I have an M3 MBA 15” in Starlight sitting in the box. Can’t decide if I should exchange for Silver/SG, or keep it. Want some opinions.

[aarono2690]

Scored an M3 MBA 15 16gb/512gb for $1,222. Got it by price matching online and the competitor I price matched only had Starlight in stock so the Best Buy rep made me buy it in Starlight. When I picked it up I asked the clerk if I had the ability to exchange for a different color before the return period ends and she said yes.

I’ve watched a bunch of comparison videos, looked at them in person, etc and frankly I’m stuck. I realize color choice is subjective, but I plan to use this laptop for 6+ years so I want to make sure I pick the right one. This would be my first Macbook.

Here is where I am at:

Starlight

Unique/interesting
Can pass as Silver if sitting by itself

Silver

Iconic
Hides damage/scratches well

Space Gray

Professional and subdued



Can anyone offer insight on their choice and why? Any regrets going with the color you ultimately chose?

 

[Apple_Robert]

The fact that you are conflicted tells me you need to get Space Gray (given your post).

 

[hch720]

get gray if you want to be bored forever

 

[Isamilis]

The bigger the darker the better. Vote for SG.

 

[TechRunner]

You can never go wrong with silver. I would get that as my first MacBook.

 

[Basic75]

You'll hopefully spend more time looking at the screen than at the rest of the laptop. It doesn't matter.

 

[kschendel]

Nothing wrong with silver (yawn). Space Grey is IMO for people who can't commit all the way to Midnight.

Stick with the Starlight, it's different. Or trade it for the Midnight, unless you are OCD about fingerprints. (I have Midnight and it's not as bad as some make it out to me, at least IMO.)

 

[aarono2690]

Nothing wrong with silver (yawn). Space Grey is IMO for people who can't commit all the way to Midnight.

Stick with the Starlight, it's different. Or trade it for the Midnight, unless you are OCD about fingerprints. (I have Midnight and it's not as bad as some make it out to me, at least IMO.)

Honestly of the bunch, Midnight did the least for me. Didn’t much care for it as a color and add in the finger prints? No way Jose.

 

[aarono2690]

Starting to get sold on the idea of keeping the starlight. The more comparison videos I see the more unique it appears. Very subtle and not obnoxious as the old Gold color, but interesting enough to not be boring.

 

[Saturn007]

Had the silver for years; industrial and found it commonplace, or even cheap looking. Like those metallic shiny kitchen appliances. Out of place in a home.

Went to space grey; wonderful contrasts with colors on the screen, good-looking, calming.

Picked up a *Starlight* 15” M2 MBA during Black Friday from Best Buy. Did it for a change, but was concerned because 1) Starlight looked like silver in many photos and 2) the gold color used in Macs and i-devices has struck me as garish.

Happily surprised! Not silver or gold, but professional, inviting.

N.B. The colors in the stores are deceiving — sitting under bright fluorescent lights, the cases look different from what natural light, sunlight, or home lighting shows.

I'm pleased with Starlight. But, most critically, the screen is what counts. Large, beautiful, captivating. It's gorgeous and, especially, shows off photos well. The desktop background photos, rotating deep space astronomy, are superb.

One quickly focuses on the display and not the case. With the bezels being so small compared to the old MBAs, and the screen being large, the case color matters much less. It's only when it's sitting closed on a table or desk that one notices it.

So, long-term, the case color fades into the background.

Given that you're warming up to it, keep the Starlight!

Besides, if the laptop is good otherwise — no defects, screen and keyboard good — exchanging it could, albeit unlikely, lead to one that isn't as perfect!

One final thing. Keeping it means no hassle with an exchange. Notwithstanding what the clerk said, it could be that they won't let you exchange it for a different color! She may have said that to get the sale!

Enjoy your new Mac!

 

[aarono2690]

Had the silver for years; industrial and found it commonplace, or even cheap looking. Like those metallic shiny kitchen appliances. Out of place in a home.

Went to space grey; wonderful contrasts with colors on the screen, good-looking, calming.

Picked up a *Starlight* 15” M2 MBA during Black Friday from Best Buy. Did it for a change, but was concerned because 1) Starlight looked like silver in many photos and 2) the gold color used in Macs and i-devices has struck me as garish.

Happily surprised! Not silver or gold, but professional, inviting.

N.B. The colors in the stores are deceiving — sitting under bright fluorescent lights, the cases look different from what natural light, sunlight, or home lighting shows.

