Should you buy an M4 MacBook Air instead of an M3 MacBook Air?

With the recent launch of the M4 MacBook Air, many tech enthusiasts are pondering whether to invest in the newer model or snag a deal on the M3. If you can find an M3 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for just $799, it’s tempting! But what do you really gain by spending that extra $200 for the M4? Let’s dive into the comparisons.

Design: Same Old, Same Old

First, let’s talk about design. Both the M3 and M4 MacBook Air models stick to the same aesthetics introduced with the M2 generation. The only notable difference is the introduction of a new sky blue colour, which replaces the classic space grey. If you’re looking for a fresh look, the M4 offers that, but otherwise, the designs are virtually identical.

Performance: The Real Difference

When it comes to performance, the M4 does show some advantages. But how significant are they? Let’s break it down.

Battery Life

Interestingly, both models boast comparable battery life, as confirmed by Apple. If longevity is your primary concern, you won’t see much difference between the two.

Disk Speed

Next, we ran a disk speed test using Blackmagic. The M4 recorded a read speed of 2,836 MB/s compared to the M3 at 2,738 MB/s. Write speeds were also slightly better in the M4, but the differences were negligible. For day-to-day tasks, you wouldn’t notice this difference.

Benchmark Tests: Geekbench & Cinebench

We also ran Geekbench 6 for CPU performance. The M4 is about 20% faster in single-core performance and shows a similar increase in multi-core performance. The Cinebench stress test confirmed the M4’s superiority, scoring 698 against the M3’s 554. While the M4 is indeed faster, is that speed necessary for your use case?

GPU Performance: Not a Huge Leap

In terms of GPU performance, the M4 again outperformed the M3, with scores of 57,511 versus 44,522 in the Geekbench GPU test. However, for most users, this difference might not be immediately observable in everyday tasks.

Real-World Applications: Lightroom and Final Cut Pro

Moving on to software applications, we imported and exported images in Lightroom. The M4 took 19.6 seconds to import 200 raw images, while the M3 took 22.36 seconds. The export time showed a more significant difference, with the M4 finishing in 76 seconds compared to the M3’s 243 seconds. If you’re a photographer, this might influence your decision.

For video editing in Final Cut Pro, the M4 took 23 seconds to process a 10-minute video at 25% speed, whereas the M3 took 252 seconds. However, during export, the M4 finished in 256 seconds, just slightly ahead of the M3 at 268 seconds. If your work involves frequent video editing, you might find the M4 more beneficial.

Heat Management: A Hot Topic

Heat management is another area where the M3 and M4 differ. While exporting files, the M4 reached a maximum temperature of 45°C (113°F), whereas the M3 hit 49°C (120°F). If you’re concerned about heat on your lap while working, the M4 is the cooler option.

Conclusion: Is It Worth the Extra $200?

So, should you spend that extra $200 for the M4? If you’re a casual user who mainly browses, streams, or works on documents, the M3 is still a fantastic choice. However, if you do a lot of photo and video editing or require the best performance for demanding applications, the M4 could justify the price difference.

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