M3 MacBook Air OR M3 MacBook Pro? Here's our full comparison, covering: - All Design Differences - All Display Differences - External Display Support - Camera Quality - Microphone Quality - Throttling - Power Usage - Thermals - Real-World Performance - Battery Drain & more! Hope you guys enjoy this video and hopefully now you'll have a better idea which M3 MacBook is the best choice for you! 😊
nobody bothers... actually we like the build quality, long life, great battery with better chips and efficient software. We do use it for office and general web surfing, TH-cam, social media etc. @@piotrd.4850
Point is normal users can still use 2013 mac pro...even one had beefed up with full specs at that time, Apple would've simply discard it since it doesn't have 2017 chip to get update to Sonoma. What configuration is needed to run their OS, even Apple doesn't themselves.
I think it would be more interesting if techtubers would compare different models of Air instead of comparing it to a Pro computer. No one is doing that.
I wish they compared all the new laptops to the M1 Air, as that amazing chip that can be thought of as a baseline and the weakest in-house laptop chips Apple will ever release
I did a 3 hour DJ Pro session yeaterday with also three safari tabs open and connected to Pioneer DDJ FLX 4 controller via USB C and activity monitor stayed green using around 6GB RAM the whole time. Right now I have about 400GB of SSD still available if that makes difference
My wife who is an elementary school teacher uses a 16 GByte M1 MB Air. She says it is a massive step up overall when compared to her previous Intel based MB Air. The difference in weight between the two devices is noticeable even though the difference is only 0.2 lbs. The MB Pro is 0.5 pounds heaver than the M3 MB Air so the difference in weight between the M3 MB Air and M3 MB Pro is even more notacealbe. This was apparent when I compared the two machines at the Apple store. Given that the M3 MB Pro really isn't "pro" enough for most professional users who make use of the multiple CPU cores and GPU cores, I would go with the MB Air. Don't forget that the M3 MB Pro only has one fan compared to the M3 Pro MB Pro.
something I haven't heard anyone explain well is the size differences: MacBook Air 13" is 13.6" (2.7 lbs) MacBook Pro 14" is 14.2" (3.4 lbs) MacBook Air 15" is 15.3" (3.3 lbs) MacBook Pro 16" is 16.2" (4.7 lbs) So there's a much bigger size difference from the Pro 14" to Air 15" - 1.1" bigger; whereas the 13" to 14" is only .6"; From a screen size and form factor perspective, the 15" Air is great value compared to the 14" Pro. Also the 15" Air has slightly better cooling due to larger enclosure and slightly bigger battery. Comparing the 15" Air to 14" Pro is much better and the huge advantage of the larger screen could swing it for some (and still be lighter)
The results would be very similar (only higher on both). The only exception being FCP, which is able to export complex projects without any issues, on the M3 MacBook Pro.
@@ZONEofTECH I think one possible explanation as to why FCP fails to run on the 8GB RAM pro is that the memory is shared between the graphics and cpu. Because the air has a lower resolution screen it requires less RAM which in turn enables it to squeeze by in FCP. If you do end changing your mind and compare the 16GB air vs the 16GB pro, you might be able to prove or disprove the theory. This is important because it would mean that the 8GB pro is less capable than the 8GB air in most professional task as those usually tend to require more ram.
Ditching my 7yr old Lenovo Yoga for the base Macbook Pro because it was $999.97 at Costco. I would have preferred the Macbook Air if it came with a 14in display and decent speakers.
I bought the MBP M3 14" 8gb 1 TB silver color... yes the speakers were great, the display was amazing and the battery life was awesome. But I sold it after 2 months and replaced and bought the MBA M3 15" 8gb 512GB Midnight color (the 16gb ram was already out of the stock so I was forced to buy the 8gb one as it was also the last stock here lol and can't wait for the new stocks to arrive although I prefer much better the 16gb ram) MBA m3 15" why? Because I prefer bigger display, I want lighter and battery life of 15" was magnificent. The display was still perfect as well as the speakers. Apple products are just second to none. Great review!
