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Over the last two months, the 15-inch MacBook Air M3 taught me a familiar lesson: we all have the potential to surprise ourselves as to who we really are and what we want or need. Yes, that sounds like a dramatic coming-of-age story (and how I became a morning person), but it’s also how I found out that I’m not a MacBook Pro user anymore.
The lesson doesn’t have a huge impact on my immediate future, as I’m not considering the new MacBook Pro M3 or buying any of the other best laptop contenders anytime soon, especially if my current Mac lasts nine years just like its predecessor did. But my story could very well be a teachable moment for slightly confused shoppers trying to decipher which is the best MacBook for them.
Right now, the Apple laptop landscape is better than it’s ever been, and that’s not about hype or speed. Today, Apple offers the right amount of choice — something I didn’t have when I bought my laptop a mere three years ago.
Apple MacBook Air M3
I’ve fallen for the 15-inch MacBook Air M3 because it’s lighter than MacBook Pros while still packing a big screen, great battery life and stellar speed — for hundreds less than the latest MacBook Pros.
$999 at Amazon
From $999 at Best Buy
I thought the MacBook Air wasn’t the right laptop for me
Back in 2021, when Apple first debuted the 14-inch MacBook Pro, the company was in the second stage of a years-long plan to reorganize the Mac based around its own Apple silicon processors. The only other MacBooks available were the 13-inch M1 MacBook Air (a long-lasting take on an iconic design), the aging 13-inch Touch Bar MacBook Pro we don’t talk about and the pricey 16-inch MacBook Pro.
I went with the 14-inch model because it was “just right,” though the spec’d out configuration I got with 32GB of memory and 1TB of storage still cost me a whopping $2,799. This was a worthy investment, though, and one I had to make as my previous machine was on its last legs. For those playing along at home, today’s most-similar MacBook Pro would cost me $2,619 — a good sign that prices are going in the right direction.
I made my choice because the M1 MacBook Air just didn’t seem right. An admittedly phenomenal computer, its 13-inch screen was too much of a downgrade from my 2012 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro. Also, that 14-inch MacBook Pro packed an SD memory card reader, HDMI port and MagSafe charging, which were not in the MacBook Air. At the time, I really needed (or at least wanted) these ports.
Then, time passed. In 2022, Apple debuted a new-look MacBook Air M2 that featured the same MagSafe charger I appreciated and an upgraded Liquid Retina display that was brighter and more colorful than its predecessor. Still, though, it was a physical downgrade in screen estate, so I didn’t really feel much interest. Enter 2023’s 15-inch MacBook Air M2, with the larger display that matched my since-retired laptop.
The MacBook Air M3’s design and battery life quickly changed my mind
In 2024, when I reviewed the 13-inch and 15-inch versions of the MacBook Air M3, it didn’t take me much time at all to realize that the larger of its two sizes was my “Goldilocks” laptop — it was just right. That’s not just about price (which I’ll get to later), but about endurance and portability. During the days and nights after we published that review, I found myself taking the 15-inch version to the couch with me, leaving my M1 MacBook Pro at my desk.
The reasons why are pretty simple: it’s thinner and lighter than the 14-inch MacBook Pro. On paper, the above weight and thickness differences may not sound like a lot, but this was one of those cases where I could really feel both. That lighter load just felt nicer in my lap on the sofa, even if I was making tradeoffs.
Oh, and our battery life test — where we time how long a laptop lasts playing a looping 4K video — showed that the 15-inch and 14-inch MacBooks offer very similar endurance. Only a mere six minutes stands between the times we got from the 15-inch MacBook Air and 14-inch MacBook Pro.
While many may see the MacBook Pro’s ports and screen as special features worth your time, I lean towards battery life and heft. Especially when all MacBooks offer the same cross-device compatibility with the iPhone.
The MacBook Air sports a bigger, but not sharper, display
As you might expect, the pricier MacBook Pro has a better display than that of the MacBook Air. And as true as that is, I still find myself leaning away from the costly laptop I invested in. When I’m using any laptop or tablet, I often find myself trying to split my screen between at least two different applications or windows. And that makes my 14-inch MacBook Pro’s screen feel a little too tightly packed in.
