Apple MacBook Air (M3) evaluation: do not overlook it

The MacBook Air is the world’s bestselling laptop computer, in accordance with Apple. That was true earlier than the M3, and it’ll probably be true a 12 months from now.

On one hand, which means the inclusion of the M3 chip is simple to miss or write off. And with the M2 MacBook Air promoting for simply $100 much less (it’s discounted much more at some retailers), the M3 must show itself. Some folks will in all probability nonetheless be higher off saving their cash and shopping for the M2 MacBook Air, however the way in which the M3 supercharges this laptop computer’s GPU efficiency is downright spectacular.

Specs and pricing

	MacBook Air (M3)
Dimensions	11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches
Weight	2.7 kilos
Processor	Apple M3 (8 core)
Graphics	8 core GPU 10 core GPU
RAM	8GB unified reminiscence 16GB unified reminiscence 24GB unified reminiscence
Show	13.6-inch 2560 x 1664 LED IPS show at 60Hz
Storage	256GB SSD 512GB SSD 1TB SSD 2TB SSD
Contact	No
Ports	2 x USB-C with Thunderbolt 5 1 x MagSafe 3 for charging 1 x 3.5mm audio jack
Wi-fi	Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2
Webcam	1080p FaceTime HD digital camera
Working system	Home windows 11
Battery	52.6 watt-hour battery
Value	$1,099+

The 13-inch M3 MacBook Air begins at $1,099, changing the value of its predecessor, the M2 MacBook Air. Apple continues to be promoting the M2, nonetheless, for $100 much less at $999.

This beginning configuration comes with 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and an 8-core GPU. Apple prices $100 to go from 8 GPU cores to 10 GPU cores, which is barely obtainable on the 13-inch mannequin. The 15-inch MacBook Air begins at $1,299, and comes with the 10-core GPU.

Each sizes might be maxed out at 24GB of RAM and 2TB of storage, with the fee rising nicely over $2,000.

Design

The MacBook Air is a surprising laptop computer. It stays probably the most excessive instance of the Apple Silicon period, due to a design that’s skinny in a means that simply wasn’t attainable prior to now. At 0.44 inches thick, it stays the thinnest clamshell laptop computer of this type that’s ever been made. It’s additionally probably the most highly effective laptop computer with out a single fan.

So sure, the MacBook Air’s title as thinnest laptop computer is spectacular, however let’s be sincere: the distinction between 0.44 inches and 0.5 inches is hardly noticeable until you will have two machines aspect by aspect. Home windows laptops just like the Asus Zenbook S 13 and Samsung Galaxy Book3 360 come pretty near matching the MacBook Air’s compact nature.

Luckily, the MacBook Air has much more than simply thinness on its aspect. It’s additionally extraordinarily well-built, which might typically be a priority when gadgets get this skinny. We all bear in mind #flexgate from 2019, proper? Properly, let’s simply say many laptops this skinny (together with older MacBooks) have struggled to stay completely inflexible below stress. Not so with the present MacBook Air. It’s as strong as laptops get.

Now, none of that’s new with the M3 MacBook Air. This design has been in use because the M2 MacBook Air got here out in 2022.

The one new exterior factor on the M3 MacBook Air is a brand new colour possibility, Midnight Black. It first launched on the M3 MacBook Professionals final 12 months, and I’m comfortable to see it additionally obtainable on the 2 MacBook Air sizes. It’s an ideal colour, even when I nonetheless choose Area Grey personally. Apple says its presupposed to reject fingerprints higher than different colour choices, however in my prolonged time with the Midnight Black MacBook Professional, I can’t say it seems to be a lot cleaner in the long term.

Nothing is new right here in regard to the keyboard and trackpad. They’re each wonderful, as all the time, providing distinctive typing and extremely exact monitoring. Apple’s outsized haptic suggestions trackpads have been the primary within the enterprise, and although they’re changing into extra widespread, Apple’s nonetheless is likely to be the very best.

Ports

One of the vital regarding limitations of the MacBook Air is the quantity and number of ports it gives. It’s not that limiting you to solely Thunderbolt 3 by way of USB-C is unusual nowadays. All types of laptops have adopted Apple down that path. However with the MacBook Air, it comes with some important restrictions on exterior shows.

Up to now, the M2 MacBook Air might solely assist one exterior show, whatever the decision and refresh fee. There are methods to get round this, nevertheless it requires a dock and a few additional software program to leap the hurdle. Apple’s by no means truly defined this limitation, however we assume it has to do with restricted bandwidth of the bottom M3, because it additionally applies to the M3 MacBook Professional.

