If I buy a new M3 MacBook Air now…and the M4 comes out.

[Momof2.1107]

I'll give you an example.

My wife didn't heed my advice and didn't wait 3 months for the iPhone 15 Pro, and got the 14 Pro. Now she doesn't have Apple Intelligence. I know it's not a huge loss at the moment, but with years to come, maybe this feature will become useful.

I'd personally either get a huge discount on the M3 Air ($500) OR buy a very old 2015 MBP for $100, work on it for 3-4 months, and then get the M4 Air. I definitely wouldn't buy the M3 Air for the full price.

With the 90 days return, if the M4 Air gets released in June (same as M2 was), you'll be very disappointed.

This is why I’m waiting until the M4 Air is released to see if I should make that my first MacBook or the M3, and to also see if I can score a discount.

 

[throAU]

M4 chips are insanely good. I’d say it’s worth the wait if the op can wait.

They are, but all of the M series are insanely good. I have a selection from M1 to M4 Max. If you hold off 6 months for an M4, why not old off 18 months for an M5? At some point you need to commit or go without.

In the 3-6 months you spend "waiting" you could have been using a really nice machine that will easily last you 3-5 years at which point M6 or M7 (or later) will be out.

If you're a MacBook Air customer you're not as performance sensitive (or you'd be buying a Pro) so the non-benchmark difference between M3 and M4 in "general use" will be minimal. In "general use" the difference between my M1 Pro and M4 Max isn't massive outside of benchmarks. It's only when pushed, running the workloads I bought it to be able to handle.

In "general use" (i.e.. the web/video stuff an Air is aimed at) the chances are the battery life on any M series Air will last longer than you need to use the machine for in a single stretch of time.

When Mx+1 comes out, Mx doesn't suddenly become a boat anchor or noticeably bad. You're waiting until at least Mx+3 or later before the upgrade is worth it, in my opinion based on the history so far.

 

[Astuces iOS]

If I buy a M3 MacBook Air now because I need it, and the M4 MacBook Air comes out past the 14 day return window, within 30 days or so will Apple allow an exchange?

Just curious.

So you can just return your Mac after 14 days (the limit) and I would personally wait until m4 since we seams to have a lot of improvements:

- M4 chip (big boost since we have 1-2 extra cpu cores)

- An extra thunderbolt port !

- Better battery (20h!)

- 12mp camera with center stage and deskview

- Thunderbolt 4

- Probably more such as 600 nits !

 

[raythompsontn]

I would personally wait until m4 since we seams (sic) to have a lot of improvements:

No one knows what improvements will be present. All those enhancement are nothing but rumors. Apple will not make the Air too close to the Pro as that would compromise sales. There will obviously be the M4. Beyond that only Apple really knows.

 

[Astuces iOS]

No one knows what improvements will be present. All those enhancement are nothing but rumors. Apple will not make the Air too close to the Pro as that would compromise sales. There will obviously be the M4. Beyond that only Apple really knows.

Yes you I right, I was saying this another day… That’s why the MacBook Air might not get 10 cores CPU… My previous ameliorations are very possible but we wouldn’t get all !

 

[Rogue Coder]

The way Apple has been the last several years, they will most likely release a new processor every 18 months or so. Honestly, if someone is going to wait on the latest, they will always be waiting. I was gifted an M3 15" Air and will never look at the new Macs for the foreseeable future. This M3 is faster than my custom-built Xeon workstation and is dead silent. Personally, I say the best Apple to get is the one you can afford now and not worry about what is coming around the corner.