The MacBook Lineup is a TRAP! M3 MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro
Summary
TLDRThis video compares the new M3 MacBook Air with the M2 model, highlighting that while both are fast, the M3 offers improvements like Wi-Fi 6E and better microphones. The M3's efficiency extends battery life, especially in low power mode, where it outperforms the M2 significantly. The script suggests upgrading RAM for better performance and longevity, recommending 16GB over 8GB. It also advises that for those needing more power or a larger screen, the MacBook Pro offers better value and performance, especially with tasks like video editing.
Takeaways
- 💻 The new M3 MacBook Air is impressive on its own, but its value is diminished when compared to other models in the lineup.
- 🔋 The M3 chip offers about 5% more efficiency compared to the M2, which translates to slightly longer battery life.
- 📈 In low power mode, the M3 MacBook Air outperforms the M2 model by about 15% in Geekbench scores, indicating better performance on limited power.
- 📉 The M2 MacBook Air, while 17% slower than the M3, is still very capable and may not show a noticeable difference in everyday use.
- 🖥️ For those who require a larger screen, the 14-inch MacBook Pro offers more value over the 15-inch MacBook Air due to additional features and better performance.
- 🔌 The M3 MacBook Pro starts at a similar price point to the M2 MacBook Air but includes significant upgrades like a better display and faster performance.
- 💾 Upgrading RAM is recommended for any MacBook Air model, as 8GB can lead to performance bottlenecks and reduced SSD lifespan.
- 🎥 The MacBook Pro is better suited for intensive tasks like video editing and gaming due to its more powerful GPU and fan-cooled design.
- 📱 The MacBook Air's low power mode can double battery life for light tasks, making it more attractive for users who need long-lasting mobility.
- 🌐 Wi-Fi 6E, better microphone, and dual display support are additional features that come with the M3 MacBook Air, enhancing its capabilities in certain scenarios.
Q & A
What is the main issue with the MacBook lineup according to the script?
-The main issue is that the MacBook lineup can feel like a trap, as the more you explore the options, the more you get drawn into considering higher-end models with more features.
Why might someone consider upgrading from an M2 to an M3 MacBook Air?
-One might consider upgrading for features like Wi-Fi 6E, better microphone, dual display support, and the M3 processor, which is about 5% more efficient, potentially offering longer battery life.
How does the performance difference between the M2 and M3 MacBook Air manifest in real-world usage?
-In real-world usage, the performance difference is minimal for everyday tasks, but the M3 shows benefits in low power mode, offering better responsiveness and up to 50% increased battery life for light tasks and video watching.
What is the significance of the M3 MacBook Air's efficiency in low power mode?
-The M3 MacBook Air's efficiency in low power mode is significant because it maintains better performance while consuming less power, which can extend battery life substantially compared to the M2 model.
Why is upgrading RAM important when considering a new MacBook Air?
-Upgrading RAM is important because 8GB can lead to SSD swapping, which is not ideal due to the finite read-write cycles of SSDs, and it can also bottleneck the performance of the M2 or M3 processor, affecting multitasking and heavy workloads.
What are the advantages of choosing the 14-inch MacBook Pro over the 15-inch MacBook Air?
-The 14-inch MacBook Pro offers a better screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, mini LED for high contrast, and HDR support. It also has improved speakers, a larger battery, a faster charger, and a stiffer chassis with thinner bezels.
How does the script suggest the MacBook Air handles heavy workloads compared to the MacBook Pro?
-The script suggests that for heavy workloads, especially those requiring sustained high performance, the MacBook Pro is superior due to its fan and better performance under load compared to the fanless MacBook Air.
What is the script's recommendation for users who need more than 256GB of storage?
-For users needing more than 256GB of storage, the script recommends considering the MacBook Pro with the M3 chip, which offers additional storage options and better performance for intense tasks.
What is the script's stance on the value of the 15-inch MacBook Air compared to the 14-inch MacBook Pro?
-The script implies that the 15-inch MacBook Air may not offer the best value, as the 14-inch MacBook Pro provides a better overall experience for a similar price, especially in terms of display quality and performance.
Why might the script suggest that the M2 MacBook Air with 16GB RAM could be a good choice for some users?
-The script suggests that the M2 MacBook Air with 16GB RAM could be a good choice for users who don't need the absolute maximum performance but want a laptop that will remain useful for a long time without frequent closures of apps or concerns about SSD lifespan.
