M3 MacBook AIR or M3 MacBook PRO: Which Should You Buy?
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- Опубліковано 9 чер 2024
- With the refresh of the MacBook Air models in March, Apple now has M3 versions of the 13-inch MacBook Air, 14-inch MacBook Pro, and 15-inch MacBook Air, all with the same chip inside. For those trying to decide between the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air, we did a comparison video to highlight what you're getting with each machine.
Buy 13" M3 MacBook Air: amzn.to/3VcFXSc
Buy 15" M3 MacBook Air: amzn.to/3IBmwuI
Buy 14" M3 MacBook Pro: amzn.to/49R9N3a
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⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
00:26 Sizes, Build, & Thermal Performance
01:19 IO Ports
02:08 MAJOR Display Differences
03:37 Speakers & Mic Test
05:03 Battery Life
05:30 External Display Support for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air
05:59 M3 Performance, Specs, & Configuration
06:51 Which Should YOU Buy?
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Note: Apple has announced support for two external displays with lid closed for M3 14" MacBook Pro but that will be coming in a future software update.
Actualmente tengo un MacBook Pro Mid 2012 con upgrade (8ram/500ssd) pero ya se queda “congelado” con algunas tareas, o le cuesta realizarlas, además de ser lentas. Uso principalmente para revisar contenido Online, documentos como Word, PDF, consumir streaming, edición de fotos ocasional nada profesional, juego LOL y algunos otros… recomiendas ir por el AIR M3 8ram/512gb… AIR M2 16ram/512gb o ir por el PRO 8ram/512gb ??? Ayuda por favor 🙏🏼
As a sound engineer, yes the mics on the Pro sound more full & well rounded, the ones on the Air sound thin.
Bingo
As a hearing impaired Veteran that is totally deaf in right ear, I noticed no difference at all.
The Macbook pro mic is better by a mile 😄 The difference is really night and day
Agreed.
+1 the MacBook pro mic is significantly better sounding
Great summary. I think the mic sound was actually better on the Air, as the pro sounded a bit muffled.
On the choice of which to buy, I think you make a strong case for the Pro (although I don't think you mentioned the weight difference, the Pro being a little heavier). But as you say, once you start speccing up, my feeling the the M3 Pro MacBook Pro (ridiculous naming protocol) is the one to go for, especially as you get the Space Black colour - and we all know that's really important!!
I have a M2 MacBook Pro and use two monitors with openned lid, so actually I am using three displays, without third party apps. So, basically, they removed this feature from M3?
which one is better for video editing. i edit on premier pro, capcut
Thanks. This was helpful. I'm trying to convince my wife it's time for a new laptop - her MacBook is almost 9 years old! I thought the mic sounded better on the Air. I thought the Pro sound was a little "muddy" (not enough treble).
Personally the pro has the more robust sound. Could use a bit more treble but it’s a rich,full sound. The air sounds like it’s in a tin can. Not bad but just no low end at all
I noticed that on mine (14"), I use the SoundSource Equalizer app and have it set to SpokenWord mode.
If microphone is essential to your use case, say Professional use. You should be using a quality headset, on really any laptop. The built in stuff is good for in a squeeze situation imo.
Mention or show name of laptop you talking about in screen.
Listen closely
Question for anyone who can help: Will a 14" MBP(M3Pro) w/18RAM & 512SSD be enough for someone who just needs it for music editing (Ableton) now and possibly video editing in the future? How much better is this than the M3 MBA 15 (16/512) for those tasks listed? I was looking at getting the Air but the MBP is on sale and only $150 more so I though I’d consider it for future proofing in case I do go into vid editing. I’ve always been a loyal PC user but am finally going to switch after my current notebook just let me down for the last time (fan failed in a little over 2 years). TIA
I went with M1 Pro 14 because I got a better deal on it than 15” M2 MBA. I don’t regret my choice as the screen is much better and it weighs only 100g more than MBA.
Smart! 120hz refresh rate is nice!
heylo actually i am confused a lot to buy whether macbook air m3 max version ( 8 core cpu and 10 core gpu, 16gb ram and 512gb ssd) or pro m3 ( 12 core cpu and 18 core gpu, 18gb ram and 512gb ssd/1tb ssd)... actually i am wanting to have a laptop for programming, gaming, editing. I wonder if macbook air would be suffiecient or i might have to buy the pro version only?
i got an upgraded m3 air thinking the same (lighter and perhaps better performance). turned out it works just as fine as my M1 pro 😢 i can see overheating is gonna be a problem with this m3 air tho due to smaller fans, and it will probably be outdated right after m4/5 are launched (while my m1 pro still works just fine after 3 years). so if you wanna be sustainable, m3 pro for sure!
