M3 MacBook Pro VS M3 MacBook Air - THE TRUTH!

Summary

In this video, the presenter compares the newly released M3 MacBook Air and the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro, highlighting key differences in portability, display quality, and performance. The MacBook Air is praised for its thinness and light weight, while the MacBook Pro offers better port options, a mini-LED display with HDR capabilities, and superior speakers. Although the MacBook Pro has enhanced performance with active cooling, the Air is deemed sufficient for most users. The choice between the two hinges on whether the user values premium features or a more budget-friendly, portable option.

Takeaways

• 🍎 Apple has released the M3 MacBook Air and a 14-inch base model MacBook Pro with the M3 chip.
• 🔍 Customers face a choice between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro due to their similarities and differences in features.
• 📐 The M3 MacBook Air is thinner than the M3 MacBook Pro, making it slightly more portable.
• 💻 Both models are almost equally portable in terms of space taken in a bag, despite the Air being lighter.
• 🔌 The MacBook Pro has more ports, including an SD card slot and HDMI port, which the MacBook Air lacks.
• 🖥 The 14-inch MacBook Pro has a larger and higher quality display compared to the 13-inch MacBook Air.
• 🔆 The MacBook Pro's display supports HDR and has a higher brightness and refresh rate than the MacBook Air's standard LCD.
• 🎵 The 14-inch MacBook Pro has better speakers, providing richer and fuller sound compared to the MacBook Air.
• 🔋 The MacBook Pro has a longer battery life, rated at 22 hours compared to the MacBook Air's 18 hours.
• 💰 There is a significant price difference, with the MacBook Air starting at $1,100 and the MacBook Pro at $1,600.
• ⚡ For most users, the performance difference between the two models will not be noticeable for standard tasks, but the MacBook Pro has better sustained performance for intensive, long-duration tasks.

Q & A

What are the two new M3 chip laptops introduced by Apple?

The two new M3 chip laptops introduced by Apple are the M3 MacBook Air and the 14-inch base model MacBook Pro.

How does the form factor of the M3 MacBook Air compare to the M3 MacBook Pro?

The M3 MacBook Air is thinner than the M3 MacBook Pro, with the Air being as thin as the bottom part of the Pro. However, when laid side by side, they are roughly the same size, and the Air is lighter, weighing 2.7 lb compared to the Pro's 3.4 lb.

What are the differences in port selection between the M3 MacBook Air and the M3 MacBook Pro?

The M3 MacBook Air has two Thunderbolt USB-C ports, a MagSafe charging port, and a headphone jack. The M3 MacBook Pro, in addition to these, includes an SD card slot and an HDMI port for easier connectivity with external devices.

What are the display sizes of the M3 MacBook Air and the 14-inch MacBook Pro?

The M3 MacBook Air has a 13.6-inch display, while the 14-inch MacBook Pro has a 14.2-inch display.

How does the display quality differ between the M3 MacBook Air and the 14-inch MacBook Pro?

The M3 MacBook Air has a standard LCD display with 500 nits of brightness and a 60 Hz refresh rate. The 14-inch MacBook Pro features a mini-LED display with HDR capabilities, 1600 nits peak brightness, and a 120 Hz refresh rate, allowing for better contrast ratios and viewing experience.

What are the battery life ratings for the M3 MacBook Air and the M3 MacBook Pro?

The M3 MacBook Air is rated for 18 hours of battery life, while the M3 MacBook Pro is rated for 22 hours.

How does the performance of the base model M3 MacBook Air compare to the 14-inch MacBook Pro?

The base model M3 MacBook Air comes with an eight-core GPU and can be upgraded to match the specs of the 14-inch MacBook Pro for an additional $100. The MacBook Pro has an active cooling system, which may provide better sustained performance for intensive tasks.

What is the starting price for the M3 MacBook Air and the 14-inch MacBook Pro?

The M3 MacBook Air starts at $1,100, while the 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,600.

What are the similarities shared by the M3 MacBook Air and the 14-inch MacBook Pro?

Both laptops share the same keyboard, trackpad, and 1080p camera. The MacBook Pro's microphones are slightly better, but both sound similar.

What is the main advantage of the 15-inch MacBook Air over the 14-inch MacBook Pro, according to the script?

The main advantage of the 15-inch MacBook Air is its larger 15.3-inch display, although it does not have the same display quality, speakers, ports, or battery life as the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

What is the script's recommendation for users who value a balance between price and performance?