With the M3 MacBook Air, although, this will get marginally higher. The M3 mannequin (whether or not 13-inch or 15-inch) can now formally assist two exterior 5K displays (at 60Hz), however there’s a catch. The lid of the MacBook Air must be closed. So, the system can nonetheless actually solely assist two shows, because the second you open the laptop computer, one of many exterior displays will flip off.

It’s a pleasant enchancment over the M2, and for some folks, it might truly remedy the issue. If you happen to’ve all the time wished to energy a dual-monitor workstation setup with only a MacBook Air, this may do the trick. If you happen to truly wish to use your MacBook Air with these two shows, although, you’ll nonetheless should go for an M3 Professional or Max MacBook Professional. It’s one space the place Home windows laptops have a severe benefit over the MacBook Air.

Past the 2 Thunderbolt 3 shows, you even have a MagSafe 3 charging port on the left aspect and a headphone jack on the precise. It’s somewhat irritating to have all of your energy entry solely the left. Including another USB-C would have gone a great distance.

Past ports, the MacBook Air M3 will get up to date to Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, the most recent wi-fi connection requirements.

Show

The 13.6-inch display screen on the M3 MacBook Air I reviewed is precisely what you’d count on it to be. For an entry-level MacBook, it’s implausible. Extraordinarily sharp, with a decision of 2560 x 1664 and pixel density of 224 ppi (pixels per inch).

No, it doesn’t have the array of native dimming zones and quicker refresh fee of the MacBook Professional. After all not. However for a laptop computer of this value, the MacBook Air’s show is loads colourful, with plenty of distinction and adequate colour accuracy. Greater than that, Apple is all the time good about pushing the brightness of those LED screens to the max. My testing with my colorimeter on this one maxed out at 495 nits at full brightness. Colour protection is sort of good too, hitting 87% of AdobeRGB and 99% of DCI-P3.

I ought to say, nonetheless, that OLED shows have gotten more and more widespread on this value vary. It’s not the default, however corporations like Asus are actually transferring issues ahead, throwing OLEDs even on laptops below $1,000, just like the Zenbook 14. These OLED screens have a lot better distinction, clearly, but in addition higher colour protection and a lot better accuracy.

I nonetheless assume the MacBook Air display screen is aggressive, nevertheless it’s now not the plain chief within the class. For instance, a Delta-E of 1.24 continues to be adequate for what you’d want this laptop computer for, it’s simply not as correct as among the OLED choices on the market. None of this has modified from the earlier mannequin, after all.

Efficiency

Like every step up in Apple Silicon to date, the M3 doesn’t present an enormous leap forward in CPU efficiency. The M3 is 13% quicker in single-core efficiency and 10% in multi-core, as examined in Cinebench R24. That is, as you’d guess, in all probability not value upgrading for practically anybody. That’s very true since this can be a MacBook Air we’re speaking about, not a MacBook Professional. People who truly intend to push the MacBook Air past some workplace apps, multitasking, and net searching, nonetheless, might not discover a noticeable distinction in CPU efficiency.

I ought to say, nonetheless, a 13% leap in single-core efficiency is fairly spectacular in comparison with normal gen-over-gen Intel chips. Whenever you’re already within the lead, one other 13% leap doesn’t damage. These are already on the prime of their class in single-core efficiency, and with the M3, they get barely quicker, and are nonetheless nicely forward of the competitors from Intel or AMD. As seen in each Geekbench 6 and Cinebench R24, the MacBook Air M3 is extra consistent with its rivals by way of multi-core efficiency fairly than out within the lead.

Easier duties like video encoding in Handbrake permit for laptops with lively cooling to zoom previous the M3 MacBook Air. However simply take a look at that rating within the Pugetbench Premiere Professional benchmark, which checks the laptop computer in all types of video modifying duties. The truth that the M3 MacBook Air beats the XPS 14 — even with its discrete RTX 4050 — is critically spectacular.