Sure, I could just buy the 16-inch MacBook Pro M3, but scroll up and remember that its battery life isn’t that much better and it is much heavier. It’s also pricier, starting at $2,499. Yes, I was sold on this laptop as of the end of last year, but that’s how fond I am of the 15-inch MacBook Air.
While the 15-inch MacBook Air’s screen packs slightly fewer pixels than the 14-inch MacBook Pro, its larger size overall makes up for that, as I feel totally comfortable with two apps side-by-side. This comes in handy often, as I usually have a creative application open on the left side, and a browser tab for research on the right.
But what about display quality? Sure, the Liquid Retina XDR display in the MacBook Pro offers superior contrast and color, to compete with the best of the best OLED screens, but the Air’s Liquid Retina display is good enough for what I use it for. No offense to the folks producing YouTube shows such as “Hot Ones” and “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” but those shows don’t really benefit from high contrast the way Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” and Jordan Peele’s “Nope” do. Those shows, and all of the photos I take and look at, look fine on the MacBook Air.
And that’s OK by me. I don’t travel enough to merit needing a portable super-screen. That said, I will admit the 14-inch MacBook Pro’s speakers blast more sound (and bass, specifically), as I learned while working on our MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air face-off. But the music I listen to the most, such as Charly Bliss’ “Calling You Out” and Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” still sounds great enough on the 15-inch MacBook Air’s six-speaker sound system.
The MacBook Air’s Apple M3 chip is definitely fast enough for me
This is going to be one of those situations where your mileage varies greatly. In short, those with modest computing power needs will be happy with the MacBook Air, as its M3 chips speed through low-impact tasks. The MacBook Pro, however, is sold with three different CPU options: the entry-level M3, the bump-up M3 Pro and the top-flight M3 Max. The MacBook Pro I bought was only available with the M1 Pro or M1 Max, so I got the former, knowing I didn’t need bleeding-edge speeds.
During the early months of the pandemic, when Twitch streaming and video editing were my new favorite hobbies, I thought I needed that M1 Pro chip, and not the regular M1 in the MacBook Air. But all of those hobbies have passed. And my recent case of Baldur’s Gate 3 fever has also come and gone, so I don’t need the M3 Max-equipped MacBook Pro and the high-end gaming chops its specs deliver.
All these months later, I find myself saying “Nah, I’m more about image and text editing than I am anything else.” With that set of needs, I’m good with the M3 MacBook Air that slowly became my default machine. Whether I’m cranking out memes with the Photos app and Pixelmator Pro or working on blog posts with the Drafts and Ulysses apps, the MacBook Air packs all the horsepower I need, and that includes when I hoard tabs like they’re bottles of water in a dystopic future.
Of course, the M3 is much faster than the M1 chip (Apple claims speed gains of up to 60%), so this laptop I love also benefits from the maturation of Apple’s chip-making process.
The MacBook Air has a remarkably lower price, too
Remember how I said the 2024 version of the MacBook Pro I bought would cost $2,619 today? Well, when I configure a 15-inch MacBook Air as similarly as possible, it’s $520 cheaper. But if I’m just looking at the M3 MacBook Air that I’ve become fond of, I’d be saving nearly a grand with a $1,699 price tag.
This is the brilliance of Apple finally offering a larger MacBook Air, and its entry-level MacBook displays and speakers getting better and better. You’re not forcing me into agonizing over a buying decision as if I’ve got to worry about the investment I’m making.
Bottom line
For the upgraders who waited for ages as their previous MacBooks aged gracefully, and for the converts who may be tired of Windows 11? Here’s my shortest possible guide on how to buy a new MacBook, based on my own lived experiences and testing:
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Get a 13-inch MacBook Air if you don’t need to multitask, and if you’re OK with music being on the softer side.
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Check out the 15-inch MacBook Air if you multitask and want a lighter bag.
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Look at the MacBook Pros if you love to watch movies on your laptop, want to forget about USB-C hubs and constantly find yourself pushing your laptop to its limits.
Still, I figure that many if not most will be like me and find themselves looking at the big screen MacBook Air. Conventional wisdom for the last decade was that larger laptops were more popular, and I’m very happy that Apple’s finally offering relatively-affordable options.
Note: The prices above reflect the retailers’ listed price at the time of publication.
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