The script recommends the M3 MacBook Air for most users due to its portability, thinness, light weight, and ability to handle most tasks well at a good price point.

Outlines

00:00

💻 MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro: Design & Portability

Apple's new M3 MacBook Air and the 14-inch base model MacBook Pro are compared in terms of design and portability. The MacBook Air is thinner and lighter, weighing 2.7 lb compared to the MacBook Pro's 3.4 lb. Despite these differences, both laptops offer similar portability when placed in a bag. The MacBook Air has fewer ports, featuring only two Thunderbolt USB-C ports, a MagSafe charging port, and a headphone jack, while the MacBook Pro includes these plus an SD card slot and an HDMI port, enhancing connectivity options. The display sizes are also compared, with the MacBook Air having a 13.6-inch display and the MacBook Pro a slightly larger 14.2-inch display. The MacBook Pro's display offers superior quality with a mini-LED panel, HDR capabilities, and a 120 Hz refresh rate, in contrast to the MacBook Air's standard LCD with 500 nits brightness and 60 Hz refresh rate.

05:03

🔋 MacBook Pro's Superior Battery Life and Performance

The MacBook Pro is rated for 22 hours of battery life, outperforming the MacBook Air's 18 hours. Both models share many similarities, including the same keyboard, trackpad, and 1080p camera. The MacBook Pro, however, has better microphones and speakers, providing richer sound quality. Performance-wise, the MacBook Pro is expected to perform better due to its active cooling system, which helps prevent thermal throttling—a concern for the MacBook Air. While both can be equipped with the same M3 chip, the MacBook Pro's GPU is more powerful in the base model, and upgrading the MacBook Air's storage also upgrades its GPU to match the Pro's specs. For most users, the performance difference will be negligible for standard tasks, but the MacBook Pro will excel in sustained intensive tasks such as video editing and 3D rendering.

10:04

💰 Deciding Between MacBook Air and MacBook Pro Based on Price and Features

The pricing of the M3 MacBook Air starts at $1,100, while the MacBook Pro begins at $1,600, indicating a significant price difference. However, the MacBook Air's base model includes a smaller 256 GB hard drive and a less powerful M3 chip. Upgrading the storage to match the MacBook Pro's 512 GB SSD brings the price to $1,300, reducing the price gap to $300. The video suggests that for most users, the MacBook Air offers excellent value and performance for the price, making it a recommended choice for its portability and reliability. The MacBook Pro, on the other hand, is a better choice for consumers who value additional premium features such as more ports, a better display, and slightly better battery life, even if it comes at a higher cost. The decision between the two is not clear-cut and depends on the user's priorities and budget.

Keywords

💡M3 MacBook Air

The M3 MacBook Air is a newly released laptop by Apple featuring the M3 chip. It is central to the video's theme as it represents one of the two main models being compared. The script discusses its thinness, portability, and display quality, emphasizing its position as a more budget-friendly option with a high level of portability.

💡M3 MacBook Pro

The M3 MacBook Pro is another laptop model from Apple that also uses the M3 chip. It is compared against the M3 MacBook Air in the video. The term is significant as it represents a higher-end option with additional features such as a better display, more ports, and improved speakers, which are all discussed in the script.

💡Portability

Portability refers to the ease with which a device can be carried and used in different locations. In the context of the video, it is a key factor in deciding between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. The script mentions that both laptops are very portable, with the MacBook Air being slightly lighter, which could influence a user's choice.

💡Thunderbolt USB-C

Thunderbolt USB-C is a type of port that supports high-speed data transfer and charging. The video script notes that the M3 MacBook Air has two of these ports, while the M3 MacBook Pro has additional ports, including an SD card slot and HDMI, which enhances its versatility.

💡Display Size

Display size is the diagonal measurement of a screen, which affects the viewing experience. The video compares the 13.6-inch display of the MacBook Air with the 14.2-inch display of the MacBook Pro, indicating that the latter offers a slightly larger workspace for users.

💡Mini LED Display

A Mini LED display is a type of screen technology that offers improved contrast ratios and brightness levels. The script highlights that the 14-inch MacBook Pro features this technology, allowing for HDR content playback at higher peak brightness and better local dimming compared to the standard LCD display of the MacBook Air.