This comparison came just at the right time because I am ready to upgrade my 15yr old MacBook pro which has been great but is wearing out. Was thinking about the MacBook air however now I am torn between the both of them. The cost is significant between them both when comparing apples to apples (No pun intended) My old MacBook has worked flawlessly since I got it but the speakers are going the touch pad has some issue but I can't complain at all. What to do ??
Great review. 7:59 Does the MBA actually have cooler bottom case if you hold it in lap, compared to MBP? Because it throttles early, that seems like a good feature to me for usage in lap and comfort. it is fast anyway, better to throttle early to lower the temps, it is still faster than M2/M1, even at lower frequencies. I have MBP 13" M2, active cooling, but fans run very late when laptop is already pretty warm. it behaves like fanless laptop 95% of the time and it becomes warm at bottom anyway and fans still do not kick in, maybe MBA M3 is better in that regard then?
If you're using final cut and editing videos on 8g laptops and you dont think you're going to have issues on any laptop, then you didn't think your purchase through and do your correct research. Need at least 16g to limit any issues on editing and music software
2:21 please do trust me believe me in this it is absolutely true that black color MacBook Pro is a fingerprint magnet if you suffer from OCD get ready to experience annoyance actually I returned it as well
Im currently using a base model 14" M1 Pro Macbook Pro for work (personal device that is used for my company's work) and although I love it, I don't feel comfortable traveling with it since it is primarily a work device. So I was thinking that I would buy an Air as my 100% personal device that I can travel with. Since I don't plan on upgrading for a long time I was just going to max out the ram and upgrade storage to 1Tb. Yes, I realize i could get a M3 Pro MBP for around the same price but I find that the pros are too heavy for me to comfortably carry in a bag.
I am a Graphic Designer and a Photographer from India who works on multiple layers in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom Classic, Figma and Canva, also I am planning to start learning video editing using Adobe's Premier Pro or Davinci Resolve and motion graphics using Adobe After Effects. Currently, I am using an AUS ROG Zephyrus G14 from 2020 with 16 gigs of memory and 1 TB of storage (this is the base model btw which has a Ryzen 5 4600 HS CPU and a Nvidia GTX 1650 ti GPU). I usually have multiple apps running and this is how it might look on average: 1. Photoshop 2. Illustrator 3. Figma (along with Photoshop on rare scenarios) 4. Lightroom Classic (sometimes along with Photoshop) 3. A browser (2 different ones like Brave and Firefox sometimes), 4. Apple Music, 5. Windows file explorer (4 to 5 tabs), 6. A communication app (like Slack or Teams) and 7. Notion. So now can you tell me whether a person like me can get away with a decently specced Macbook Air (like a 15-inch model with 24 gigs of memory and 1 TB of storage) instead of a much more powerful Macbook Pro?
constantly swapping sides with the Two laptops is such a rookie mistake and just kills the entire viewing experience. Makes it so annoying to keep up...
I need HDMI for meetings and simply carry a dongle. I would like to one normal usb A port on all machines as I still need that from time to time and hate using a little adapter
If you have 2 machines with the same speed and you test random stuff, you will get random winners every time with insignificant differences. I would be interested in checking if a MBA M3 is faster than itself - so do the same measurements with both and check which one is faster 😂
@@TRUNKSFF1 I found a promotion for a MacBook Air M2 15inch 24GB/512GB. I am very happy with my first macbook! screen is very sharp and clear for editing photos. Personally I am very happy with a 15 inch, especially because I don't use a monitor. smaller would be a disappointment. battery life is very good and also a fast computer!
If you're going to make a few upgrades to the Air (ram/ssd) just get the Pro. The other differences (Ports/ Display/ Thinness) you'll have to decide how much these things matter to you.
It’s funny I was looking to buy a MacBook not knowing the price and almost had a heart attack the fact apple has the audacity to charge so much is laughable
That camera test looked the same for both laptops. sound was just a little better on the pro. However, for putting a notch to supposably have a better camera, both macs failed. Image looked fuzzy on both. That notch is a joke on Apple users. It's just not needed. Poor engineering and leadership.