	Cinebench R24 (single/multi)	Cinebench R24 (GPU)	Handbrake (seconds)	Pugetbench Premiere Professional
MacBook Air (M3)	141 / 601	3049	109	3633
MacBook Air (M2)	122/ 542	1737	119	n/a
Asus Zenbook 14 (Core Extremely 7 155H / Arc)	103 / 493	n/a	86	1583
Dell XPS 14 (Core Extremely 7 155H / RTX 4050)	101 / 681	5738	84	3274

A big motive is as a result of improved GPU, which is actually the star of the present. With the 10-core unit I reviewed, the M3 is a whopping 43% quicker than the M2 in graphics, as examined within the Cinebench R24 GPU take a look at. A lot of that is due to Dynamic Caching, a reminiscence effectivity expertise first launched by Apple with the M3. The result’s dramatically enhanced GPU efficiency that make the M3 stronger in all types of duties, together with video modifying, 3D modeling, and gaming.

A lot of this laptop computer’s direct rivals depend on Intel’s built-in Arc graphics, and no matter how a lot these have improved this 12 months, the M3 stays within the lead.

I did a deeper dive into whether or not or not the M3 makes the MacBook Air a considerably succesful gaming laptop computer. On the entire, I wouldn’t say that it does. Nevertheless, don’t purchase this laptop computer for the aim of taking part in video games. Nevertheless, should you do wish to dabble right here and there, the M3 MacBook Air can squeeze out some first rate body charges in even the most recent crop of flagship video games on the Mac.

I attempted taking part in Baldur’s Gate 3, Resident Evil 4, and Demise Stranding Director’s Minimize. All three required a while spent within the settings — tweaking decision, toggling graphics settings, and attempting all of the upscaling modes to strike an acceptable steadiness between efficiency and visuals. I’m comfortable to report that it’s attainable to get 40 frames per second (fps) to 50 fps in these video games with out resorting to creating the sport seem like a whole mess.

And that’s a primary for the MacBook Air. By no means earlier than has a passively cooled system this skinny been in a position to play video games at this degree. Keep in mind: gaming (or doing something) on the MacBook Air is totally silent. Not a peep from the followers. And whereas floor temperatures can definitely elevate throughout heavier duties, they by no means get uncomfortably scorching, even across the keyboard and palm rests.

Battery life

It’s no secret that MacBooks have a killer higher hand over Home windows laptops within the battery life division. It’s simply not shut, and I’ve to say that in practically each laptop computer evaluation I do nowadays, nevertheless it’d be detrimental to not think about that truth when selecting your subsequent laptop computer. The M3 MacBook Air doesn’t change that in any means, nonetheless lasting for over 19 and half hours in our gentle net searching take a look at. Now, clearly, utilizing the laptop computer for precise work will drop that by just a few hours at the least, however bear in mind — this laptop computer’s rivals solely final for round 7 or 8 hours on common on this identical take a look at.

Past simply the benefit of with the ability to work away from an outlet for longer, the MacBook Air doesn’t lose efficiency when it’s not plugged in. Working heavy functions would possibly drain your battery quicker, nevertheless it’s not going to decelerate duties like it could on a Home windows laptop computer.

Webcam and audio system

The MacBook Air comes with a succesful 1080p webcam constructed into the notch on the prime of the display screen and implausible set of audio system. It’s one of many higher videoconferencing laptops you may get at this value, and it’s not unhealthy for watching content material on both. Nevertheless, it’s best to know that this is among the few areas the place there’s a notable distinction in high quality between the 13-inch MacBook Air and the 15-inch MacBook Air. The 13-inch mannequin solely has a four-speaker setup, whereas the 15-inch has two additional audio system, matching the MacBook Professional.

That doesn’t imply the smaller Air has poor audio system — in no way. These are nonetheless class-leading in comparison with lots of this laptop computer’s direct rivals. They only don’t have the full-bodied sound and strong bass that the 15-inch mannequin is ready to produce.

Do you have to purchase it?

If you happen to’re upgrading from the M2, completely not. There’s not practically sufficient new right here to make it value an improve from the M2 MacBook Air. However should you’re coming from the M1 MacBook Air (or an older MacBook), you’ll be delighted by the M3 MacBook Air. The GPU efficiency is great, and the flexibility to assist two displays will likely be a sport changer for some, even when it requires holding the lid closed.

If you happen to’re contemplating this towards lots of the comparable Home windows laptops on this value vary, you’ll once more discover that the M3 MacBook Air outclasses these laptops in virtually each means.

Put merely, the M3 MacBook Air continues to be one of many very greatest laptops you should buy, and it’s a strong worth for the value. However should you’re not somebody who will really want the additional GPU efficiency, you’re higher off saving some cash and getting the M2 MacBook Air.

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