MacBook Air M3 review

Trade in MacBook Air M3

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The new MacBook Air 13-inch M3 isn’t a revolutionary update, but it introduces several welcome enhancements over its predecessor, the 13-inch MacBook Air M2. The standout feature here is the inclusion of the Apple M3 chip, aligning it with the latest generation of MacBook Pros. This processor not only delivers impressive CPU performance but also boasts graphical and AI enhancements. Additionally, the already remarkable battery life has seen further improvement compared to the previous model.

Similar to the Air M2, this updated notebook features a vibrant and vivid 13.6-inch Retina display, perfect for various tasks such as watching videos, gaming, and productivity. It maintains the sleek and practical design found in the recent MacBook Pros, along with a comfortable keyboard, responsive touchpad, and convenient MagSafe charging. Staying true to its “Air” designation, this lightweight 2.7-pound notebook is effortlessly portable for on-the-go use.

While the starting price of $1,099 for the 13-inch MacBook Air M3 may not be considered cheap, it remains a more budget-friendly option compared to the higher-priced MacBook Pro models, such as the $1,999 MacBook Pro 14-inch or the $2,499 MacBook Pro 16-inch. Even with the MacBook Air M2 now starting at $999, the new Air M3 still provides excellent value for its features and performance. At present, it stands as the most affordable M3-equipped MacBook available.

Thanks to its outstanding performance, impressive battery life, and portable design, the MacBook Air 13-inch M3 emerges as one of the top choices among MacBooks and laptops currently on the market. For a comprehensive analysis, be sure to check out my full review.

MACBOOK AIR 13-INCH M3 REVIEW: CHEAT SHEET

• Who is it for? For folks who own an older M1 or Intel MacBook and want a MacBook with the latest M3 processor.
• What does it cost? The 13-inch MacBook Air M3 starts at $1,099 on Apple’s website.
• What do we like? Its eye-catching ultraportable design, vivid display, color options and strong M3 performance.
• What do we not like? Doesn’t offer a radical performance boost over the MacBook Air M2.
• Bottom line? Even if it’s more of the same, the MacBook Air M3 is an all-around excellent laptop for everyday work, gaming and video editing. This is a great notebook for first-time MacBook owners or those who want to upgrade from the MacBook Air M1.

MACBOOK AIR 13-INCH M3 REVIEW: SPECS

MACBOOK AIR 13-INCH M3 REVIEW: PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

The MacBook Air 13-inch M3 is now purchasable directly from Apple’s website, commencing at $1,099. This base configuration is equipped with an Apple M3 chip featuring an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU, alongside 8GB of unified memory (RAM) and 256GB of SSD storage. Available in four color options—Midnight, Starlight, Space Gray, and Silver—users have ample choices to suit their preferences.

For those seeking enhancements, upgrade options are available, including a 10-core GPU upgrade for an additional $100, and memory options of 16GB for $200 or 24GB for $400. Storage upgrades offer 512GB for $200, 1TB for $400, or 2TB for $800. Additionally, users can opt for a 35W or 70W USB-C power adapter for an extra $20, upgrading from the included 30W adapter.

MACBOOK AIR 13-INCH M3 REVIEW: DESIGN AND PORTS

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For the debut of the M3 chip, the design of the MacBook Air 13-inch remains unchanged from its previous iteration, which is a positive for fans of the flat, utilitarian aesthetic. Much like its predecessor, the Air M3 maintains such a slim profile that it could easily be mistaken for one of the top iPads at first glance. Its compact dimensions and lightweight build make it the ideal companion for travel, to the extent that you might even forget it’s in your bag!

The robust unibody aluminum chassis not only boasts an appealing appearance but also feels satisfyingly solid to the touch. Just like before, it’s effortless to open the lid and handle the laptop with one hand, thanks to the smooth and seamless hinge mechanism. Even when walking with the laptop open, you won’t encounter any wobbling of the lid.

Available in four stylish colors—Starlight, Silver, Space Gray, and Midnight—the latter stands out as particularly intriguing, incorporating the same fingerprint-resistant technology introduced in last year’s Space Black color option for the MacBook Pros. Personally, Midnight is my preferred choice, although all the color options are visually appealing.

