We're beyond the point of processors (and graphics for that matter) really mattering for the typical things most home and business users use computers for. A modern 1.6 dual core isn't going to surf the web, stream/playback digital media, run MS Office any differently than an 8-core i9 or whatever.

I'd say the MacBook Air's standard ~1.5 GB/s drive is far more important in performance compared to less expensive machine's they're usually compared to. High res good quality screens, all metal construction, and great battery life are really important to a lot of users - the vast majority of the market, I'd venture to guess - not even mentioning the benefits of the OS for -most- users.

I use both PC's and Macs. Each have their place. For the serious gamer, yes I'd say a PC is a better choice. For my ham radio station logging/rig control computer, a PC is the better choice for me. For my daily web browsing/email/calanders/MS Office use, I'll take my MacBook Air for that. For the video editor, graphics designer, musician, AudoCad/SolidWorks/3DS Max, etc., user? Each perform well and have their advantages/disadvantages. Many choose Macs, many choose PCs, and neither is the wrong choice.

The upcoming Mac Pro is a monster of a workstation and I think will offer more performance for the $$ than comparable workstation-class PC's for many professional users though, as the old Mac Pro did in it's day, and as the iMac Pro did as well.