Apple 2024 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop
Introducing the sleek and powerful MacBook Air, equipped with the cutting-edge M3 chip for lightning-fast performance that redefines portability.Apple 2024 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop with M3 chip: 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display, 16GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD Storage, Backlit Keyboard, 1080p FaceTime HD Camera, Touch ID; Midnight
Crafted with precision, the MacBook Air boasts a lightweight and ultra-thin design, measuring under half an inch thick, ensuring you can effortlessly carry it with you wherever you go.
Experience unprecedented productivity with the Apple M3 chip’s robust 8-core CPU and up to 10-core GPU, ensuring seamless multitasking and smooth performance for both work and play.Bid farewell to battery anxiety with the MacBook Air’s remarkable battery life, offering up to 18 hours of usage on a single charge, allowing you to leave the power adapter behind and focus on your tasks all day long.
Immerse yourself in stunning visuals with the brillian.t 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, boasting support for an impressive 1 billion colors, delivering lifelike images and vibrant hues for an unparalleled viewing experience.
Elevate your virtual interactions with the MacBook Air’s exceptional camera and audio features. Whether it’s crisp video calls or immersive multimedia experiences, the 1080p FaceTime HD camera, three high-quality microphones, and four speakers with Spatial Audio ensure you look and sound your best every time.
Experience unrivaled speed and efficiency with Apple Silicon, as the MacBook Air effortlessly runs your favorite applications, from Microsoft 365 to Adobe Creative Cloud, with lightning-fast performance, thanks to the seamless integration of hardware and software in macOS.
Reaching a tipping point can turn a once-useful computer into a productivity hindrance. My experience with the Intel-based 16-inch MacBook Pro, my workhorse, exemplifies this. The revelation became even clearer as I put the updated MacBook Airs, armed with Apple’s M3 chips, to the test. Apple’s deliberate comparison of the M3’s performance gains against older M1 and Intel-based MacBook Airs underscores the significant benefits of upgrading for these users.While acknowledging the M3 silicon’s improvements over its predecessor, the M2, it’s essential to note that the performance disparities are generally modest. However, there’s a distinct uptick in graphics performance, mirroring the enhancements seen in last year’s 14- and 16-inch M3 MacBook Pro models. Notably, the base 14-inch MacBook Pro shares the same M3 chip found in the updated 15-inch MacBook Air, offering an upgrade path for users of the 13-inch model. While content creators seeking substantial performance boosts may opt for the M3 Pro or Max chips, the standard M3 chip complements the Air’s portability and convincingly outperforms my Intel MacBook Pro.Beyond its processing capabilities, the M3 MacBook Air maintains excellence across other features, remaining largely consistent with its M2 predecessors. This continuity further incentivizes users of M1 and earlier models to contemplate an upgrade.
Apple MacBook Air (M3, 13-inch, 2024)
| Price as reviewed | $1,499 |
| Display size/resolution | 13.6-inch 2,560×1,664 Liquid Retina LED backlit display |
| CPU | Apple M3 chip 8-core CPU |
| Memory | 16GB unified memory |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Networking | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Operating system | Apple macOS Sonoma 14.4 |
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The new MacBook Air comes in two sizes, 13-inch and 15-inch, starting at $1,099 and $1,299 respectively. Both models come with 8GB of unified memory and 256GB of storage, but you can configure them with up to 24GB of memory and 2TB of storage.
While the base model runs well on 8GB of memory, reviewers recommend upgrading to 16GB for better performance and futureproofing. Storage can be supplemented with external drives or cloud storage, but memory cannot. Upgrading to 16GB of memory costs an extra $200.
The 13-inch model has a base M3 chip with an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU. You can upgrade to a 10-core GPU for $100, or get the 10-core GPU included if you also upgrade the memory or storage. The 15-inch model comes standard with the 10-core GPU M3 chip. Both chip versions have a 16-core Neural Engine for AI and machine learning tasks.
The midnight finish has a fingerprint-resistant seal.
The latest MacBook Air with the M3 chip retains the overall design introduced with the M2. This continuity means users can expect familiar features like:
- A fanless, recycled aluminum chassis.
- Stunning Liquid Retina displays.
- A high-quality 1080p FaceTime camera.
- Immersive speaker systems.
- Convenient MagSafe 3 charging and dual Thunderbolt-USB 4 ports.
The color palette also remains unchanged, offering midnight, starlight, silver, and space gray options. Notably, the midnight finish boasts an improved anodization process for minimizing fingerprints.
However, this design inheritance carries over some aspects that some users may find less desirable:
- The display continues to feature a notch at the top to house the camera.
- Touch ID for fingerprint login remains integrated into the keyboard, while Face ID, as seen on iPhones and iPads, is still absent.
- The charging port (MagSafe 3) and both USB-C ports are positioned on the left side only, offering no right-sided charging option.
Significant design revisions typically occur with major redesigns, so these elements were not unexpected changes. Nevertheless, their presence may be a drawback for some users.
You can have two external displays, but you can’t have three.
M3 MacBook Air Gains Features, But With Trade-offs
The M3 MacBook Air boasts two key feature upgrades:
- Faster Wi-Fi: It leaps from Wi-Fi 6 to Wi-Fi 6E, offering significant speed improvements for users with compatible routers.
- Dual Display Support: Unlike previous models, the M3 Air can directly connect two external displays through its Thunderbolt USB-C ports, which also provide power to the laptop.
