{"id":212832,"date":"2024-03-13T05:53:07","date_gmt":"2024-03-13T05:53:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/03\/13\/how-to-pick-the-best-apple-laptop\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T17:20:44","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T17:20:44","slug":"how-to-pick-the-best-apple-laptop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/03\/13\/how-to-pick-the-best-apple-laptop\/","title":{"rendered":"How to pick the best Apple laptop"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Now that the third generation of Apple\u2019s in-house silicon, the M3 chip, has come to the MacBook Air, the company\u2019s laptop lineup looks a little different. The M1-powered machines have been phased out and the M2 chip is only available in the 13-inch MacBook Air. After testing out configurations of every model Apple offers, our recommendation for most people is the MacBook Air with the M3 chip<\/a>. But we still think the M2-powered Air is an impressive machine with plenty of life left (plus it has a new lower price). <\/p>\n

Apple does things a little differently than PC makers, so we put together this guide to help you make sense of the various chips, screen-sizes, memory and storage capacities, as well as which models we think will work best for different users. Here are the best MacBooks to buy right now..<\/p>\n

Factors to consider when buying a MacBook<\/h2>\n

Compared to PCs, Apple computers tend to have more streamlined specifications. The company has long been known for this simplicity, and the M-series \u201csystem-on-a-chip\u201d condenses things even further. The M1, M2 and M3 chips<\/a> combine, among other technologies, the CPU, graphics card and unified memory (RAM). Apple\u2019s Neural Engine is included too, which is a specialized group of processor cores that handles machine learning tasks such as image analysis and voice recognition. While a unified chip means you have fewer decisions to make when picking a MacBook, there are still a few factors to consider, including the number of CPU cores, amount of RAM, storage capacity, screen size, and, obviously, price.<\/p>\n

CPU cores<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Currently the lowest-specced chip in a MacBook is the M2 in the 13-inch MacBook Air. It comes with an 8-core CPU and either an 8- or 10-core GPU. At the other end of the spectrum, the M3 Max chip is built with up to a 16-core CPU and a 40-core GPU. Cores are, in essence, smaller processing units that can handle different tasks simultaneously. Having more of them translates to the computer being able to run multiple programs and applications at once, while also smoothly processing demanding tasks like video editing and high-level gaming. In short, more cores allow for more advanced computing and better performance. But if your needs fall below professional-level gaming and cinematic video and audio editing, getting the highest number of cores is likely overkill \u2014 and after all, more cores equals higher cost and more power usage.<\/p>\n

RAM<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Your options for RAM, or in Apple\u2019s terminology, Unified memory, varies depending on the chip you choose. The M2 and M3 chips can be paired with 8, 16 or 24GB of RAM. The M3 Pro chip has 18 or 36GB memory options, while the most powerful M3 Max chip supports 48, 64 or a whopping 128GB of RAM.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve likely heard the analogy comparing memory to the amount of workspace available on a literal desktop surface, whereas storage is the amount of drawers you have to store projects to work on later. The larger the worktop surface, the more projects you can work on at once. The bigger the drawers, the more you can save for later.<\/p>\n

More RAM is ideal for people who plan to work in multiple programs at once. And the more demanding each program is, the more RAM will be required. Extra memory can also come in handy if you\u2019re the type who likes to have infinite numbers of tabs open on your browser. If your daily workflow doesn\u2019t involve simultaneously using a vast number of memory-intensive programs, you can save yourself money and buy the RAM configuration that you\u2019re most likely to actually use.<\/p>\n

For casual users, 8GB may be enough, however, if you can afford an upgrade to 16GB of RAM, we recommend going doing so, as modern browsers tend to be pretty memory-hungry. Investing in more RAM now will give your new MacBook a longer lifespan of reliable use. It\u2019s also important to keep in mind that, unlike most PCs, the RAM in current-model MacBooks is not user-upgradable, so you\u2019ll want to get what you plan on needing at the outset.<\/p>\n

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