Here's the Thing about the M3 Macbook Air...

Summary

The video discusses the recent refresh of the MacBook Air, highlighting a new anodization for a slightly more fingerprint-resistant exterior and the inclusion of the M3 chip, which offers a 10-20% performance boost over the M2, with a focus on graphics improvements and ray tracing. However, the video argues that the M3 MacBook Air may not be the best recommendation for regular users due to its higher price and the availability of a cheaper M2 model. It criticizes Apple's high markup for upgrades and advises viewers to consider their computing needs before opting for the M3, suggesting that for basic tasks, the M2 or even the discounted M1 MacBook Air could be more suitable.

Takeaways

• 💻 The MacBook Air has been refreshed with two main updates: a new anodization for the exterior and the M3 chip.
• 📦 The new anodization is supposed to be more fingerprint resistant, but it still shows fingerprints without a skin or case.
• 🛍️ A skin from Dbrand is recommended for better fingerprint resistance and a break from the standard MacBook colors.
• 🔋 The M3 chip is a known quantity, having been introduced in the iMac and MacBook Pro, offering performance improvements over the M2.
• 🚀 The M3 chip brings about 10-20% performance improvement, with a focus on graphics and the addition of ray tracing capabilities.
• 🔄 The base storage on the M3 MacBook Air has been improved, addressing the slower storage issue found in the M2 model.
• 💰 The introduction of the M3 MacBook Air has led to a price drop for the M2 model, making it a more attractive option for some users.
• 💡 The MacBook Air is typically easy to recommend, but the M3 model's pricing and the availability of the cheaper M2 model make it less so.
• 💡 The base spec of the MacBook Air (8GB RAM and 256GB storage) may be sufficient for light users but can become expensive with upgrades.
• 💸 Apple's pricing for upgrades is considered high, making the base model seem less of a deal than it appears.
• 🛒 For users needing a MacBook Air for basic tasks, the M2 model offers a cost-effective option, and the M1 model can still be found at retailers like Walmart and Best Buy.

Q & A

What is the main update in the refreshed MacBook Air?

The main updates in the refreshed MacBook Air are the new anodization on the outside, which is slightly more fingerprint resistant, and the new M3 chip inside.

How effective is the new anodization in preventing fingerprints on the MacBook Air?

The new anodization is only marginally effective in preventing fingerprints. It still gets fingerprints if handled regularly without a skin or a case. The speaker suggests relying on a skin from Dbrand for better fingerprint resistance.

What are the improvements of the M3 chip over its predecessor?

The M3 chip offers a performance improvement of around 10 to 20% over the M2, with a heavier lean on graphics improvements and the addition of ray tracing capabilities.

Why might the MacBook Air with the new M3 chip not be the best recommendation for everyone?

The MacBook Air with the M3 chip might not be the best recommendation because the price of the M2 model has been lowered, and for regular, light usage, the M2 chip provides sufficient performance. Additionally, the base spec of the M3 model may not offer the best value due to Apple's high markup for upgrades.

What is the starting price for the new M3 MacBook Air and the M2 MacBook Air?

The new M3 MacBook Air starts at $1,099, while the M2 MacBook Air, after the price drop, starts at $999.

Why did Apple discontinue the M1 MacBook Air?

The script does not provide a specific reason for discontinuing the M1 MacBook Air, but it mentions that Apple has introduced the M3 chip and lowered the price of the M2 model.

How does the base storage on the M3 MacBook Air compare to the M2 model?

The base storage on the M3 MacBook Air appears to be much improved compared to the M2 model, which had a slower storage module in the base 256 GB model.

What are the additional features of the M3 MacBook Air that justify its higher price?

The M3 MacBook Air offers dual external display support with the lid closed and one external display with the laptop open, and it has a more capable M3 chip with improved graphics and ray tracing capabilities.

Why does the speaker suggest that the base spec of the MacBook Air in 2024 might not be usable for some users?

The speaker suggests that the base spec might not be usable for users who need more than the standard 8 GB of shared RAM and 256 GB of storage, as Apple's markup for upgrades is very high, making the base price seem less attractive.

What is the speaker's advice for users who only need a MacBook Air for light computing tasks?

The speaker advises users who only need a MacBook Air for light computing tasks to consider the cheaper M2 MacBook Air or even the M1 model if available, as the M3 model's capabilities may be unnecessary for their needs.

How does the new M3 MacBook Air compare to other Apple devices in terms of performance and capabilities?

The new M3 MacBook Air is a more capable machine than its predecessors, offering improved performance and features like ray tracing and external display support. It is positioned as a high-end device that can handle more demanding tasks compared to the base models.

