15-inch MacBook Air (M3) review: Apple's best laptop gets better

Price When Reviewed

$1,749 (base)

Best Prices Today: Apple 15-inch MacEbook Air (M3, 2024)

$1749

$1,749.99

Over the years, we’ve touted the MacEbook Air because the laptop computer for almost anybody–it’s a super mixture of efficiency, options, and worth. It turned much more compelling when Apple redesigned it and upgraded to the M2 chip in 2022 and launched a 15-inch M2 mannequin in 2023.

The MacEbook Air now joins the M3 party that Apple started last fall. It’s virtually the identical laptop computer as earlier than—apart from the chip improve, there are solely two different new options within the new M3 MacEbook Air. Loads has not modified with the Air, and neither has our notion of the laptop computer: The MacEbook Air continues to be the best laptop choice for almost anybody excited by Apple’s ecosystem.

This assessment initially appeared on Macworld.com.

15-inch M3 MacEbook Air: Specifications

The MacEbook Air will get an improve from the M2 to the M3 chip. It doesn’t have choices for the M3 Pro or Max chips; for that, you want to take a look at the MacEbook Pro. Our guide to the M3 chip series gives extra perception into the variations between the completely different M3 chips.

The 15-inch MacEbook Air on this assessment is the most costly customary configuration in Apple’s lineup. It could be custom-made with extra reminiscence and a bigger SSD, which raises the worth.

Foundry

We use Geekbench 6 to verify the overall, general efficiency of a Mac. In each the Single-Core and Multi-Core checks, the M3 MacEbook Air was 20 p.c quicker than the M2 MacEbook Air–a typical increase from one chip era to a different.

Compared to the M3 MacBook Pro, you possibly can see that the M3 MacEbook Air gives virtually the identical efficiency. That’s anticipated since they’ve the identical chip. The main distinction is that the MacEbook Air doesn’t have followers, whereas the MacEbook Pro does. So, on heavy-duty duties that put extra strain on the chip, the MacEbook Air could throttle down a bit with a purpose to keep a correct working temperature. It takes loads to make the MacEbook Air do that, so most people needn’t fear.

Cinebench 2024 is a check that performs 3D rendering–the heavy-duty activity that was simply talked about above. While a MacEbook Air in all probability isn’t a major software for individuals who use such software program, its efficiency doesn’t completely rule it out. This benchmark offers us an excellent level of comparability with the opposite Macs–and it reveals that the M3 MacEbook Air can deal with its personal throughout these duties.

We used HandBrake to encode the Tears of Steel video from 4K to a 1080p H.265 file. When doing the encoding fully in software program utilizing the H.265 (x265) video encoder, the M3 is a wholesome 26 p.c quicker than the M2. When utilizing the out there {hardware} acceleration by way of HandBrake’s H.265 (VideoToolBox) encoder, the M3 was 17 p.c quicker.

We exported a 10-minute 4K video at two settings in iMovie to gauge CPU efficiency. The M3 was 24 p.c quicker than the M2 when exporting the file utilizing the ProRes codec. When we modified the standard setting of the export to High, the M3 benefit shrunk to 11 p.c.

Testing the velocity of the 512GB SSD in our assessment unit, the outcomes between the M3 and M2 are virtually the identical. One attention-grabbing level of comparability between the M3 and M1 outcomes–the M1 MacEbook Air we examined had a 256GB SSD, which is carried out as a single NAND chip, whereas the M3’s 512GB SSD is a pair of NAND chips. As we element within the “Price and availability” part beneath, two chips are higher than one, and you may see that right here.

Apple used a single 256GB chip within the M1 and M2 MacEbook Air, however that’s modified with the 256GB SSD within the M3 MacEbook Air. According to a teardown by Max Tech, Apple is now utilizing two chips for the 256GB SSD. That’s an enormous win for the client as a result of utilizing only one NAND chip can lower efficiency by half–however that received’t occur with the 256GB SSD within the M3 MacEbook Air. Hurray!

Geekbench’s Compute benchmark checks GPU efficiency utilizing Metal or OpenCL APIs. The M3 reveals a slight 4 p.c enchancment that you simply in all probability wouldn’t discover. So it’s protected to say that the M3 and the M2 MacEbook Airs provide the identical GPU efficiency.

