New 13- and 15‑inch MacBook Air with M3 chip • Hacker News Board

Re: New 13- and 15‑inch MacBook Air with M3 chip

#781

Post by threeseed » Tue, Mar 05, 2024, 12:58 AM UTC

eurekin wrote: post #690

threeseed wrote: post #498

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So stop using Chrome. There are other browsers that are far more memory efficient.

That solves the browser. What about colima vm for docker? Intellij, gradle daemon, android studio, xcode, electron apps, android virtual device, slack, spring boot apps, iMovie, Davinci Resolve, python notebooks? Phones now have more than 8gb of RAM

If you're doing software development then you really should buy the Pro.

The limiting factor won't be the memory but the thermal throttling.

Re: New 13- and 15‑inch MacBook Air with M3 chip

#782

Post by cbsmith » Tue, Mar 05, 2024, 12:58 AM UTC

chongli wrote: post #404

jm4 wrote: post #301

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think even worse than that is that they still only put 8 GB RAM in the base and middle options.

I disagree, and I always upgrade the RAM even though I don’t like paying more. Why? Because it puts pressure on developers to keep the bloat under control. Think of an alternate universe where Apple does the opposite: every new model they push the envelope and double the baseline RAM compared to the previous year. In that world you’d have all the software growing in memory use without bound. Consumers would be forced…

> Why? Because it puts pressure on developers to keep the bloat under control.

I've yet to notice the impact on getting web sites to stop using incredibly bloated JavaScript that leak memory, video conferencing & streaming apps from using codecs that redline the CPU, or game developers from writing games that make the GPU cry uncle, or...

> 1990 saw the launch of the Mac LC which had a 16 MHz Motorola 68020.

You got lucky, because we got the Mac II Si back then, but they were both kneecapped on the factory floor by the 16-bit memory bus that crippled the 68020's 32-bit memory bus. 2 year old PCs ran circles around it. Planned obsolescence was was one of Apple's crowning achievements back then.

> 1999 brought the Power Mac G4 at up to 500 MHz

The Macbook Air from ten years ago would be Retina I had: a 2-core i7 that could go up to 3.5 GHz. Ask me how well that runs software written for the new M3's. ;-)

> MacBook Airs are the mainline consumer machine these days. Apple does not want users to feel like they need to upgrade them every year (despite what people say).

You might have missed this bit from Apple's blurb on the new MacBook Airs: "13x faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Air". The fastest Intel-based Macbook Air was produced [checks notes], 4 years ago. It's hard not to read that like they aren't trying to convey a need to upgrade.

If you're wondering why people are saying what they're saying, it's because Apple is saying what they're saying.

Re: New 13- and 15‑inch MacBook Air with M3 chip

#783

Post by gnicholas » Tue, Mar 05, 2024, 1:00 AM UTC

nicoburns wrote: post #762

gnicholas wrote: post #513

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I end up forgetting my charger when I go on trips because 99% of the time when I unplug my laptop at home (to use in a different room), I never need the charge cable. It used to be 50% of the time I'd take the cable with me, so I could be somewhere else for 2+ hours. Now I so rarely bring the charger that it just doesn't even occur to me when I'm unplugging the thing to pack. It's night-and-day compared to the Intel…

Now that laptops (including but not limited to macbooks) can charge via USB C I just have one charger that I take for both my phone and laptop. Sometimes I take two cables so I can charge both at once. Sometimes I don't bother.

My problem was that I brought a USB-C to lightning cable to charge my phone off my computer, but I forgot a USB-C brick (and magsafe or USB-C cable) so that my computer had power. Fortunately there were Apple employees at the conference and they let me borrow a charger while we were hanging out at the bar!

Re: New 13- and 15‑inch MacBook Air with M3 chip

#784

Post by swat535 » Tue, Mar 05, 2024, 1:01 AM UTC

Going on a tangent here but it's interesting seeing the love for Apple in this thread right vs the (well deserved) hate in the thread about Apple being fined for 1B in EU [0]

Apple has a serious anti consumer practices and we should not be supporting this company. The EU fine is just a start and hopefully there is a serious crack down to force them to open their hardware and software. Cheers to EU and its wonderful policies, let's hope the rest of the world follows through!

In any case, encouraging their behavior by constantly purchasing their services and computers should be discouraged.

Their hardware maybe good but we should cease to support this company until their attitude changes.

[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39589483

Re: New 13- and 15‑inch MacBook Air with M3 chip

#785

Post by pquki4 » Tue, Mar 05, 2024, 1:02 AM UTC

datadrivenangel wrote: post #278

jjice wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're absolutely right that they make a damn fine laptop (the build quality stands out to me) and they do a great job in that market. Anecdotally, my Framework 13 AMD ran me 1500 and I ended up with 64 GB of ram, 2 TB of storage, and an AMD 7840U. I bought my RAM and storage separately to get that end cost, to be fair. I wouldn't be surprised if the M3 actually outperforms my processor by a bit, but having way more…

I'm torn as I consider getting my next laptop: * Framework is philosophically best, and they make solid machiness. * Macbook Air has just insane battery life and is so small.

Battery life is important, but does 6hr vs 9hr vs 16hr actually matter to you? Do you actually carry your laptop around all day without access to power outlets? If not, I don't see why that should be a factor.