Still capable to give you a result in Cinebench benchmark when Windows crash when you have less than 16GB.. so if it's works, and do the things properly, making crappy random crying also a joke without real problem are also a joke... Tell me why everyone need to buy a car with 4 doors, if their usage still comfortable with 2 doors, because they doesn't have kids yet, they are totslly fune with the less doors too.. this is the same for memory, why the regular user who usually just browsing on the internet, and checking his mails sometimes, why they also must pay more for the upgrade? (What is just based on your own crap OS experience, because your own OS is unusable with 8GB..)
Hello there! Very nice and practical video. I would like to buy a new laptop and the 13’’ MBA 16gb + 512 cost 50€ less than base MBP. I definetly prefer the MBP screen but im concerned about 8gb RAM. Is it Pro model as futureproof as Air regarding those specs? Thx
i would be interested to know if the problem with the Final Cut Pro project is caused by the 8 GB RAM or a problem that’s specific to the PRO firmware/hardware. Do you know if the M3 Air and the M3 Pro use the same motherboard? Have you tested the project on a 14” Pro with 16 GB of RAM?
📌💯Choose the correct configuration to compare. 🙌🏼It's good. 🤔Maybe you should be compare 16gb/512gb M3 with MBA 13" & MBP 14" this it's much more get a better results.
M3 MacBook Air OR M3 MacBook Pro? Here's our full comparison, covering:
- All Design Differences
- All Display Differences
- External Display Support
- Camera Quality
- Microphone Quality
- Throttling
- Power Usage
- Thermals
- Real-World Performance
- Battery Drain
& more!
Hope you guys enjoy this video and hopefully now you'll have a better idea which M3 MacBook is the best choice for you! 😊
Can u do similar vdo on m3pro 14” vs air m315”?
I'm not trying to be rude but youtubers should do many other tests rather than Video Editing because most of the population doesn't care about it.
Not disagreeing, but then why bother with MacBooks?
Exactly 90% of people don't even use their laptops for video editting
nobody bothers... actually we like the build quality, long life, great battery with better chips and efficient software. We do use it for office and general web surfing, TH-cam, social media etc. @@piotrd.4850
Point is normal users can still use 2013 mac pro...even one had beefed up with full specs at that time, Apple would've simply discard it since it doesn't have 2017 chip to get update to Sonoma. What configuration is needed to run their OS, even Apple doesn't themselves.
I think it's because what Mac used for though 🤔 (it's legacy)
Wow, so easy to understand your review. This was exactly what I needed to know.
THANKS
mba with 16gb ram & 512gb ssd works flawless.
Thank you for the eloquent easy to understand video. Picking up the MBP and picked up the Jackery Explorer just now,
I had a MacBook Pro 2018 and it was terrible. The fans would kick on and be so loud! Switched to and Air & it’s great!
I think it would be more interesting if techtubers would compare different models of Air instead of comparing it to a Pro computer. No one is doing that.
I’m doing at as well as a lot of other people since the performance of the air is getting so good. It’s a very worthwhile comparison.
I wish they compared all the new laptops to the M1 Air, as that amazing chip that can be thought of as a baseline and the weakest in-house laptop chips Apple will ever release
Disagree
@@SunsetNova I never asked for your opinion
@@liltimmy109 I never asked for your validation
I went Pro because of the sturdier build (actually easier for me to hold) fantastic speakers, better screen, and the HDMI and smart card reader.
Is it base model? is 8GB enough in your case?
8gb or 16gb?
@@bhawanigurung9913 8gb/516SSD
@@ashakur24 8gb/516SSD
I did a 3 hour DJ Pro session yeaterday with also three safari tabs open and connected to Pioneer DDJ FLX 4 controller via USB C and activity monitor stayed green using around 6GB RAM the whole time. Right now I have about 400GB of SSD still available if that makes difference
My wife who is an elementary school teacher uses a 16 GByte M1 MB Air. She says it is a massive step up overall when compared to her previous Intel based MB Air. The difference in weight between the two devices is noticeable even though the difference is only 0.2 lbs. The MB Pro is 0.5 pounds heaver than the M3 MB Air so the difference in weight between the M3 MB Air and M3 MB Pro is even more notacealbe. This was apparent when I compared the two machines at the Apple store. Given that the M3 MB Pro really isn't "pro" enough for most professional users who make use of the multiple CPU cores and GPU cores, I would go with the MB Air. Don't forget that the M3 MB Pro only has one fan compared to the M3 Pro MB Pro.
