Very pleased with my M3 Air - because I did it right

[danpass]

and by doing it right I mean:

13in
24gb RAM
1tb SSD
(and space grey)

For about 5 months I built this order, always getting the same result, $1,899.

Then one day the same configuration was $1,699.

Still, I hemmed and hawed lol. About a month more and I finally put in an Apple Finance order. (Apple Card payment plan with no interest).

Perfect weight, great keyboard. I know some people lose their minds about keyboards but I love it.

Perfect size screen.

I would add a USBC to the right side but having a dedicated power port helps when only two USBC ports are available.

It feels about the same weight as my iPad 11 Pro with Magic Keyboard but now I have the Mac OS that I love so much. I never forced iPadOS to work like Mac OS because I knew the limitations. But there were times I needed it to work that way so ultimately I decided that, No just ... No.

This is much better.

For iPad-like things I traded in my Pro 11 and went with the Mini 6.

So if you're on the fence with an Air, it's great but needs to be the higher spec model in my opinion to have the speed and flexibility.

-

 

[Apple_Robert]

Congrats on your new Apple toy. I did the free financing as well with my new M4 MBP.

I had the M2 Air 13" when it first came out and enjoyed it. I like the 13" size a lot.

 

[Ifti]

I also went for the M3 Air. I only use it for basic stuff, like browsing, emails, etc, so went for 16/512 option as I have a more powerful MacBook Pro 16 thats a high spec (64GB/2TB) which is used for more demanding stuff. The MacBook Air has always been a great machine IMO.

 

[Andrey84]

For iPad-like things I traded in my Pro 11 and went with the Mini 6.

Why are you calling iPads "iPad-like things"?

Also, according to Google, iPad Mini has an 8.3-inch screen, not 6-inch?

 

[danpass]

iPads are consumption tools.

And it always amuses me when people try to turn it into a creation tool. iPadOS is too kludgy for that.

The whole "stuffing 10lbs of crap into a 5lb bag" situation.

Those YouTube videos are comical, with all the hoops people jump through, connecting keyboards/mice/trackpads to make an iPad work like a MacBook, and yet it is still sub-optimal.

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The Mini 6, meaning version 6 of the iPad Mini.

-

 

[snipr125]

iPads are consumption tools.

And it always amuses me when people try to turn it into a creation tool. iPadOS is too kludgy for that.

The whole "stuffing 10lbs of crap into a 5lb bag" situation.

Those YouTube videos are comical, with all the hoops people jump through, connecting keyboards/mice/trackpads to make an iPad work like a MacBook, and yet it is still sub-optimal.

-

The Mini 6, meaning version 6 of the iPad Mini.

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I understand what your saying, but an ipad pro/air with magic keyboard and e.g. final cut pro/logic pro is a ‘creation tool’ is it not?

 

[BrianBaughn]

Have you gotten any headaches yet from using the M3 MacBook Air?

 

[geta]

Congrats! That’s a great MBA and your Mini 6 will be a great compliment for it.

 

[danpass]

Have you gotten any headaches yet from using the M3 MacBook Air?

All good. The text size can be adjusted but I went with the smallest.

 

[danpass]

I understand what your saying, but an ipad pro/air with magic keyboard and e.g. final cut pro/logic pro is a ‘creation tool’ is it not?

It's possible. I've even done videos with iMovie and my thumbs.

But Mac OS versions of software are so much more fluid.

 

[elmoss]

No promotion, screen not bright enough, blacks grey, M3 v M4 iPad.

Plus Trading in a 11” pro for a mini 6 is well you know lol

 

[Sami13496]

No promotion, screen not bright enough, blacks grey, M3 v M4 iPad.

Plus Trading in a 11” pro for a mini 6 is well you know lol

B******t.

OP congrats. Great purchase. You buy what you need and like.

 

[GMShadow]

I haven't decided if I'd want a right side USB or an SD reader like the 13" Air used to have.

 

[BrianBaughn]

Well…you've got to get SOME kind of a hub or adapter just to connect a USB-A thumbdrive. I got one with an ethernet port…just in case.

 

[danpass]

I haven't decided if I'd want a right side USB or an SD reader like the 13" Air used to have.

I bought Apple's USB-C SD reader a while back. Works great.

When I got my Macbook 12 i3, a million years ago, I bought Apple's USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter which still works great, though I donated it to mom and it lives full time on her Air 13 M2 that's connected to a keyboard and monitor lol
(bluetooth mouse)

 

[GusBougadis]

Great, enjoy your MacBook Air M3. I have a MacBook Air M1 and it’s the best laptop I’ve ever owned.

 

[TechnoMonk]

iPads are consumption tools.

And it always amuses me when people try to turn it into a creation tool. iPadOS is too kludgy for that.

The whole "stuffing 10lbs of crap into a 5lb bag" situation.

Those YouTube videos are comical, with all the hoops people jump through, connecting keyboards/mice/trackpads to make an iPad work like a MacBook, and yet it is still sub-optimal.

-

The Mini 6, meaning version 6 of the iPad Mini.

-

iPads may be consumption tool or may be pro tool. It depends on who is using for what. For me I went with iPad Pro over MBA. MBA is no good for me. Enjoy your MBA.

 

[TechnoMonk]

No promotion, screen not bright enough, blacks grey, M3 v M4 iPad.

Plus Trading in a 11” pro for a mini 6 is well you know lol

If OP doesn’t need all that, it’s good for them. But yeah personally MBA is no go for my needs, though my family uses a base M2 MBA. Different strokes for different people.