In terms of ports, the selection is as slim as the laptop itself. There are two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports on the left side and a headphone jack on the right. Additionally, there’s a MagSafe charging port, although you have the option to use the USB-C ports for charging if preferred.

One noteworthy improvement is the Air M3’s ability to support full native resolution on its built-in display with 1 billion colors, along with an external display of up to 6K resolution at 60Hz or up to 5K resolution at 60Hz with the lid closed. The addition of dual monitor support addresses a previous shortcoming and is a welcome enhancement. However, if you prefer to keep your laptop open while connected to external displays to utilize its keyboard and trackpad, you may find this feature lacking.

MACBOOK AIR 13-INCH M3 REVIEW: DISPLAY AND AUDIO

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The display of the MacBook Air 13-inch M3 remains consistent with the M2 model, which suits my preferences perfectly as it continues to deliver vibrant and vivid images regardless of the content.

In the latest trailer for Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, the pink energy emitting from Godzilla’s dorsal plates appeared exceptionally radiant on the Air M3’s display. Despite the display’s 13.6-inch size, I could discern intricate details with ease, even during intense action sequences. Similarly, Lies of P, with its atmospheric Victorian era-inspired settings, looked stunningly immersive on the MacBook Air’s display.

As evident from our test results provided above, there’s minimal variance in the new laptop’s sRGB, DCI-P3, and Delta-E values compared to its predecessor. Both SDR and HDR brightness levels are also comparable, nearly reaching the advertised 500 nits. Altogether, these factors contribute to a satisfying viewing experience.

However, one potential point of contention may be the notch situated above the display. Personally, I don’t find it bothersome, but given the smaller screen size, it may appear more conspicuous than on larger models like the 15-inch Air and MacBook Pro 16-inch. Admittedly, opinions on this are subjective, but if you harbored disdain for the notch previously, it’s unlikely to win you over now.

MACBOOK AIR 13-INCH M3 REVIEW: PERFORMANCE

I conducted testing on last year’s MacBook Pro 14-inch M3, which shares a similar M3 chip with the new MacBook Air laptops. As expected, there was no significant difference in performance between the two. Throughout the testing process, I had well over 30 open windows and a YouTube video playing in the background, and the Air M3 effortlessly managed these tasks without any signs of strain.

The MacBook Air 13-inch M3 demonstrates improved performance across various benchmarks compared to its predecessor. It excelled in Geekbench’s CPU test, achieved faster compression of a 4K video in Handbrake, and outpaced its predecessor in tasks involving Photoshop and Premiere Pro.

Furthermore, it notably surpassed the Dell XPS 14 in the latter two tests, although the Windows laptop performed marginally better in Geekbench and Handbrake.

MACBOOK AIR 13-INCH M3 REVIEW: AI

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Both the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air M3 laptops come equipped with a 16-core Neural Engine tailored for AI-driven tasks. The current trend of “AI laptops” highlights the growing importance of artificial intelligence in computing, although it’s worth noting that Apple has integrated machine learning capabilities into its silicon since 2020. The recent emphasis on “AI” signifies Apple’s embrace of the terminology.

Similar to Intel Core Ultra chips with AI focus, the M3 chip’s Neural Engine can perform tasks such as background noise removal in applications like CapCut or automatic photo enhancement in Pixelmator Pro, all directly on the device without relying on cloud processing.

In a test conducted on DiffusionBee, utilizing Stable Diffusion with the prompt “a golden retriever jumping up to catch a tennis ball on the beach with crashing waves in the background,” the 15-inch MacBook Air M3 completed the task in 28.5 seconds, a notable improvement over the 37 seconds it took the Air M2. While a direct comparison with the XPS 14 using Easy Diffusion isn’t feasible due to the availability of different apps, the latter managed the same prompt in 14.9 seconds, showcasing its efficiency.

For text-based responses using FreeChat and typing the prompt “Give me a 500-word explanation of why the sky is blue,” the 15-inch MacBook Air M3 completed the task in 1 minute and 2 seconds, compared to the Air M2’s 1 minute and 11 seconds. This highlights a tangible improvement in response time.