However, this dual-display functionality comes with some limitations:
- Closed Lid Required: To utilize both external monitors, the MacBook Air lid must be closed. This disables access to the built-in display and both USB-C ports.
- External Display Dependence: If your external displays lack additional ports, losing the laptop’s USB-C ports can be inconvenient.
- Keyboard and Trackpad Loss: Using the laptop’s keyboard and trackpad with dual external displays isn’t possible.
The most significant drawback for some users might be the:
- Touch ID Inaccessibility: With the lid closed, Touch ID on the keyboard becomes unavailable. While opening and closing the lid to use Touch ID is an option, it can be cumbersome.
For users who heavily rely on Touch ID, the reviewer suggests investing in Apple’s Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. To complete a desktop-like setup, a Magic Track-pad or Mouse is also recommended.
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While the M3 chip brings a performance boost to the Mac-book Air, other new features are somewhat scarce. Likewise, those seeking significant variations between the 13-inch and 15-inch models might find the differences minimal.
Here’s a quick rundown:
- Limited New Additions: Beyond the M3 chip, there aren’t many groundbreaking features in the new MacBook Airs.
- Size and Speakers Differentiate 13-inch and 15-inch Models: The primary differentiators between the two sizes are screen size and speaker system. The 15-inch model boasts a superior six-speaker setup with force-canceling woofers, compared to the 13-inch model’s four-speaker system.
- Excellent Audio Quality: Impressively, both the 13-inch and 15-inch models deliver exceptional audio quality, surpassing most thin laptops.
Overall, the focus for the M3 MacBook Air seems to be on internal performance with the M3 chip and continued excellence in audio quality, especially with the upgraded speaker system in the 15-inch model.
Specification: Apple MacBook Air (M3, 13-inch, 2024)
Operating System: Android 13
Dimensions : 12.85 by 8.21
Weight : 1.6 lps
Pros
Sizable performance gains from M1/Intel Airs
Fast performance
All-around great design, features
IP68 rating
Adds dual display support, Wi-Fi 6E
Cons
Base configuration short on memory, storage
The decision to upgrade to the M3 MacBook Air depends on your current laptop and needs. Here’s a breakdown:
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M3 MacBook Air: Battery Life and Recommendation
Battery Life:
- Limited Upgrade for M2 MacBook Air Users: If you already have an M2 MacBook Air, the M3 offers minimal improvements. Upgrading might only be worthwhile for creators or gamers demanding more power.
- Significant Upgrade from M1 or Intel-Based Macs: Owners of M1 MacBook Airs, Intel-based MacBook Airs, or even Intel MacBook Pros will see substantial performance gains with the M3.
- M3 Matches 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro: Early benchmarks indicate the M3 MacBook Air performs similarly to the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro.
- M3 Outperforms M2 Air, Especially in Graphics: The M3 Air delivers faster performance across the board compared to the M2 Air, with significant improvements in graphics processing.
- M3 Outperforms Typical Windows Laptops: The M3 Air outperforms a new Lenovo Slim 7 with a high-end Intel processor and integrated graphics, particularly in graphics performance. This suggests Intel still needs to catch up in this area.
In essence, the M3 MacBook Air offers a compelling upgrade for those coming from older Intel-based Macs or M1 MacBook Airs. However, users with an M2 MacBook Air might find the improvements less substantial.
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Camera and Audio Quality
- M3 MacBook Air: Battery Life and Recommendation
- Battery Life:
- The M3 MacBook Air delivers battery life consistent with other M-series MacBooks tested. Apple advertises up to 18 hours of playback on the Apple TV app and 15 hours of wireless web browsing. Internal testing yielded 18 hours and 17 minutes for the 13-inch model and 16 hours for the 15-inch model while streaming video.
- Upgrade Recommendation:
- The M3 MacBook Air, in either size, is a strong recommendation for those seeking a capable and portable laptop. Upgrading from an older MacBook Air, regardless of M1 or M2 generation, will result in significant performance gains.
- Price and Configuration Considerations:
- The 13-inch M2 MacBook Air now serves as the entry-level model at $999. Apple has discontinued the 15-inch M2 Air, potentially leading to good deals on remaining stock.
- For users engaged in STEM fields, design work, video rendering, or raw photo editing, the M3 Air with at least 16GB of memory is the recommended configuration.
Conclusion
The Apple 2024 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop offers a compelling iteration on Apple’s popular thin and light laptop. While it carries over the design of the M2 model, it boasts several advancements:
- M3 Chip: The M3 chip delivers noticeable performance improvements, particularly in graphics processing, compared to the M2 Air.
- Dual Display Support: The M3 Air can now directly connect and power two external displays through its Thunderbolt USB-C ports.
- Faster Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6E support translates to faster wireless speeds for users with compatible routers.
- Excellent Battery Life: Consistent with other M-series MacBooks, the M3 Air offers impressive battery life, exceeding 16 hours in our tests.
The decision to upgrade depends on your current laptop and needs. If you have an M2 MacBook Air, the improvements might be incremental. However, for those with an M1 MacBook Air, an Intel-based MacBook Air, or even an Intel MacBook Pro, the M3 Air represents a significant leap in performance.
Overall, the M3 MacBook Air remains an excellent choice for users seeking a portable and powerful laptop, especially for creative pursuits.
