Apple revealed the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with new M3 chipsets in October. There was no doubt that the new M3 MacBook Air would get the same treatment; the only question was when. Now, the wait is over. It was announced today that the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air have been updated with the latest M3 chip. Both models can be bought starting today, and they will begin shipping on March 8.
Apple didn’t change the exterior of either device. It’s only been two years since Apple released a completely modified 13-inch MacBook Air, which got rid of the iconic wedge shape in favor of a boxier frame, a slightly bigger 13.6-inch screen, a 1080p webcam, and a MagSafe port for charging.
However, the 15-inch MacBook Air has only been out for a little over a year. It was the first in the Air lineup of its kind, and it has most of the same features as the smaller version. It makes sense that Apple kept its appearance the same on both.
The important changes have been made under the hood. The M3 lineup is different from the M1 and M2 chipsets because it is made using a 3-nanometer method. This makes it possible to fit more transistors into a smaller space, which speeds up the chip and uses less power. Ray tracing, mesh shading, and dynamic caching are some of the new features it has. Here, you can read more about those parts.
Apple’s newest entry-level chip is called the M3. It has an 8-core CPU and an up to 10-core GPU, which makes it a great choice for basic jobs like word processing, spreadsheets, emailing, and light gaming. Apple says that compared to the M1, the CPU is up to 35% faster, and the GPU is up to 65% faster. At the same time, the CPU and GPU are 20% faster than the M2.
Apple also made it possible to connect up to two external screens. The M1 and M2 Macs can only natively connect to one external monitor, so it’s great to see Apple finally make this change. But it’s important to remember that the air has to be closed for both screens to work. There is also Wi-Fi 6E on both models of the MacBook Air, which gives you twice as fast download speeds as the M2-powered versions.
Related: Apple Releases the Incredible, Terrifyingly Fast M3 Chip for MacBook Pro and iMac
The 13-inch MacBook Air and the 15-inch MacBook Air can only be bought with the base M3 chip. However, the 13-inch MacBook Air lets you choose between an 8-core or 10-core GPU. You can only get the 15 with ten cores. There are 8 GB of unified memory and 256 GB of storage in the base version of both sizes. However, you can add up to 24 gigabytes of unified memory and two terabytes of storage, though it will cost you extra. You can also pick from styles such as Midnight, Starlight, Space Gray, and Silver.
We can’t say anything about either MacBook Air until we get our hands on them, but if you want to buy one right away and aren’t sure between the two sizes, it comes down to personal taste.
Most people should get the smaller version because it’s super light and easy to carry around, has a nice, bright screen, and works well for everyday jobs.
The 15-inch MacBook Air is better for people who work all day on their laptops and don’t like using an external computer. It has the same features and performance as the smaller one, but you won’t have to stare at a small screen for long periods, which can give you headaches.
It is important to note that Apple still sells the 13-inch MacBook Air with an M2 processor. The starting price used to be $999, but now it’s $100 less. This machine can do what you need it to do and save you money if you don’t need the newest chip. The same reasoning applies to the 15-inch MacBook Air with an M2 processor. Even though Apple doesn’t sell this model in its stores anymore, we suggest you buy it from a different store when it goes on sale.
The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air can be bought straight from Apple’s website. Both types start at $1,099, which is the base price.