New M3 MacBook Air 2024 Unboxing & Review!

The M3 Chip: A Game-Changer for Mac Devices?

When it comes to upgrading your Mac device, one thing is clear - Apple's latest chip, the M3, brings significant improvements over its predecessor. In our testing, we found that the M3 chip can export videos in a fraction of the time it took with the M2. For example, on the M3, we were able to export a video in 3 minutes and 40 seconds, whereas on the M1, it took a whopping 5 minutes and 5 seconds for the same project. This is especially impressive when considering that the video was under 3 minutes long.

The M3 chip also brings another exciting feature: Hardware accelerated Ray tracing. This means that you'll be able to see those lighting effects in certain games and applications, even without investing in a MacBook Pro. For gamers, this is a game-changer (pun intended). We were thrilled to see how well the M3 Air performed in games like Death Stranding, running at 120 frames per second with Ray tracing enabled. The graphics were incredibly smooth, and we were impressed by the level of detail on screen, including rain droplets and character models that rivaled those found on the PS5.

The M3 Air's portability is also a major selling point. Weighing in at just 2.75 pounds, this laptop is as thin as it is powerful. With no fans to speak of, you'd think that performance would suffer, but we were pleasantly surprised by how well it handled demanding tasks like gaming and video editing. The fact that it can run these types of workloads smoothly without overheating is a testament to Apple's engineering prowess.

Of course, there are some downsides to the M3 Air. One notable omission is the lack of Thunderbolt 4 ports. Instead, you're stuck with two USB-C ports and two Thunderbolt 3 ports, which can only be used to display two external monitors at once. While this may not be a deal-breaker for everyone, it's definitely something to consider.

Another minor quibble is the battery life. With regular usage, we found that the M3 Air lasted around 18 hours, which is respectable but not particularly impressive compared to other laptops on the market. However, if you're using your laptop for more demanding tasks like gaming or video editing, you can expect it to last all day.

The anodized finish on the midnight color option of the M3 Air has also become a point of contention among users. Despite being handled multiple times, we found that fingerprints still showed up quite easily - even after undergoing the same anodization process as other colors. It's unclear whether this is due to some sort of manufacturing issue or simply a limitation of the finish itself.

In conclusion, the M3 Air is a no-brainer for anyone looking to upgrade from their current Mac device. Whether you're using an M1 or M2 chip, the M3 offers significant performance improvements and new features like Ray tracing that make it a compelling choice. If you're in the market for a new laptop and have considered purchasing the M2 instead, we highly recommend upgrading to the M3 Air.

As with any Apple product, there are some compromises to be made. In this case, it's the lack of Thunderbolt 4 ports and limited battery life that may not appeal to everyone. However, these trade-offs pale in comparison to the overall performance and quality of the M3 Air.

In terms of specific configurations, we recommend opting for at least 16GB of RAM and a larger storage option if possible. The base configuration with 8GB of RAM will not provide enough oomph for demanding tasks like gaming or video editing.

Overall, the M3 Air is an excellent choice for anyone looking to upgrade their Mac device. Its impressive performance, portability, and feature set make it a compelling option that's sure to satisfy even the most demanding users.