💡Refresh Rate

Refresh rate refers to the number of times a display updates the image per second, measured in Hertz (Hz). The script points out that the MacBook Air has a standard 60 Hz refresh rate, while the MacBook Pro boasts a faster 120 Hz refresh rate, which can provide smoother visuals especially in video editing or gaming.

💡Battery Life

Battery life is a measure of how long a device can operate on a single charge. The video script contrasts the 22-hour battery life of the MacBook Pro with the 18-hour battery life of the MacBook Air, suggesting that the former may be more suitable for users who require longer usage between charges.

💡Performance

Performance in the context of the video refers to the computational capabilities of the laptops. The script explains that while both laptops can be equipped with the same M3 chip, the MacBook Pro has a more robust cooling system, which can lead to better sustained performance during intensive tasks.

💡Price Differential

Price differential is the difference in cost between two similar products. The video script discusses the significant price gap between the MacBook Air starting at $1,100 and the MacBook Pro starting at $1,600, noting that the choice between them may come down to budget and the value placed on additional features.

💡15-inch MacBook Air

The 15-inch MacBook Air is another model mentioned in the script, which offers a larger display compared to the 14.2-inch MacBook Pro. However, despite the size advantage, the script points out that it does not match the MacBook Pro in terms of display quality, speakers, ports, or battery life, making the choice between the two nuanced.

Highlights

Apple has completed the M3 lineup with the release of new M3 MacBook Airs and a 14-inch base model MacBook Pro.

Customers face a decision between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro due to their similar M3 chips.

The M3 MacBook Air is thinner than the M3 MacBook Pro, offering an impressive form factor.

The M3 MacBook Air and Pro are similarly portable despite the Air's lighter weight of 2.7 lb compared to Pro's 3.4 lb.

The M3 MacBook Pro has superior port selection with an SD card slot and HDMI port in addition to Thunderbolt USB-C ports.

Display size differs with the MacBook Air at 13.6 inches and MacBook Pro at 14.2 inches.

The MacBook Pro's display has a higher quality with mini LED, HDR capabilities, and a 120 Hz refresh rate, compared to the Air's standard LCD.

For most users, the difference in display quality is noticeable primarily when watching HDR content or cinematic dark scenes.

There is a 15-inch MacBook Air model with a larger display but the same standard display quality as the 13-inch model.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro has better speakers that sound richer and fuller compared to the MacBook Air.

Battery life is rated at 22 hours for the MacBook Pro and 18 hours for the MacBook Air.

Both models share the same keyboard, trackpad, and 1080p camera, with only minor differences in microphone quality.

The MacBook Pro performs better due to its active cooling system and the option for a higher-end M3 chip.

The MacBook Air may thermal throttle under intensive tasks, but for most users, this is not a significant concern.

The price difference is notable, with the MacBook Air starting at $1,100 and the MacBook Pro at $1,600.

Upgrading the MacBook Air's storage also upgrades the M3 chip to a 10-core version at no additional cost.

The 15-inch MacBook Air, when similarly specced to the MacBook Pro, offers only a larger screen as an advantage for a $100 price difference.

The choice between the MacBook Air and Pro depends on whether the user values portability and price or premium features and performance.