Thanks for the most concise and clear explanation 🎉
Thanks for the content
Great video Daniel love your channel
something I haven't heard anyone explain well is the size differences:
MacBook Air 13" is 13.6" (2.7 lbs)
MacBook Pro 14" is 14.2" (3.4 lbs)
MacBook Air 15" is 15.3" (3.3 lbs)
MacBook Pro 16" is 16.2" (4.7 lbs)
So there's a much bigger size difference from the Pro 14" to Air 15" - 1.1" bigger; whereas the 13" to 14" is only .6"; From a screen size and form factor perspective, the 15" Air is great value compared to the 14" Pro. Also the 15" Air has slightly better cooling due to larger enclosure and slightly bigger battery.
Comparing the 15" Air to 14" Pro is much better and the huge advantage of the larger screen could swing it for some (and still be lighter)
Can you test both M3 MBA and MBP with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD?
The results would be very similar (only higher on both). The only exception being FCP, which is able to export complex projects without any issues, on the M3 MacBook Pro.
@@ZONEofTECH I think one possible explanation as to why FCP fails to run on the 8GB RAM pro is that the memory is shared between the graphics and cpu. Because the air has a lower resolution screen it requires less RAM which in turn enables it to squeeze by in FCP. If you do end changing your mind and compare the 16GB air vs the 16GB pro, you might be able to prove or disprove the theory. This is important because it would mean that the 8GB pro is less capable than the 8GB air in most professional task as those usually tend to require more ram.
@@ZONEofTECH 🤔but I thought differently. Maybe that gives different results between this video...
@@ZONEofTECHshould we go for m3 pro or m3 16gb?
@@bhawanigurung9913 m3 16gb
Guys share this content is so great ;; so much quality
Ditching my 7yr old Lenovo Yoga for the base Macbook Pro because it was $999.97 at Costco. I would have preferred the Macbook Air if it came with a 14in display and decent speakers.
I bought the MBP M3 14" 8gb 1 TB silver color... yes the speakers were great, the display was amazing and the battery life was awesome. But I sold it after 2 months and replaced and bought the MBA M3 15" 8gb 512GB Midnight color (the 16gb ram was already out of the stock so I was forced to buy the 8gb one as it was also the last stock here lol and can't wait for the new stocks to arrive although I prefer much better the 16gb ram) MBA m3 15" why? Because I prefer bigger display, I want lighter and battery life of 15" was magnificent. The display was still perfect as well as the speakers. Apple products are just second to none. Great review!
I am watching this on my MBA seeing and hearing the difference of the MBP....
This comparison came just at the right time because I am ready to upgrade my 15yr old MacBook pro which has been great but is wearing out. Was thinking about the MacBook air however now I am torn between the both of them. The cost is significant between them both when comparing apples to apples (No pun intended) My old MacBook has worked flawlessly since I got it but the speakers are going the touch pad has some issue but I can't complain at all. What to do ??
Get the Pro…. mini led 120 hz refresh better speakers you won’t regret it
@@clinteastwood8222weight?
@@clinteastwood82222300 euros lmao
I don't think experts should be comparing the 8gb RAM models.
No one should buy 8gb RAM in 2024 if you plan to keep your device for more than 4 years.
Great review. 7:59 Does the MBA actually have cooler bottom case if you hold it in lap, compared to MBP? Because it throttles early, that seems like a good feature to me for usage in lap and comfort. it is fast anyway, better to throttle early to lower the temps, it is still faster than M2/M1, even at lower frequencies.
I have MBP 13" M2, active cooling, but fans run very late when laptop is already pretty warm. it behaves like fanless laptop 95% of the time and it becomes warm at bottom anyway and fans still do not kick in, maybe MBA M3 is better in that regard then?
