How to pick the best MacBook so you're not overspending for what you don't need

Apple has five MacBook computers to choose from, which might be a little daunting if you're in the market for a new laptop as we hit back-to-school season. There's the new MacBook Air, for example, but Apple also sells its older 2020 MacBook Air. Then there are three different MacBook Pro computers to pick from.

Your choice will depend on what you use your laptop for and your budget. Here's what you need to know about each available MacBook and how to pick the best one for you.

The 2020 MacBook Air is the cheapest MacBook sold by Apple. It runs on an M1 chip and costs $999. But it's still a great computer. It's powerful enough to handle the things most people need but is slower for tasks like video editing.

The 2020 MacBook Air has a similar18-hour battery life to the 2022 MacBook Air.

You miss out on a few features in this year's upgrade, which we'll talk about next. But this should be your go-to if you "just need a computer."

This is the best MacBook for most people.

Apple's newest $1,199 MacBook Air uses the latest M2 chip and received a total redesign and is thinner than ever.

The latest MacBook Air has MagSafe charging. That's the small magnetic charging cable that pops onto the side and easily pops back out. So, if you trip on the cord, the whole MacBook won't fall off your desk. You can also charge the laptop using one of two Thunderbolt USB C ports. You can fast charge it up to 50% in 30 minutes if you buy Apple's 67-watt charger for $59.

This MacBook is the most portable model, weighing just 2.7 pounds. The 2020 Air weighs 2.8 pounds. The screen display is slightly larger at 13.6-inches. But, the newest MacBook Air has a fan, so it might not be as quiet as the earlier model if you start to edit video or really load it up.

The sound quality also got an upgrade. The M2 MacBook Air has two additional speakers, for a total of four, making movies and music sound fuller. And the slightly bigger at 13.6-inches and its webcam has been upgraded from 720p to full 1080p HD.

If you spend an extra $200 on the newest MacBook Air, you get faster charging, a better webcam, better speakers and a newer design. This model also has more than enough processing speed for the average user.

The new MacBook Pro is a little confusing. It's a step-up from the MacBook Air. But it has the newest M2 processor which isn't as powerful as the older M1 Pro or M1 Max processors found in the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros.

The 2022 version runs on the M2 chip, has 20 hours of battery life and is the only MacBook with a Touch Bar, the little strip that runs above the keyboard that you can use to scroll through photos, skip or pause/play media and more. The Pro also has better speakers and a higher-end display than what you'll find on the MacBook Airs.

It uses MagSafe charging like the 2022 MacBook Air, but it has a feature called Active Cooling that uses a pair of fans, actively drawing in cool air and forcing out the hot air, which is an improvement from the Air. That helps it handle heavier tasks like more advanced video editing.

The Pro is slightly heavier at 3-pounds and its screen is slightly smaller at 13.3-inches. Overall, if you're using a high powered function like video editing, or photo editing, the processor and the graphic performance are noticeably different on the 2022 MacBook Pro.

Get these if you need the most power possible in a MacBook.

Apple launched the $1,999 14-inch and $2,499 16-inch MacBook Pro models last year, finally bringing back features like an SD card reader, a full HDMI port for adding another display and more.

They have the best screens available in a MacBook, with high refresh rates so everything looks smooth when you're scrolling through a website, for example. They support up to two additional monitors instead of just one like the MacBook Airs. And, most importantly, they can be configured with M1 Pro or M1 Max chips, which are more powerful than the M2 chip in Apple's other computers. At least until we hear about Apple's M2 Pro or Max plans.

So, if you're doing heavy video editing, or just love high-end screens and lots of ports, then these are for you. Just expect to pay more.