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

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

#811

Post by grow2grow »

jm4 wrote: post #301
skadamat wrote: post #160

I'm still very bummed with Apple's strategy in using # of supported external displays as a feature to gate laptops. I had to return a decently spec-ced M3 Macbook PRO 14" because it only supported 1 display (base M3) and pay more for M3 pro even though I don't need the extra horsepower. And now the base M3 Air's support 2 displays? This is wild

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

Seems like a borderline conspiracy to fry the internal SSD over time, adding a wear-point to the product family, and making sure consumers keep consuming. I'm talking about system paging: virtual memory on the disk.

Even worse, if one plots the (price, unified memory amount, chip type), and looks at it from right-to-left, then the dollars per system capability is disgusting when you order a lesser system. You get the most value for your money when you buy the maximum unified memory configuration (on those three points).

Better yet, with a maxed out unified memory configuration, one can further save on SSD writes by using (and loading/storing) RAM disks for their projects!

Most people buying a MacBook for work are likely getting a higher unified memory, so their workstations live longer. Meanwhile consumers will have to keep consuming as they fry their internal SSD's on their airs...

I was also wondering if a 1TB apple fabric device is simply an 8TB fabric device with 8x the write life...

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

#812

Post by bufferoverflow »

wlesieutre wrote: post #442
bmitc wrote: post #407

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Disregarding that there are 10 different laptop product lines to choose from, if I've already somehow decided that what I want is an XPS and I want a 13 inch screen size, my first two search results are - XPS 13 Laptop or - XPS 13 Laptop https://i.imgur.com/2SHL91Y.png I gather that one of these is a newer revision than the other, but it's a lot more confusing than "M2" and "M3". I need to know whether I want (up to)…

Isn't it the same with Apple? You choose between Air or Pro 14" or Pro 16".

But then there are all the variations with different amounts of RAM, SSD, processors (M3, M3 Pro, M3 Max)

And every little upgrade costs you 10X compared to a PC laptop.

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

#813

Post by nine_k »

ponector wrote: post #636
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.

Few years back I had a MacBook pro 2019 and an old ultra wide LG screen with resolution 25:9 and HDMI only input. Apparently, official Apple's USB to HDMI connector cannot handle screen resolution 2560*1080 at that time. Thing that was possible at 300$ windows laptop cannot be done on 2500$ machine with 60$ connector.

Because if you agreed to pay $2500 anyway, you can agree to pay for an upgrade!

Apple is in the business of selling you hardware, specifically premium hardware. Think car dealership.

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

#814

Post by EasyMark »

spaceman_2020 wrote: post #457
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…

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…

Similar stories. I usually had a windows laptop and linux and VNC'd into the linux box and with win 10 and 11 I just got tired of fighting all the garbage that microsoft tries to push on you in the OS. I really just want to get to work, so I bought a top of the line M2 macbook air and couldn't be happier with my decision. Apple has their apps on there but I don't get pop ups and ads and have to go through a bazillion privacy settings to turn of MS spying on every little thing.

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

#815

Post by kube-system »

pquki4 wrote: post #794
kube-system wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's on par with normal pricing from MS.

Honestly I don't think it is worth bringing Surface devices into the discussion. Microsoft isn't even trying. They only care about enterprise customers and are not competitive in the consumer market at all. Maybe look at some high-end Lenovo or Dell laptops.

Okay, let's look at them.

I'll pick the second to the top tier models, since that's what the Air is for Apple:

Dell Latitude 5440 - i5-1345U, 8 GB DDR4, 256 GB PCIe NVMe - $1,099.00

https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/latitude-5440-l...

ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 - i5-1335U, 8 GB LPDDR5, 256 GB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe, $959.40 after coupon

https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/configurator/cto/index.html?bun...

Prices for premium laptops... are premium, and the strip-down models start with modest specs.

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

#816

Post by [deleted] »

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…

[deleted]

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

#817

Post by bluecalm »

aae42 wrote: post #788
bluecalm wrote: post #599

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Intel or AMD one? In my experience you get way more than 4 hours with an AMD one. I had an Intel one before and I agree: hot, loud, eats battery like crazy.

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

#818

Post by Dalewyn »

wubrr wrote: post #538
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…

[flagged]

>What 'innovation' has Apple introduced in the last 10 years other than their M chips?

Computers that Just Fucking Work(tm) if you stay on the One Apple Way(tm), which 99% of people are perfectly content to be on because shit Just Fucking Works(tm).

Seriously, Just Fucking Works(tm) is a virtue.

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

#820

Post by Rebelgecko »

kube-system wrote: post #280
Rebelgecko wrote: post #245

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How much do they charge to upgrade from 8GB to 16GB? Or 32?

On the Surface Pro 9, it is $300 to upgrade from 8 to 16GB. To go to 32GB, they require you to choose a higher tier processor which brings the normal retail price to $2599, but it currently has a $500 discount, so the total is $2099.

Wow that's crazy. On my framework I think the same jump cost like $30
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