Transcripts

Apple has finally completed the M3

lineup with the release of the new M3

MacBook airs but there's also another

laptop in their lineup that comes with

an M3 chip of course I am talking about

the 14-in base model MacBook Pro and I

think a lot of customers are going to be

deciding between either this MacBook Air

or this MacBook Pro so I want to cover

the real differences between both of

these models and talk about which one

you should get because I do think that

this is a hard decision but by the end

of this video you'll probably be able to

make a really clear choice and the first

deciding factor is the form factor

because the M3 MacBook Air is thinner

than the M3 MacBook Pro actually if you

put them right side by side next to each

other the M3 MacBook Air is about as

thin as the entire bottom part of the

MacBook Pro which is pretty impressive

but if you lay the MacBook Air flat down

on the 14-inch MacBook Pro you'll see

they are roughly about the same size so

if you're putting them in your bag

they're going to take up around the same

amount of the space so they are almost

just as portable as each other but the

M3 MacBook Air is lighter it weighs 2.7

lb while the base model M3 MacBook Pro

weighs 3.4 lb listen I really like the

thinness that the MacBook Air provides

but again for ultimate portability I

think both of these are very portable

laptops the m3r is just a little bit

more portable now what really does make

a difference between both of these

laptops is the port selection so the M3

air only gets two Thunderbolt USBC ports

and a MAG safe charging port and of

course the headphone jack while the M3

MacBook Pro gets all of those plus the

addition of an SD card slot for easily

importing photos and videos and it also

has an HDMI port so it's easier to hook

up to third party monitors that have an

HDMI port or if you want to connect it

to a television for like presenting

something another difference in form

factor is the display size so the 13-in

MacBook Air comes with a 13.6 in display

while the 14-in MacBook Pro comes with a

14.2 in display so obviously both of

these laptops are pretty similar in size

in but the 14in MacBook Pro is obviously

a little bit bigger and it is just a

hair bit noticeable when you're using

this you feel like the display just has

a little bit more room to work with but

they are pretty similar experiences but

again I'm always going to go with the

option that has more display as being

better to work on and that's no

exception with the 14-in MacBook Pro

there's also a difference in quality

between these displays so the MacBook

Air just gets a standard LCD display

that goes up to 500 nits of brightness

it does not have HDR capabilities and it

does not have a fast refresh rate just

runs at a standard 60 HZ refresh rate

while the 14-in MacBook Pro basically

gets all the goodies right it gets the

fast refresh rate running at 120 htz but

then it also gets a mini LED display

which allows it to play HDR content at

16600 nits of peak brightness then it

also has a mini LED display so it can

actually locally dim the backlight to

give you better uh contrast ratios which

is really going to look really nice when

you're watching content that has a lot

of dark are is on the screen because on

the MacBook Air it can tend to look a

little bit more washed out now listen a

lot of reviewers hype up the MacBook Pro

display and with good reason it's a

fantastic display and I really like it

but what I will say is that for most

users when you're just working on like

standard documents when you're in the

web browser you know watching a standard

YouTube video there's not that much

difference between these displays it's

really when you're watching HDR content

or looking at pictures or watching

videos with like a lot of cinematic dark

scenes where you kind of notice and

appreciate the MacBook Pro display more

and then of course if you like that

faster refresh rate you'll love that too

but again if you're just using like

standard stuff like email web browsing

looking at Excel spreadsheets right like

all the display advantages of the

MacBook Pro aren't like a necessity at

that point it's nice to have but not a

necessity I should also mention this

isn't the only MacBook Air Model there

is a 15-in MacBook Air display with a

bigger 15.3 in display that's more than

1 in bigger than the 14.2 in display on

the MacBook Pro but it is still the same

display as the MacBook Air so even

though it is a bigger display than the

pro the quality of the display is still

going to be better on the pro but if you

want a big screen laptop that's at a

pretty good price point the 15-in air is

a really good recommendation now that

display is paired with better speakers

as well so the 14-in MacBook Pro has

better speakers than this 13-in model

the speakers sound richer Fuller have

more thump and base to them while the

13-in MacBook Air speakers can s a

little low in volume and

tinny and then also the 15-in MacBook

Air uh that doesn't even have better

speakers than the MacBook Pro it has

like a six speaker system but it still

doesn't sound as full and rich as the

14-in

model I won't even let get it into the

store

another major difference is battery life

so the MacBook Pro is rated for 22 hours

of battery life while the air is rated

for just 18 hours of battery life either

on the 13 or 15-in model now besides

performance which we'll get into in just

a second I would say those are pretty

much the major differences between the

air and the pro but both laptops also

share a lot of similarities they both

have the same keyboard they both have

the same excellent trackpad they both

have the same 1080p camera I think

technically the MacBook Pro microphones

are a little better but they both sound

pretty similar all right now let's get

into everyone's favorite thing

performance yeah mhm yep big surprise

right the MacBook Pro is going to

perform better than the M3 MacBook Air

we can end the video go home done cut it

out get out of here you're done I don't