Outlines

00:00

💻 MacBook Air M3 Update: A Mixed Bag

The MacBook Air has received a refresh with two main updates: a new anodization for a slightly more fingerprint-resistant exterior and the introduction of the new M3 chip. While the new coating is subtle and still prone to fingerprints, the M3 chip is a known quantity, having been introduced in the iMac and MacBook Pro previously. The M3 offers a performance improvement over the M2, particularly in graphics and with the addition of ray tracing. However, the base storage on the M3 has seen improvements over the slower base storage of the M2. Despite these updates, the video suggests that the refreshed MacBook Air isn't the straightforward recommendation it once was due to the price drop of the M2 model and the discontinuation of the M1, making the lineup more complex for consumers.

05:00

💸 The High Cost of Apple's Base Specifications

Apple's pricing strategy for upgrades on its MacBook Air lineup is criticized for being excessively high. The base model of the MacBook Air in 2024 comes with 8GB of shared RAM and 256GB of storage, which may be sufficient for basic computing needs but can become costly when considering upgrades. Upgrading to 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage adds $400 to the base price, which the video suggests is a significant markup. The video argues that while the base specifications may be adequate for light users, the high cost of upgrades makes the 'starting at' price point less attractive. It advises consumers to consider the M2 MacBook Air for cost savings or even the M1 model if they do not require the latest features, while acknowledging that the M3 chip does offer enhanced capabilities for more demanding tasks.

Keywords

💡MacBook Air

The MacBook Air is a line of laptop computers designed and developed by Apple Inc. It is known for its thin and lightweight design. In the video, the MacBook Air is the central topic, with the discussion revolving around its recent refresh and the introduction of the M3 chip, which is a significant update to its hardware capabilities.

💡Anodization

Anodization is an electrochemical process that converts the surface of metal (typically aluminum) into a decorative, durable, and corrosion-resistant finish. In the context of the video, the new anodization on the MacBook Air is mentioned as a minor update that offers a slightly more fingerprint-resistant appearance, suggesting an attempt to improve the device's aesthetics and user experience.

💡M3 chip

The M3 chip refers to the latest generation of Apple's custom silicon processors designed for their Mac computers. The script discusses the inclusion of the M3 chip in the refreshed MacBook Air, highlighting its performance improvements over the previous M2 chip, and noting its presence in other Apple devices such as the iMac and MacBook Pro.

💡Fingerprint resistance

Fingerprint resistance is a property of a surface that makes it less likely to retain marks or smudges from fingerprints. The video script mentions that the new MacBook Air has a coating that is supposedly more fingerprint resistant, although the speaker expresses skepticism about its effectiveness compared to using a skin or case.

💡Dbrand

Dbrand is a company known for producing skins and accessories for electronic devices. In the video, the speaker recommends Dbrand skins as a better solution for hiding fingerprints on the MacBook Air than relying on the device's anodization, emphasizing the skins' ability to provide a unique look and enhanced texture.

💡Performance

In the context of computing, performance refers to how well a device or component operates and executes tasks. The video discusses the performance improvements of the M3 chip over the M2, noting a 10 to 20% improvement in benchmarks and a heavier lean towards graphics improvements, which is significant for users who utilize their laptops for graphics-intensive tasks.

💡SSD module

An SSD (Solid State Drive) module is a type of data storage that uses no moving parts and is known for its speed and reliability. The script mentions that the base 256GB model of the previous MacBook Air used a single SSD module, which was slower than the M1 model, affecting the overall performance, especially in file transfer speeds.

💡Base storage

Base storage refers to the minimum amount of storage capacity available in a device at its most basic configuration. The video script reports that the base storage of the new M3 MacBook Air has been improved compared to the M2 model, addressing a previous concern about slower storage speeds in the entry-level models.

💡Dual external display support

Dual external display support is a feature that allows a laptop to connect and display content on two external monitors simultaneously. The video mentions this as a new feature of the MacBook Air, which can be particularly useful for professionals who need to multitask or extend their workspace.

💡Markup prices

Markup prices refer to the practice of increasing the price of a product or service beyond its original cost, often significantly. The video criticizes Apple for its high markup prices for upgrades to the MacBook Air, such as additional RAM or storage, which can make the final cost much higher than the base price advertised.

💡Base spec

Base spec refers to the standard or entry-level specifications of a product, which typically includes the minimum hardware or features included. The script discusses the concept of 'starting at' pricing, which is often misleading, and how Apple's base specifications for the MacBook Air may not be sufficient for some users, especially considering the high cost of upgrades.

Highlights

MacBook Air has been refreshed with a simple update.

New anodization on the outside for a slightly more fingerprint resistant look.

Inclusion of the new M3 chip inside the MacBook Air.

Dbrand skin recommended for better fingerprint resistance than metal treatment.

