Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
The MacBook Air commence a nice performance boost , thanks to the M3 microchip upgrade . The raw dual external display support is a compromise , but it ’s a welcome change in production environments . Overall , the M3 MacBook Air come after in bear on in its role as the laptop for everyone .
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The 15-inch MacBook Air in Starlight.
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Best Prices Today: Apple 15-inch MacBook Air (M3, 512GB/16GB RAM, 2024)
Over the year , we ’ve touted the MacBook Air as the laptop computer for just about anyone – it ’s an ideal combination of performance , features , and price . It became even more compelling when Apple redesigned it and promote to the M2 micro chip in2022and released a 15 - in M2 model in2023 .
The MacBook Air now connect theM3 party that Apple begin last fall . It ’s much the same laptop as before — besides the chip upgrade , there are only two other new feature in the fresh M3 MacBook Air . A circumstances has not changed with the Air , and neither has our perception of the laptop : The MacBook Air continues to be the best laptop choice for just about anyone .
Update : On October 30 , 2024,Apple upgraded the MacBook Air to come standard with 16 GB of RAM , like the new M4 MacBook Pros . This reassessment was performed when the Air was initially give up with 8 GB of RAM , though our review unit had 16 G .
The 15-inch MacBook Air in Starlight.
15-inch M3 MacBook Air: Specifications
The MacBook Air gets an upgrade from the M2 to the M3 chip . It does not have choice for the M3 Pro or Max chips ; for that , you call for to look at the MacBook Pro . Ourguide to the M3 chip seriesprovides more insight into the differences between the unlike M3 chips .
The 15 - inch MacBook Air in this review is the most expensive standard shape in Apple ’s lineup . It can be customized with more memory and a larger SSD , which raises the price .
The 15 - inch MacBook Air in Starlight .
The notch at the top of the Liquid Retina display houses the 1080p FaceTIme camera.
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Here are the stipulation of the laptop in this review :
Update : One thing we should call out about the MacBook Air is that on October 30 , 2024,Apple upgraded the MacBook Air to follow standard with 16 GB of RAM , like the new M4 MacBook Pros . The company did n’t call down the price , they added more read/write memory and sustain the prices the same . This include the $ 999 M2 MacBook Air .
The Touch ID button is located at the upper right of the Magic Keyboard.
15-inch M3 MacBook Air: Performance
This update to the MacBook Air is all about the amphetamine protrusion that ’s provided by the new M3 chip . Our bench mark look at how it liken to the previous M2 as well as the other M3 Macs that Apple offers .
Geekbench 6.2.2 benchmarks
We useGeekbench 6to break the general , overall performance of a Mac . In both the Single - Core and Multi - Core tests , the M3 MacBook Air was 20 per centum quicker than the M2 MacBook Air – a distinctive boost from one chip generation to another .
Compared to theM3 MacBook Pro , you’re able to see that the M3 MacBook Air offers practically the same public presentation . That ’s have a bun in the oven since they have the same chip . The major difference is that the MacBook Air does not have fans , while the MacBook Pro does . So , on heavy - obligation tasks that put more pressure on the chip , the MacBook Air may throttle down a little in decree to maintain a proper operating temperature . It takesa lotto make the MacBook Air do this , so most folks need not occupy .
Cinebench 2024 benchmarks
Cinebench 2024is a test that perform 3D rendering – the heavy - obligation labor that was just mentioned above . While a MacBook Air plausibly is n’t a primary shaft for those who habituate such software , its functioning does n’t wholly find it out . This benchmark gives us a good dot of comparison with the other Macs – and it shows that the M3 MacBook Air can wield its own during these tasks .
HandBrake 1.7.3 video encode
We usedHandBraketo encode theTears of Steelvideo from 4 KiB to a 1080p H.265 file . When doing the encoding completely in software using the H.265 ( x265 ) video encoder , the M3 is a respectable 26 percent quicker than the M2 . When using the usable ironware speedup through HandBrake ’s H.265 ( VideoToolBox ) encoder , the M3 was 17 pct faster .
iMovie 4K video benchmarks
We export a 10 - minute 4 K video at two configurations in iMovie to guess CPU performance . The M3 was 24 per centum faster than the M2 when exporting the file using the ProRes codec . When we changed the tone setting of the exportation to High , the M3 reward shrink to 11 percentage .
Blackmagic Disk Test
Testing the speed of the 512 GB SSD in our review unit of measurement , the results between the M3 and M2 are practically the same . One interesting detail of comparison between the M3 and M1 effect – the M1 MacBook Air we tested had a 256 GB SSD , which is implemented as a single NAND chip , while the M3 ’s 512 GB SSD is a pair of NAND chips . As we detail in the “ Price and availableness ” section below , two chips are sound than one , and you may see that here .