@@jwk9139 yes i am goin to take m3 pro version only .. kind of will take a week .. thanks for info bro..
I’ve been using the 14” M1 Max since launch and it still runs just as fast as the day I got it and never had any problems with running tons heavy workload editing. I wanted something lighter with a big screen to carry around though so I finally just got my M3 15” Air today and I love it so far! Definitely extremely portable and still powerful enough to do everything I want to on the go. It’ll be nice to have the option to choose between either laptop to take out depending on my needs that day.
What a load of Rubbish 🤣
@@jackdominiak445i would agree, wouldnt make any sense to buy 2, when buy the 1 . . .That makes the most sense . . . I call B.S. on this one for sure!
I am using M1 MBP 14" 2021 and thought of going lighter on the M3 Air. For my daily internet, Zoom lectures, Powerpoint presentations, and editing my podcast on iMovie I am sure it will be more than fine. I wanted to ask for your opinion on using remote connection to clients (via Fortimet/RDP) and using Windows 11 on Parallels which I have to use working with my clients - assuming M3 Air is enough, should I go on 16GB RAM for the Parallels/Windows usage, or is the 8GB RAM strong enough to support using the VM? Thanks!
I've been using the new MBP 14" m3 pro with 18gb of ram. Using Parallels Desktop and running Visio and TEAMS simultaneously, the system is using Swap. So I would highly suggest 16gb min for Parallels usage.
You are confirming what I thought. Thanks a lot!!@@tannerk12
If using your computer, on a Professional level (Makes you a income). Id play it safe, than sorry, in that case go pro, with the Spec you need. If know your tax deductuons, you could write the cost off on taxes over a 3 year period. We upgrade our computers on a 3 year cycle, for that 1 reason alone. Id suggest keep cost below $2100 to get the best Tax Gain 😊
I’ve been thinking about which one to buy for months now. I thought the MacBook Air should be the best but when I customize both the 15 inch MacBook Air and MacBook Pro (M3) with a 16gb ram and a 1tb ssd, there’s only a $100 difference in price. So I think the MacBook Pro should be a better choice. For $100 more I get more ports, better screen and more “power”. Does that make sense?
How can I plug in a hard drive via USB-C if both of my ports are blocked by two external screens? Are there dongles out there? M1 could not support more than all these ports which are build into the machine.
Plenty of solid Hubs or Docs exist in the under $50 space...Alot of Apple Macbook Air peeps go this route when in the home office mode.
I’m after a new machine for console streaming via capture card. And then of course video editing. Would the M3 Air handle this ok? Or better off going with the M3 pro?
in terms of performance, you still need to upgrade the ram (m3 air) for a much smoother use - it’s still gonna be a bit cheaper than the default m3 pro. however, m3 air is prone to overheating because of much smaller fans. ofc, if you can afford the pro then get the pro but if your budget is tight, m3 air would get the job done
Air has 0 fans, so in event of stressing the CPU, you gonna feel it. If you have any doubts, go for the Pro, had physical fans, and well, better port options, plus 120hz screen vs 60hz screen! That $200 price bump, is worth it, especually if the machine is creating income. Plus wouldnt you rather be safe than sorry, in the end.
@@creditrazer981 100% going for the Pro 👍👍
less than basic treatment of how much you can get out of the Macbook Air if fitted with 16Gb RAM and a 512Gb SSD. Kyle Ericson says you can actually do quite a bit of photo and video editing with those specs without any problems whatsover, as long as you don’t go hardcore pro.
I don't really know what to choose.
the MacBook M3 Air 16GB/512GB (€1,760) or the MacBook M3 Pro 8GB/512GB (€1,850). I would mainly use it to edit photos on Photoshop. The better screen quality and the SD card slot on the PRO model is a big advantage for me. Or am I better off with the Air M3 16GB/512GB because it has more RAM? I use a Nikon D750 and edit an average of 500 photos per year. So not a heavy user I guess? My current laptop is an Acer nitro 5 (8GB/512GB) from 2019
Can't decode between macbook air M3 16gb 15 ich, Or macbook pro m3 8gb 14 inch. It would mainly be used for work, and editing raw files in lrc. Any opinions to help me decide would be appreciated. I like the idea of the pro as its better build with fan etc. But will I need thay extra double Ram size of 16gb in the air?
