If you go on Apple’s website today, you’ll see many MacBooks available. These range from normal consumer versions to professional ones and the question is which do you actually need. Well, let’s talk about it.
This is my recommendation of which MacBook you should buy. To break things down, I have four categories of MacBooks you should consider.
We have the M2 MacBook Air, the M3 MacBook Air, the M3 MacBook Pro base, and the M3 Pro or Max MacBook Pros. The names can be confusing, so I’ll simplify them by giving each a nickname or niche that each MacBook best fits on your screen.
The Budget Choice: M2 MacBook Air
Let’s first talk about the M2 MacBook Air, the budget MacBook. This is going to be the cheapest new Macbook on the market with, despite its lower price, a still solid processor and great battery life.
Released back in 2022, the M2 MacBook Air is a solid laptop for many students and kind consumers alike. Being able to smoothly browse the web, compose emails, complete documents, and assignments, the M2 MacBook Air is a pretty good productivity machine.
It really is a “gets the job done” type of device. But with that said, it’s not completely perfect because as with how the tech world is, this is a machine that is a tad old and already has its replacement lined up, the M3 version, which does perform slightly better and is newer.
Just to clarify, this device can still be used long-term. Typically, most Macs receive software updates up to 7 to 9 years after release, meaning the M2 MacBook Air should receive updates until at least 2029 or 2031 or maybe longer, which would be a long time from now. So that shouldn’t be too concerning.
Really your main focus on this device should be whether it satisfies your needs. If you’re looking for a solid allrounder that is a little bit older but still puts out great performance especially for your normal work and then has a little wiggle room on top of that at a great price, the M2 MacBook Air is a solid budget friendly option.
The Mid-Range Pick: M3 MacBook Air
If you’re looking for something a little more powerful and a little bit newer, the M3 Air is probably what you’re after. The M3 MacBook Air is what I would consider Apple’s mid-range laptop.
Released earlier in 2024, it’s likely going to be one of the most common laptops used at College because even more so than the M2 MacBook Air due to the upgrades, the M3 air is perfect for students and kind consumers alike. It does everything the M2 air does, but better.
It can browse the web smoother, compose emails faster, complete documents and assignments a little better, etc. Because of its upgraded chip M3, it has a bit better performance potential for everything and it even has two size options.
So if you occasionally work on more intense projects such as creative things, the M3 air should handle the tasks a little better than the M2 version. On top of that, it’s a newer device so its software support should last longer, likely through 2031 to 2033, which is very far away.
This can definitely be great for some, especially if you like to hold on to your devices for a while. Overall, this is a great mid-range laptop and should be able to do nearly everything. Just like with the M2 air, the M3 MacBook Air is great for college students and kind consumers alike.
If you can afford it, it’s a good buy and definitely shouldn’t disappoint you. Unless you’re going to be doing some really intense work, in that case, you probably want to consider the MacBook Pro.
The Base Model: M3 MacBook Pro
Now let’s discuss the M3 MacBook Pro base first. Now this laptop, a lot of people don’t recommend because it’s basic for a pro device.
Especially, it doesn’t have a lot of RAM or random access memory, so it can’t run a lot of different programs at the same time or super intense ones for a while, which you’d want from something for professionals. And it also doesn’t sport the upgraded chips that most people want, just the same M3 processor as the MacBook Air.
Now, it does sport the MacBook Pro chassis with more ports than the MacBook Air and a few more features, so it is a MacBook Pro. But it doesn’t have the features that most professionals would want out of the device.
Even if you upgraded the RAM, you could just put that money into the next tier of MacBook Pros, so this laptop is in a little bit of a tight spot. I think it’s a pretty solid option if you get it on sale and you consider it more of an M3 MacBook Air plus, meaning it can do a bit more than the M3 air because, for instance, it has a fan to cool the processor down among other things.
But as a MacBook Pro, especially due to the lower RAM configuration, it probably isn’t as ideal for professionals as compared to the next MacBook Pros.
The Creative Powerhouse: M3 Pro and Max MacBook Pros
So then let’s discuss the final MacBook Pro variant of this list: the Pro and Max M3 MacBook Pro. These are for the creative professionals who will definitely benefit from this kind of power for the next few years.
These are what I would call the performance MacBooks. They’re definitely beefy with those powerful chips and they can do a ton. The only caveat being the price; they are quite expensive.
If you don’t really need them, they’re probably not worth the added cost. Instead, you could get a MacBook Air at a fraction of the price. But if you are going to be running some really intense programs, say Final Cut Pro, and editing a lot, these are two really great options.
The differences between them, the Pro and the Max variants, being a performance jump from the Pro to the Max. Comparing the two, it really depends on your work intensity.
Generally though, it’s pretty tough to get to the Max’s level; for most professionals, the Pro would probably be fine. So if you want the best of the best MacBook out there with the greatest performance potential, look no further than the Pro and Max variants.
My only recommendation being, if you can, to wait until October when the new ones should be announced just so you don’t feel like you missed out on new tech with your super duper red and powerful MacBook Pro.
Final Thoughts
So overall, that was my list of which MacBook you should get. At the end of the day, this ultimately is your decision based on your personal preferences and needs.
So for instance, if you want to get the M3 MacBook Air over the M2 version because the M3 is newer and you can afford it, absolutely go for it. Just make sure that you take advantage of those student discounts and other discounts when applicable.
Let me know if this article was helpful for you. My name is Cus, it’s spelled like Cyrus, proun like Seer just take out the T. Thank you very much for reading and have a wonderful day, peace.
