want a light laptop with an AMOLED screen. MacBook Air M4 remains the right call for students and office users who want a silent, long-lasting laptop.
VersusAnything Score
Scores are calculated from measurable specifications normalised within the laptops category and weighted by the factors above. Text-only rows (such as chipset or operating system) are explained but not scored. How the score works.
Side-by-side overview
Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4)
The 13-inch MacBook Air M4 is Apple's thinnest and most popular laptop, now starting with 16 GB of memory and a 12 MP Center Stage camera.
Best for students and office users who want a silent, long-lasting laptop
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14
The Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 is a 1.23 kg Windows laptop with a 3K AMOLED touchscreen, Intel Core Ultra 7 256V and tight integration with Galaxy phones.
Best for Galaxy phone owners who want a light laptop with an AMOLED screen
Key differences
- Screen size: MacBook Air M4 13.6" vs Galaxy Book5 Pro 14" — a preference, not a scored win
- Resolution: MacBook Air M4 2560 x 1664 Liquid Retina (IPS) vs Galaxy Book5 Pro 2880 x 1800 AMOLED touch — a preference, not a scored win
- Processor: MacBook Air M4 Apple M4 (10-core) vs Galaxy Book5 Pro Intel Core Ultra 7 256V — a preference, not a scored win
- Graphics: MacBook Air M4 Integrated 8-core (M4) vs Galaxy Book5 Pro Intel Arc 140V (integrated) — a preference, not a scored win
- Ports: MacBook Air M4 2x Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3, 3.5 mm vs Galaxy Book5 Pro 2x Thunderbolt 4, USB-A, HDMI 2.1, microSD, 3.5 mm — a preference, not a scored win
Specification comparison table
| Specification | MacBook Air M4 | Galaxy Book5 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 13.6" | 14" |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1664 Liquid Retina (IPS) | 2880 x 1800 AMOLED touch |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Weight | 1.24 kg | 1.23 kg |
| Processor | Apple M4 (10-core) | Intel Core Ultra 7 256V |
| RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Base SSD | 256 GB | 512 GB |
| Graphics | Integrated 8-core (M4) | Intel Arc 140V (integrated) |
| Rated battery life | 18 h | 25 h |
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3, 3.5 mm | 2x Thunderbolt 4, USB-A, HDMI 2.1, microSD, 3.5 mm |
| Operating system | macOS | Windows 11 |
| Launch price (USD) | $999 | $1,449 |
Display: MacBook Air M4 vs Galaxy Book5 Pro Score: MacBook Air M4 12 · Galaxy Book5 Pro 59
For screen size, MacBook Air M4 uses 13.6" whereas Galaxy Book5 Pro goes with 14". This is a preference rather than a scored win: a bigger screen helps multitasking but adds bulk to your bag. The two differ on resolution (2560 x 1664 Liquid Retina (IPS) against 2880 x 1800 AMOLED touch), and resolution and panel type decide how sharp text looks and how good the colours are for creative work.
Galaxy Book5 Pro offers 120 Hz of refresh rate while MacBook Air M4 stops at 60 Hz; the 60 Hz gap matters because a higher refresh rate makes scrolling and cursor movement feel smoother.
Portability: MacBook Air M4 vs Galaxy Book5 Pro Score: MacBook Air M4 71 · Galaxy Book5 Pro 76
Galaxy Book5 Pro is better on weight at 1.23 kg against 1.24 kg, a 0.01 kg difference; lower is better because every hundred grams matters if the laptop lives in a backpack.
Performance: MacBook Air M4 vs Galaxy Book5 Pro Score: MacBook Air M4 27 · Galaxy Book5 Pro 38
The two differ on processor (Apple M4 (10-core) against Intel Core Ultra 7 256V), and the processor sets single-core snappiness and multi-core rendering speed. RAM is identical at 16 GB.
Galaxy Book5 Pro leads on base SSD with 512 GB versus 256 GB, a margin of 256 GB. In practice a larger base SSD saves you from paying for an upgrade or carrying an external drive. The two differ on graphics (Integrated 8-core (M4) against Intel Arc 140V (integrated)), and graphics decide whether the laptop can handle gaming and GPU-accelerated video editing.
