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Apple quietly announced a modern MacBook Air with an M3 processor this week, bringing the M3 chip to the company’s cheapest and lightest computers. However, even though less than a year has passed since its launch, the MacBook Air M2 is still a really solid laptop. Here’s a rundown of the differences between these two great laptops, and some tips on how to choose between them.
Efficiency
Of course, Apple has added a newer and faster chipset to the MacBook Air M3. It is based on the A17 Pro chip that is used in the iPhone 15 Pro Max and is built on a 3nm node, making it more productive. It also has 25 billion transistors compared to the 20 billion transistors found in the MacBook Air M2 and is clocked at a processor clock of 4.05 GHz compared to the 3.49 GHz processor clock in the MacBook Air M2.
The M3 chip in the modern MacBook Air also introduces a 15% faster neural engine, which Apple says will be used to power more AI solutions in the future. There is also an improved and modern GPU architecture that makes the M3 chip more productive and faster than the GPU found in the M2, and also supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading.
It all adds up to a chipset that’s smoother and faster than the one found in the MacBook Air M2. If you want to look at the numbers, the MacBook Air M3 scored 3,157 in single-core testing and 12,020 in multi-core testing on GeekBench (via NotepadCheck). The MacBook Air M2, on the other hand, scored 2,610 points in single-core and 10,120 points in multi-core. So, while it’s not leaps and bounds faster, there is a measurable difference.
Of course, benchmarks are only a miniature factor, and much of the performance depends on what you do with your MacBook. Some will also find the modern GPU architecture I mentioned earlier useful, as it further optimizes the allocation and operate of memory that the MacBook Air can rely on. This will be especially useful for graphics-intensive tasks such as 3D rendering and advanced video editing. However, users who plan to do more may still find it more useful to upgrade to a more powerful MacBook Pro.
Those who think they’ll need the most powerful MacBook Air should definitely go for the M3, however, as its newer chipset has several improved features, including the previously mentioned ray tracing.
Characteristics
One of the biggest modern features available on the MacBook Air M3 is native dual monitor support, which the modern MacBook Air M3 will now support. The previously released MacBook Air M2 allows native support for up to one display, although in the past you could get around this and operate adapters.
The MacBook Air M3 also supports Wi-Fi 6E, which makes the Wi-Fi options slightly better, although not in a way that will matter to most people. The number of ports on MacBook Air M3 has not changed compared to the M2, and you will still have access to the same MagSafe charging features, Touch ID and a built-in headphone jack. The modern MacBook Air M3 will also support AV1 decoding, which may be attractive to some users.
In terms of aesthetics, the modern MacBook Air M3 has an anodized gasket that helps reduce the amount of fingerprints left on the Midnight color that was massive complaint in the M2 model. (For what it’s worth, Edge said the M3 model they tested still had fingerprints on it.)
Ultimately, there aren’t many modern features yet to take you from the M2 to the M3. However, as Apple starts rolling out modern AI features, the faster Neural Engine in the MacBook Air M3 could prove useful, so keep that in mind if you’re interested in Apple’s upcoming AI-powered apps.
Price
Prices for the modern MacBook Air M3 start at $1,099 for the base 13-inch model. If you want the larger 15-inch model, prices start at $1,299. Please note that these prices will also vary depending on the amount of RAM and storage you choose, so purchasing 16GB of RAM or a larger internal drive will cost more.
On the other hand, the MacBook Air M2 has received a price cut, making its entry-level 13-inch model cost just $999. It doesn’t look like Apple is no longer selling the 15-inch MacBook Air with M2 on its website, but you can still buy it from some third-party sellers.
Should you upgrade?
Ultimately, the MacBook Air M3 is impressive, but if you’re already using a MacBook Air M2, there’s not much of a reason to upgrade. In fact, I would argue that the MacBook Air M1 is still a really great value and a great option for most people.
However, if you haven’t yet upgraded to a MacBook with an Apple Silicon chip and are still using an older Intel-based MacBook, the modern MacBook Air M3 could be a really great upgrade, especially since Apple now sells the MacBook Air in a 15-inch model.
