MacBook Air M3 vs MacBook Air M2: Which do you have to purchase?

Now that Apple has up to date its massively in style MacBook Air vary with a brand new M3-powered mannequin, there’s one query: is the brand new mannequin a no brainer buy or do you have to have a look at choosing up the cheaper M2 MacBook Air? We examine the 2 to see the place your cash could be greatest spent.

M2 vs M3 MacBook Air: Design

You’d be hard-pressed to search out any actual distinction within the designs between the 13-inch MacBook Air M3 and its predecessor. Each share the identical dimensions and weight. Keyboards and trackpads are unchanged, and the remainder of the parts, together with the Contact ID sensor and ports, additionally stay the identical. The colours are similar as nicely, with midnight, starlight, house gray, and silver choices. 

The primary distinction between the M3 fashions and the M2 is the display measurement. If you need a 15-inch mannequin, there’s solely the M3 possibility as Apple has retired final yr’s 15-inch MacBook Air M2, leaving its alternative, the MacBook Air 15-inch M3, as the only larger-than-13-inch possibility. Once more, it’s an similar design to the M2 mannequin, however bigger than its 13-inch siblings. So, right here’s how the three present fashions stack up:

Dimensions 

• MacBook Air 13-inch M2 – 1.13 x 30.41 x 21.5 cm / 0.44 x 11.97 x 8.46-inches
• MacBook Air 13-inch M3 – 1.13 x 30.41 x 21.5 cm / 0.44 x 11.97 x 8.46-inches
• MacBook Air 15-inch M3 – 1.15 x 34.04 x 23.76 cm / 0.45 x 13.40 x 9.35-inches 

Weight 

• MacBook Air 13-inch M2 – 1.24 kg / 2.7 lbs
• MacBook Air 13-inch M3 – 1.24 kg / 2.7 lbs
• MacBook Air 15-inch M3 – 1.51 kg / 3.3 lbs

Sure, the 15-inch mannequin does push the Air over to its limits by way of weight, however for this measurement, it nonetheless feels gentle sufficient to retain its legendary title. 

Apple

M2 vs M3 MacBook Air: Show

As with the design parts, the 13-inch fashions once more include similar setups for the show. Each function 13.6-inch Liquid Retina shows working 2,560 x 1,664 resolutions, with 500 nits of brightness, plus Extensive Shade (P3) and True Tone expertise. 

Clearly, the 15-inch M3 Air has a bigger panel—a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina Show with a scaled-up 2,880 x 1,864 decision, however other than that it’s merely a bigger model of the 13-inch mannequin. 

Macwelt

M2 vs M3 MacBook Air: Audio

With the 13-inch fashions, sound comes from a four-speaker system that helps Spatial Audio. Weirdly, Apple lists the older mannequin as having a wide-stereo sound, which apparently isn’t current within the M3 mannequin. It’s not clear precisely what that is, however it might be a feather within the cap for the 13-inch MacBook Air M2. 

The 15-inch M3 has a greater sound system than the 13-inch mannequin, with a complete of six audio system and force-canceling woofers.

The M3 brings some microphone upgrades in comparison with the M2, with voice isolation and broad spectrum modes to enhance audio in noisy environments. Plus it has enhanced audio readability help for audio and video calls. With this in thoughts, the M3 MacBook Air could be the higher possibility for those who make lots of FaceTime or Zoom calls in your Mac with out utilizing an exterior USB machine. 

There’s the identical 1080p FaceTime digicam throughout all fashions. 

M2 vs M3 MacBook Air: Specs

The primary change within the specs division, as you’ve in all probability guessed, is the upgraded processor. Whereas the M2 was already fairly swift, the brand new M3 provides round 20 p.c by way of efficiency enhancements. That may not look like a lot, however most chipset efficiency increments have historically been round this mark, so the M3s are sooner, however not a lot that they depart the M2 within the mud. 

On the 2 least expensive 13-inch fashions, you’ll get an M2 or M3 with an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU. All different 13-inch and 15-inch configurations get an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU. The M3 brings the added bonus of the AV1 decode engine and hardware-accelerated ray tracing on the M3, which is able to little question make it tempting for many who need to create video content material. 