Apple used a single 256 GB chip in the M1 and M2 MacBook Air , but that ’s shift with the 256 GB SSD in the M3 MacBook Air . According to ateardown by Max Tech , Apple isnow using two chips for the 256 GB SSD . That ’s a huge profits for the client because using just one NAND chip can cut performance by half – but that wo n’t happen with the 256 GB SSD in the M3 MacBook Air . Hurray !
Geekbench 6 Compute benchmarks
Geekbench ’s Compute bench mark tests GPU carrying into action using Metal or OpenCL genus Apis . The M3 shows a slight 4 percent improvement that you probably would n’t notice . So it ’s dependable to say that the M3 and the M2 MacBook Airs offer the same GPU carrying out .
The M3 does provide a pregnant , noticeable encouragement over the M1 : 44 percent . It ’s another aspect of the M3 MacBook Air that makes it an enticing upgrade from the M1 MacBook Air .
Videogame benchmarks
Rise of the Tomb RaiderandCivilization VIare old games written for Intel and not optimized for Apple ’s Metal graphics API . That could excuse why the M3 and M2 results are the same – these games are n’t taking reward of any Metal API optimizations that are available . Game Mode for macOSstill activates , though , it does it automatically when a secret plan launch .
15-inch M3 MacBook Air: Design and build
Apple introduced the current MacBook Air excogitation with the 2022 M2 model . While it does n’t mirror the MacBook Pro conception exactly , it looks so interchangeable that at a glance you may not be able to separate the difference . perhaps you spend a lot of time in the Apple Store and have train a keen common sense of the MacBook coloring and can use that to instantaneously identify which is which . But the MacBooks speak the same designing language .
In fact , the Apple “ render ” a feature of the Space Black MacBook Pro to the Midnight color option of the MacBook Air . That model now has the same “ breakthrough anodization Navy SEAL ” that Apple tell deoxidize fingerprint . The laptop in this review is Starlight , not Midnight , so I was n’t able to chequer on the cachet but I did critique aSpace Black MacBook Pro , and the sealing wax works – it does n’t preclude fingerprints entirely , but they ’re not very apparent and they ’re easy to wipe out . It helps uphold Apple ’s pattern aesthetic .
Besides Midnight and Starlight , the MacBook Air is also available in Silver and Space Gray . That ’s four color options , liken to the only two available for the MacBook Pro .
If you can afford it, upgrade to 16GB of unified memory. It will help the laptop’s performance.
The poor boy shape is go . The MacBook Air hire its design cues from the MacBook Pro .
Overall , the pattern and habitus are what you ’d look from Apple : well - think - out , indestructible , and fashionable . However , it ’s not the unique wedge shape that was synonymous with the MacBook Air and garner favour among Air user . If that ’s what you really , really desire , you may find the last chock - shaped Air , the discontinuedM1 MacBook Air , in theApple Certified Refurbished Storeor throughthird - party retailers with remaining stock .
15-inch M3 MacBook Air: Ports and connectivity
Here are the ports on the MacBook Air : two Thunderbolt 4 / USB - ascorbic acid ports , a MagSafe 3 charging interface , and a 3.5 mm audio frequency jack . That ’s it . With the Air , Apple shoot the approach that this laptop computer prioritizes mobility , as react to the MacBook Pro which is a mashup of mobility and desktop Mac sensibility . So that intend fewer ports on the Air .
If you ’re read this thinking , “ But I need to link up more than two machine ” then consider invest in a USB - light speed hub . Consult ourguide to USB - C hubs and adaptersto aid find one . Check with the hub manufacturer to see what each one can do because there will be limits as to how many gadget you could plug into , or even the type of devices ( like external displays ) you’re able to employ .
Speaking of external displays , this lead us to the other fresh feature that was mentioned at the intro of this review . The M3 MacBook Air can now indorse two external 5 K displays each running at a 60Hz refresh rate . However , the Air must be closed to do this . If you reach the laptop computer with two external presentation connected , one of them will have its video signal cut off and fed to the laptop display . We have a freestanding article that explainshow twofold external displays on the M3 MacBook Pro work . See the television below .
Wireless connectivity for the MacBook Air is through Bluetooth 5.3 and tWi - Fi 6E ( 802.11ax ) , the third new MacBook Air feature , which is an upgrade from Wi - Fi 6 ( 802.11ax ) in the M2 MacBook Air . Networking speed will be a bit quicker , and faster is always upright .
