Isn't the 15" display of the MBA bigger than the 14" of the MBP? That makes the statment "better display quality" of the MBP more fuzzy. I personally prefer a larger display.
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Video Comparison: M3 MacBook Air vs. M3 MacBook Pro
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Whatever you choose, it will be a fine machine for scrolling social media that’s for sure
Biggest drawback for me was the screen. I broke my 2021 MBP 14 just 2 days before the air was announced. After seeing both side by side I couldn't downgrade the visual experience for the sake of marginal portability - even as something that is primarily used by me on the go.
MBA with a better display = sign me up.
MBA with a better display = sign me up.
OK - that makes sense. That said, I might steer you to spending a little extra on a refurb 14" with 16GB and an MxPro series CPU. The additional cost is incremental over the life of the machine and you would have a lot more computer for the money.
With all of that said, I spend a lot of time advocating on these forums that folks don't buy more Mac than they need, and yet here I am recommending you to just that! Therein lies the conundrum for me with this machine. It's just short of greatness in its price/performance envelope. It won't do much more than a base M3 Air which costs a lot less, and with a little extra investment you get a whole lot more.
Well this summer my daugher will be working in the UW's lab analyzing compounds to determine if they might make suitable substrates for a new class new of quantum compute chips... plus her social media visits as well. Me I am fine with a lesser machine. Always good when your child's computing needs exceed by a significant factor your own.
Pros:
- Longer battery life
- Improved screen quality
- Added HDMI port and SD card reader
- Enhanced speakers and microphones
- Increased base storage
Cons:
- Heavier and larger design
- Higher price
The comparison between passive and active cooling appears to be a draw.
Don’t forget a refurb 14” Space Black M3 Pro for $1699 from Apple. That’s a fantastic deal.
The problem of not having fan is that it doesn't last if you demand that power for a long time.
Ding ding ding! Can this comment be pinned right underneath the article?
I've never understood the surprise.... we had smartphones ages before we had fanless Macs.
If a phone can handle exporting a video and get bit warm the thermal offload of a aluminium laptop is much better.
THIS.
I'm a tech nerd on MacRumors and I bought a base spec Air, and I have an iPad Air.... my work stuff is done on my work provide laptop.
99% of the public would like at you dumbfounded if you said 'compile code'.
The irony being that people who produce "long winded videos like this" probably make far more than you do with your "work for a real living."
Judge others less, and worry more about yourself.
Can you please run an experiment? Go to your local Apple Store and ask 20 random customers if they know what you mean by "compiling long code, blender work, and or frequent ffmpeg"
Because only people that compile code and encode videos work for a real living. Forget about doctors, lawyers, teachers, analysts, journalists, ...........these aren't real life jobs with real life tasks.
There are plenty of 14 inch M1 pro's on ebay / marketplace here in Australia for around the 1200 USD mark. As much as I like the air, im temped to go down the second hand route instead.
M3 and M3 Pro/Max models - 14.2" MBP
Liquid Retina XDR display (SDR 600 nits, HDR. 1000 nits sustained, 1600 peak nits)
3024 by 1964 pixels
ProMotion technology for adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz
M3 15.3" MBA
Liquid Retina display (SDR only 500 nits)
2880 by 1864 pixels
It's your choice. For anyone that likes HDR content with superior contrast, more color, be it imagery or videos it's quite an step up even if it is an inch smaller with comparable resolutions IMHO.
As one who previously had an MBP M3 14" with 36GB RAM and 1 TB Hard Drive, I can say that based on my experience, the rated 22-hour battery life does not come anywhere close to what is being marketed. This is based on regular browsing, Microsoft Office products, listening to music, and watching an occasional YT video. I can say that based on my MBA M2 13" with 24GB RAM and 1 TB Hard Drive, the battery life is phenomenal and far exceeds what has been marketed. I can only imagine that the MBA M3" 13" or 15" is the same or better.
Apple should make a 15” with the screen of the Pro and the performance of the Air. I’m sure I don’t need the performance of the Pro, and I’d prefer the lighter/thinner form factor of the Air, but I don’t think I want to give up 120hz, HDR, or the higher resolution of the Pro… 🤔
No I totally get that.
It's just for a lot less money you get similar enough performance with M3 Air. And for not much more you could get a more powerful M2Pro or M3Pro with 16/18GB RAM. I suppose the 'little bit more' could end up breaking the bank and being an unnecessary spend on excess capacity/capability.
I get that people might have their reasons for buying them, it's just as the IT support for friends and family, I would never recommend it to anyone.
I got the MBA 15” M3 16/512 in Midnight Black delivered today and I didn’t even open it, instead brought it back to Best Buy and got instead a 14” MBP M3 16/1TB Silver for $1849. The same configuration on a 15” MBA M3 16/1TB would have been $1899 so to me was a no brainer.
I would like to see this too, as well as putting the 16 inch pro in that chart. I guess you can do that on Apple website, but if they’re gonna do a review, it would be nice to compare it to the 16” as well.
Honestly your looking at only a $300 difference, I’ve spent more that that on a dinner. You’re also future proofing for years to come. I’d rather have the led screen, multiple ports, fan, and extra memory. That’s a no brainer