If you're using final cut and editing videos on 8g laptops and you dont think you're going to have issues on any laptop, then you didn't think your purchase through and do your correct research. Need at least 16g to limit any issues on editing and music software
Perfect comparison 🙌🏼
Glad you think so! 😊
no matter how pwerful the pro is, nothing beats the portability of the air
2:21 please do trust me believe me in this it is absolutely true that black color MacBook Pro is a fingerprint magnet if you suffer from OCD get ready to experience annoyance actually I returned it as well
Thanks for the heads up on Final Cut Pro. Is there a chance they will give an update for a fix?
Im currently using a base model 14" M1 Pro Macbook Pro for work (personal device that is used for my company's work) and although I love it, I don't feel comfortable traveling with it since it is primarily a work device. So I was thinking that I would buy an Air as my 100% personal device that I can travel with. Since I don't plan on upgrading for a long time I was just going to max out the ram and upgrade storage to 1Tb. Yes, I realize i could get a M3 Pro MBP for around the same price but I find that the pros are too heavy for me to comfortably carry in a bag.
The LCD screen and speakers on the air is killing me in 2024 haha. If you want to be as light then just go for an iPad or get the Pro.
I already have an 11" iPad pro which I also don't travel with but I do like it. However, It's not a good tool for coding. @@seannightwal1765
I am a Graphic Designer and a Photographer from India who works on multiple layers in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom Classic, Figma and Canva, also I am planning to start learning video editing using Adobe's Premier Pro or Davinci Resolve and motion graphics using Adobe After Effects.
Currently, I am using an AUS ROG Zephyrus G14 from 2020 with 16 gigs of memory and 1 TB of storage (this is the base model btw which has a Ryzen 5 4600 HS CPU and a Nvidia GTX 1650 ti GPU).
I usually have multiple apps running and this is how it might look on average:
1. Photoshop
2. Illustrator
3. Figma (along with Photoshop on rare scenarios)
4. Lightroom Classic (sometimes along with Photoshop)
3. A browser (2 different ones like Brave and Firefox sometimes),
4. Apple Music,
5. Windows file explorer (4 to 5 tabs),
6. A communication app (like Slack or Teams) and
7. Notion.
So now can you tell me whether a person like me can get away with a decently specced Macbook Air (like a 15-inch model with 24 gigs of memory and 1 TB of storage) instead of a much more powerful Macbook Pro?
constantly swapping sides with the Two laptops is such a rookie mistake and just kills the entire viewing experience. Makes it so annoying to keep up...
the pros are much fitted for content consumption
Nice video, I have a question about my Pages app always crashing no matter how many time I reinstall..... help!!!!!
Is space grey color of Macbook not good for long term use ?? Suggest the best color which remains good for 5 years !!!!
I've always used space gray and have no issues. I think it depends on how you use your device that affects its wear and tear,
Best is silver by far . I have one from 2010 and still the color is like new
I need HDMI for meetings and simply carry a dongle. I would like to one normal usb A port on all machines as I still need that from time to time and hate using a little adapter
If you have 2 machines with the same speed and you test random stuff, you will get random winners every time with insignificant differences. I would be interested in checking if a MBA M3 is faster than itself - so do the same measurements with both and check which one is faster 😂
I'm in doubt between the MacBook Air 16GB RAM 512GB (€1760) or should I opt for the basic MacBook Pro 8GB RAM 512GB (€1850)
am doubting myself too , it's rlly difficult, what did you pick ?
@@TRUNKSFF1 I found a promotion for a MacBook Air M2 15inch 24GB/512GB. I am very happy with my first macbook! screen is very sharp and clear for editing photos. Personally I am very happy with a 15 inch, especially because I don't use a monitor. smaller would be a disappointment. battery life is very good and also a fast computer!
The best review ever
What about the MacBook Air M3 with 24gb ram and 512 storage? Is that for the next 5yrs with Apple AI coming out soon?
I prefer larger screens, so I would rather go for an Air 15 with 16 GB of RAM. 8 GB shared for graphics and cpu is not Pro at all.
If you're going to make a few upgrades to the Air (ram/ssd) just get the Pro. The other differences (Ports/ Display/ Thinness) you'll have to decide how much these things matter to you.
