Why You Can Trust CNET Apple Updates MacBook Air With M3, Dual Monitor Support
The upgraded 13- and 15-inch MacBook Airs get a processing bump, while the M2 Air sticks around at a lower price. They're available from March 8.
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The 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air now have M3 chips.
Months after Apple introduced its newest M3 processor in MacBook Pros and iMacs, the MacBook Air lineup has had an M3 upgrade of its own. New M3-equipped 13- and 15-inch Airs were announced Monday, and are available Friday, March 8, but can be preordered now.
The new Airs have the same design as the M2 models, abandoning the older, tapered Air body that's now discontinued -- the M1 Air is no longer being sold. The M3 chip is the main new draw, along with faster Wi-Fi 6E support and a capability to connect to two external displays. MacBook Airs were limited to one external display previously. However, there's a catch: The M3 Airs need to have their lids closed to support two displays.
The new Airs start at a similar US price as before: $1,099 (£1,099, AU$1,799) for the 13-inch Air with 8GB of RAM and 256GB solid-state drive. The 15-inch Air, also with 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD, starts at $1,299 (£1,299, AU$2,199). Configurations ramp up to 24GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD. Colors are the same as before, too, but Apple's promising a more fingerprint-resistant coating on the midnight dark blue Air models.
The M2 Air line is sticking around, with the base model M2 13-inch Air costing $999. That's been the common sale price for M2 13-inch Airs, but it's a great starting price on a still-powerful laptop that's bound to drop lower on sales this year.