Re: New 13- and 15‑inch MacBook Air with M3 chip

#786

Post by nozzlegear » Tue, Mar 05, 2024, 1:03 AM UTC

bmitc wrote: post #407

numbers wrote: post #355

I was recently buying a Dell laptop for my sister and it boggles my mind how most other companies (maybe Framework is an except) still have dozens or even 100s of SKUs for consumer laptops. I didn't enjoy the process of looking through dozens of various lines that Dell has and then other companies like Lenovo and HP earlier in the process, just to find a "mid-range usable computer with a decent screen". If you didn't…

Have you ever tried to trade in an Apple prdoduct? They ask you to enter the serial number and then bizarrely ask you to indentify to device. You basically have to refer to MacRumors to get it right. Apple has the same problem, if not worse. Dell has XPS 13, XPS 15, and XPS 17 and now the plus designation. It's pretty easy.

Actually I just did this the other day with an iPad Pro and it was kinda neat. Instead of asking me to enter the serial number, it said something like “it’s this device” or “use this device”. After I tapped that it just continued on and asked me about the condition of the iPad.

I have seen that serial number prompt before though, I don’t know what makes it ask for a serial number versus prompting to use the current device’s serial number. I’m not even sure how it knew what device I was on to be honest.

Re: New 13- and 15‑inch MacBook Air with M3 chip

#787

Post by goosedragons » Tue, Mar 05, 2024, 1:03 AM UTC

dangus wrote: post #531

bloopernova wrote: post #502

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lordy does that multiple monitor thing grind my gears. I just want to display on 3 screens. But the base model is the only one that corporate IT will buy. So I have to buy a DisplayLink adapter to do what the Intel macbooks did with zero problem.

It’s not on Apple to make sure their cheapest consumer-targeted computer is good enough for enterprise use. To me it’s not really relevant what the old computer models used to do. You have to evaluate what is available today and choose accordingly. Like it or not Intel chips had different strengths and weaknesses. It’s a different design entirely. I’m split on whether this is a dirty price segmentation trick or a leg…

"Cheapest" but not cheap. A $400 Steam Deck can do 3 external monitors with an inexpensive MST hub and has a single USB C port.

The MBA is an extremely close competitor to the Dell XPS line too. And "Pro" doesn't even guarantee you more monitors. The $1600 M3 MBP is just as limited as the "consumer" Air.

Re: New 13- and 15‑inch MacBook Air with M3 chip

#788

Post by aae42 » Tue, Mar 05, 2024, 1:03 AM UTC

bluecalm wrote: post #599

spaceman_2020 wrote: post #457

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I finally made the switch to Apple after being thoroughly frustrated with Windows laptops. It's not even close to a competition. Macbooks are just so far ahead of everyone else that you can't even compare them. Most Windows laptops have abysmal batteries, to the point that you can barely call them laptops. The trackpads are downright unusable. The keyboards are a hit or a miss. And for some reason, so many companies…

I think ThinkPads are better than MacBooks. You can get P14 with 32gb of RAM, 1TB SSD, very fast and quiet CPU (AMD U series), decent battery, 2.8k OLED screen and it weights 1.34kg (weight between 13 inch and 15inch new Airs). It also has imo better ports and a track point. The problem is that Windows sucks more and more with every iteration and there is nothing Lenovo or other manufacturers can do about it. Lenovo…

They just had a p14s for sale with 64GB ram for 1000 USD.... I just couldn't bring myself to buy a laptop with 4 hours battery life with typical usage... Will probably pick up an M3 Air.

Re: New 13- and 15‑inch MacBook Air with M3 chip

#789

Post by grecy » Tue, Mar 05, 2024, 1:04 AM UTC

dividefuel wrote: post #694

grecy wrote: post #691

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you suggesting the M2/M3 are "underpowered"? Please post links to benchmarks of a windows laptop that costs the same as a base model Apple laptop but is faster, while being similar in weight, battery life and heat.

Underpowered in terms of RAMs, storage, and possibly GPU. Agree that M2/M3 are faster and have better battery life. Weight/heat to me fall under build quality, not specs.

How can a laptop be "underpowered" when in fact it's faster?

Next you're going to tell me the new I6 turbo engines are "underpowered" compared to the V8s they're replacing, even though they have more power, more torque and in the same vehicle produce faster 0-60 and 1/4 mile times.

Your definition of "underpowered" is interesting to say the least.

Re: New 13- and 15‑inch MacBook Air with M3 chip

#790

Post by richardw » Tue, Mar 05, 2024, 1:05 AM UTC

Repulsion9513 wrote: post #757

richardw wrote: post #732

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I get this on an M1 Pro with 16GB. It's astounding. It claims to use swap but the trust is broken. I keep the Activity Monitor around and try to guess when it'll go flaky on me, but I never guess it right. I just restarted my machine now to reset whatever stupidity it has going on. Never had it with Windows. Or iPad, or iPhone. Why does the pro computer do this? My guess is 5k external monitor and a few desktops, but…

So what you're saying is you're running multiple browsers (VS Code is a browser), each of which takes anywhere from 1 to several GB of memory, and you're surprised that you're running out of RAM...

Correct. I often have hundreds of browser tabs open on my iPhone, but it knows how to manage resources by unloading the ones I'm not looking at right now. The Mac can also swap tabs or apps to disk. Or warn me when I hit 90%. The only wrong option is to start freezing when it's too late. I'm a software developer who has been coding for decades, and I'm surprised by this failure mode. What would a random non-techie need to learn to reason about this? It's not like Macs are marketed only to technical professionals who keep an eye on resources.

Look, at least the Apple is smart enough to wake up basically in the same window state after having refreshed the resources. That's fantastic. But even better to fix it without going through the whole "have you turned it off and on again" routine.