After years of mixing and matching different laptops with various smartphones, I finally did it; I took the plunge and got myself a MacBook Air M3 and an iPhone 16.
It was a gradual shift. As someone on the move between offices, meet-ups and events, I was keen on finding a seamless, portable machine that could match my daily work routine and provide me with oodles of entertainment (I binge-watch shows and movies like no other). So, I ditched my gargantuan 17-inch gaming laptop for an M3-equipped 13-inch MacBook Air.
It delivered on all fronts and then some, which hardly comes as a surprise seeing as it's one our top picks as the best laptops to get. I adore its snappy performance, sleek design that's compact enough to take around everywhere and gorgeous display. Plus, macOS is easy enough to get the hang of — even after using Windows for years.
But something was missing. Where was the seamless connectivity between devices Apple has been lauding about since way back in 2014? Well, unless I had other Apple products, like an iPhone or iPad, these were features I was losing out on. "Drat," I thought, as it would be handy to easily drag and drop pictures from my phone to my laptop, answer calls or type texts between devices or finish off some writing on a MacBook after starting it on an iPhone.
And so, just as Apple planned, I was lured into Apple's walled garden. So long, Pixel 7 Pro, and hello, iPhone 16. I had more than one reason to make the switch (more on this later), but grabbing an iPhone just made sense for my work setup.
Now, after using all of the exclusive Continuity features made for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, I've realized one thing: While not essential, you get far more out of using products together — and Apple does it well.
If you're wondering if getting an iPhone is worth pairing with your Mac (or vice versa), here are the features that changed my workflow for the better.
Continuity for the win
Continuity is Apple's exclusive feature that allows devices to work together seamlessly — no wires needed. Well, exclusive to Apple products, as it isn't as if other brands can't do the same. Google lets you use Android phones and Chromebooks together, while Samsung DeX lets you turn select Galaxy phones into a desktop PC-like experience.
Still, the link between devices in Apple's ecosystem is so refined that it just makes connecting an iPhone, Mac, iPad and Apple Watch together so easy. That's what got me invested in adding to my setup, and seeing as my SIM contract was due for an upgrade, I decided to pair my MacBook Air M3 with an iPhone 16.
So far, I'm glad I did. One of the key features that comes with Continuity is seamlessly working between devices, and as someone who switches between a phone and a laptop to contact people, take pictures, search for stories and write them up, I like the idea of having my devices aid each other in what I'm doing.
That's why AirDrop and Universal Keyboard have been such a huge help. For example, when reviewing products, I take a bundle of shots on my phone to be used in a piece (and the iPhone 16 takes great shots). Instead of having the hassle of uploading them to Google Drive to then download them on my laptop, I can easily use AirDrop to immediately send these snaps to my MacBook. And they appear post-haste, too.
I also get sent links, think up ideas and find stories on my phone during my commute to work or events. Before, I would either have to copy and paste links or texts into an email and send it to myself to find it on my laptop.
That's not the case with an iPhone and MacBook, as Universal Keyboard lets me copy anything from one device and paste it into another. No complicated setup — I can just copy and paste away.
These two features alone have shaved off a lot of time throughout my day, as I no longer need to come in and come out of apps like Gmail, Google Drive or Google Docs just to exchange text and photos between devices. But there are even more ways an iPhone and MacBook combination has made my life easier.
Hands-on with Handoff
Apple's Handoff is an absolute gem. You'll have to turn it on first (here's how to turn on Handoff on your MacBook), but once done, it's a true time-saver for work and play.
Truth be told, I haven't used this to its full extent, as it's (understandably) mainly available on iOS and macOS apps such as Mail, Safari, Notes, Keynote, Calendar and a few others. I don't use all of these, with Safari and Notes being my main two drivers.
Still, it's incredibly helpful to pick up my work on my MacBook Air M3 after starting on my iPhone 16.
When I'm writing up an article on my MacBook but need to head off to catch a train, sometimes I want to keep the momentum going. If I pop that text into Notes, I can immediately continue where I left off.
The same happens in Safari, especially when I'm checking up some gaming news on my iPhone and want to continue checking it out on my MacBook once I get home. It's a simple feature, but one that makes my digital life simple, too.
A perfect mirror
One feature I never thought I would use as much is iPhone Mirroring on Mac. That was only added with iOS 18, but this recently added feature is a blast to use. Why? Well, I don't need to actually take out my iPhone whenever I get a message anymore, as I can do it all right on my Mac.
This just makes transferring files between devices even easier, as I can use the mirrored iPhone display on my MacBook Air just as I would normally, and simply drag and drop files or photos from the phone straight onto the display. For me, that's wicked, but it does take up quite a bit of space on the 13-inch display.
When I'm at home and extend my display via my 32-inch monitor, I have plenty of space to keep the iPhone mirror up and running while tinkering away with other tasks. Plus, I find being able to type on a keyboard to reply to folks to be much faster than using my thumbs on an iPhone.
An extra perk
It's a feature I barely use, only as my MacBook Air M3's 1080p camera works just fine when I'm hopping on a video call, but being able to use an iPhone as a webcam on a MacBook is a welcome perk for those after more flexible, better-quality calls.
The Continuty Camera is easy to set up, as all I had to do was bring my iPhone close to my MacBook Air, open the FaceTime app and it was immediately detected — ready to make the switch.
As you can imagine, the iPhone 16's camera offers impressive detail over the MacBook Air's webcam, and it can be moved around and placed wherever needed. I also found Desk View to be a cool addition, using the ultrawide lens on the iPhone to show a top-down view of your immediate desk.
Again, in my day-to-day, this isn't exactly something I can take advantage of. But hey, if I ever needed to look my best in a video call and show off my good side with the right angle, then Continuity Camera would certainly come in handy.
Is using an iPhone together with a MacBook worth it?
Yes, I succumbed to the lure of Apple's ecosystem, and generally speaking, I could have continued with my original Pixel phone without batting an eyelid. But why lose out on features that boost workflows and make my daily tasks that much easier to do?
It's the little things that make Apple's connectivity between devices shine. From sending files and pictures between devices in just a couple of clicks to using my iPhone on my MacBook without actually taking it out of my pocket, there are quality-of-life improvements here that those using differing laptops or smartphones miss out on.
Are they essential? I'd say no, but are they worthwhile? That's a yes from me.
More from Tom's Guide
- I test laptops for a living and the MacBook Air M3 is my favorite laptop of the year
- Apple iPhone 16e review — good but compromised
- 5 Apple Intelligence features to try first on your new MacBook
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