Outlines
💻 MacBook Comparison: M3 vs M2
The paragraph discusses the MacBook lineup and the dilemma faced by consumers when choosing between the M3 and M2 models. It highlights that the M3 MacBook Air, while impressive, may not be necessary for most users as the M2 model is already sufficient. The M2 MacBook Air is noted to be around 17% slower than the M3 but still very capable, with heavy tasks opening almost instantly on both. The M3 model offers additional features like Wi-Fi 6E, better microphone, and dual display support, which may be useful occasionally. The M3 processor is also 5% more efficient, which translates to longer battery life, especially when low power mode is activated. The summary emphasizes the importance of considering RAM upgrades, as 8GB might not be enough for heavy multitasking or long-term use, and suggests that investing in a MacBook Pro might be a better option for those who require more intensive tasks.
🌡️ The Impact of Low Power Mode on MacBooks
This paragraph delves into the impact of low power mode on the performance and battery life of MacBooks. It explains that with low power mode enabled, the M3 MacBook Air can offer a significant increase in battery life, up to 50%, while maintaining responsiveness. The M3 model also outperforms the M2 in low power mode, with a 15% faster Geekbench score, making it more suitable for long periods without charging. The paragraph suggests that upgrading to 16GB of RAM is a wise investment for longevity and better performance, especially when multitasking or engaging in resource-intensive activities. It also touches on the comparison between the 13-inch MacBook Air and the 14-inch MacBook Pro, recommending the latter for its superior display, better speakers, larger battery, and stiffer chassis. The paragraph concludes with a recommendation for the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro over the 15-inch MacBook Air for those who value a better overall experience.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡MacBook Air
💡M3 chip
💡M2 chip
💡RAM upgrade
💡Wi-Fi 6E
💡Dual display support
💡Low power mode
💡Geekbench scores
💡SSD lifespan
💡MacBook Pro
Highlights
The new M3 MacBook Air is impressive but faces competition within the MacBook lineup.
M2 is sufficient for most users, making the need for an M3 upgrade questionable.
RAM upgrade is recommended, potentially making the MacBook Pro a more attractive option.
The M3 MacBook Air is difficult to distinguish from the M2 model in terms of design.
The M2 MacBook Air is only around 17% slower than the M3, which may not be noticeable for most tasks.
Both M2 and M3 MacBook Airs handle heavy tasks with ease, opening large files and apps quickly.
The M3 processor offers 5% more efficiency, potentially extending battery life.
Wi-Fi 6E, better microphone, and dual display support are advantages of the M3 MacBook Air.
In low power mode, the M3 MacBook Air outperforms the M2, offering up to 50% more battery life.
Upgrading RAM is crucial for MacBook Air models to prevent SSD wear and improve performance.
8GB of RAM may not be sufficient for multitasking and long-term use.
The 15-inch MacBook Air may not offer the best value compared to the 14-inch MacBook Pro.
The MacBook Pro provides a better screen, more ports, and superior performance for intensive tasks.
The MacBook Air's lack of a fan can limit performance during long, intensive tasks.
For those who don't need maximum performance, the M2 MacBook Air with 16GB RAM is a good choice.
The M3 MacBook Air's low power mode is more responsive than the M2, making it a better option for battery-conscious users.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro is recommended over the 15-inch MacBook Air for its numerous improvements.
Transcripts
here I have all the MacBooks to find out
which one would be the best for you
because the MacBook lineup more than
ever just feels like a trap once you
fall in you just keep going deeper M3
isn't that fast and M2 is sufficient for
most anyways you need the ram upgrade
and at that point might as well just get
the MacBook Pro so where does that leave
the new M3 MacBook Air I live with them
I tested them and I think in a vacuum
the new M3 MacBook Air is very
impressive because it would be
impressive to fit any laptop in a vacuum
but in the current landscape that thing
is a problem this is the M2 MacBook Air
if I didn't say that you probably
wouldn't be able to tell because it has
the same exact chassis as the M3 MacBook
Air sure it's not as fast it's around
17% slower but you got to be doing some
pretty serious stuff to even tell it
apart since both are so fast already
here I have the M2 next to the M3 I try
loading up some pretty heavy websites
note taking apps and some large
documents and they all pretty much
opened instantly on both I studied
computer science in college and based on
my experience either one would have
easily crushed all of my school work but
there's still some pretty good reasons
to upgrade to the M3 air things like
Wi-Fi 6E better microphone and dual
display support all of which might come
in handy some of the time but the one
big thing is of course the M3 processor
even if the extra speed doesn't really
matter to you that new M3 is about 5%
more efficient in my testing which means
lasting 5% longer it's not huge but
here's what I think is some really
interesting data because because the new
M3 is more efficient if you limit the
amount of power these computers can use
the M3 is still notably faster than the
M2 and this really comes into effect
