Macbookair M3 vs Mac mini and studio display

I'm purchasing a Studio display.

An option, I'm seeing feedback on, is to get a MacBook Air M3 INSTEAD of a macmini M2 16Gb unified memory. This, I believe, allows me to have what I would have with a Mac mini but a second screen?

So performance wise they would both be specified as close as one can but I'll have a second screen.

Understand one downside is the laptop will always be required to operate as opposed to the Mac mini/Studio and laptop being independent.

Any feedback before I take the plunge would be greatly appreciated. Thanks