If you cant get the M3 Pro chip then the M3 Air 15 would be better given that you'd be upgrading ram to 16gb
@Linuuux ended up deciding on mac b Pro m2 PRO Chip, 10-Core CPU, 16-Core, GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD. Seemed best all rounder for same price
@@wildlifesimon great choice, youll love it
Link to the wallpaper at the 1:15 mark??
The Pro Display and sound quality (mic and speakers) are considerably better.
Q: I'm needing to buy a new laptop SOON... Do you feel that I'll need to wait until the new macbook pros with the M4 chips to come out to benefit from all of the new AI features, or will most of these new AI related announcements also work on an their current lineup of MacBook Pros?
I was hoping for a visual comparison of the screens. Ideally with an HDR UA-cam video but it doesn’t have to be. This isn’t a text article so why is the video review sticking to that script? It’s really good like when we hear the microphone comparisons! I actually enjoyed the MacBook Air microphone and wanted the rest of the video to keep going with it!!
He didn't want to completely destroy the Air, also wait til u try to use it in the garden on a sunny day 🤣
"You do get the notch", like it's a good thing haha
The MacBook Air’s microphone’s sound clearly better to me vs the Pro.
Show us how you connect Vision Pro with MacBook Air M3
I mean, not really correct on the MacBook Pro specs, there is a 16in model with M3 pro and max cpu available...
It’s 100% correct. There’s no m3 MacBook Pro that’s 16”. We aren’t talking about m3 pro and m3 max. Those are different machines. This is base m3 only
In fairness he's referring to the entry level M3 MacBook Pro and 16" is not available for that
@@jackdominiak445 I took a minute to go check it out again after I made that comment and noticed that my memory did indeed fail me.
Should really compare baseline M1 pro vs M3 air
The base model M1 Pro is basically a m1 MacBook Air
@@trapr1993 not on graphics department
MBA should come in 13.0" and 14.4" sizes with a built-in SD Card port like 2017 MBA and earlier had. MBP should come in only "Pro" silicon models, in 14.4" and 16.2" sizes.
Its too bad Apple doesnt offer a base M3 16t" MBP. I don't want to have to sacrifice screen space and battery life for some IO, Mini LED and active cooling.
Battery life is better on mbp
Here in Finland Air 16gb 512gb is about 2100€. This year HP Spectre 120mhz oled with 32gb and 1Tb is 1799€. I'm trying to decide between these two.
Those specs sound fantastic for the price but I don’t use windows so the decision is easy for me
🤣
Why you don't mention the prices?
also the air is not "a lot quieter" it's 100% quiet and the pro is almost 100% quiet, anyone who is thinking about buying the m3 air should definitely get the base M3 pro, if you want the cheapest then get the m2 air.
Aaalso don't upgrade anything, trust me you'll want to replace it in 2 years for the M5 machines with lots of cool new stuff
Thank you for your video. Have just preordered the M3 Air 16/512.
I’m confused on what to get. I just want a 15in MacBook Pro. My old 15in MacBook Pro’s are the perfect size.
Actualmente tengo un MacBook Pro Mid 2012 con upgrade (8ram/500ssd) pero ya se queda “congelado” con algunas tareas, o le cuesta realizarlas, además de ser lentas. Uso principalmente para revisar contenido Online, documentos como Word, PDF, consumir streaming, edición de fotos ocasional nada profesional, juego LOL y algunos otros… recomiendas ir por el AIR M3 8ram/512gb… AIR M2 16ram/512gb o ir por el PRO 8ram/512gb ??? Ayuda por favor 🙏🏼
The MacBook Pro speakers do sound slightly better than those on the Air
Slightly? 😳 The Pro is in a different ZIP code 🤣
Did I misunderstand.. I see a 14" and 16" M3 Pro/Max on their site?
That is m3 chip only 14 inch version. M3 pro and M3 max chip has the 14 and 16 inch
If you KNOW you are gonna use GeForce Now (Gaming), you want to heavily consider the "Pro" due to the 120hz screen alone. I feel the lack of ports on air, can be solved with a $50 hub, so not a deal breaker. However i think performance to dollar ratio, and flexibility, the "Pro" series is a better option.
