{"slug":"macbook-air-m3-vs-macbook-air-m4))","title":"MacBook Air M3 vs MacBook Air M4","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/macbook-air-m3-vs-macbook-air-m4))","faqCount":5,"faqs":[{"question":"Is the M4 worth the $100 extra over the M3?","answer":"Yes, if you do video editing, 3D work, or heavy coding. The M4 delivers 50% faster multi-threaded performance and 60% more GPU power. For basic tasks like email, browsing, and documents, the M3 is perfectly adequate and saves you money."},{"question":"How much faster is the M4 for video editing?","answer":"The M4 handles 4K ProRes editing 40-50% faster than M3 due to its 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU. Exports render 1.5-2x quicker. For 1080p editing, both are smooth, but M4 leaves less room for effects before performance degrades."},{"question":"Does the M4's better battery life mean I can skip a charge longer?","answer":"Marginally. The M4 extends battery life to 18 hours versus M3's 16 hours under light use—only a 2-hour difference in real-world conditions. Both handle a full workday. The M4's improvement comes mainly from lower power consumption, not a larger battery."},{"question":"What is the 120 TOPS Neural Engine on M4 used for?","answer":"It powers on-device AI features like image recognition, transcription, and language models without sending data to cloud servers. M4 Macs run AI tools like ChatGPT locally much faster. M3's 16 TOPS limits on-device AI to basic tasks; complex models still need cloud processing."},{"question":"Is M3 still worth buying in 2026, or is it obsolete?","answer":"M3 is not obsolete. It remains fast enough for 95% of users' daily tasks and will be supported for years. Choose M3 if budget matters; choose M4 only if your work involves intensive applications like video, 3D, or AI development."}],"faqPageSchema":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/macbook-air-m3-vs-macbook-air-m4))#faq","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/macbook-air-m3-vs-macbook-air-m4))","inLanguage":"en-US","name":"MacBook Air M3 vs MacBook Air M4 — FAQ","description":"Frequently asked questions about MacBook Air M3 vs MacBook Air M4","dateModified":"2026-07-09T06:14:27.688Z","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"},"isPartOf":{"@type":"Article","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/macbook-air-m3-vs-macbook-air-m4))#article"},"license":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/","speakable":{"@type":"SpeakableSpecification","cssSelector":["#faq",".faq-item"]},"mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Is the M4 worth the $100 extra over the M3?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes, if you do video editing, 3D work, or heavy coding. The M4 delivers 50% faster multi-threaded performance and 60% more GPU power. For basic tasks like email, browsing, and documents, the M3 is perfectly adequate and saves you money.","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/macbook-air-m3-vs-macbook-air-m4))"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How much faster is the M4 for video editing?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The M4 handles 4K ProRes editing 40-50% faster than M3 due to its 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU. Exports render 1.5-2x quicker. For 1080p editing, both are smooth, but M4 leaves less room for effects before performance degrades.","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/macbook-air-m3-vs-macbook-air-m4))"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Does the M4's better battery life mean I can skip a charge longer?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Marginally. The M4 extends battery life to 18 hours versus M3's 16 hours under light use—only a 2-hour difference in real-world conditions. Both handle a full workday. The M4's improvement comes mainly from lower power consumption, not a larger battery.","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/macbook-air-m3-vs-macbook-air-m4))"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the 120 TOPS Neural Engine on M4 used for?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"It powers on-device AI features like image recognition, transcription, and language models without sending data to cloud servers. M4 Macs run AI tools like ChatGPT locally much faster. M3's 16 TOPS limits on-device AI to basic tasks; complex models still need cloud processing.","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/macbook-air-m3-vs-macbook-air-m4))"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is M3 still worth buying in 2026, or is it obsolete?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"M3 is not obsolete. It remains fast enough for 95% of users' daily tasks and will be supported for years. Choose M3 if budget matters; choose M4 only if your work involves intensive applications like video, 3D, or AI development.","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/macbook-air-m3-vs-macbook-air-m4))"}}]}}