Apple MacBook Air M3: A Deeper Dive
In March 2024, Apple released the MacBook Air M3 chip, the newest addition to their MacBook lineup. It comes in 2 sizes, 13-inch and 15-inch, and has 4 stellar colors: Midnight, Starlight, Space Gray, and Silver. But what changes have been made? Are the improvements significant compared to its predecessor?
M3 Chip
The highlight is, of course, the new M3 Chip. According to Apple, it boasts 60% faster performance compared to the M1 MacBook Air and 13x of improvement compared to its Intel-based peers.
It is also built on an advanced 3-nanometer process. It has more transistors with more speed and power that can do smoother multitasking, faster loading times of applications, and more overall positive performance.
As the main market of the series, it is still best for students and professionals who want a more efficient machine that will help them accomplish their day-to-day tasks and fast-paced lifestyle. Its battery life has remarkably improved and can run up to 18 hours.
Display and Design
The display was also improved with dual support. It can now connect to two external displays with up to 5k resolution at 60Hz refresh rates when the lid is closed; combined with the M3 chip’s power, users can run multiple applications seamlessly, perfect for multitaskers.
For the design, though, it’s still pretty much the same as the previous MacBook Air M2. It is noticeable, though, that its midnight coating is much darker than its predecessor’s. Apple also claims that the coating is now more fingerprint-resistant.
Camera Upgrade
The 1080p FaceTime HD camera now has a higher resolution, which delivers higher image quality during video calls. It has twice the resolution. It improved low-light performance, which is expected due to potentially higher resolution sensors.
Wi-Fi 6E
The new MacBook Air now packs the Wi-Fi 6E, which is faster than Wi-Fi 6 in terms of bandwidth and speed. Users are also future-proof as technology advances and more devices connect to the internet. The only downside, at least for now, is that currently, there are a lot of devices that are not yet compatible with Wi-Fi 6E, and you’ll need a router that supports the 6 GHz band to maximize its potential.
Gaming
While MacBooks are not really marketed for gaming, it is not to be underestimated. While its predecessors can run games, users have to lower the graphics to the minimum to achieve playable frame rates. The new MacBook Air M3, on the other hand, can run games like Resident Evil 4 Remake and Baldur’s Gate 3 smoothly with graphics set to the maximum.
Users still have to run the 16GB RAM to play games smoothly. Regardless, it still doesn’t fix the main issue of gaming with MacBooks: the limited selection of games. Also, if a user is a hardcore gamer, they must be careful playing on the fanless variants.
Final Thoughts: Benchmarks Compared
| Apple M3 MacBook Air 13-Inch | Apple M3 MacBook Air 15-Inch | Apple M3 MacBook Pro 14-Inch | Apple M3 MacBook Pro 16-Inch | |
| Processor | Apple M3 with 8-Core CPU, and 8- or 10-Core GPU | Apple M3 with 8-Core CPU, and 10-Core GPU | Apple M3 / Apple M3 Pro / Apple M3 Max with up to 14-core CPU, 30-core GPU | Apple M3 Pro / Apple M3 Max with up to 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU |
| Camera | 1080p FaceTime HD camera | 1080p FaceTime HD camera | 1080p FaceTime HD camera | 1080p FaceTime HD camera |
| Size and weight | 12 x 8.5 x 0.4 in, 2.7 lbs. | 13.4 x 9.4 x 0.5 in., 3.3 lbs. | 12.3 x 8.7 x 0.6 in.; 3.4 lbs. (M3), 3.5 lbs. (M3 Pro), 3.6 lbs. (M3 Max) | 14.0 x 9.8 x 0.7 in.; 4.7 lbs. (M3 Pro), 4.8 lbs. (M3 Max) |
| Colors | Silver, Starlight, Space Gray, Midnight | Silver, Starlight, Space Gray, Midnight | M3: Space Gray, Silver
M3 Pro/Max: Space Black, Silver |
Space Black, Silver |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB | 512GB / 1TB / 2TB / 4TB / 8TB | 512GB / 1TB / 2TB / 4TB / 8TB |
| Memory | 8 GB / 16GB / 24GB | 8 GB / 16GB / 24GB | M3: 8GB / 16GB / 24GB
M3 Pro/Max: 18GB / 36GB / 48GB / 64GB / 96GB / 128GB |
18GB / 36GB / 48GB / 64GB / 96GB / 128GB |
| Display | 13.6-inch, 2560 x 1664 Liquid Retina display | 15.3-inch,
2880 x 1864 Liquid Retina display |
14.2-inch, 3024 x 1964 Liquid Retina XDR display | 16.2-inch, 3456 x 2234 Liquid Retina XDR display |
| USB-Ports | Thunderbolt 3 / USB 4 (2) | Thunderbolt 3 / USB 4 (2) | M3: Thunderbolt 3 / USB 4 (2)
M3 Pro/Max: Thunderbolt 4 USB-C (3) |
Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C (3) |
The new MacBook Air M3 does the job better than its peers. This new machine lets you do professional and casual things, like play games.
You can check out and compare MacBook Air M3 prices to help you further decide which one’s more applicable to your lifestyle.
Visit Power Mac Center to get exclusive deals.