M3 chip was previously introduced in iMac and MacBook Pro with M3 PRO and M3 Max.

Question raised on the staggered release of the M3 chip across different Apple products.

MacBook Air is the most popular Mac for its entry-level appeal.

Performance of the M3 chip shows a 10-20% improvement over M2.

M3 chip leans heavier on graphics improvements and introduces rate tracing.

MacBook Airs, especially the 15-inch model, are known for great battery life.

New dual external display support with the lid closed and one display with the laptop open.

Base storage on M3 has been improved compared to the slower M2 base model.

M3 MacBook Air not necessarily the best recommendation due to pricing and availability of M2.

Price drop of M2 MacBook Air by $100 and discontinuation of M1.

Discussion on the base spec fallacy and Apple's high markup for upgrades.

RAM and storage upgrades for MacBook Air are expensive, making the base price seem deceptive.

For basic computing needs, the base spec MacBook Air M2 is recommended over the M3.

For heavy computing tasks, the M3 MacBook Air is a strong contender and worth considering.

Apple silicon has lowered the minimum level of machine needed for various workflows.

Transcripts

(Intro music)

- That's crazy that the most interesting things

about this new laptop are the reasons not to buy it.

So the MacBook Air just got refreshed.

It's a pretty simple update, maybe a boring one actually.

There's really only two things new.

It has this new anodization on the outside,

apparently a slightly more fingerprint resistant look to it.

And it has the new M3 chip inside.

So the coating, I don't know,

it barely makes a difference if I'm being honest.

It still gets fingerprints if you handle it regularly

without a skin or a case.

I would much rather depend on something like a skin

from channel sponsor Dbrand.

It lets you break out from one of the three

really simple colors and it's gonna hide fingerprints

a million times better than any metal treatment ever could.

Plus these are real leather,

so they have a nice plush texture

and it'll patina over time.

So I'll leave a link to this one below.

But the other new thing is this M3 chip inside.

So we've seen this M3 chip before, this is what Apple does.

They put the same chip everywhere.

This came out in October of last year

and they immediately put it in the new iMac.

And then we also got a new MacBook Pro that launched

with this and the M3 PRO and the M3 Max.

So okay, new M3 Apple silicon, third generation, great.

So now we're finally getting this new base M3 chip

in the new MacBook Air, side note, why does it take so long?

I don't know, it feels like Apple kind of staggers it

probably on purpose, but like it's the same chip everywhere.

They've done the iMac, they've done the MacBook Pro

and MacBook Air, but the Mac Mini just staying

on M2, kind of weird.

Also the new iPad Pro still on M2.

When's that gonna get it?

Anyway, you already know that the MacBook Air

is the most popular Mac for a reason.

This is the base like entry level Mac

that most people are seeing

as the way to get into the Mac world.

And so the base MacBook Air has typically been one

of the easiest to recommend laptops in the world by design.

But this one, interestingly, for two reasons, isn't.

Now, this has nothing to do with performance of M3

or anything weird like that.

Like it's the performance you were expecting.

If you look at benchmarks, it's right around that 10

to 20% improvement over M2

depending on what you're doing.

Definitely leans heavier

on graphics improvements this generation.

And there's the rate tracing now finally.

So any applications

or rendering that are taken advantage of that,

that's gonna be a noticeable improvement for M3.

And it's clearly a more capable chip.

And also MacBook Airs, especially the 15 inch,

just constantly get great battery life across the board.

You also get now dual external display support

with the lid closed,

but one external display with the laptop open.

And it also appears

that the base storage on M3 is much improved.

So this was one of those concerns from,

if you look back at M2,

you know obviously Apple seeds reviewers

with higher end MacBooks, so most of us aren't getting that.

But if you look back at M2

the base 256 gig model used a single SSD module instead

of two SSDs.

Long story short, that storage module was way slower

than M1, like 50% slower on paper.

Would you have noticed if nobody told you

and had never benchmarked it?

Maybe, possibly not,

but obviously it's a bummer having way slower storage

on a new M2 and that extra time transferring large files,

that adds up over time.

So I'm happy to report that I've seen really good benchmarks

on the base storage of the M3 Air.

It appears that they fixed it, awesome.

So what's the deal with this M3 Air then?

Why am I saying it's not necessarily

the best recommendation?

Well, historically, MacBook Air has been super easy

to recommend, but with this M3,

they also lowered the price of M2 by a hundred bucks

and discontinued the M1.

So now the lineup is M3 MacBook Air starts at 1099,

then M2 MacBook Air starts at 999

and then M1, it's kind of gone from Apple,

but you can still find stock

that's left at like Walmart or Best Buy.

