MacBook Air M3 REVIEW - Watch Before You Buy... [M1 vs M2 vs M3] 

MacBook Air 13 w/M2 that I don't plan to upgrade any time soon and a M3 Max (16 core CPU / 40 core GPU) that I use for all my heavy tasks. Between those two devices, I can do everything I need to.

HP Envy x360 w/ R7 4700u, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD. This laptop is just shy of 3 years old and I've already had the SSD fail amongst other issues. I'll be upgrading to the 13" M3 w/ 16GB and 512GB RAM for the processor spec bump and build quality.

Great video, I have the M1 MacBook Air. Fits my needs perfectly.

Lenovo legion 5 pro. Awesome game laptop but I’m looking for something smaller too. I’m really interest in the Mac air.

Macbook Pro 15 inch intel 2018 :')

I actually just got an M1 air and I think it'll last me a very long time. Love it!

Same here. For my usage it's still more than plenty of power

Same here, 16+512 M1 Air bought on almost day 1, my most heavily used device for both work and leisure, best return on investment I guess

I’m still trying to figure out what the case is for upgrading from the M1 to the M3 Air. The issue is the single vs dual nand and internal memory speed. This is a problem in the M2 Air which makes the M2-to-M3 upgrade more compelling. For Air use cases, the dual external screen capability isn’t amazing.

My M1 MBA still rocks! I won't take an M2 (overclocked M1), or M3 (expensive, and tends to overheat and that's not good in a fanless Air.). If I were to get a new laptop today, I'll either pick up a refurb M1 MBA, or a discounted M1 from an independent retailer.

Chap was right: Apple wants you to *subscribe* to iCloud. They squeeze you with piddly on-board memory and storage in order to motivate you towards dropping cash monthly for cloud storage.

any memory you get from apple is robbery. Give my my 2011 macbook air back Apple maybe pushing you guys, but they ain't touching me.

It depends what you use it for. I've bought a 15" Air M3 as a secondary machine. I work at home on an M2 Pro Mac mini with 3 monitors most of the time. I run my business on that. I don't edit videos and only go as far as a bit of tinkering with holiday photos. The base spec Air is my 'armchair' machine - when I don't want to work at the desk all the time. The memory management of the M series chips is great - even if the Air is swopping from RAM to SSD - the only way I know is by checking Activity Monitor. But its not like the old days of separate components when data was being written to an old hard drive. For some, like me, a base spec laptop works just fine.

RAM ain't cheap buddy

@@jesperhammarlund300 If Ram ain't cheap it would be across the board, but its only Apple who charges over and above

and to think that was only once possible in standalone costly microphones.

I have this feature already in my M2 15" MacBook air

@@jroscom I never even knew it had it, I have an m2 pro, assuming I have it too lol

Yes been using that since last year on my iphone . Have been a lifesaver …

You will come back and say the same in 2060😂

Especialy at $1000 and you should atleast get 1 TB storage and 16 GB ram

256 as well, unacceptable

I don't think 8gb in 2024 is unacceptable in general. I think people who buy Macbook Air will do fine with 8gb. But, at the price of over $1000 it is unacceptable. What's even more unacceptable is the upgrade to 16GB is $200.

The quantity of ram doesn’t really matter if system, OS and apps are refined and optimised. 8 is plenty for most people and most usage. 4k with tons of effects or 8K video editing could be a problem with just 8gb of ram. Even there, there is detected encoding chips embedded since M1, if I’m correct. If you have those intensive need, go for a pro macs or studio In gaming too 8 is correct, but let’s be honest most games are not optimised at release and sometimes even after a year… and come on, who game hard on mac ? 8gb is enough for 99% of usages and customers. Want more, don’t buy MacBook air

Very!

@@Thetechchap Very nice job illustrating the isolation...I doubt any other reviewer will do that, but it was pretty viseral if Im honest. Great job!

Great intel. Does M2 have noise isolation? Should I return M2 15 16/1tb 1 bought for 1500 for m3 15 16/512 at 1600? Like that I'd get 2 more years of OS support

You mean no plans to downgrade. Yeah nobody has plans to downgrade TBH.

Iv got the same. Still going. But I have never really used it that much.

I would upgrade, but i just cannot justify the "AI" stuff they are putting into it. The only thing i am glad is they kept the same price tag :) as the M1.

Glad it was helpful!

I wish I waited. I got still in box 15 M2 16/1tb that was on sale for 1500. M3 15 16/512 at 1600 is very tempting

Absolutely!

I got my new m2 air 16/256 at 1463 USD 5 months back

pf man, that's a great deal such a price in my country is for a macbook air m2 8gb/256gb i dont like it

Where are u from ?

Same here,I love it

Not at all. They’re going to be making computers every year. Why shouldn’t each year get the best silicon?

Man cares about the environment

It’s good for simpler 4k projects, but it’s very capable and a lot cheaper than a m3 pro MBP 14/16. So yes it’s good enough

Hardware limitation on the M chip. No way around it.

Ha - yeah I know what you mean!