Apple's 2024 M3 MacBook Air Refresh: What to Expect

[bigpoppamac31]

Honestly just get the pro. You are coming from a pro machine. The screen quality especially when dealing with hdr content will leave you wowed, the same with promotion.

Unless you are getting a base model air and are happy with 8/256, go pro because when you start upgrading the specs the difference between the pro and an air at 16/512 become minimal. Also since it’s an m3 chip it will have 18gb not 16gb

Yes I am currently using a pro machine. However I don't do anything that would require me to need a pro Mac. At the time I got it for the bigger display than the 13 inch. Bare in mind that I can use my brothers Apple employee discount.

I can get this one for $1388.15 + tax.

Refurbished 15-inch MacBook Air Apple M2 Chip with 8‑Core CPU and 10‑Core GPU - Starlight - Apple (CA)

 

[Chuckeee]

Apple would like to sell you an iPad if you want something smaller and lighter than a MacBook Air. After all, with an M3 chip they're just about as powerful.

And if it supported multiple users and ran MacOS (or maybe even Linux) I might consider it

 

[MacBookAirOfPayne]

16 GB is def a minimum.

Since I've had the 16 GB MacAir since 2019, I'm thinking an upgrade to 24 GB would be nice. Is there any reason I'd need more storage than 256 GB? My current 256 is plenty….

 

[ronno]

On paper the 15 sounds like it would be perfect for me but when I went to see it instore, it just felt really weird. Maybe the absence of the speaker grills threw me off. Anyone else?

I just got one with 1tb/16gb M2 for around $1500 on sale - and it’s great. No speaker grill, but sound quality is way better than from my prior Air.

 

[lazyrighteye]

Since I've had the 16 GB MacAir since 2019, I'm thinking an upgrade to 24 GB would be nice. Is there any reason I'd need more storage than 256 GB? My current 256 is plenty….

I went with 1TB.
If it came down to more RAM or storage, I'd definitely go more RAM (and maybe an external drive - when/if needed).

 

[lazyrighteye]

I just got one with 1tb/16gb M2 for around $1500 on sale - and it’s great. No speaker grill, but sound quality is way better than from my prior Air.

I have same config. I've spent over two decades making a pretty good living with various Mac Pros/MacBook Pros a say main tool. Last year, I found myself needing a new personal Mac and had a pretty tight budget. I've been blown away at my M2 MBA. Powerful and insanely light/thin. Performance-wise, the delta between Pro & Air has never been less. I have really enjoyed my first Air.

Edit: the lone annoyance is an inability to push more than 1 eternal display. Not every dual external monitor user (i.e. writers) requires the power (and price tag) of a MacBook Pro. Seeing the M3 supporting more than 1 external makes me both happy and (a bit more) annoyed. 😜

 

[ronno]

I have same config. I've spent over two decades making a pretty good living with various Mac Pros/MacBook Pros a say main tool. Last year, I found myself needing a new personal Mac and had a pretty tight budget. I've been blown away at my M2 MBA. Powerful and insanely light/thin. Performance-wise, the delta between Pro & Air has never been less. I have really enjoyed my first Air.

Edit: the lone annoyance is an inability to push more than 1 eternal display. Not every dual external monitor user (i.e. writers) requires the power (and price tag) of a MacBook Pro. Seeing the M3 supporting more than 1 external makes me both happy and (a bit more) annoyed. 😜

What what I’d like is a USB port on the right side… otherwise it’s a fantastic machine if you can get it on sale and thus get the better config without breaking the bank.

 

[maxoakland]

Apple just changed the M3 Pro to 18 GB from 16 GB, because this year they are using a new 6 GB DRAM chip (6 GB x 3 = 18 GB).

So the Airs will likely eventually move to 6 GB x 2 = 12 GB

It's possible the Pro chips will move to 24 GB, because thats an exact double of 12 GB. I just don't think its going to happen for another few years.

12GB Is still pretty crazy stingy but it's an improvement. I wonder how well it will work? I had to return a Mac Mini because I fell for the "8GB is enough" lie. It wasn't even close

 

[6749974]

12GB Is still pretty crazy stingy but it's an improvement. I wonder how well it will work? I had to return a Mac Mini because I fell for the "8GB is enough" lie. It wasn't even close

macOS + GPU will wire about 2 GB of memory.

So 8 GB means only 6 GB of app available memory. But 12 GB means 10 GB of app available memory. So a 50% increase in RAM leads to a 67% increase in app available memory.

That’s significant for people using their Mac for productivity, basic media management and basic creative applications. So most Air users. I’m not saying I like 12 over 16, but it would be swell for millions of buyers. It certainly lessens the ridiculousness of 8 GB.

 

[maxoakland]

macOS + GPU will wire about 2 GB of memory.

So 8 GB means only 6 GB of app available memory. But 12 GB means 10 GB of app available memory. So a 50% increase in RAM leads to a 67% increase in app available memory.

That’s significant for people using their Mac for productivity, basic media management and basic creative applications. So most Air users. I’m not saying I like 12 over 16, but it would be swell for millions of buyers. It certainly lessens the ridiculousness of 8 GB.

I completely agree. It's just annoying that Apple is so stubbornly compromising the experience for profit margins. RAM isn't even that expensive. It would be a net win for Apple and customers if they started being reasonable