I'm pleased with Starlight. But, most critically, the screen is what counts. Large, beautiful, captivating. It's gorgeous and, especially, shows off photos well. The desktop background photos, rotating deep space astronomy, are superb.

One quickly focuses on the display and not the case. With the bezels being so small compared to the old MBAs, and the screen being large, the case color matters much less. It's only when it's sitting closed on a table or desk that one notices it.

So, long-term, the case color fades into the background.

Given that you're warming up to it, keep the Starlight!

Besides, if the laptop is good otherwise — no defects, screen and keyboard good — exchanging it could, albeit unlikely, lead to one that isn't as perfect!

One final thing. Keeping it means no hassle with an exchange. Notwithstanding what the clerk said, it could be that they won't let you exchange it for a different color! She may have said that to get the sale!

Enjoy your new Mac!

Great response. My biggest fear with Starlight is that it'd be one of those fad colors. I'm not concerned about it looking "feminine" or what have you, more concerned that in 3-4 years I'd be wondering why I picked this color.

This helps ease my fears and I'm like 90% sure I'll keep the Starlight at this point. I need to open the box soon too to ensure it powers on file, no damage, etc.

Also, as you said, Best Buy might not actually let me exchange it. I did get the item in a price match and they may be strict about not offering other colors since that's all Micro Center had at the time.

 

[Elusi]

Not regretted Starlight. Everyone and their dog went for Midnight so this one sticks out more and in a good way.

For my taste it could have been a bit more "golden" but hey it works as-is.

 

[aarono2690]

Not regretted Starlight. Everyone and their dog went for Midnight so this one sticks out more and in a good way.

For my taste it could have been a bit more "golden" but hey it works as-is.

Little OT, but how do you feel having both an iPad Pro M1 and a MBA? I ask because I currently have the same iPad with MKB, iPhone 15 Pro, and a Windows gaming. I like the iPad Pro, but it definitely cannot fully fill that laptop roll.

One upside to the iPad is that it seems to have more app support so I am able to download movies on say the Criterion or Max app watch them on a plane. IIRC a lot of these apps are not available on Silicon MacOS.

 

[Supermallet]

I went for starlight on the 15" MBA and I love it! It's much more subdued than something like rose gold. A very pleasant color.

 

[Elusi]

Little OT, but how do you feel having both an iPad Pro M1 and a MBA? I ask because I currently have the same iPad with MKB, iPhone 15 Pro, and a Windows gaming. I like the iPad Pro, but it definitely cannot fully fill that laptop roll.

One upside to the iPad is that it seems to have more app support so I am able to download movies on say the Criterion or Max app watch them on a plane. IIRC a lot of these apps are not available on Silicon MacOS.

Yeah I actually use the iPad as "just a tablet" and don't even try to live the hybrid laptop life anymore. No pencil, no keyboard. I did try it some years ago and consider the keyboard add-on to be one of my most unnecessary purchases ever.

But for consumption I love it. I think people have somewhat of a negative notation of "consumption device" but really a lot of our digital lives we consume and must do so in order to eventually produce something on our own. It's then really nice to have done that consumption on a high-end tablet. (I love the quad speakers so much!)

On a related note. Tomorrow I'm heading out to a shoot and will be setting up my portable Macbook station to do test-grading and general evaluation of footage. These times it's golden to have Sidecar on that 13" screen about the equivalent of the MBA screen itself. So much portable screen real-estate that is quick to set up and just roll with!

 

[Isamilis]

Little OT, but how do you feel having both an iPad Pro M1 and a MBA? I ask because I currently have the same iPad with MKB, iPhone 15 Pro, and a Windows gaming. I like the iPad Pro, but it definitely cannot fully fill that laptop roll.

One upside to the iPad is that it seems to have more app support so I am able to download movies on say the Criterion or Max app watch them on a plane. IIRC a lot of these apps are not available on Silicon MacOS.

I have 11” iPP with MK and both 15” and 13” MBA. Most of the time, I ended up with 15” MBA for serious work and iPP + MK for travel and light work. The iPP is **very practical** for various use case (except serious work), while 15” have sufficient power and big screen without being too bulky for doing heavy stuff.

 

[aarono2690]

Do you guys all do Applecare on your Macbooks? I have AC on my iPad Pro and iPhone, but never came close to using them.

I plan on getting a Tomtoc bag to store it and will limit eating/drinking by it. The cost of AC + fee for making a claim doesn’t seem worthwhile.