Battery: MacBook Air M4 vs Galaxy Book5 Pro Score: MacBook Air M4 50 · Galaxy Book5 Pro 94
Galaxy Book5 Pro offers 25 h of rated battery life while MacBook Air M4 stops at 18 h; the 7 h gap matters because the manufacturer's rating is optimistic, but it is still useful for relative comparison.
Ports: MacBook Air M4 vs Galaxy Book5 Pro
The two differ on ports (2x Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3, 3.5 mm against 2x Thunderbolt 4, USB-A, HDMI 2.1, microSD, 3.5 mm), and port selection decides how many dongles you carry.
Value: MacBook Air M4 vs Galaxy Book5 Pro Score: MacBook Air M4 100 · Galaxy Book5 Pro 44
MacBook Air M4: macOS. Galaxy Book5 Pro: Windows 11. Neither is scored, but the OS determines software compatibility and how the laptop fits with your phone.
On launch price (USD), MacBook Air M4 keeps it to $999 while Galaxy Book5 Pro lists $1,449. That $450 edge counts since launch price is the cleanest baseline for value.
Pros and cons
MacBook Air M4
Pros
- Fanless and silent
- 16 GB memory standard
- Up to 18 hours of battery
- Better launch price (USD) ($999)
Cons
- Weaker refresh rate (60 Hz)
- Weaker weight (1.24 kg)
- Weaker base SSD (256 GB)
- Weaker rated battery life (18 h)
Galaxy Book5 Pro
Pros
- 3K AMOLED touchscreen
- Only 1.23 kg
- Galaxy phone integration
- Better launch price (USD) ($1,449)
Cons
- Weaker refresh rate (120 Hz)
- Weaker weight (1.23 kg)
- Weaker base SSD (512 GB)
- Weaker rated battery life (25 h)
Which one should you buy?
Choose Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) for…
Students and office users who want a silent, long-lasting laptop. It stands out for fanless and silent, 16 gb memory standard, up to 18 hours of battery.
Choose Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 for…
Galaxy phone owners who want a light laptop with an AMOLED screen. It stands out for 3k amoled touchscreen, only 1.23 kg, galaxy phone integration.
Final verdict
Galaxy Book5 Pro scores 58 to MacBook Air M4's 52 on our category weighting, making it the stronger overall pick for Galaxy phone owners who want a light laptop with an AMOLED screen. MacBook Air M4 remains the right call for students and office users who want a silent, long-lasting laptop. The VersusAnything Score is a transparent starting point, not a command; weight the rows you care about and the right answer for you may differ.
Compare with another laptop
Frequently asked questions
Is MacBook Air M4 better than Galaxy Book5 Pro?
On the VersusAnything Score, Galaxy Book5 Pro finishes ahead 58 to 52. That makes Galaxy Book5 Pro the better overall pick for Galaxy phone owners who want a light laptop with an AMOLED screen, while MacBook Air M4 is still the right choice for students and office users who want a silent, long-lasting laptop.
What is the biggest difference between MacBook Air M4 and Galaxy Book5 Pro?
The largest gap is screen size: MacBook Air M4 lists 13.6" while Galaxy Book5 Pro lists 14". A bigger screen helps multitasking but adds bulk to your bag.
Which is cheaper, MacBook Air M4 or Galaxy Book5 Pro?
MacBook Air M4 is cheaper on launch price (USD): $999 against $1,449 for Galaxy Book5 Pro. Street prices vary by country and retailer, so check current offers.
Who should choose Galaxy Book5 Pro over MacBook Air M4?
Galaxy Book5 Pro is the better fit for Galaxy phone owners who want a light laptop with an AMOLED screen. Its strongest points are 3k amoled touchscreen, only 1.23 kg, galaxy phone integration.
Sources
- MacBook Air M4: Apple product page (manufacturer)
- Galaxy Book5 Pro: Samsung Galaxy Book page (manufacturer)
Specifications last verified: 2026-10-01. Prices are launch or official list prices in US dollars unless stated. See our sources and data policy.