Not sure, with 16gb and 512gb the M3 air is still 500€ (in Europe) less expensive than the M3 pro 16gb of ram soooo
@@LAGAP in that case I’d go with Air unless you really want the screen speakers and ports
I would prefer having a 10 gig ethernet over the SD card slot or the HDMI
15 inch with SD card reader would be perfect...
Bought the Air before watching this. Lucky me chose the right one.😅😊
I am going to be starting my masters in computer science/data analysis. I am not a content creator, so do you think the MacBook Air would do fine?
100%! Also, congrats! 🙌🏻
@@ZONEofTECH Thank you! Probably going to get the M2 because Best Buy has them on sale for $400 less!
@@shawnschreckengost6206 did you get the pro or the air ?
Pro is better than Air. I think we all knew that.
I'm planning to buy a Macbook and I'm new to it. Is it better to buy MacBook air m3 or MacBook pro m2?
look at either M1 or M2 certified refurbished MacBook Air
A lot of nitpicking on the design that nobody really cares about. Also the weight difference isn’t nearly as much as you’re making it seem
It’s funny I was looking to buy a MacBook not knowing the price and almost had a heart attack the fact apple has the audacity to charge so much is laughable
Evening Dan 😊❤👋🏻👋🏻 xx
With comparable spec levels the 14 inch Macbook is the better value for money proposition.
what is the configuration of m3 air?
That camera test looked the same for both laptops. sound was just a little better on the pro. However, for putting a notch to supposably have a better camera, both macs failed. Image looked fuzzy on both. That notch is a joke on Apple users. It's just not needed. Poor engineering and leadership.
Does macbook have backlit keyboard?
Yes
Football wallpapers next please. need United wallpaper in 8k
Hahahaha I need a Crystal Palace one after last night.
@@RobsRemixes 😂😂😂
It looks like blogger Andrew Garfield
my girl: "he looks like andrew garfield"
Air m3 i would prefer more.
Should I buy M3 Air or M2 Air? How big a deal is the AI thing?
maybe wait till WWDC in June if you can, to really find it out! otherwise, m2 is solid option as well.
m3 is way better in terms of internals
The most affordable new laptop actually goes for about $649 at some places like Walmart or Amazon and it’s an M1 MacBook Air
8gb in 2024 🥲
Still capable to give you a result in Cinebench benchmark when Windows crash when you have less than 16GB.. so if it's works, and do the things properly, making crappy random crying also a joke without real problem are also a joke...
Tell me why everyone need to buy a car with 4 doors, if their usage still comfortable with 2 doors, because they doesn't have kids yet, they are totslly fune with the less doors too.. this is the same for memory, why the regular user who usually just browsing on the internet, and checking his mails sometimes, why they also must pay more for the upgrade? (What is just based on your own crap OS experience, because your own OS is unusable with 8GB..)
Hello there! Very nice and practical video. I would like to buy a new laptop and the 13’’ MBA 16gb + 512 cost 50€ less than base MBP. I definetly prefer the MBP screen but im concerned about 8gb RAM. Is it Pro model as futureproof as Air regarding those specs? Thx
You can spec it up to 16 GB of RAM if you need it. If money's the issue, you can always go for M2 or even M1 - refurbished or used.
how much difference did you find when it comes to 60hz vs 120 hz promotion . Please help me with this. Is this can be the deciding factor?
fanless of course! MBA ❤
Imma just buy a macbook air m2
i would be interested to know if the problem with the Final Cut Pro project is caused by the 8 GB RAM or a problem that’s specific to the PRO firmware/hardware.
Do you know if the M3 Air and the M3 Pro use the same motherboard?
Have you tested the project on a 14” Pro with 16 GB of RAM?
34 fps on low settings on the most optimised game 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
📌💯Choose the correct configuration to compare. 🙌🏼It's good.
🤔Maybe you should be compare 16gb/512gb M3 with MBA 13" & MBP 14" this it's much more get a better results.
Im gonna get the most “gerbil” color!
first
second
Third
11th😂
8th
7th
I'm in doubt between the MacBook M3 Air 16GB RAM 512GB (€1760) or should I opt for the basic MacBook M3 Pro 8GB RAM 512GB (€1850)
i think the ram way more important, im in this situation also. i guess i will opt for air with 16gm ram rather than 8 on pro