The MacBook M3 Portables
The thought occurring to many Apple folks these days is: What is the best portable Mac to purchase in 2024? With the recent release of the M3 MacBook Airs on March 8th, this is indeed a timely consideration. It is also one that I have been mulling over in my mind and would like to now weigh in on for this edition of Apple Dispatch.
The “Air” Apparent
A frequent question seems to be some form of, what is the best new M3 MacBook Air to purchase, the 13 or 15-inch? This question leads logically to another question. Just how portable and lightweight do you need your MacBook to be?
Weighty Concerns
The 13-inch weighs in at 2.7 pounds (1.24 kg), while the 15-inch comes in at the heftier 3.3 pounds (1.51 kg). The question here is, how often will you be carrying this device on your person? The little more than half pound difference between the two may not seem like much, but can really start to add up with a MacBook slung across your shoulder over distance.
The Right Fit
Related to concerns over weight is also the aspect of dimension, particularly the width. This is a concern if you like carrying your Mac in a smaller cross-body style messenger bag. The 13-inch is definitely more compact in this category with its 11.97 inches wide by 8.46 inches deep dimensions. The 15-inch measures out to 13.40 inches wide by 9.35 inches deep. The 13-inch comes out to almost 1 1/2 inches less by width and not quite a 1/2 inch less in depth. With these dimensions in mind, it is a good idea to measure your bag’s laptop compartment to determine which Air is the best fit. Also, make sure to allow for a little extra space if you will be protecting your MacBook in a separate sleeve similar to one of these.
The More Powerful MacBook Pro 14"
After considering the Airs, some may wonder if they should be looking at the more powerful M3 MacBook Pro. This becomes even more of a consideration if you decide that ultra portability is not your primary motivation, but instead require ultimate performance in a just slightly bulkier package. Those looking at a MacBook Air 15-inch should definitely be comparing it in relation to a similarly configured (SSD and RAM capacity) MacBook Pro 14-inch.
Displays and Available Ports
The 14" MacBook Pro display is 14.2 inches measured diagonally, while the MacBook Air 15" is 15.3 inches. This extra inch of screen real estate will be important for some, while others may find the MacBook Pro 14-inch a good compromise between the displays of the Airs with the MacBook Air 13" display coming in at 13.6 inches. The Pro’s higher-quality display also includes the XDR ProMotion adaptive refresh rate technology up to 120Hz and 1,000 nits brightness to the Airs’ 500 nits. The MacBook Pro (M3 Pro) supports up to two external displays at 6K and 60Hz over Thunderbolt, or one external display at 6K and 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one display at 4K and 144Hz over HDMI. The M3 Airs can maintain full native resolution on their built-in displays and drive one external display up to 6K resolution at 60Hz, or with the lid closed drive a second external display up to 5K at 60Hz.
With the Pro, you get additional ports including an extra Thunderbolt port (for the Pro M3 chip model), HDMI and an SDXC card slot in comparison to both MacBook Airs.
Longevity and Value Proposition
The final consideration relates to the recency of when these MacBooks were released. This has to do with the all-important longevity issue. We all know just how quickly tech can start to show its age. This situation has improved markedly with the release of Apple’s own processor hardware, but it’s still a valid consideration for those looking to squeeze every last bit of utility from their machine.
The plus in the MacBook Air’s favor is that the M3 version was just released on March 8th in the Apple Store. Also keep in mind that if you upgrade the 13" MacBook Air’s SSD or RAM, you also get the 10-Core GPU rather than the 8. You can upgrade the GPU directly for $100, but would miss out on doubling the SSD or RAM for $100 more.
According to the venerable MacRumors Buyer’s Guide, the MacBook Pro is classified as Mid-product Cycle with a Neutral recommendation. Also, many seem to be anticipating an M4 processor version in the works. On the plus side, all this gives you the chance to find a discount on the MacBook Pro at retailers like Costco, which has (at the time of publication) $150 off the 14" M3 Pro chip, 512GB, 18GB RAM configuration.
For a price of $1,799.00, this starts to get near the range of a similarly specked out MacBook Air 15" with 512GB SSD and 16GB RAM that goes for $1,649.00 at Costco. For only $150 more with the MacBook Pro, you get the higher quality XDR ProMotion display, better built-in speakers and Fans, which can kick in to keep you at higher performance when you are doing processor-intensive tasks like video editing or exporting.
Comparing Key Specs
Display Size
MacBook Air 13 (13.6-inches)
MacBook Air 15 (15.3-inches)
MacBook Pro 14 (14.2-inches)
Weight
MacBook Air 13 (2.7 pounds, 1.24 kg)
MacBook Air 15 (3.3 pounds, 1.51 kg)
MacBook Pro 14 M3 Pro chip (3.5 pounds, 1.61 kg)
Overall Dimensions
MacBook Air 13: 11.97 inches wide x 8.46 inches deep x 0.44 inch high
MacBook Air 15: 13.40 inches wide x 9.35 inches deep x 0.45 inch high
MacBook Pro 14: 12.31 inches wide x 8.71 inches deep x 0.61 inch high
Connections and Ports
MacBook Air 13: Two Thunderbolt 3, MagSafe 3, Headphone Jack
MacBook Air 15: Two Thunderbolt 3, MagSafe 3, Headphone Jack
MacBook Pro 14 M3 Pro chip: Three Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3, HDMI, SDXC, Headphone Jack
Retail Price of Similar “Mid-Tier” Configuration
MacBook Air 13: $1,499.00 (Costco $1,449.99)
MacBook Air 15: $1,699.00 (Costco $1,649.99)
MacBook Pro 14 (M3 Pro chip): $1,999.00 (Costco $1,799.99)
Clarifying the Buying Decision
One thing to not overlook is the incredibly helpful in-person outing to your local Apple Store or other Retailer, so that you can look at these MacBooks side-by-side and compare all aspects that are important to you. I found this extremely illuminating in helping to shape my own thoughts of which portable Mac would be best for me.
Now, let’s look at how each of the portable MacBooks we’ve discussed are well-positioned for various types of users.
Who Is the MacBook Air 13-inch M3 For?
Writers
Students
Minimalists
Those requiring the ultimate in portability
Who Is the MacBook Air 15-inch M3 For?
Those who need the lightest MacBook with the largest display
Those who prefer the form factor of the Air over the Pro
Who Is the MacBook Pro 14-inch M3 For?
Video Editors
Those who require sustained processor-intensive tasks
Those who require the higher quality XDR ProMotion display
Those who require the additional ports
Concluding Thoughts
The new MacBook Air 13-inch definitely takes top honors for a highly capable machine that is also incredibly portable. The MacBook Pro 14-inch hits a sweet spot for those needing the extra performance for demanding tasks and that also want the better quality XDR ProMotion display. This is especially true when you can find it at a discount off the retail purchase price. The MacBook Air 15-inch seems to be targeting those looking to squeeze the maximum screen real estate from a package just slightly lighter than the MacBook Pro 14-inch.
I hope you enjoyed reading this dispatch and would love to hear your thoughts on which MacBook is best for you in the comments section. See you there and in the next one!
Helpful References:
MacBook Air 13- and 15-inch with M3 or M2 - Tech Specs
https://www.apple.com/macbook-air/specs/
MacBook Pro - Tech Specs
https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/
Use the SD and SDXC card slot on your Mac - Apple Support
https://support.apple.com/en-us/102352
MacRumors Buyer's Guide: Know When to Buy iPhone, Mac, iPad
https://buyersguide.macrumors.com/