Compared to PCs, the world of laptops seems to be far more diverse and full of options. When it comes to high-performance, durability, and portability, MacBooks are a step ahead of all other competitors. Based on Apple’s proprietary macOS, MacBooks bring a lot to the table, including some caveats. Let’s explore the world of MacBooks and see which one might just be the right one for you. 

Choosing the Right MacBook: What to Consider? 

MacBook models are limited to either Air or Pro. But it’s easy to guess the internal spec dimensions considering the price difference between an entry-level MacBook Air and a maxed-out MacBook Pro. While an entry-level M1 MacBook Air Costs 999 USD, a maxed-out MacBook Pro will set back the user an eye-watering 6,499 USD. So before jumping for a model, it's important to understand what should be the buying criteria for MacBooks. 

Performance 

In general, MacBooks are always known for their efficient and reliable performance thanks to the highly optimized hardware and macOS. With the addition of the Apple silicone M1, the efficiency and performance took a staggering jump, leaving competitions miles back. 

So for most people, the entry-level MacBook Air would be more than enough. But for professionals, there are specialized features in different MacBook models. It’ll be discussed in detail in the latter part. 

Read More: Laptop Buyer’s Guide: How to choose the right one

Price 

The price of a MacBook varies substantially. Each new feature from the preceding model or the base model will have a slight price increment. It might get a bit confusing. But the best approach would be to fix a certain budget and performance parameter first and then look for the models that best match the plan. 

Battery Life 

Ever since Apple made the switch to M1, the battery life has significantly increased, not that the MacBook had a bad battery before. An entry-level MacBook Air will easily last 8 to 12 hours of continued use. Larger and Pro models will have an even better battery life. 

Screen Size

Speaking of large, MacBook usually comes in either 13-inch, 14-inch, or 16-inch displays. Each incremental screen size brings better display tech with the highest ones reserved for the 16-inch Pro models. For compact users, the 13-inch models can be an easy choice. But for professionals, the 14 or 16-inch might be the one to go for. 

Upgradability 

Lastly, consider whether there is any need for regular upgrades. MacBooks are highly reliable machines with top-notch performance, even if they become a few years old. The new gen M2 processors are so far ahead that even 2 or 3 years down the line, the performance difference with the competition will be hard to notice. So rather than thinking of MacBooks as just another laptop, think of them as an investment. 

Read More: Used Laptop, PC Buyer Guide: What to look for before buying

Best MacBooks in Bangladesh 

Now let’s look at all the available models of MacBooks in Bangladesh. Apple doesn’t have its own outlet in Bangladesh, so the select models are available through their distributors in the country. 

Best MacBook Under Tk 2 Lakh

MacBook Air M1 – "The Budget MacBook" 

The Air M1 was first released in November 2020. At 999 dollars, it wasn’t exactly a budget laptop in the market. But what it brought for that price was far beyond anything on offer from the likes of Dell or HP at that time. 

Users can choose between 8 or 16 GB RAM options with SSD ranging from 256 GB to 2 TB. For budget buyers, the 8/256 GB configuration will be more than enough.

The Air M1 isn’t really much different from its predecessor, design-wise. But the improved webcam, performance, and the staggering 14 hours of battery life on standard use make the M1 an easy recommendation for a budget buyer, even in 2023.

The only downside would be the lack of port options. Users will only get two lightning ports and a headphone jack, and that’s about it. Also, the relatively thick all-around bezel might be a deterrent for many. 

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But for its price, it’s almost impossible to match something in terms of performance and sheer value proposition. The current price of the MacBook Air M1 base model is around 106,000 BDT. 

MacBook Air M2 – "The Best Overall" for Most People 

The Air M2 from Apple has been all about revolutionizing everything else from the M1 gen. The front of the laptop isn’t tapered anymore, nor are there thick bezels on the screen. Instead, the outer design feels more in line with the Pro models with the introduction of the notch display on the device. 

The ports have also been updated, along with the return of the fan-favorite MagSafe for charging. 

The Air M2 also pushes the boundaries of performance even further. With the updated display and processing power, the M2 offers a minor processing jump from the previous Air M1 model. It’s perfect and, frankly, and overkill for students as well as moderate professionals.

Read more: Business Laptop Buyer Guide with Price Ranges in Bangladesh 

The price has seen an increment, moving to 1,199 USD for the base 8/256 GB model. But it is still an easy recommendation. The laptop is available in the Bangladeshi market for around 142,000 BDT. 

