Apple has just announced two new Mac laptops: MacBook Air models with M3 processors on board, available almost immediately. This was surprisingly early: updated Air models were expected and the latest rumors predicted an announcement as soon as sometime this week. However, an announcement today is about as early as could be.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter yesterday, had merely said, “Apple’s marketing teams are preparing to announce them relatively soon.”
Here’s what’s been announced.
Two New MacBook Air Models, Now With M3
The MacBook Air 13-inch and 15-inch models have now been updated to include the latest M3 processor, adding speed and power without adding a cent to the price. That means from $1,099 (£1,149 in the U.K.) for the 13-incher, while the 15-inch Air starts at $1,299 (£1,399 U.K.).
This means the new models now have the same M3 processor found in the entry-level MacBook Pro 14-inch. The Air price suddenly becomes all the more compelling: $500 cheaper for the 13-inch model, or $300 less for the Air with a bigger screen than the 14-inch Pro.
How About The Pro?
The Pro has plenty of other differences, of course, such as bigger entry-level storage (512GB against the Air’s 256GB), a display with mini-LED backlighting and which is much brighter and has an adaptive refresh rate, studio-quality microphone array, HDMI port and an SD card slot. Even so, the addition of the M3 chip makes the Air very appealing.
The design is identical to the model it’s replacing. This is not a surprise as the 15-inch Air was only announced last October, so the design is still brand spanking new.
Goodbye MacBook Air (M1)
That design is different from the MacBook Air with M1 processor. It still looks good, but it’s been around for more than five years—it was first unveiled in New York in October 2018, when it had an Intel processor on board.
So, it’s no surprise that the earlier design has now been retired. It was the lowest-priced model ($999, £999 U.K.), though I’d argue that even before today that the M2 models were better value.
Instead, Apple is releasing the MacBook Air with the latest design, but with the M2 processor for the old price, $999 or £999 in the U.K. This is available with a 13-inch display only.
Release Date And Availability
The new MacBook Air 13-inch and 15-inch are available for pre-order from today and go on sale at the end of this week, on Friday, March 8.
