Apple's 2023 M3 MacBook Air could continue a baffling trend

Apple's M2 MacBook Air was one of our favourite new devices of 2022, not least because it finally give the Air some long overdue design love. Until last year, the Air had languished without a design upgrade since 2011(!). And more changes could be in store this year.

Multiple sources have claimed that Apple is planning to launch a new MacBook Air as soon as this Spring – and along with the current 13-inch version, rumour has it we'll be getting a bigger 15-inch model too. A bigger screen sounds like great news for designers, but when it comes to the internals, it seems Apple is continuing a baffling new trend. (Don't fancy waiting? Check out the best MacBook Air deals available now.)

9to5Mac claims that both the 13 and 15-inch models will feature the brand new M3 chip, and could arrive as early as April. Both models will allegedly feature "the same entry-level M3 chip," with an 8-core CPU just like M1 and M2. 

On its own, the new MacBook Air sounds great. But just as the Mac line up is starting to make some sense, it sounds like things are about to get confusing again, with the Air packing a more contemporary chip than it's supposedly faster sibling, the Pro.

The 14 and 15-inch MacBook Pro only caught up with the 2022 Air this January, when they were finally given the M2 chip – meaning users can finally enjoy the newest chip in the speediest, 'Pro'-est Mac. If an M3 Air comes along before an M3 Pro, those new M2 MacBook Pros are going to look like old news once more. 

Indeed, all of the best features come to the 'Pro' iPhones before they hit the standard models, with the iPhone 14 Pro's Dynamic Island rumoured to be hitting the standard iPhone 15 this September, a whole year later. It just makes little sense for the Air to lag behind the Pro. 

But it looks like this is the way Apple is choosing to go. Earlier this year, renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed on Twitter (above) that M3 MacBook Pros won't go into mass production until the second half of next year. So if you want the new MacBook while it's still top-of-the-range, you might want to order soon.

9to5Mac claims that both the 13 and 15-inch models will feature the brand new M3 chip, and could arrive as early as April. Both models will allegedly feature "the same entry-level M3 chip," with an 8-core CPU just like M1 and M2. 

On its own, the new MacBook Air sounds great. But just as the Mac line up is starting to make some sense, it sounds like things are about to get confusing again, with the Air packing a more contemporary chip than it's supposedly faster sibling, the Pro.

The 14 and 15-inch MacBook Pro only caught up with the 2022 Air this January, when they were finally given the M2 chip – meaning users can finally enjoy the newest chip in the speediest, 'Pro'-est Mac. If an M3 Air comes along before an M3 Pro, those new M2 MacBook Pros are going to look like old news once more. 

Indeed, all of the best features come to the 'Pro' iPhones before they hit the standard models, with the iPhone 14 Pro's Dynamic Island rumoured to be hitting the standard iPhone 15 this September, a whole year later. It just makes little sense for the Air to lag behind the Pro. 

But it looks like this is the way Apple is choosing to go. Earlier this year, renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed on Twitter (above) that M3 MacBook Pros won't go into mass production until the second half of next year. So if you want the new MacBook while it's still top-of-the-range, you might want to order soon.