Apple MacBook Air (2024)

Overall

4.0/5

The Good Stuff

Slim & lightweight metal design
Impressive battery life
Impressive graphics performance
Easily customizable to optimize specs

The Bad Stuff

Webcam notch very distracting
Low brightness

Apple MacBook Air 13

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3)

“The Apple MacBook Air 13 delivers a powerful upgrade at a competitive price”

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Table of Contents

Overview

Apple brings back the familiar, but stronger than ever, Apple MacBook Air 13-inch. It’s no surprise that Apple refreshed the Air with their latest M3 chip, keeping it competitive in the ultraportable laptop market. This update mirrors what they did with the 14-inch MacBook Pro, making the Air even more capable, including a surprising boost for casual gaming. There’s also a new, equally impressive 15-inch MacBook Air with M3 available. Packing this much power into their most affordable laptop makes the Apple MacBook Air 13 a clear winner.

The entry model 13-inch MacBook Air packs the latest M3 processor, with 8GB of memory, and 256GB SSD storage. It also boasts the same sharp 13.6-inch display and sleek aluminum design like the higher-end models. Want more power? You can customize your MacBook Air by adding more graphics cores, add up to 24GB of memory, or add up to 2TB of storage for an additional cost.

Apple also offers a new 15-inch MacBook Air with M3, or you can save some money by going with the previous-generation M2 chip in the 13-inch model. This review focuses specifically on the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) model, so keep in mind there might be performance differences (due to size) between the 13-inch and 15-inch models.

Same Impressive Design

The M3 MacBook Air remains a champion of portability. This iconic design, introduced way back in 2008, continues to impress with its thin and light profile. Recent updates make it not just slim, but also a top contender in the ultraportable laptop category.

Looks familiar, but that’s a good thing. The design hasn’t changed since 2022, which itself was a major shift from the previous tapered wedge shape. The newer design features a sleek, ultra-thin chassis with a consistent width from front to back. Despite its thinness, it feels surprisingly sturdy thanks to the aluminum construction and colors (available in Midnight, Starlight, Silver, and Space Gray). The darker Midnight color resists fingerprints well, although some smudging is inevitable.

The display got a nice upgrade too. The 13.6-inch screen offers more viewing space compared to previous models. While it doesn’t have the fancy features of the MacBook Pro display (like ProMotion refresh rates), it’s still a sharp, vibrant display with great detail. A minor quibble might be the notch at the top for the webcam, but this is a common design element across Apple products these days.

The keyboard remains the same. It’s Apple’s familiar Magic Keyboard with flat keys, bright backlighting, and a built-in Touch ID fingerprint reader. While the key travel is shallow, the springy feedback makes for a comfortable typing experience. Overall, the Apple MacBook Air 13 comes with a lightweight slim design, with amazing features that can really turn heads. Although the design has not changed, it still looks impressive overall.

Vibrant Display

The 13.6-inch display is impressive, but the M3 chip unlocks even more potential. This is the first MacBook Air that can drive two external 5K displays at 60Hz refresh rates. This means you can connect two Apple Studio Displays and use them with the MacBook Air closed (perfect for a minimalist desk setup).

However, there’s a catch: you can only use two displays if the laptop is closed. If you open it, you’ll be limited to one external display. This seems like an unnecessary limitation of the M3 chip, especially since higher-end MacBook Pro models with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips don’t have this restriction. In the end, it’s a good looking display

Few Input Ports

It features two Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C ports that can handle everything from charging and connecting to external displays to offering super-fast data transfer speeds. There’s also a headphone jack and a MagSafe charging port (with a color-matched cable, although the power brick itself remains white). Wireless connectivity gets a boost with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Overall, not much to say about input ports. They are few but reliable. If you wish to get more ports, i suggest getting a USB hub.

Impressive Performance

The Apple MacBook Air 13 includes an Apple M3 CPU, similar to the 14-inch MacBook Pro model. Here are the key things to know.

Firstly, the Apple M3 chip is a significant upgrade over the previous M2 chip, offering smooth performance for everyday tasks and can handle even the most demanding software like Photoshop well. The chip’s efficiency allows for a fan-less design, resulting in quiet operation – perfect for video recording and avoiding distracting fan noise.

While the base model is functional, consider upgrading to more memory to optimize performance (16GB or higher, and storage of 512GB or above), to avoid running out of space. This will work in your favor, especially if you use a lot of apps, and store a lot of photos, and videos. The macOS operating system feels responsive. A growing number of apps are optimized for M-series chips, and the built-in microphone and 1080p webcam are perfect for video calls.

Next. The M3 can handle some modern games, even graphically demanding ones, although it won’t compete with dedicated gaming laptops, yet the vibrant display helps to enhance the gaming experience. The M3 has an upgraded ‘Neural Engine’, making the MacBook Air a strong contender for AI tasks. Cloud-based AI tools like Microsoft Copilot work well, and on-device AI in apps like Pixelmator Pro is impressive.

Compared to the pricier MacBook Pro, the Air’s display lacks mini-LED technology and ProMotion features. The speakers are good for a thin and light laptop but aren’t the best in a MacBook. The larger 15-inch MacBook Air boasts better speakers. Despite not featuring the absolute best display and speakers, the Air remains a good choice for content creators due to its affordability and good overall performance.

Overall, the performance of the Apple MacBook Air 13 is impressive. It’s smooth. It’s quiet. And you can get away with gaming modern games.

Impressive Battery Life, Minor Efficiency Trade-Off

The MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) continues the tradition of excellent battery life in Apple MacBooks. They advertise up to 18 hours for video playback and 15 hours for web browsing, matching the larger 15-inch Air despite its smaller battery. However, from recent test the Apple MacBook Air 13 lasted 14 hours and 19 minutes playing a video loop. This is slightly less than the M2 version, which might be due to the M3’s performance boost.

Despite the small drop, it’s still is impressive and should cover a full workday on a single charge (though heavy tasks drain it faster). Even gaming lasted for hours, unlike most laptops. Unlike some laptops that throttle performance when unplugged, the Air maintains its speed. This, combined with the long battery life, makes it a great choice for mobile work.

In terms of charging, the included charger gets you to over 50% in under an hour. Like other MacBooks, the Air conserves battery when not in use, so you can leave it open for days and still have power.

Overall, the battery life remains a strong point for the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3), with only a minor efficiency trade-off for the performance gains of the M3 chip.

Verdict

The Apple MacBook Air 13 delivers a powerful upgrade at a competitive price. It boasts improved performance, a fingerprint-resistant design tweak, and a lower starting price than its predecessor. While the base model is functional, consider upgrading the memory and storage for a more future-proof experience – it’ll cost a bit more upfront but ensure smoother performance for years to come. Overall, this refined MacBook Air remains a top contender for most users seeking the best value in a laptop.

Be sure to check out the reasons why Apple MacBooks are so great. Don’t forget to shares a few comments or opinions below. If you’re interested in the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch, then click HERE to find out more. Stay safe until next time 😀