Base Model M3 MacBook Air Has Faster SSD Speeds After Controversy With Previous Model

[CarAnalogy]

Huzzah! Well done, Apple. I won't make presumptions about why they changed it in the first place, but I'm very happy to see they have changed it back to the proper configuration.

Ha and to those still talking about RAM, at least now it's just a single upgrade if you want better performance. Storage can be supplemented in many ways.

 

[citysnaps]

So eliminate the 8GB and that price point?
Gotcha

Best solution!

Though that means people not mining bitcoin or decrypting adversary military communications will have to pay more for their modest needs (email, web surfing, Notes, simple spreadsheets, Music, etc).

 

[nutmac]

256gb is derisory for the price though, that really shouldn't exist in 2024

I am okay with 256GB if it exists to maintain the low price point.

However, charging $200 for 512GB upgrade is simply ridiculous. The component costs only $35, probably much less for Apple. $200 should be for BOTH 16GB and 512GB upgrade.

 

[citysnaps]

You can buy it, even in my Apple Store. What’s the problem?

Many people feel entitled to demanding free stuff.

 

[jz0309]

256gb is derisory for the price though, that really shouldn't exist in 2024

in well over 30 years I've accumulated ~55GB of non-multimedia data, some people do not store music, photos, videos and 256GB is sufficient for them, and this is the entry level model.

 

[maxfromdenmark]

It proves that complaining may sometimes help.

 

[KPOM]

Now, 16GB RAM please.

Apple does have a “standard” (i.e. in-store) configuration with 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and the 10-core GPU for $1499. That’s going to be a popular upsell, though it’s actually the configuration I recommend for most. We should start seeing decent discounts in a few weeks from the usual resellers. At $1349 this would be an easy recommendation.

 

[canadianreader]

Remember when some sheep suggested garbage excuses like, 128GB chips were in low supply, nobody was making them anymore, etc.? Apple will happily sell you an iPad/Air with 64GB storage and iPad Pro or Apple TV with 128GB.

Apple is clearly doing everything it can to increase sales after the steep 34% drop last year.

This year, we've seen Apple add what they consider "Pro" features like dual-display support, decrease MBA price to $1,099, and return SSD performance to where it was.

I read some here saying Apple listened to criticism in reality they listened to numbers. Almost 40% decline in mac sales.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Also plenty of people do use iTunes.

I'm using, and loving, iTunes 12.10.11.2 on Windows 11

I'm purposely not letting it update to strip out features and force me to Apple Music (which I find to be a bloated pig)

I only use iTunes for local music and need it to sync my iPhone
It works fabulously, and is fast

I like nothing about the Apple Music App (on any platform), as it's really just a vessel to funnel folks to a streaming subscription

 

[Sowelu]

Waiting for the next round of MaxTech videos: 'WHAT WERE THEY THINKING' (about something insignificant), and 'IT STILL RUNS BURNING HOT AND THROTTLES, DON'T BUY' (while pushing it as if was a MacBook Pro in unrealistic benchmarks). In a few weeks you'll see, 'WE WERE WRONG! BUY NOW!'.

When creating content is your main source of income, videos like this will be posted. Having said that, I prefer these heavily sliced and diced videos (that indirectly cover things you want to hear about if you look beyond the hyperbole), compared to the glossy and overproduced ad-style dreck (that don't cover much more than Apple's specs sheet) that the top Youtubers post.

 

[jlc1978]

That's great, but I feel like the base SSD and RAM should be more than my iPhone.

So you want a 6GB phone?

 

[KPOM]

I read some here saying Apple listened to criticism in reality they listened to numbers. Almost 40% decline in mac sales.

True, but Apple got a really big pop when the M1 Macs were introduced. The combination of the new chips, stimulus money, and the work-from-home era benefited them more than most. Sales have returned to more “normal” numbers which results in the larger percentage decreases.

I think the bigger move is making the 16GB/512GB model a “standard” product available in stores. It’s now possible to go to just about any Apple Store or retailer and come home with that model rather than order it and wait a few days/weeks. While Apple often rotates CTO configurations to its stores, specific configurations vary and may be offered only in certain stores.

 

[sunny5]

You can buy it, even in my Apple Store. What’s the problem?

The base is not 16GB. It still starts from 8GB for almost 10 years.

 

[neuropsychguy]

It proves that complaining may sometimes help.

It doesn't prove that. The feedback might have been the reason Apple went to a 2x128GB solution. There are other possibilities -- or a combination of possibilities. It also might have been due to supply chain changes. It's also possible that it's currently costing Apple less money to do the 2x128 than 1x256.

