Apple has just announced its newest additions to the MacBook Air lineup, and as expected, these latest 13-inch and 15-inch models come equipped with the powerful M3 chip for enhanced performance. You can preorder one of these MacBooks right now directly from Apple, or wait until the official release on Friday 8 March.
Just like the MacBook Pro M3 range, these new devices have been optimised for working on the go, with a blend of power-efficient performance, thanks to the M3 chip, and increased portability with Apple's new thin and light aluminium design.
Apple has declared this new MacBook Air M3 as the world’s best consumer laptop for AI, which seems like a very bold statement. This is seemingly pinned on the efficient 16-core Neural Engine, and accelerated GPU in these devices, boosting machine learning and geared with intelligent macOS features.
What about prices? The 13-inch MacBook Air M3 start at $1,099 / £1,099 with 256GB of storage, and the 15-inch M3 Air model will cost $1,299 / £1,299 for the entry-level configurations. There are no M3 Pro or M3 Max chip options this time around.
This article will be keeping tabs on the best MacBook Air M3 prices and deals as they crop up (although we don't anticipate any price cuts this early on), so you might want to keep it bookmarked. Don't forget to take a look at our Apple student discount guide too, for worthy savings on the latest MacBook Air M3 models.
The best MacBook Air M3 prices
MacBook Air M3 (13-inch, 2024)
The small but mighty MacBook laptop.
CPU: Apple M3 (8-core) | Graphics: Integrated 8-core/10-core | Display: 13.6 Liquid Retina | Neural Engine: 16-core | RAM: 8GB - 24GB | Storage: 256GB - 2TB | Ports: MagSafe 3 charging port /Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports | Webcam: 1080p FaceTime HD camera
The 13-inch MacBook Air has always been one of Apple's most popular laptops, and this latest M3 model is the next-generation power upgrade that Apple reckons is also the best consumer laptop for making use of AI capabilities, like on-device machine learning and running software like Adobe Firefly and Photoshop Generative editing.
Starting at a price of $1,099 / £1,099 with the entry-level 256GB of storage, the MacBook Air 13-inch is surprisingly cheaper than the previous 13-inch MacBook Air M2 (2022) released last year which cost $1,199 / £1,249 at launch.
Both of these MacBook Air M3 models feature up to 18 hours of battery life, boast 2x faster Wi-Fi than previous Air generations, have compatibility with Wi-Fi 6, a 1080p FaceTime camera, three microphones, and support for spatial audio.
In terms of design features, these devices are said to be less than half an inch thick – and if the stunning liquid retina display alone isn't enough for you, these models now support two external displays, even with the MacBook lid closed (which we think is great for creatives).
MacBook Air M3 (15-inch, 2024)
A bigger display is never a bad thing.
CPU: Apple M3 (8-core) | Graphics: Integrated 8-core/10-core | Display: 15.3-inch Liquid Retina | Neural Engine: 16-core | RAM: 8GB - 24GB | Storage: 256GB - 2TB | Ports: MagSafe 3 charging port /Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports | Webcam: 1080p FaceTime HD camera
The 15-inch version of the 2024 MacBook Air starts at a higher price of $1,299 / £1,299 for the entry-level configurations. As far as we can tell since Apple debuted these devices, the main difference between the two models lies only with the 2-inch difference in screen size.
There are no M3 Pro or M3 Max chip options this time around to differentiate these laptops in sheer horsepower, so it all boils down to whether you'll benefit from a 2-inch difference in display size (keep in mind that you can now connect two external displays to the MacBook Air M3 devices, so you might not even need the 15-inch model).
Obviously, this kind of power won't be for everyone, so if you're not 100% sure that you need a laptop with an M3 chip then we think you should consider the previous generation MacBook Air models (now slightly cheaper thanks to the new models) instead. See our best Macbook Air M1 prices and best MacBook Air M2 prices to see live deals in your region right now.
FAQs
Do I need an M3 chip?
It's important to consider if the latest MacBook Air M3 model is really the right Apple laptop for you, suited for your lifestyle and budget.
We know that Apple's latest announcement has made it that much harder to choose a laptop, complicating Apple's lineup even further. Simply, if you don't need the raw power of a MacBook Pro but still want enough of a power boost to see you through then the MacBook Air is a great choice.
The truth is, some of the best laptops for graphic design and creative work aren't always the latest and greatest. And while it helps to own advanced tech, you don't necessarily need to shell out your earnings on top-spec devices to get the job done.
For example, we have a guide which breaks down what requirements you need for a graphic design laptop to ensure you have all of the necessary hardware under the hood, while assessing how this aligns with your budget and how much you want to spend.