Storage choices and RAM capacities are retained from the M2 lineup. Entry-level fashions all include 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage and a few base configurations have 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Observe that within the case of the M3 the M3’s 256GB storage possibility is best than the 256GB storage within the M2 as a result of Apple has included two 128GB NAND chips moderately than a single 256GB chip. Meaning the 2 drives can course of information concurrently, making for a lot sooner speeds than the M2 mannequin. The slower SSD within the M2 was one of many essential disadvantages, so this is a superb enchancment on the earlier era.

Listed below are the mixtures Apple affords, that are the identical for the M2 and M3 fashions:

• RAM: 8GB, 16GB, 24GB 
• SSD: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB

M2 vs M3 MacBook Air: Connectivity

The MacBook Air has by no means been overburdened with ports, primarily on account of its svelte designs, and Apple isn’t altering this with the brand new M3 fashions. As with the M2, you get two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a MagSafe charging port. That’s it. In fact, you need to use a USB-C hub to massively increase your connection choices. 

Communications do differ barely, with the M2 using Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6, whereas the M3 is nearly the identical however boosts the Wi-Fi to the 6E customary, though you’ll want a suitable router to get the additional connectivity of 6E.

Petter Ahrnstedt

M2 vs M3 MacBook Air: Battery and charging

You could count on the bigger 15-inch MacBook Air M3, that includes a bigger battery, to return with an extended life away from a charger, however that doesn’t appear to be the case. Apple states that each one three fashions have as much as 18 hours of battery life from a single cost. This isn’t stunning with the 13-inch fashions, as they each have 52.6-watt-hour batteries, however the 66.5-watt-hour cell within the 15-inch Air doesn’t increase the lifespan, presumably as a result of energy drain of driving a bigger show. 

The baseline smaller Airs include 30W USB-C chargers, with the 15-inch Air sporting an upgraded 35W charger. All can help quick charging with a 70W USB-C Energy Adapter (offered individually).

M2 vs M3 MacBook Air: Worth

With the arrival of the M3 MacBook Air Apple has dropped the value of the M2 mannequin. As for the M3 mannequin, the good information for these outdoors of the U.S. is that costs have come down in comparison with the earlier era. U.Okay. costs are again to being the ‘similar’ because the U.S. value moderately than a lot larger, saving as a lot as £150 in some instances.

13-inch MacBook Air M2

• 13-inch MacBook Air M2 (8-core CPU/8-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD): $999/£999 (was $1,099/£1,149)
• 13-inch MacBook Air M2 (8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD): $1,199/£1,199 (was $1,399/£1,449)

13-inch MacBook Air M3

• 13-inch MacBook Air M3 (8-core CPU/8-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD): $1,099/£1,099
• 13-inch MacBook Air M3 (8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD): $1,299/£1,299
• 13-inch MacBook Air M3 (8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD): $1,499/£1,499

$1,049.99

$1099

$1099

$1099

15-inch MacBook Air M3

• 15-inch MacBook Air M3 (8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD): $1,299/£1,299
• 15-inch MacBook Air M3 (8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD): $1,499/£1,499
• 15-inch MacBook Air M3 (8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD): $1,699/£1,699

You also needs to try our roundup of the most effective MacBook Air offers to see if there’s a cut price available.  If you wish to attempt to observe down the 15-inch MacBook Air M2 then you can search for refurbished fashions or store round third-party retailers that may have outdated inventory that’s nonetheless promoting.   

Do you have to purchase an M3 MacBook Air?

As with every successive iteration, the margins of distinction between this yr’s mannequin and final yr’s are small. The 13-inch M2 and M3 Airs function lots of the similar parts. They appear similar, and have the identical ports, shows, configuration choices, and battery life, with the one main distinction being the soar to a brand new processor. However with simply $100 distinction between the M3 and M2, except your price range may be very tight, we suggest one of many newer machines.

The 15-inch M3 MacBook Air is an excellent simpler suggestion, providing a bigger display measurement and higher audio system over the 13-inch mannequin. If it’s too massive for you, the 13-inch mannequin is a slam dunk. To be sincere, they’re all nice machines, so for as soon as it does come right down to what measurement you need and the way a lot are you prepared to pay. Whichever one you resolve on, it ought to serve you handsomely for years to return.