Apple M3 MacBook Air: Release Date Rumors, News, And More

An updated version of the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air with an M3 Silicon chip might come in the spring of 2024

On October 30, 2023, Apple hosted an event to launch new MacBook Pro models. The company released 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips. Apple discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Pro and introduced a new M3 iMac at the event. However, the MacBook Air was not announced at the event.

Now that the M3 chip has been released, it is only a matter of time before it enters the MacBook Air. But when exactly?

What is the Release Date of the M3 MacBook Air?

The M2 MacBook Air was released in July 2022 and has been available for over a year. In June 2023, Apple launched the 15-inch display model of the M2 MacBook Air. It’s not surprising that the model was not updated at Apple’s October event, as it has only been available for a few months.

However, rumors indicate that the release of the 13-inch Macbook Air might be delayed until the spring of 2024.

In July 2023, Bloomberg’s tech expert Mark Gurman mentioned releasing a 13-inch Macbook Air. He initially suggested the release could be on the second fall event of Apple in 2023, but the plans changed.

So, the MacBook Air update might take slightly longer than initially expected. Mark Gurman suggests we’ll have to wait until the spring or summer of 2024 to get our hands on those sleek and upgraded M3 models.

Based on rumors and predictions, we expect the updated versions of the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air M3 to be released at a spring event or WWDC in June 2024. They will probably launch Vision Pro alongside, as Apple has already confirmed its release in early 2024.

M3 MacBook Air Price

In June 2023, Apple released the M2 15-inch MacBook Air and reduced the price of the 13-inch models. The cost of the M3 MacBook Air 13-inch model is expected to remain the same as that of the M2 in the United States. Apple may lower prices in the United Kingdom and other international markets as they raised them due to exchange rate fluctuations at the end of 2022.

In September 2023, Apple reduced the prices of iPhones due to currency fluctuations. Similarly, when the MacBook Pro M3 series was introduced, prices of some models decreased in the United Kingdom but remained the same in the United States.

The price and specifications of the M3 13-inch MacBook Air will most likely be similar to the current M2 13-inch MacBook Air. You can check the prices of the M2 13-inch MacBook Air for your convenience.

Specifications	Price
13-inch, M2 chip with 8-core CPU/8-core GPU, 8GB of memory, 256GB SSD	$1,099/CAD$1,449.00
13-inch, M2 chip with 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 8GB of memory, 512GB SSD	$1,399/CAD$1,849.00
15-inch, M2 chip with 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 8GB of memory, 512GB SSD	$1,299/CAD$1,999.00
15-inch, M2 chip with 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 8GB of memory, 256GB SSD	$1,499/CAD$1,749.00

M3 MacBook Air Design

The M3 MacBook Air is expected to have the same design as the current M2 model designs. The 13-inch- and 15-inch MacBook Air laptops will likely feature a flatter, sleek design. Apple has always been known for its elegant and sleek designs, so we shouldn’t take design-related concerns into account.

M3 MacBook Air Color

The M3 MacBook Air is expected to come in the same four colors as the M2 version: midnight, silver, space grey, and starlight. There have been rumors several times that Apple may release the MacBook Air in colors that match the iMac’s colorful casing, but this has yet to be done, so wait and see what new is coming from Apple.

M3 MacBook Air Display

The MacBook Air will likely have the same bright and colorful display as the M2 model. Currently, the 13-inch MacBook Air features a 13.6-inch liquid retina display with a resolution of 2560 x 1664 pixels, P3 color support, true tone, and a maximum brightness of 500 nits.

In comparison, the 13-inch MacBook Pro and the M1 13-inch MacBook Air come with 13.3-inch retina displays with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels and a maximum brightness of 500 nits and 400 nits, respectively. However, the M3 MacBook Pro has a maximum brightness of 600 nits, which could hint at a possible improvement in the new M3 MacBook Air.

If you have an M3 MacBook Pro and your display brightness is not up to your demand, you can learn whether you should replace your laptop or repair it.

M3 MacBook Air Specs

M3 chips have an 8-core CPU and an 8-core or 10-core GPU. This is quite similar to its predecessors, the M1 and M2, both of which have eight CPU cores, but the M2 has a 10-core GPU option.

Therefore, the M3 chip might have identical communication to its predecessor, but it is manufactured using a new 3nm process. This allows for more transistors than the enhanced 5nm process that was used for the M2.

The M3 chip can support 8 to 24 GB of memory. Similarly, the M1 and M2 models started with 8GB of unified memory, but only the M3 and M2 models can be configured to 24GB. The M1, on the other hand, could only be configured to a maximum of 16 GB.

The MacBook Air comes with two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports, a MagSafe connector for the power adapter, and a headphone jack. If Apple adds more ports, it is likely to be a USB-C port.

Moreover, the latest MacBook Air edition features WiFi 6 wireless connectivity. It is expected that the M3 MacBook Air will have WiFi 6E.

M3 MacBook Air Battery

The 13-inch MacBook Air with M2 has a lithium polymer battery of 52.6-watt hours, whereas the 15-inch model comes with a 66.5-watt-hour battery. The upcoming M3 models are expected to have batteries of the same size.

The battery life of the M3 MacBook Pro models, 14-inch and 16-inch, has not changed from the previous versions, indicating that it will remain the same for the M3 MacBook Air. Apple currently rates the Air battery with a playback time of “up to 18 hours of Apple TV app movie” and “up to 15 hours of wireless web”.

Battery life has not been changed yet, so it is possible that the M3 MacBook Air has a more powerful battery life than the 14-inch and 16-inch M3 MacBook Pro models.

If your 14-inch and 16-inch M3 MacBook Pro models are experiencing battery issues and you’re looking for Mac repairs in Toronto, look no further than Infotech Computers. We provide reliable services for resolving the battery problems of MacBook Pro models.

Gear Up for M3 MacBook Air this Spring

Here is all about the M3 MacBook Air. Despite the M3 chip’s impressive performance in the MacBook Pro lineup, the sleek design, upgraded features, and vibrant display make the wait worthwhile. So, fingers crossed for the new exciting M3 MacBook launch. Stay tuned for more information.