Apple has updated the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air with the faster M3 chips, following the launch of the M3 chip in the 14-inch MacBook Pro last October. The new MacBook Air features the M3 chip with either an 8-Core CPU/8-Core GPU in the base 13-inch model or an 8-Core CPU/10-Core GPU in all other configurations. Additionally, the Wi-Fi has been upgraded from 6 to 6E, and support for up to two external displays with the lid closed has been added. The design remains thin and light, similar to the previous models.
The new MacBook Air shares many similarities with the M2 models, including the Liquid Retina display (13.6 or 15.3 inches), thin aluminum enclosure, MagSafe charging, 18-hour battery life, and a 1080p FaceTime HD camera. It is available in four colors: midnight, starlight, silver, and space gray. Pricing remains unchanged, starting at $1,099 for the 13-inch model and $1,299 for the 15-inch model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The M1 model has been replaced by the M2 Air as the $999 model.
Preorders for the M3 MacBook Air are now open, with shipping starting on Friday, March 8. Apple seems to be moving away from holding a spring event this year, opting instead to announce new products through press releases. There is anticipation for the release of new iPads and possibly an M3 Mac mini later this month.
This article was originally published on macworld.com.
