Apple March 4 Announcements: M3 MacBook Air & What to Expect

THE SMART BUYER'S GUIDE TO APPLE'S MARCH 4 RELEASES: WAIT OR BUY?

For years, Apple’s spring events were the overlooked younger sibling of the massive September iPhone launches. They were often reserved for niche products, a new color of an existing phone, or perhaps a minor iPad refresh. But March 2026 is shaping up to be different. This year, Apple isn't just looking to sell more $1,200 Pro models; they are targeting the heart of the consumer market: the budget-conscious, the students, and the gift-givers.

If you have been hovering your finger over the Buy button for a new iPhone 16 or a MacBook Air, our advice is simple: pause. Based on the current supply chain trends and Apple’s aggressive push into Apple Intelligence, the March 4 event is poised to redefine what entry-level looks like. We are moving away from the era of compromised budget tech and into an era where the most affordable devices are finally getting the power they need to stay relevant for years.

THE IPHONE 17E: WHY ENTRY-LEVEL IS THE NEW PRO

The star of the show is rumored to be the iPhone 17E. For years, the SE line served as a way to clear out old parts—old screens, old buttons, and old designs. But with the 17E, we recommend looking at this as a strategic pivot. Apple needs every user on a chip capable of running Apple Intelligence, and the old SE design simply can’t keep up.

The iPhone 17E is expected to ditch the home button once and for all, adopting the modern 6.1-inch OLED display seen on the flagship models. More importantly, it is rumored to house the A19 chip. Why does that matter to you? Because it means a phone that costs roughly $500 will have the same processing brain as the flagship models. This isn’t just about speed; it’s about longevity. If you are buying a gift for a teenager or a parent who keeps their phone for five years, the 17E is the first budget phone that won't feel obsolete by year three.

THE WAIT OR BUY MATRIX: SHOULD YOU PULL THE TRIGGER NOW?

To help you decide, we have mapped out the most common buying scenarios. Instead of looking at what is available now, look at your specific needs and see where you land on our decision matrix.

THE GIFT GIVER (Buying for a Graduate or Child) Recommendation: WAIT. The iPhone 17E is expected to be the most durable and modern entry-level phone Apple has ever produced. Buying an iPhone 15 now might save you fifty dollars today, but you lose out on years of software support and the latest AI features that will soon be standard in schools and social apps.

THE BARGAIN HUNTER (Looking for the lowest price) Recommendation: BUY A REFURBISHED IPHONE 15. If price is your only metric and you don't care about AI, the launch of the 17E in March will drive down the price of current stock. However, if you want a new device, the 17E will offer significantly better value-per-dollar than the aging iPhone 14s currently sitting on shelves.

THE POWER USER (Needs the best camera and screen) Recommendation: BUY THE IPHONE 16 PRO NOW. The March event is about accessibility, not peak performance. The 17E will likely feature a single-lens camera system. If you need 4K video capabilities and a telephoto lens for your side hustle or hobby, the March releases won't satisfy you.

THE STUDENT (Academic use and portability) Recommendation: WAIT. The rumored MacBook updates are specifically tailored for your demographic.

MACBOOKS GET A MAKEOVER: COLOR, POWER, AND PORTABILITY

The MacBook Air has long been the gold standard for students and home office users, but the March 4 event is expected to introduce a version that finally matches personality with performance. We are looking at a refreshed MacBook line that leans heavily into the aesthetic appeal of the original iMacs—vibrant, colorful, and approachable.

Why we recommend these over the current Air models: The headline here isn't just the color palette of blues, greens, and pinks. It’s the move to the M4 chip across the base models. The current M2 and M3 Airs are fantastic machines, but the M4 is built from the ground up to handle localized AI tasks without draining your battery.

For students, this is the ultimate gift. It provides the power of a Pro-level machine in a chassis that is light enough to carry across campus. For home office users, these new models represent a way to escape the boring silver and space gray boxes that have dominated professional tech for a decade. If you are looking to buy a graduation gift, wait for the March 4 announcement. A colorful, M4-powered MacBook is a much more modern and thoughtful gift than a discounted model from last year.

GIMMIE AI VERDICT: THE PRICE-TO-VALUE BREAKDOWN

When we look at the potential lineup for March 4, the common thread is value. Apple is in a position where they need to refresh their lower-end hardware to ensure their new software ecosystem works for everyone, not just those who spend $1,200 on a phone.

The anticipated price for the iPhone 17E is $499. When you compare that to the $799 entry price of the iPhone 16, you are getting approximately 90 percent of the power for about 60 percent of the cost. That is a value ratio we haven't seen from Apple in a long time.

On the MacBook front, we expect the M4 Air to maintain its $999 starting price while potentially doubling the base RAM to 16GB—a move that is long overdue and essential for modern multitasking.

FINAL THOUGHTS FOR THE STRATEGIC BUYER

The March 4 event is a rare moment where Apple’s corporate needs (getting everyone onto AI-capable chips) align perfectly with consumer desires for affordable, high-quality hardware.

If you can wait four weeks, do it. Even if you decide you don't want the new models, the secondary market for the iPhone 15 and 16 will likely dip, and retailers will be clearing out M3 MacBook stock at record-low prices. But for most users—especially those buying gifts for the next generation of tech users—the iPhone 17E and the M4 MacBooks will be the smartest purchases of the year.

The era of the budget compromise is ending. In March, Apple is likely to prove that entry-level doesn't have to mean outdated.