Despite the advancements, it’s still early in the era of on-device AI computing, and the practical significance of these features remains uncertain. While “AI laptops” like the Dell XPS 14 and Acer Swift Go 14 have yet to impress in our testing, the potential for transformative applications may emerge in the future. Nonetheless, Apple’s hardware foundation is well-positioned to leverage AI computing if it gains traction in the future.

MACBOOK AIR 13-INCH M3 REVIEW: GAMING

Thanks to the improved GPU of the M3 chip, the new MacBook Air now boasts support for hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing, enhancing the realism of lighting, reflections, and shadows in video games. Dynamic Caching optimizes the utilization of local memory in real time, ensuring that only the necessary amount of memory is allocated for specific tasks. These advancements collectively result in enhanced visual quality and smoother performance for games running on MacBooks equipped with the M3 chip.

While the gaming performance is superior on the M3 Max-powered 16-inch MacBook Pro as reviewed, the gaming performance on the M3 chip remains impressive, particularly for titles optimized for Apple silicon. For instance, in Lies of P, players have the option to enable or disable MetalFX, Apple’s equivalent of Nvidia and AMD’s upscaling technologies. With MetalFX set to “Highest Performance,” Lies of P maintained a consistent frame rate of 60 frames per second (fps) at 1200p resolution. Disabling MetalFX resulted in frame rates fluctuating between 45 to 50 fps, which while not ideal, still provides a decent gaming experience.

Games that are optimized for Apple silicon demonstrate exceptional performance, but the same cannot be said for non-optimized games. Benchmarks conducted on titles such as Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Total War: Warhammer III, and Sid Meier’s Civilization VI revealed varying degrees of performance. While Civilization VI exhibited the most favorable results, it still fell short of achieving the desired 60 frames per second (fps). On the other hand, Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Total War: Warhammer III were virtually unplayable, with fps struggling to reach even 30.

MACBOOK AIR 13-INCH M3 REVIEW: BATTERY LIFE

Although the MacBook Air M3 laptops may not reach the lofty claim of lasting up to 18 hours as boasted by Apple, the battery life remains quite impressive nonetheless.

According to the Tom’s Guide battery test, which entails continuous web surfing at 150 nits of screen brightness, the MacBook Air 13-inch M3 achieved an impressive battery life of 15 hours and 13 minutes. This surpasses the Air M2, which lasted for 14 hours and 33 minutes, by forty minutes.

When it comes to endurance, Windows laptops like the Acer Swift Go 14 (9 hours and 50 minutes) and Dell XPS 14 (6 hours and 26 minutes) simply don’t compare to Apple’s notebooks. The M-series machines maintain their supremacy in battery life, making it clear that it’s not even a contest at this point.

MACBOOK AIR 13-INCH M3 REVIEW: KEYBOARD AND TOUCHPAD

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The keyboard of the 13-inch MacBook Air M3 offers a delightful typing experience, owing to its thick keycaps and satisfying travel distance. Despite the limited space on the keyboard deck for my large hands, I never experienced any discomfort or cramped fingers, even after extended typing sessions.

Moreover, the smooth and responsive touchpad was a notable feature, consistently registering my swipes and clicks accurately. Despite its ample size, I never accidentally triggered it, despite the compact keyboard deck. While I still prefer using one of the best wireless mice with this or any laptop, the touchpad is perfectly adequate for everyday use.

MACBOOK AIR 13-INCH M3 REVIEW: VERDICT

The MacBook Pro 13-inch M3 stands out with its elegant ultraportable design, vibrant display, remarkable battery life, and potent M3 performance.

While current MacBook Air M2 owners may find the performance upgrade relatively modest, those using MacBook Air M1 models should strongly consider upgrading to the new laptop. This recommendation also applies to individuals new to the Apple ecosystem who are seeking the latest Air model.

Despite its price tag of $1,099, which may not be considered cheap, the new 13-inch MacBook Air is the most affordable Apple laptop equipped with an M3 chip. Considering its impressive features and capabilities, it represents exceptional value for money.

Source: Tom’s Guide