The M3 MacBook Air made a splash when it launched, however is it nonetheless price your consideration? I’ve examined it out and right here’s my take.
Again in early April, President Trump rolled out his “reciprocal tariffs.” Round that point, I wanted a brand new laptop computer to switch my retiring Dell Inspiron. I knew I’d remorse skipping the M3 MacBook Air whereas it was reasonably priced. Now, just a few months later, I’m blissful to say Apple’s 2024 entry-level laptop computer nonetheless goes for simply $999 (23% off). That’s fairly superior, particularly for the reason that Dell XPS 13, an in depth Home windows rival, prices much more. However the actual query is, does Apple’s laptop computer match what you need and wish?
I’ve been testing the M3 MacBook Air every single day, determining the place it shines and the place it doesn’t, so that you received’t must guess earlier than shopping for. I additionally talked to colleagues who push their laptops laborious for work. And actually, I can’t wait to share my ideas on the very first Apple laptop computer I’ve ever owned.
Design and show
So, I picked up the starlight MacBook, and it jogs my memory of a chameleon. The colour shifts relying on the place I’m. In direct daylight, it seems to be silver. In my room, which doesn’t get a lot gentle, it turns golden.
What I like most about my M3 MacBook Air is the design. After 2 months of use, it nonetheless seems to be clear. No scratches, no fingerprints. My coworker purchased the silver one, and now she’s burdened over just a few marks on the floor.
The aluminum physique feels strong. It’s well-built. The keyboard feels nice, higher than what I had on my Dell Inspiron. Contact ID works straight away. The trackpad is massive and easy, with zero points.
With dimensions of 11.97″ L x 8.46″ W x 0.44″ H and a weight of two.7 kilos, the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air slides proper into my backpack. I take it with me to completely different spots across the metropolis and work with none downside.
You will get the Air in each 13-inch and 15-inch fashions. Aside from display dimension, the remainder is fairly comparable. I watched just a few episodes of Your Associates & Neighbors on Apple TV, and the picture high quality seemed sharp. The colours and angles held up effectively.
That mentioned, there’s a tradeoff. Should you’re into gaming or video modifying, the exterior show help maxes out at 6K at 60 Hz. The M4 MacBook Professional, with a 120 Hz refresh charge, handles visuals extra easily. There’s extra to why the Professional is a greater match for artistic work—I’ll get into that within the efficiency part.
Efficiency
What places the 2024 MacBook Air in a unique league is the M3 chip. It packs an 8-core CPU with 4 efficiency cores that clock as much as 4.06 GHz and 4 effectivity cores reaching as much as 2.75 GHz. The outcome? Sturdy, easy efficiency with out draining energy.
Intel processors, alternatively, love to tug energy and warmth up quick. On my previous Dell with a Core i3 (seventh gen), the fan jumped into motion each time I opened just a few Chrome tabs. If I switched to battery energy, the efficiency dropped quick. All the pieces slowed down. That made even gentle work really feel like a chore.
Whereas the MacBook Air doesn’t use a fan, the efficiency stays rock strong because of Apple Silicon. I’ve acquired the mannequin with 16 GB Unified Reminiscence, 512 GB SSD, an 8-core CPU, and a 10-core GPU. I can run Canva, stream music on Spotify, and open a great deal of Safari tabs with none hiccups. That reminiscence and storage combo hits the candy spot. Clean efficiency with out overspending. If cash’s tight, you possibly can go for the 256 GB SSD, however 16 GB Unified Reminiscence needs to be your baseline.
Energy customers, this one’s for you
The 13-inch MacBook Air is right for internet looking, writing, coding, and light-weight photograph or video work. In order for you a bigger display and beefier audio system, the 15-inch mannequin with the newer M4 chip is price contemplating.
The M4 Professional and M4 Max chips within the MacBook Professional fashions (14-inch and 16-inch) could supply critical energy. However except you’re modifying video, constructing 3D fashions, or compiling massive codebases, you don’t want that stage of efficiency. A good friend of mine edits video for a dwelling, and he solely sees a significant hole between the Professional and non-Professional fashions when working with 4K footage. For every part else, the M3 MacBook Air covers all of the bases.
Battery life
Apple says the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air can last as long as 18 hours on a single cost. However everyone knows actual battery life often seems to be completely different from the numbers firms give.
For me, the MacBook Air will get by means of 2 full workdays. Should you’re into video modifying or gaming, although, count on the battery to expire quicker, round 4 to five hours. Nonetheless, that’s approach higher than most Intel laptops on the market.
You’ll be able to energy up your MacBook utilizing both of the two USB-C ports or the MagSafe 3 port. It costs as much as about 70 W. Plus, these USB-C ports now help 2 exterior displays, one thing earlier M-powered MacBook Airs couldn’t do. However that solely works when the MacBook is closed and in Clamshell Mode.
Apple Intelligence
Apple calls the M3 MacBook Air an “AI laptop computer” as a result of it contains a 16-core Neural Engine constructed to run native AI fashions and generative AI apps. Sounds spectacular, proper? However right here’s the catch—earlier M-series chips can already deal with these options.
Nevertheless, M3’s Neural Engine runs quicker, so that you’ll see outcomes sooner. That’s good to have. Nonetheless, I’ve had my M3 MacBook for two months and haven’t used Apple Intelligence as soon as. Not as a result of it’s damaged—I simply haven’t wanted it. Should you’re curious, go forward and change it on. There’s no identified safety threat, and it received’t eat up energy or gradual issues down. It solely takes a small chunk of storage when it’s idle.
M3 MacBook Air overview (13-inch): Verdict
After utilizing the M3 MacBook Air for some time, I can say it’s a strong laptop computer for work. It boasts a smooth design that also seems to be recent, and the keyboard and trackpad make engaged on it a pleasure.
Efficiency is easy—no annoying fan noise or slowdowns—and the battery retains me going with out stressing about chargers. It’s not for heavy-duty artistic work, however for looking, writing, and light-weight multitasking, it’s good. Total, Apple nailed the steadiness between energy, portability, and value.