when you turn on the low power mode if
battery life is important to you the low
power mode makes a huge difference
depending on what you're doing you could
be looking at a 50% increase in the
battery life that's what I observe doing
light tasks and video watching however
with the M2 MacBook Air when in the low
power mode you can feel that web pages
are just not as Snappy on the new M3
though low power mode still feels very
responsive just look at the geek bench
scores on low power mode the M3 is about
15% faster for both single and multie
than the M2 and this is a score range
where it goes from obviously kind of
slow to pretty usable at least for
casual daily tasks so if you have to go
pretty long stretches without charging
like 6 hours of classes in a row the M3
will feel quite a lot nicer than the M2
when working on things with a low power
mode turned on but before you go pick up
the cheapest M2 or M3 you can find you
probably should upgrade the RAM it's
impressive what Apple silicon can
accomplish with just 8 gigs of RAM you
can have 20 tabs open with a few other
apps and everything still feels normal
but these demos are a bit deceptive
because real life is always Messier
first is that even with a moderate
amount of things opened the computer
needs to swap some of the data from the
ram to the SSD in my experience of
actually using an 8 gig MacBook Air for
a whole year just about every single
time I checked there was swap being used
sometimes I didn't even feel it but that
still doesn't mean that it's perfectly
fine because ssds are just not built to
be used as RAM they have a finite amount
of reads and writes before it dies so
it's not great that you have to be
constantly reading and writing to the
SSD just to get daily tasks done second
is that a gig of Rim is an obvious
bottleneck to what the M2 or M3
processor can actually do in my
experience with a Bas M2 air every time
there was a slow down it was due to a
ram related issue if I'm running some
random unoptimized app it immedately
suffers if I try to edit one of these
videos there's basically no chance I
could put together a simple editing demo
to show you that it runs just fine but
in reality I often want to multitask and
have other things open as well and this
computer just can't handle that
ultimately you're considering a new
premium laptop and by spending 15% more
the laptop will most likely remain
useful for more than 15% longer and you
don't have to worry about closing things
that you're not using as often and you
can also multitask more freely without
worrying about the SSD lifespan if you
ever get into serious editing or coding
large projects with just 8 gigs of RAM
you would basically need a new computer
whereas the one with 16 gigs of RAM will
continue doing a good job for many more
years to come now if you do want a
bigger screen than the 13-in I actually
don't think the 15-in air is the
greatest value because you're not just
paying $100 more to get the bigger
device you're also being forced to
upgrade to the 10 core GPU for another
$100 and the extra core does wases
basically nothing for most MacBook Air
buyers if you're thinking about
rendering and playing some intense games
the MacBook Pro is just the better
option and if you know you'll need more
than 256 gigs of storage the MacBook Pro
with the M3 is now just $100 more and
the pro is significantly better for
those intense tasks because ultimately
the MacBook Air is a computer without a
fan for the stuff where your computer
would be working hard for a long time
with the MacBook Air you could be
looking at around half the speed of the
MacBook Pro with the same chipset and it
can be especially bad if you live in a
hotter environment as a video editor the
fan is really helpful but as a compiz
student the fan wouldn't have made a
difference but yeah even if I weren't
editing videos and I'm just looking for
a bigger computer than 13in there's
still lots of reason to pick the 14-in
MacBook Pro over the 15-in MacBook Air
the MacBook Air screen is good but the
MacBook Pro screen is a lot nicer the
120 HZ display on the pro feels smoother
and the mini LED provides great contrast
so watching content on it just feels a
bit more enjoyable and of course only
the MacBook Pro screen can properly
display HDR content and there are apps
that let you hack the MacBook Pro
display to brighten up regular content
to 1,000 Ms which makes it way more
usable in direct sunlight to be fair the
500 nits on the MacBook Air is still
pretty Bri and it has a great
anti-reflection coating so in the grand
scheme of things it's still very
reasonable to use this Outdoors but the
MacBook Pro also has more reports way
better speakers a larger battery a
faster charger and a stiffer chassis
with thinner bezels there's one catch
with the Bas M3 MacBook Pro though is
that it still only supports One display
even if you close the lid oh yeah and of
course it's a little bit thicker so for
those who don't really need all the
performance possible I would pick the M2
air but still go for 16 gigs of RAM
because the speed of the M2 can really
serve for a long time to come but now
you've seen just how big a difference
low power mode makes and how much more
resp responsive the M3 is on low power
mode so if you often run low on battery
the M3 could be the better option when
it comes to the 15-in MacBook Air I
personally would take the 14in M3
MacBook Pro over it for 100 more since
it's nicer in many small but tangible
ways subscribe
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