15-inch M3 MacBook Air: Display and speakers
Apple use Liquid Retina ( LED ) display for the MacBook Air , which are a step down from the Liquid Retina XDR ( mini - LED ) exhibit in the MacBook Pro . But no one looks at a MacBook Air exhibit and call back it ’s sorry or unaccepted – for everyday use , the MacBook Air expect pretty dang good .
The notch at the top of the Liquid Retina display houses the 1080p FaceTIme camera .
The 15 - in MacBook Air has a six - speaker arrangement with force - cancel woofers . ( The 13 - inch Air has a four - loudspeaker arrangement . ) It ’s not the same system as the 14 - inch MacBook Pro , which has a “ high fidelity ” six - speaker system with woofers . The Air ’s speakers do n’t sound as clean as the Pro , but they do sound good and have a nice amount of oomph for a thin laptop computer . Spatial Audio on music or video with Dolby Atmos is endure , too . The 3.5 mm audio jack brook high - impedance phone .
15-inch M3 MacBook Air: Camera
You in all probability wo n’t be embarrassed by the camera ’s figure of speech timbre during a video conference . But if you ’re using it to immortalise a video of yourself , you ’ll desire something respectable . That better camera is in your scoop on your iPhone . you may usemacOS ’s Continuity Camera feature film that lease the iPhone plug in to the laptop computer as a webcam .
15-inch M3 MacBook Air: Battery life & charging
Apple did n’t change anything with the battery in the M3 MacBook Air , so it ’s still formally rated for up to 18 hours of video playback . Our battery test is a television that play on a loop until the battery runs out , with the display set at 150 nit . The M3 Air live on almost the same amount of time as the M2 MacBook Air – about 19 60 minutes . Apple is very consistent about its battery life sentence , and the expectation is that during regular function , you ’ll have no problem using the Air all 24-hour interval without having to punch in .
Also : best business leader banking concern for MacBook .
Movie playback battery test
Apple includes a 35W power transcriber with two USB - C interface , so you’re able to plug in an iPhone , iPad , or other gadget and excite it along with the MacBook Air . The MagSafe overseas telegram that Apple let in is braided and feels much more durable than the old , rubberized ones .
15-inch M3 MacBook Air: Keyboard and trackpad
The M3 MacBook Air has the same keyboard and trackpad as the M2 Air . The backlit keyboard has full - sized Function keys and a Touch ID button in the upper right niche . It ’s a good keyboard and the trackpad is stellar .
15-inch M3 MacBook Air: Price & availability
The pricing for the M3 MacBook Air is the same as its M2 predecessor . There ’s one minor conflict : the $ 1,699 atmosphere in this review is now offered as one of three received configurations . With the 15 - column inch M2 MacBook Air , Apple offer two received shape at $ 1,299 and $ 1,499 .
The Touch ID clit is located at the upper right of the Magic Keyboard .
Apple initially unloose the MacBook Air in March with a received 8 GB of RAM but in October the troupe boosted it to 16 GB of retentiveness without farm the terms . It ’s a slap-up move by Apple , and users will notice the Air runs more efficiently with the extra RAM .
Should you buy the M3 MacBook Air?
The MacBook Air is a great laptop computer , specially for drug user who prioritize mobility . Thanks to Apple silicon , it can treat whatever task you need to do , whether it ’s as simple as using a parole processor while being on-line with a million Safari pill undefended , or a piece more complex with iMovie and GarageBand , or pro - level work with a video product tool or software developing .
If you are still ( ! ) using an Intel MacBook , I enthusiastically encourage you to elevate to an M - Series laptop . If you upgrade to the M3 MacBook Air , you ’re proceed to have sex - love - erotic love the carrying into action and perhaps even recoil yourself for waiting so long . I realize that some users are in a position where their dependence on Intel is found on cock that are an absolute requirement , but if you could incur an alternative that ’s M - series favorable , see what you could do to adopt it . This is the third generation of M - series , and it ’s stable , reliable , and works .
If you have an M2 MacBook Air , the only major reason why you ’d upgrade to the M3 is because of the duple external display support . Yes , the 20 percent carrying out hike is skillful ( quicker is always better ) , but in quotidian task , you wo n’t really find it . But if you could never get enough speed and you ’re willing to spend the money , go for it .
M1 MacBook Air owners have more to weigh . The execution gain between the M1 and M3 is enough to widen eye and there ’s also the design change that was actually introduce with the M2 MacBook Air . The unexampled laptop does sense a routine bigger than the sometime design , but the sieve is with child . The M1 Air is still a honest laptop and holding on to it is understandable – but so is upgrading .
If you’re able to afford it , advance to 16 GB of unified memory . It will avail the laptop ’s carrying out .
For more entropy , readMacBook Air versus MacBook Proand ourM3 MacBook Pro superguide .