want to go through all bunch of

benchmarks and stuff like that that

don't matter all right you force my hand

because I got to add some context here

both of these laptops can be equipped

with the same M3 chip now if you're

getting the base model it does come with

a weaker eight core GPU I really don't

think that matters all too much but it

does come with a weaker GPU but you can

spend $100 more to get it to the same

specs as the 14-in MacBook Pro but with

the same chips inside of these devices

um you know you're going to see a lot of

outrage videos talking about how the

MacBook Air thermal throttle models

because it doesn't have an active

cooling system basically a fan to help

cool a chip while the MacBook Pro does

and those rage videos I always find

aren't helpful because I I feel like

they confuse consumers a lot because if

you watch those videos and you see tests

where this MacBook Air thermal throttles

a default conclusion to that would be

well this laptop's a hunk of junk it

thermal throttles it doesn't have good

performance I need a reliable laptop I'm

not going to get it I'm going to spend

more money on the MacBook Pro and you

know I think this is a great laptop but

I also think if you're buying a MacBook

Pro from that point of view it's really

bad advice because both of these laptops

will perform very similarly for the vast

majority of tasks out there for basic

tasks that aren't high-intensive CPU

tasks or high-intensive GPU tasks these

laptops are the same and the analogy I

would kind of put to this is both of

these can run a 100 meter sprint at the

same time they are they are just as fast

as sprinting so if you're web browsing

doing email spreadsheets messaging

listening to music watching video basic

tasks right multitasking with like those

standard uh applications both of these

same distance same speed right where the

MacBook Pro gains an advantage is in the

marathon when you're doing tasks that

are intensive for a long period of time

and most people aren't doing that so

when we talk about performance this air

is going to be about the same but when

we get into something like video editing

or rendering out a bunch of uh you know

3D effects or processing a bunch of

photos then you'll probably see an

improvement on the MacBook Pro and this

is reflective in benchmarks as well so I

really want to stress that yes some

users will benefit from the extra

cooling on the MacBook Pro but again

most users probably not now what you

should care about about is price because

there is a big price differential here

on paper so the M3 MacBook Air starts at

$1,100 while this MacBook Pro starts at

$1,600 so you might think these aren't

even in the same ballpark of laptops why

I even bother doing a comparison on them

if people have more money they're going

to buy the MacBook Pro if people have

less money they're going to buy the

MacBook Air and there is some truth to

that but um the price differential isn't

as big as it may appear at first because

the only comes with a 256 GB hard drive

and then that weaker M3 chip now if you

upgrade that hard drive you do get that

M3 chip thrown in there for free the

upgraded 10 core one so it goes up to a

$1,300 price point which matches the

base model 14-inch MacBook Pros 512 GB

SSD but again it's still a $300 price

differential for both of these laptops

and you know I don't want to spend

people's money out there but $300 to

some folks that's a lot of money so I

actually don't think it's a hard choice

between these laptops and I'm not saying

that there's one clear winner over the

other I would say that if you want a

laptop that's going to be reliable at a

good price point that's going to handle

most tasks extremely well that's very

thin and light you want a really

portable laptop this MacBook Air this M3

version I think it's really good I think

it's it's an obvious pick for most users

it's probably the MacBook I'd recommend

to most users unless you can find like a

really good discount on another one but

Hey listen if you value things like more

ports and I wouldn't even say

performance you will get better

performance out of this but if you're

looking at it from a consumer angle the

better display the better speakers more

ports and slightly better battery life I

think even if we discount the

performance on this laptop which again

it does have better sustained

performance this laptop is still a great

consumer grade laptop if you care about

those additional premium features and I

think things like a better screen and

better speakers are things consumers

care about so yeah this 14-in MacBook

Pro is also a really good choice

but it's not like a clear-cut winner I

feel like if you want a better budget

pick go for the 13-in MacBook Air if you

need better performance and want all the

valued features on the MacBook Pro go

for that I actually think the harder

decision is if you're deciding between

the 15-in MacBook Air because that

basically if you spec it out the same as

this MacBook Pro is only a $100 price

difference and the only advantage that

that MacBook Air has is that it has a

bigger 15-inch display but it doesn't

have the same display quality the same

speakers the same ports and it doesn't

even win on battery life compared to the

14-in MacBook Pro so for that $100 price

difference I think I would personally

step up to the MacBook Pro but hey if

you value a bigger screen that argument

probably isn't going to sway you so for

me not a clear-cut winner but definitely

advantages and disadvantages for both of

these laptops but let me know in the

comments below it's your turn you know

you guys are always so opinionated you

you always tell me when I'm wrong and

believe me I'm wrong all the time so let

me know would you pick up a 13-in M3

MacBook Air or would you go for the

14-in M3 MacBook Pro do you think

there's a clear winner between both of

these laptops as always if you like the

video give me a like if you want to see

more make sure you're subscribed and

I'll catch you in the next one