 

[jlc1978]

These minimum specs would be ok for a starting price of 799,-. Imagine if it was always at this price and they made RAM and SSD upgrades in 100,- steps instead of 200,-. The Mac sales would skyrocket, edu market, grandma and prosumers alike would all be happy and get a new laptop with their desired specs.

Apple is concerned about margins, not total sales. Cutting prices might get a sales bump but if it is at the expense of margin it's not worth it to Apple.

Buying market share is generally not a good idea.

The drop in profit/revenue per mac won't be offset by the number of sales gained. Apple has run the numbers. They are priced as it is because it's the sweet spot that maximises total profit/revenue, which is a function of both profit per unit and volume.

Exactly. Apple is a margin driven company.

 

[kalafalas]

While I don't know the answer it would make more sense to use less parts, as less chance of failure so I'm gonna think it is 2x512.

Also, sad that Apple had to be called out on this BS but at least they fixed it.

I know they use 4 chips for 2tb so they have the slots

 

[nikhsub1]

I know they use 4 chips for 2tb so they have the slots

It's not about the slots, it's more about bean counters and failure rates I would assume. Why double your chance of failure if you don't have to?

 

[turbineseaplane]

However many chips Apple uses, it is because it's cheapest for them.
That's the end of that story

 

[Oscar_440]

I'm still using a (13-inch, Mid 2012) MacBook Air that came with 4 GB RAM, and 120 GB SDD. I have 59 GB of free space left. It just depends what you use your machine for. For me daily home stuff like email, browsing, etc.
And yes, I'm definitely ready for an upgrade!!

Yes, but 8Gb of ram and 256 Gb are ridiculous in 2024 for this price tags. There're people who does not need those specs, fully agree, but then put the MB air for $800.
Plus, $200 for each upgrade is painful.

 

[ChrisA]

Does anyone know if the 1tb m3 max uses 2x512 chips or 4x256?

Look at the photos of the circuit board. I don't see any empty places where more SSD chips could be added. It looks like they use two larger chips if you want larger memory.

 

[MaureenW]

I bet this must have been an alien in iOS

 

[turbineseaplane]

I bet this must have been an alien in iOS

Huh?
What does that mean?

 

[ChrisA]

These minimum specs would be ok for a starting price of 799,-. Imagine if it was always at this price and they made RAM and SSD upgrades in 100,- steps instead of 200,-. The Mac sales would skyrocket, edu market, grandma and prosumers alike would all be happy and get a new laptop with their desired specs. Also what happened to displayoptions like in the good old days? Why not give it an option for matte or 120hz screen?

You have to be kidding. I've helped several people buy Mac Air computers. Not one of them even stopped to ask about things like the amount of RAM of SSD storage or the number of CPU or GPU cores. Not one of them.

The vast majority of the people buying these computers are never going to even know what's inside.

One of them, while in the store, spotted a Chromebook for $260 that looked a lot like a Mac because the case was the same aluminum color and she asked "Why not buy this one, it's cheaper? She did not know the difference. This is 100% normal and typical of computer buyers.

In retrospect, more of these people would be better served with a Chromebook. They really are the best deal out there. It does just about everything the Mac does for 1/4 the price. The best thing is it does not run Windows. Most users spend 100% of their time using a browser and Chromebooks are really good at running Chrome and Google Docs.

Believe me, if you know anything about what goes on inside a computer beyond the kindergarten level you are in the minority.

 

[HackMacDaddy]

Apple is concerned about margins, not total sales. Cutting prices might get a sales bump but if it is at the expense of margin it's not worth it to Apple.

Buying market share is generally not a good idea.



Exactly. Apple is a margin driven company.

Haven‘t Mac sales plummeted like 30%? If people start voting with their wallet the margin driven approach might just not cut it anymore. At least I hope Apple will be forced to cater a tiny bit more to consumer needs.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Haven‘t Mac sales plummeted like 30%? If people start voting with their wallet the margin driven approach might just not cut it anymore. At least I hope Apple will be forced to cater a tiny bit more to consumer needs.

I honestly don't think Mac sales are ever going to meaningfully turn around with this incredibly conservative iterative design approach and exorbitant overcharging for component upgrades.

Add in that so much software is web based and/or cross platform and looks/performs/functions the same everywhere .. and Apple abandoned making great first party software ..

The "value" prop on Mac hardware is teetering