MacBook Pro M2 2022 – "The Fastest Everyday Laptop" 

The update of the MacBook Air M2 in terms of design didn’t quite trickle down to the Pro M2. The last 13-inch Pro model from Apple still uses the previous design with chunkier bezels and port shortages. 

However, the updated M2 chip on the integrated 8-core or 10-core GPU means that the Pro M2 is the fastest day-to-day laptop money can buy. It’s also priced very competitively with the Air M2. The only contention of choice here would be a faster device vs a more modern design. 

As the name suggests, the Pro M2 is perfect for professionals. It offers excellent battery life, faster video rendering and graphics processing. But most general users won’t need this level of power to begin with. 

Read More: Best Budget Laptops for Students in Bangladesh under 25000 Taka 

The current price of the MacBook Air M2 for the base 8/256 GB model is around 154,000 BDT. 

Best MacBook Under Tk 3 Lakh

MacBook Pro M2 Pro 14-inch 2023 – "The Fastest Pro Laptop" 

Call it a genius marketing ploy, but Apple has released an updated Pro M2 laptop with the new design language introduced on the Air M2. Now the base models start at 14 inches with another option available at 16 inches. And the most hyped change? Switch to the M2 Pro from the regular M2 chip. 

The most notable improvement is on the display and the battery. The 14-inch MacBook has a sharper and crisper XDR display (120 Hz) which is larger than the previous model but still holds the same overall form factor. There have also been improvements to the keyboard, Dolby Atmos speakers, and an updated 1080P webcam. The extra port with MagSafe is also another welcome addition. 

So who is this for? Well, it's for the same Pro M2 2022 users, except those ready to splash some extra on the latest and greatest offering. The base model M2 Pro comes with a 10 core CPU, 16 Core integrated GPU and a 16-core neural engine.

Read More: PC Games of 2023: 10 Most Anticipated Games for Desktops, Laptops 

The MacBook Pro M2 Pro 14-inch base model (16/512 GB) is priced at Tk 220,000. 

Best MacBook Under Tk 4 Lakh

MacBook Pro M2 Pro 16 inch – "For the Creative Professionals" 

The 16-inch MacBook Pro for 2023 sits comfortably between “more than enough” and “all-out ultimate” options. Here’s why. 

The 16-inch MacBook Pro uses a 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU M2 Pro chip which has better processing capabilities compared to the 14-inch model. The base storage option also starts with 32 GB RAM and 512 GB of SSD. The keyboard and the display are the same as the 14 inch one but the speaker grill on the 16 inch has been considerably widened thanks to the large body. 

The 16-inch is the perfect choice for creative professionals for two reasons – it offers an excellent battery life of up to 15 hours of continued usage and a stellar ProMotion 120 Hz display for an accurate color reproduction. 

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The 16-inch MacBook is nothing to joke around with its cinema-level editing power and high rendering capabilities. For most creative professionals, the 16-inch Macbook would be the ideal choice. 

The price of the MacBook Pro 16-inch is around Tk 352,000. 

MacBook Pro M2 Max 16 Inch – "The Ultimate MacBook" Money Can Buy 

When brands push forward with frontier tech, the inevitable question comes up, where is the limit? While there is no end to innovation, Apple seems to have found its ultimate crown jewel with the MacBook Pro M2 Max. 

Everything from the display, keyboard, speakers, and the overall form factor and design are the same as the M2 Pro MacBook. What’s changed is the internal processor, and it has changed to unprecedented numbers for a laptop. 

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The M2 Max uses a 12 core CPU, 38-core GPU, and 16-core neural engine. The memory bandwidth has literally been doubled to 400 GB/s from the M2 Pro. This insane number and processing power is like a high level of future-proofing because users would be hard-pressed to find tasks that might utilize the full power of the M2 Max today. To put it this way, calling the M2 Max MacBook "an overkill" would be an understatement. 

Even hardline professionals will not need this much processing power anytime soon. But for anyone who likes to have it, the M2 Max is there in all its glory. The base model starts at 32/512 GB variant. 

The price of the MacBook Pro M2 Max is 396,499 BDT for the base model. 

Final Words 

The MacBook has always been a reliable solution for everyday usage. While the gaming option is very limited on the MacBook, it can be expected that Apple might make use of its silicon’s might to venture into gaming in the future.

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Till then, the MacBooks are strictly utilitarian laptops with performance and portability at their core. For most users, any of the M1 or M2 MacBook Air would more than suffice. For professionals, the choice will split between M2 Pro 14-inch or 16-inch models. And if the crazy spec is the goal, then there’s an M2 Max MacBook Pro to hit it out of the park.