Lack of USB A ports (especially in the so called "Pro") is ludicrous. Ditto for the lack of USB-A ports and the shape edge where I rest my wrists/forearms while typing, using the trackpad, etc. Many including myself have to file that edge to greatly improve comfort, which should be done by Apple itself.
Is there not a 16” MacBook Pro?
Yeah, but it doesn't use the base M3 processor.
@@johnroberts2905 neither does the 15” air. It has more gpu cores than the 13.
That is m3 chip only 14 inch version. M3 pro and M3 max chip has the 14 and 16 inch
Disapointed in the lack of any real world testing. My M3 MacBook Air can do 4K video rendering and 3D modeling flawlessly, I have an STL in blender with 580k polygons and its smooth as silk. The M3 really is a beast
Is that the base model or with upgraded unified memory and storage? Just curious because I would be using it for blender and 3d modeling as well
I would love to know that too.
This video isn’t about that. It’s about the differences. Most average people buying this laptop just wanna know what are the differences. Performance is going to be the same. We can do a performance test but that’s an entirely different video
@@samanthagibbons6353its upgraded to 16GB and 512GB SSD. 8GB is just a crime, shouldnt even be an option
@@macrumorsWell, it would be pretty easy to add that to the video and clearly people are clamoring to know, instead of being defensive try taking some constructive feedback
Oh yea, the mics on the Pro were WAY better sounding
Honestly I just checked, and the price of the Macbook Pro and the Macbook Air are nearly the same if you change the specs to max specs for each, because the Pro is only $100 more than the Air. Like with everything added the Pro is $3.1k while the 15in Air is $3k. So yeah, if I was buying a new Macbook, I'd totally go for the Pro.
Wait a video without the MacBooks lol
MacBook Pro M3 also comes in 16 inch size
That is m3 chip only 14 inch version. M3 pro and M3 max chip has the 14 and 16 inch
You said the Air is "a LOT quieter", but then you said the Pro's fans hardly ever come on. 🤷♂
@@Whatsgoodmydude2222so what?? It’s a tiny mistake in an eight minute video. This really shows ur insecure because you point out ppls tiny errors. Everyone makes mistakes. It’s almost like this video was made by a human.
There are a lot of mistakes in the 8-minute video 😂🤣😂 Watch it just for fun.
@@Whatsgoodmydude2222 bro is mad 😂
It is a lot quieter because there are no fans. With that said, I have RARELY ever heard my fans come on the MBP. So one is silent because it can’t physically make noise and the other can but it’s rare. Hope that clears it up for you
@@Whatsgoodmydude2222 Bro thinks he is an Alpha Omega Sigma 😛
The MB Pro sounds warm but rather wooly with little definition, the Air has a more sharper defined sound but rather edgy and metallically. I would rather the Pro´s sound for long calls as it is less tiring. Is the audio able to be adjusted, an equaliser for instance so as to tailor the sound to ones liking that would be great!
M3 MacBook Pro is the best.
The 8GB standard configs are ... bad.
The $/€/£200 upgrade to 16GB is egregious price gouging.
The Vision Pro has 16GB of RAM base. They should stop offering 8gb base model laptops.
Very strategic though. 16gb makes a productivity machine. The lowest config is a casual work machine (emails, browsing, writing, notes, etc) that looks nice and gets other people around it interested.
@@DoubleOhSilverDepends on what you mean by productivity. I make money from writing. I don't make money from photo or video editing.
macbook air has better mic sound coming out
doesn’t even mention resolution
MacBook Air 15" sounds way better!
I thought the microphone on the Air was superior
It did sound better in this one off demonstration
I mean if a reviewer says to me that he doesn’t ever hear those fans kicking in, it just shows how absurdly overpowered those MacBook Pros are for him. I do own MacBook Pro, whenever I am upscaling a video in Topaz using AI, I hear those fans. That’s typical Pro use case when you really need a fan, because that chip is maxed out at that point and it takes a while to upscale video using AI. And that fan makes a difference between taking it 30 mins vs 4 hours let’s say. So if in your professional use case you don’t hear fans, it’s a good sign you actually don’t need MacBook Pro for your professional work.
upscaling a video is not a typical video production related operation, only people with bad cameras do it, so they have to substitue with processing power. There is no AI in Topaz, you are a marketing victim.