The M3 does present a major, noticeable increase over the M1: 44 p.c. It’s one other facet of the M3 MacEbook Air that makes it an attractive improve from the M1 MacEbook Air.

Rise of the Tomb Raider and Civilization VI are older video games written for Intel and never optimized for Apple’s Metal graphics API. That may clarify why the M3 and M2 outcomes are the identical–these video games aren’t benefiting from any Metal API optimizations which are out there. Game Mode for macOS nonetheless prompts, although, it does it routinely when a recreation launches.

Apple launched the present MacEbook Air design with the 2022 M2 mannequin. While it doesn’t mirror the MacEbook Pro design precisely, it seems to be so related that at a look you could not be capable of inform the distinction. Maybe you spend a variety of time within the Apple Store and have developed a eager sense of the MacEbook colours and may use that to immediately establish which is which. But the MacBooks communicate the identical design language.

In truth, the Apple “translated” a characteristic of the Space Black MacEbook Pro to the Midnight shade possibility of the MacEbook Air. That mannequin now has the identical “breakthrough anodization seal” that Apple says reduces fingerprints. The laptop computer on this assessment is Starlight, not Midnight, so I wasn’t in a position to verify on the seal however I did assessment a Space Black MacBook Pro, and the seal works–it doesn’t forestall fingerprints fully, however they’re not very obvious they usually’re simple to wipe away. It helps keep Apple’s design aesthetic.

Besides Midnight and Starlight, the MacEbook Air can be out there in Silver and Space Gray. That’s 4 shade choices, in comparison with the one two out there for the MacEbook Pro.

Foundry

Overall, the design and construct are what you’d count on from Apple: well-thought-out, sturdy, and classy. However, it’s not the distinctive wedge form that was synonymous with the MacEbook Air and garnered favor amongst Air customers. If that’s what you actually, actually need, you could find the final wedge-shaped Air, the discontinued M1 MacBook Air, within the Apple Certified Refurbished Store or by way of third-party retailers with remaining stock.

Here are the ports on the MacEbook Air: two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports, a MagSafe 3 charging port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. That’s it. With the Air, Apple takes the method that this laptop computer prioritizes mobility, versus the MacEbook Pro which is a mashup of mobility and desktop Mac sensibility. So meaning fewer ports on the Air.

If you’re studying this pondering, “But I need to connect more than two devices” then contemplate investing in a USB-C hub. Consult our guide to USB-C hubs and adapters to assist discover one. Check with the hub producer to see what each can do as a result of there shall be limits as to what number of gadgets you possibly can join, and even the kind of gadgets (like exterior shows) you should utilize.

Speaking of exterior shows, this leads us to the opposite new characteristic that was talked about on the intro of this assessment. The M3 MacEbook Air can now assist two exterior 5K shows every operating at a 60Hz refresh charge. However, the Air should be closed to do that. If you open the laptop computer with two exterior shows linked, certainly one of them may have its video sign lower off and fed to the laptop computer show. We have a separate article that explains how dual external displays on the M3 MacBook Pro work. See the video beneath.

On the floor, this looks like a boon, however the closed laptop computer means the Air’s keyboard and trackpad can’t be used, so an exterior keyboard, mouse, and/or trackpad must be linked. If this compromise isn’t acceptable then your solely possibility is to spend money on a M3 Pro or M3 Max MacEbook Pro, which helps extra shows with the laptop computer open. Or you may get an older M2 Pro or M2 MacEbook Pro and spend rather less cash. Learn more about the external display support for the MacBooks.

Wireless connectivity for the MacEbook Air is thru Bluetooth 5.3 and tWi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), the third new MacEbook Air characteristic, which is an improve from Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) within the M2 MacEbook Air. Networking velocity shall be a bit quicker, and quicker is all the time good.

Apple makes use of Liquid Retina (LED) shows for the MacEbook Air, that are a step down from the Liquid Retina XDR (mini-LED) shows within the MacEbook Pro. But nobody seems to be at a MacEbook Air show and thinks it’s unhealthy or unacceptable–for on a regular basis use, the MacEbook Air seems to be fairly dang good.

