Like many I’m weighing up the pros and cons of the new MBP with an M3 class SOP.
Is the Air enough for non-pro use cases?
I’m particular I’m looking at an upgrade from a Intel MacBook Pro, and wether to vertical upgrade to a new MacBook Pro or a horizontal transition to a M2 MacBook Air.
My current current MacBook is an ex work model I acquired for a £50 charitable donation, a late 2015 model with a mere 8Gb RAM and paltry 128Gb SSD. So any new storage would be welcome allowing me to retire the external drives which are semi-permanently connected via a USB hub.
However I don’t work from my Mac but use it recreationally rather than professionally, so maybe the Air would suffice and not really be a downgrade given the capabilities of the M2 SOP.
I know people who do some moderate development work (programming, big text datasets, no video) using an M1 Air – work that sometimes felt slow on one of the last 13-inch Intel MBPs is quite speedy. I suspect you’ll be fine with an M2 Air unless you do a lot of video or machine learning processing, or similar.
@Derek I have the Mac Book Air 15" M2. Wonderful machine. Noticeably better than older MacBook Pros I’ve had. I do a decent amount of audio recording/editing and also screencasting. MBA 15 is just fine for that kind of work.
I got 16 Gb RAM out of habit, but I’ve heard 8 Gb of RAM on the new MBA machines is quite enough. I don’t know personally if that’s true, but it’s a factor to consider.
I did think about the Pros but rejected once I held them in my hands … the weight difference was instantly noticeable over the Airs. While the screen is better, the extra cost and weight did not justify (for me) getting a Pro over an Air. In the end, those silicon chips make a huge difference to even low end machines.
I was an I.T. Manager and used an 2013 8GB MacBook Pro until my retirement in 2018. Today I have an 8GB M1 MacBook Air. IMO it is an excellent machine for a typical office worker.
My use of this MacBook was intended to be temporary: moving house and not having space for my 2014 non-retina 27” iMac which was frankly past its best. I’d intended moving to a M2 MBP at some point after the move.
My hesitation is that it’s a lot of money for a modern pro and by all accounts the Air is adequate for most users.
I do feel limited by the 8Gb RAM in my current machine (down from 24Gb in the iMac) offset by the need to shut down frequently as it won’t survive asleep for more than a day or so.
I’m also looking at the 2yr loan prices and the pro is an extra £50 a month (comparing 24/2 Air to 36/4 Pro (RAM/SSD)).
The line-up is great but it doesn’t make the buying decision any easier
From what you have said, the Air will do everything you desire. If it is intended to be temporary, then —unless you need the additional port connections— I think the additional monies would not be necessary. If you are planning on keeping it for 5 years, then I would go with the M3. FWIW.
I sidegraded from a 14” M1 MacBook Pro to a M2 MacBook Air. Both machines were pretty tricked out (32GB RAM on the MBP, 24GB on the Air, 1TB SSD on both). For day to day use, there wasn’t really a real-world performance difference.
The real differences came down to features rather than performance. The MBP has a much better display, it can support multiple external monitors, and it has a built-in HDMI port rather than requiring a dongle. The latter two features arethe reasons I bought the MBP in the first place, but changes in my life and work meant that I’m no longer plugging my laptop into multiple displays at work, or plugging into projectors. On the flip side, the MacBook Air feels much smaller and lighter (more so that the raw dimensions and weight would lead you to expect).
Then, depending on budget, I would go with the MBP. Keep it as long as possible (7yrs?). In spec’ing it, think longer term. I am doing just that right now. I will be going some form of MBP, thinking on 5+ years. I like the MBP display, especially with my aging eyes. I also do some light audio and video so I like the ports.
With the cost difference, I’d be tempted to buy a MBA which will last 5 years and could be replaced then if you wish and would still provide better value for money.
Unless you need some form of features the MBP alone will provide that the Air won’t.
I just traded in my wildly over specced macbook Pro 2019/20 16" for a M2 Air 13 inch 8GB of whatever they call it now. The old one had 64 GB RAM. Partly because it needed a new battery and with trade in the Air cost me about 150$ more than that would have.
The Air is faster, better and the battery length alone is worth it, it is good enough for ‘pro’ work in other words, though I don’t edit and so on video and sound or music. My work is all text based, pdf’s and access to academic libraries and so on for me. Way more power here than I need too. I only just retired my 2014 Macbook Pro 16" with 16GB and 250 GB of storage though. It was working well and I will keep it safe for a while, just in case. However it now has security liabilities for professional use and banking etc. That one was my all time favorite computer, my old pal: this one could beat it though if it stays on present form…
I have a M1 iMac which has run everything I have thrown at it. It’s basically an Air with a big screen. Unless you’re planning to do heavy video or audio work, need multiple monitors, or other pro features I would go for the Air.