Now the thing about the MacBook Air being easy

to recommend is we're talking about regular people,

which it's very light, regular,

normal usage like web browsing, listening to music, a bunch

of tabs open, work stuff, occasionally compiling

or rendering some small things, photo editing

and chopping a video or two sometimes,

but really very light.

So these people, like type of people

who would buy a laptop at Walmart would be totally fine

with the cheaper identical looking MacBook Air

with the slightly slower M2 chip and slower storage.

I think they would be totally fine.

But the other thing which I need to talk about

is this whole base spec thing.

This is not exactly new to the industry, but the base price

and the base spec has almost become like this weird fallacy.

Like I think it was Linus who did a video

about how starting at is like the biggest lie in tech.

And he's right, it's not just tech,

like the car industry does it all the time too.

Starting at, you know, this super low price,

but nobody actually gets it at that price.

You're not gonna get a totally bare base model car.

The base price is really more to give you an idea

of how much you're about to spend

when you actually option it up the way you want to.

And the issue with these is Apple's markup prices

for above base spec is crazy high.

Like Apple charges way too much for the most basic upgrades.

Obviously Apple Silicon computers are all a system

on a chip, so they cannot be upgraded ever

after you buy them, right?

So once you buy it, you know, you're kind

of incentivized if you're gonna keep it for a long time

to splurge a little bit

and give yourself some extra headroom and future proof it

and bump up that spec.

But Apple charges so much for bumping up that spec

that the base price feels like kind of even more

of a lie than usual.

So the MacBook Air starts in 2024,

again, at eight gigs of shared RAM and 256 gigs of storage.

Now, ignoring the fact that the phone I'm using also has

more than eight gigs of RAM

and 256 gigs of storage, if you want to upgrade to 16 gigs

of memory, the first available RAM upgrade, that's $200.

And if you wanna bump up to just the half a terabyte

of storage, that's another 200 more dollars.

Compared to to how much that actually costs Apple,

especially at the scale that they're operating,

that is just crazy, brutal, ridiculous pricing.

So even if you do just that,

suddenly the MacBook Air M3 is $1,500.

So either you're cool with knowing you're actually buying

a 1500 plus dollars MacBook Air or the real question is,

is the base spec in 2024 actually usable?

And my take is actually sometimes yes, sometimes yes.

So again, if you're the people I talked about earlier,

you're you're buying a laptop from the showcase at Walmart

or Best Buy, you just need it to do the basic stuff

I mentioned earlier,

you actually can do that with eight gigs

of shared memory, no problem.

This might seem like a hot take,

but I've spent a lot of time doing this stuff.

You rarely actually get close to hitting the max

and hitting memory swap.

And even when you do, it's very much still fine.

It's when you get into the heavier stuff like media encoding

or exporting or gaming that it's a whole nother story.

So if you're watching this video,

you already know which group of people you're in.

So for that massive group of people who are doing a lot of

that normal, baseline computing stuff,

don't buy the new M3 MacBook Air.

You can very easily get an M2 MacBook Air

and save your money.

Matter of fact, if you don't need the brighter display,

the MagSafe, the external display support,

which you probably don't at this rate,

it's also a great idea to look into Best Buy

or Walmart's like six, $700 M1 MacBook Airs

that they're selling right now.

I think Walmart first announced they would have it for 699

and then a few days later Best Buy announced

that they'd sell it for 649, which is pretty sick.

So clearly M3 is a much more capable overall chip

and brings the floor of a laptop up.

But the way I see it, what Apple silicon has done

to Apple's lineup is it's brought down the minimum level

of machine that you can get away with doing your workflow.

Does that make sense?

So like me, I edit a lot of videos

and so I need a powerful machine for Final Cut Pro

and that sort of stuff, right?

So for the longest time I could only use an Apple Desktop,

the highest end iMac Pro, the Mac Pro, and I still will,

but I am now able to use Mac Studio and I can actually edit.

I've had an M1 Max MacBook Pro for a while

and I've been editing on the go with a laptop,

which is a huge like enabler for me.

And the same sort of thing applies if you're doing like

gaming stuff or if you have a whole bunch of coding

and heavy, maybe even just encoding photos

or whatever you're doing at that level,

you'd typically rely on a MacBook Pro.

But with these new chips and with Apple silicon,

you can do that on a high-end MacBook Air, which is again,

a pretty sweet enabler.

So that's what the new M3 MacBook Air is.

If you do that sort of stuff, it's an amazing computer.

It should be on your shortlist.

Great all around, easy to recommend.

But again, if you're doing the lightweight, normal stuff

and you need a MacBook Air, don't get this one.

Get the cheaper one.

Okay, that's it.

Thanks for watching.

Catch you guys the next one, peace.

♪ It's the money, it's it's the money, it's the money♪