Apple MacBook Air 15" M3 vs Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra
Apple's MacBook Air 15" M3 delivers exceptional value at $1299, offering outstanding battery life (18 hours), a brilliant 500-nit Liquid Retina display, and the efficient M3 chip that handles everyday tasks flawlessly. Samsung's Galaxy Book4 Ultra ($2399.99) targets power users with a larger 16" AMOLED 120Hz display, superior Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, 16GB RAM, and 1TB storage—double the MacBook's specs. However, the Galaxy weighs more (1.86kg vs 1.51kg), offers shorter battery life (13 hours), and runs Windows 11. For students and general productivity, the MacBook Air M3 is the smarter choice, providing excellent performance-per-dollar with macOS reliability. Professionals needing raw Windows compatibility, expandable storage, and maximum processing power should consider the Galaxy Book4 Ultra, though its premium pricing demands serious workload justification.
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15" M3 | Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Software | macOS Sequoia | Windows 11 Home |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 1.51 kg | 1.86 kg |
| Material | Aluminum unibody | Aluminum |
| Dimensions | 340.4 x 237.6 x 11.5 mm | 355.4 x 250.4 x 16.5 mm |
| Ports | ||
| MagSafe | — | |
| Thunderbolt ports | 2 | 2 |
| HDMI | — | 1 |
| USB-A ports | — | 1 |
| USB-C ports | — | 2 |
| SD card | — | |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 18 hours wireless web | Up to 13 hours |
| Capacity | 66.5 Wh | 76 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 15.3 inches | 16 inches |
| Type | Liquid Retina IPS LED | Dynamic AMOLED 2X touchscreen |
| Resolution | 2880 x 1864 | 2880 x 1800 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 500 | 400 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 256 GB | 1 TB |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Touch Bar | — | |
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 8 GB unified | 16 GB LPDDR5X |
| Cores | 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU | 16 cores |
| Chipset | Apple M3 | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H |
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple MacBook Air 15" M3
Pros
- Large 15-inch display in a thin, light chassis
- Silent fanless design
- Strong M3 performance for everyday workloads
- All-day 18-hour battery life
- Six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio
Cons
- Only two Thunderbolt ports
- 8 GB base RAM is tight for power users
- No ProMotion or HDR display
- 256 GB base SSD has slower single-chip speeds
- No HDMI or SD card slot
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra
Pros
- Stunning 3K AMOLED 120Hz display with deep colors
- Includes NVIDIA RTX 4050 or 4070 discrete GPU
- Surprisingly thin and light for a 16-inch with dGPU
- Tight integration with Samsung Galaxy ecosystem
Cons
- Premium pricing rivals workstation laptops
- Soldered RAM, only storage is upgradable
- Speakers underwhelming versus MacBook competitors
- Touchpad palm rejection occasionally inconsistent
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