normal video rendering does not require the fans
Omg.. this is not a review! All u said are in apple website! I tot ur comparing the real performance like photoshop, premiere pro, 3d porgams etc…u just read all thats in the website…preposterous
I didn’t read anything. I went through the differences that matter to people in the real world. It’s to help figure out of those differences matter to you or not
1. 15 > 14 (for me it's more important for photo video than all advantagaes of pro, but its just me)
2. props for natural light and plants in studio, and not fancy super duper leds and hitec stuff like other YTs, really 👍
I have m1 Air and M2 Pro. The biggest complaint about the Pro is the weight when traveling. As a result on my current trip the pro is at home, but the Air is in my bag.
You forgot to mention, the Air is smaller, which is why it's slightly lighter!
M3 MacBook Pro is better
Yes the MacBook Pro is the better machine, what a surprise.
I think for most ppl the Air will handle all tasks. The difference between both machines is so minor, that if the Air cant handle a task the Pro wont do either.
I live in the EU and the Pro is 550$ more. I wouldnt buy the base config and there is no special deal on custom configs.
To me these additional Ports dont matter (if it would be thunderbolt Ports 🤔…), if i really want studio quality Mics I use those and dont rely on internal mics. Better speakers are nice but for occacional consumption the internal ones on the Air are also enough for me.
That leaves me with the Display, yes I would love to have that in the Air but I cant.
So I have to deside.
I took the much thinner and lighter MBA without active cooling (so no fan could get me on my nervs exp when time goes by and it starts to get worn out)… and safe 550 bucks
Hands Down, MacBook Pro is my choice overall
Just ordered the certified refurbished 8+512 M2 MacBook Air from the Apple today.
There was no difference on the 2 mics.
pro mic better then ur mic tbh - shocking 😢
Does MacOS actually need more than 8GB of ram?
Depending on what you do of course it does
And most importantly: 8 GB ist fine for many "average" users - now. But if you plan to keep the laptop for more than 3, 4 years definitely go for 16 GB of RAM. Many people keep their laptops for 5 years or more. And then later on, you always regret that you did not buy more RAM at the beginning.
MacOS uses 5.3Gb of RAM just to run the system, so no u don't need more, however only a blinkered fool would buy a MacBook with only 8gb of RAM & 256Gb of storage 😏
@@macrumors That's poor advise!
60Hz in 2024 💀
m3 air sounds way more clearer and sharp!
Air screen is not that good like the pro
I will go with a pro
Air mics are a little tinny
Very tinny imo. I prefer pro
The mics aren't too bad, but the speakers a very poor in comparison
the new m3 air is a joke for this price. a very bad joke.
wow HDMI ! in 2024 ! amazing ! :)
both looks fantastic, but... keyboard stroke is too shallow, keyboard layout is f$# up and MacOS hard to use.
If they have something like this but with linux/KDE or Windows (10, not 11/12 :) ) that would be a PERFECT device.
Then go watch a window laptop review?
macOS is hard to use if you’re tech illiterate
@@cytrex1o1 i'm a programmer, i don't have problems with well designed systems :)
@@sammyjammy6647 dunno why YT proposed by that vid....
@@razorree when you see the proposal, just click on the three dots and say don’t show me videos like this anymore
The MacBook Pro is in a different Zip code to the Air (Either one) and spec for spec, the price difference is negligible.
It's a foolish and misleading review and only a blinkered fool would buy an AIR over the Pro!
Thanks for making this video I am now leaning towards the pro model more.
Leaning? 😳 The Pro is in a different ZIP code 🤣
If you have the money, just get the MacBook Pro. Its a way better laptop. Just make sure you upgrade the RAM if you are using it for video editing, graphics work, music production, and for coding. You get more ports, so it makes it easier to have increased productivity. If you want a light, thin laptop and thats your thing, the MacBook Air is fine. I'll just get frustrated trying to use that thing. Lack of ports is the killer. You can go with something like the ASUS Creator q540 if you want a powerful laptop for the money Apple asks for to get the cheapest MacBook Air, its going for $999 at Best Buy. You'll have a better screen, its a 3K OLED panel, more ports, ability to use an eGPU to upgrade the video card, and you can upgrade the internal storage, including the RAM on it as well. You can't upgrade any MacBook after the fact.
Link to the wallpaper at the 1:15 mark??
For real