A University Students Perspective: M3 MacBook Air One Week Later!

Summary

The video script reviews the new M3 MacBook Air, praising its performance and everyday usability while criticizing its base storage of 256GB as insufficient for creators. The M3 chip offers a snappy experience, but struggles with 4K 60 video editing and multitasking in Google Chrome. The design remains premium with reduced smudges, and the laptop supports dual external monitor outputs. The keyboard and display are satisfactory, with good battery life, but the M3 MacBook Air is in a tough position against the M3 MacBook Pro for power users and the M2 MacBook Air for budget-conscious buyers.

Takeaways

• 💻 The M3 MacBook Air is praised as an excellent laptop by the reviewer after using it as their primary computer for two weeks.
• 📦 The base model of the M3 MacBook Air is priced at $10.99 USD, offering an 8-core M3 processor, 8 GB of unified memory, and 256 GB of storage.
• 🚫 The reviewer finds the 256 GB storage capacity to be insufficient for a laptop in 2024, especially for creatives and heavy users.
• 🔧 Upgrading to 512 GB of storage would cost an additional $200, which the reviewer believes should be the base storage for a laptop at this price point.
• 🚀 The M3 chip offers fast performance, making everyday tasks like video calling, Google Docs, and general productivity feel snappy.
• 🎥 For content creation, particularly video editing, the base model struggles with handling 4K 60 footage smoothly, which disappoints the reviewer.
• 🌐 The 8 GB RAM shows limitations when multiple tabs are open in Google Chrome, suggesting that 16 GB would be more appropriate for heavy multitasking.
• 🖥 The design remains the same as the M2 MacBook Air, but Apple has made improvements to reduce smudges and fingerprint marks.
• 🔗 The M3 MacBook Air can support two external monitors, an upgrade from the M2 model which only supports one.
• ⌨ The keyboard is still considered good for typing, and the 13-inch display with a notch offers good brightness and visibility.
• 🔋 The battery life is consistent with other MacBook Air models, providing up to 18 hours of use without needing to be plugged in.

Q & A

What is the base model of the new M3 MacBook Air used in the video?

The base model of the new M3 MacBook Air used in the video comes with an 8-core M3 processor, 8 GB of unified memory, and 256 GB of storage.

How does the reviewer feel about the price of the base model M3 MacBook Air?

The reviewer appreciates that Apple has kept the price the same as the previous model, but finds the 256 GB storage for a $10.99 USD laptop, especially from Apple, to be insufficient in 2024.

What are the reviewer's thoughts on the performance of the M3 chip in everyday tasks?

The reviewer finds the M3 MacBook Air to be fast and snappy in everyday tasks such as video calling, using Google Docs, and general productivity, attributing this to the updated M3 chip.

How does the M3 MacBook Air perform in video editing tasks?

The reviewer experienced difficulties editing 4K 60 footage from a Sony fx30 on the base model due to the limitations of the 8 GB RAM, which caused the timeline to stutter and made editing challenging.

What issue did the reviewer encounter when using Google Chrome with many tabs open?

The reviewer found that with many tabs open, the 8 GB RAM in the base model started to show its limitations, causing the system to become rough and highlighting the need for 16 GB of RAM.

What design change did Apple make to the M3 MacBook Air that the reviewer appreciates?

Apple made a change to reduce smudges and fingerprint marks on the laptop, which the reviewer is happy about, especially for those who prefer the midnight color.

What is the M3 MacBook Air's capability regarding external monitor support?

The M3 MacBook Air can support two external monitors, an improvement over the M2 MacBook Air which supports only one.

What is the reviewer's opinion on the keyboard and display of the M3 MacBook Air?

The reviewer is pleased with the keyboard, having written scripts and Instagram reels with it, and appreciates the brightness of the 13-inch display with a notch, which houses the 1080p webcam.

How does the M3 MacBook Air compare to the M1 and M2 models in terms of battery life?

The M3 MacBook Air's battery life is on par with the M1 and M2 models, offering an 18-hour battery life without needing to be plugged in, which the reviewer continues to appreciate.

What is the reviewer's recommendation regarding the purchase of the M3 MacBook Air?

The reviewer finds it difficult to recommend the M3 MacBook Air due to its price and the availability of better value alternatives like the M3 MacBook Pro for more power or the M2 MacBook Air for less cost.