The MacBook Air has long defined the pinnacle of ultraportable computing, striking a delicate balance between performance, design, and endurance. With the introduction of the M3 chip, Apple refines this iconic formula, pushing the boundaries of what we expect from a silent, fanless machine. This latest iteration isn’t a dramatic reinvention but rather a confident stride forward, solidifying the Air’s position as the go-to laptop for a vast majority of users.
The M3 MacBook Air, available in both its classic 13-inch and more expansive 15-inch form factors, carries forward the superb, squared-off design language introduced with the M2 generation. The all-aluminum chassis feels impeccably rigid and premium, with no flex or creaks to be found. A notable quality-of-life improvement comes to the Midnight color, which now features a new anodization seal that significantly reduces the fingerprint smudges that plagued its predecessor. While the design is recycled, it’s hard to fault Apple for sticking with a look that is modern, functional, and frankly, still a market leader in build quality.
Performance is the main story here, and the M3 chip delivers. While day-to-day tasks like web browsing, document editing, and video streaming were already flawless on the M2, the M3 provides a noticeable boost in more demanding applications. Compiling code, editing high-resolution photos in Lightroom, or even dabbling in 1080p video projects in Final Cut Pro feels snappier and more responsive. The M3 also brings hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing to the Air for the first time, which, while niche, demonstrates the growing graphics prowess of Apple’s silicon. Crucially, it achieves this with the same fanless design, meaning the laptop remains completely silent no matter how hard you push it.
Perhaps the most significant new feature is one that professionals have been requesting for years: native support for two external displays. This finally elevates the Air into a more capable workstation, allowing for a much-expanded desktop setup. However, this comes with a major caveat—it only works when the laptop’s lid is closed. This “clamshell mode” requirement means you can’t use the excellent built-in Liquid Retina display as a third screen, a puzzling limitation that may frustrate power users. Other welcome upgrades include Wi-Fi 6E for faster wireless speeds on compatible networks and an improved three-mic array for clearer audio on calls.
Ultimately, the M3 MacBook Air is a masterclass in refinement. It takes an industry-leading product and makes it quantifiably better in key areas without disrupting the core experience. For anyone buying a new premium ultraportable, this is arguably the new default choice. It offers more than enough power for the vast majority of users, packaged in a sleek, silent, and durable chassis with a battery that simply refuses to quit. However, with the excellent M2 model remaining on sale at a reduced price, the value proposition becomes more complex. If you don’t need the marginal performance bump or the specific dual-monitor capability, the M2 Air remains an outstanding and more budget-friendly option. For those who want the latest capabilities and the most future-proofed machine, the M3 is a worthy, if incremental, investment.
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Apple MacBook Air M3 (13-inch & 15-inch) Quick Summary
Key Scores:
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Value:
95% -
Design:
90% -
Performance:
93% -
Quality:
92% -
Popularity:
82%
Top Pros
- ✅ M3 chip offers superb performance for demanding everyday tasks.
- ✅ Support for two external displays is a huge productivity boost.
- ✅ The fanless design ensures the machine is always completely silent.
- …
Key Cons
- ❌ Using dual external monitors requires the laptop lid to be closed.
- ❌ The base configuration still comes with an insufficient 8GB of RAM.
- ❌ Its design is identical to the previous M2 generation model.