Foundry

The 15-inch MacEbook Air has a six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofers. (The 13-inch Air has a four-speaker system.) It’s not the identical system because the 14-inch MacEbook Pro, which has a “high fidelity” six-speaker system with woofers. The Air’s audio system don’t sound as clear because the Pro, however they do sound good and have a pleasant quantity of oomph for a skinny laptop computer. Spatial Audio on music or video with Dolby Atmos is supported, too. The 3.5mm audio jack helps high-impedance headphones.

I’ve reviewed fairly a couple of M-series MacBooks and most of them have the identical 1080p FaceTime digicam. Since it’s the identical digicam, the feedback I’ve concerning the M3 MacEbook Air’s digicam are the identical: it’s a lot better than the 720p digicam Apple used for a very long time, and it’s high quality, but it surely could possibly be a lot extra.

You in all probability received’t be embarrassed by the digicam’s picture high quality throughout a video convention. But if you happen to’re utilizing it to file a video of your self, you’ll need one thing higher. That higher digicam is in your pocket in your iPhone. You can use macOS’s Continuity Camera feature that lets the iPhone connect to the laptop as a webcam.

Apple didn’t change something with the battery within the M3 MacEbook Air, so it’s nonetheless formally rated for as much as 18 hours of video playback. Our battery check is a video that performs on a loop till the battery runs out, with the show set at 150 nits. The M3 Air lasted nearly the identical period of time because the M2 MacEbook Air–about 19 hours. Apple may be very constant about its battery life, and the expectation is that in common use, you’ll don’t have any downside utilizing the Air all day with out having to plug in. 

Apple features a 35W energy adapter with two USB-C ports, so you possibly can plug in an iPhone, iPad, or different gadget and cost it together with the MacEbook Air. The MagSafe cable that Apple consists of is braided and feels far more sturdy than the outdated, rubberized ones.

The M3 MacEbook Air has the identical keyboard and trackpad because the M2 Air. The backlit keyboard has full-sized Function keys and a Touch ID button within the higher proper nook. It’s an excellent keyboard and the trackpad is stellar.

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And actually, 16GB of reminiscence (whether or not you need the 13- or 15-inch MacEbook Air or perhaps a MacEbook Pro) is what we suggest. Unfortunately, the improve from 8GB to 16GB is an extra $200, which may be very dear contemplating how a lot RAM modules go for these days. But you must pay it as a result of customers can’t add extra reminiscence to the Mac after buy. The $1,599 M3 MacEbook Air additionally comes with 8GB of RAM, to leap to 16GB, you want to purchase one of many M3 Pro and Max machines that begin at $1,999. We’re hoping this modifications with the M4.

If you might be nonetheless(!) utilizing an Intel MacEbook, I enthusiastically encourage you to improve to an M-Series laptop computer. If you improve to the M3 MacEbook Air, you’re going to love-love-love the efficiency and maybe even kick your self for ready so lengthy. I understand that some customers are able the place their dependence on Intel is predicated on instruments which are an absolute necessity, but when you could find another that’s M-series pleasant, see what you are able to do to undertake it. This is the third era of M-series, and it’s secure, dependable, and works.

If you’ve gotten an M2 MacEbook Air, the one main cause why you’d improve to the M3 is due to the twin exterior show assist. Yes, the 20 p.c efficiency increase is good (quicker is all the time higher), however in on a regular basis duties, you received’t actually discover it. But if you happen to can by no means get sufficient velocity and also you’re keen to spend the cash, go for it.

M1 MacEbook Air homeowners have extra to think about. The efficiency improve between the M1 and M3 is sufficient to widen eyes and there’s additionally the design change that was really launched with the M2 MacEbook Air. The new laptop computer does really feel a bit greater than the outdated design, however the display is greater. The M1 Air remains to be an excellent laptop computer and holding on to it’s comprehensible–however so is upgrading.

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Whatever your scenario, if you happen to do determine to spend money on the M3 MacEbook Air, we strongly suggest getting a minimum of 16GB of unified reminiscence. With extra reminiscence, the laptop computer received’t rely as a lot on utilizing the SSD for memory swapping, which helps with efficiency. Unfortunately, meaning spending a minimum of $1,299, however the further up-front price shall be value it.

This assessment initially appeared on Macworld.com.