Here’s an alternative thought. If you’re not limited on your budget and aren’t looking for an extremely thin and light laptop – which you might be, given that you’re looking at the Air – you might want to consider the MacBook Pro 14 with the M3 chip.
I know, it’s more expensive and it’s thicker and heavier. But, it’s less expensive than the previous Pro and Max versions, and it offers the same outstanding Mini-LED display and six-speaker sound. It’s stupid that Apple offers it with only 8GB of RAM in the base model, which is otherwise well-configured, and it’s $200 to upgrade.
So, maybe $1,800 is way out of your price range, but if you really want an M3 then the MacBook Pro 14 offers a ton of advantages over the Air.
Of all the “which configuration should I buy” posts that I’ve seen so far on Reddit, this one is the most extreme. I’m almost inclined to think it’s a joke.
That said, if you think the iPad Air (!) or Pro plus keyboard could be enough for your needs, then the M3 MacBook Pro will be utterly ridiculous overkill.