Apple Introduces Sleek 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air with Mighty M3 Chip

Apple has launched its latest MacBook Air, featuring the powerful M3 chip that takes its performance and portability to new heights. With the M3 chip, the MacBook Air is up to 60 percent faster than the model with the M1 chip and up to 13 times faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Air. This new iteration also boasts a faster and more efficient Neural Engine, solidifying its position as the world’s best consumer laptop for AI.

The 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air models showcase a sleek and lightweight design, up to 18 hours of battery life, a stunning Liquid Retina display, and new capabilities such as support for up to two external displays and up to 2 times faster Wi-Fi compared to the previous generation. The MacBook Air is encased in a durable aluminum unibody enclosure, available in four beautiful colors: midnight, starlight, space gray, and silver.

The new MacBook Air offers an unrivaled experience, thanks to its world-class camera, microphones, and speakers, MagSafe charging, silent fanless design, and macOS. It’s no wonder that the 13-inch model is the world’s bestselling laptop, while the 15-inch model holds the title for the world’s bestselling 15-inch laptop.

Customers can start ordering the new MacBook Air today, with availability beginning on Friday, March 8. Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, expressed his excitement about the new device, stating, “MacBook Air is our most popular and loved Mac, with more customers choosing it over any other laptop. And today it gets even better with the M3 chip and new capabilities.”

The M3 chip in the new MacBook Air is built using 3-nanometer technology, delivering even faster performance and enhanced capabilities. It features a robust 8-core CPU, up to a 10-core GPU, and support for up to 24 GB of unified memory. Compared to the M1 chip, the M3 chip offers up to 60 percent faster performance and up to 13 times faster performance than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Air. Additionally, the M3 chip provides up to 18 hours of battery life, which is six hours longer than an Intel-based MacBook Air.

The M3 chip’s blazing speed is evident in various tasks, from everyday productivity to demanding activities like photo and video editing and software development. Its next-generation GPU enables hardware-accelerated mesh shading and Ray Tracing, resulting in incredibly realistic gaming experiences with accurate lighting, reflections, and shadows. The M3 chip also supports AV1 decode for more efficient and higher-quality video streaming.

In terms of performance comparisons, the new MacBook Air with the M3 chip outperforms the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M1 chip by up to 60 percent in game titles like No Man’s Sky. Enhancing images with AI using Photomator’s Super Resolution feature is up to 40 percent faster, while working in Excel spreadsheets is up to 35 percent faster. Video editing in Final Cut Pro is up to 60 percent faster compared to the 13-inch model with the M1 chip. When pitted against a PC laptop with an Intel Core i7 processor, the MacBook Air delivers up to 2 times faster performance, up to 50 percent faster web browsing, and up to 40 percent longer battery life.

With its faster and more efficient 16-core Neural Engine, the M3 chip solidifies the MacBook Air’s position as the world’s best consumer laptop for AI. macOS leverages this impressive AI performance to deliver intelligent features that enhance productivity and creativity, such as powerful camera features, real-time speech-to-text, translation, text predictions, visual understanding, accessibility features, and more. The MacBook Air’s broad ecosystem of apps also offers advanced AI features, allowing users to do everything from checking homework with AI Math Assistance in Goodnotes 6 to automatically enhancing photos in Pixelmator Pro.

The MacBook Air’s popularity continues to soar, thanks to its perfect sizes and super-portable design. The 13- and 15-inch models are incredibly light, boast fantastic battery life, and measure less than half an inch thin. The 13-inch model is perfect for ultimate portability, while the 15-inch model provides more screen real estate for multitasking. Both models feature a gorgeous Liquid Retina display with up to 500 nits of brightness, support for 1 billion colors, and up to 2 times the resolution of comparable PC Laptops.

The new MacBook Air supports up to two external displays when the laptop lid is closed, catering to business users and those who require multiple displays for multitasking or working on multiple documents simultaneously. It also offers versatile connectivity with Wi-Fi 6E for faster download speeds, MagSafe charging, two Thunderbolt ports, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.

The MacBook Air’s camera, microphones, and speakers ensure an exceptional multimedia experience. It features a 1080p FaceTime HD camera for high-quality video calls, a three-mic array for enhanced voice clarity, and an immersive sound system with support for Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos.

The MacBook Air’s Magic Keyboard comes with a full-height function row that includes Touch ID, providing users with a fast, secure way to unlock their Mac, sign in to apps and websites, and make purchases with Apple Pay. The macOS experience on the MacBook Air is unparalleled, offering features like widgets on the desktop, improved video conferencing capabilities, browsing profiles in Safari, web apps for faster access to favorite websites, and Game Mode for an enhanced gaming experience.

The MacBook Air is better together with iPhone and other Apple devices, thanks to Continuity features. Users can easily share and receive photos, documents, and more across nearby Apple devices with AirDrop. Universal Clipboard allows for seamless copying and pasting between devices, while Continuity Camera enables instant transfer of images or scanned documents from iPhone to Mac. Handoff lets users start a task on one Apple device and finish it on another.

MacBook Air comes with a wide array of powerful built-in apps, including FaceTime, Freeform, iMovie, GarageBand, and Photos. Additionally, thousands of apps optimized for Apple silicon run incredibly fast on macOS, including Microsoft 365 and popular iOS apps.

Apple’s commitment to the environment is evident in the new MacBook Air, which is made with 50 percent recycled content. The enclosure features 100 percent recycled aluminum, while the magnets contain 100 percent recycled rare earth elements. The main logic board incorporates 100 percent recycled copper, marking another first for Apple. The MacBook Air meets Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency and is free of harmful substances like mercury, brominated flame retardants, and PVC. The packaging is 99 percent fiber-based, bringing Apple closer to its goal of eliminating plastic from all packaging by 2025. Apple is also actively working towards carbon neutrality, aiming to achieve it across its entire manufacturing supply chain and the life cycle of every product by 2030.

The new MacBook Air with M3 is available for order starting today, with availability beginning on March 8. The 13-inch model starts at $1,099 (U.S.) and $999 (U.S.) for education, while the 15-inch model starts at $1,299 (U.S.) and $1,199 (U.S.) for education. The 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip now starts at $999 (U.S.) and $899 (U.S.) for education.

Customers can trade in their current computer and receive credit toward a new Mac with Apple Trade In. Apple Card users can take advantage of monthly payments at 0 percent APR through Apple Card Monthly Installments, earning 3 percent Daily Cash back upfront.

Every customer who purchases a Mac from an Apple Store is entitled to a free Online Personal Session with an Apple Specialist. This session includes assistance with product setup, data transfer, and guidance on maximizing the use of the new Mac.

Background Information

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About Apple: Apple Inc., known for its iconic products, was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in 1976. The company has since revolutionized the technology landscape with innovations like the Macintosh computer, iPod, iPhone, iPad, and more. for its emphasis on design, user experience, and ecosystem integration, Apple's devices and software have made a profound impact on various industries. With a commitment to quality and innovation, Apple remains a global technology leader.

  

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About Intel: Intel Corporation, a global technology leader, is for its semiconductor innovations that power computing and communication devices worldwide. As a pioneer in microprocessor technology, Intel has left an indelible mark on the evolution of computing with its processors that drive everything from PCs to data centers and beyond. With a history of advancements, Intel's relentless pursuit of innovation continues to shape the digital landscape, offering solutions that empower businesses and individuals to achieve new levels of productivity and connectivity.

  

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About Microsoft: Microsoft, founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975 in Redmond, Washington, USA, is a technology giant known for its wide range of software products, including the Windows operating system, Office productivity suite, and cloud services like Azure. Microsoft also manufactures hardware, such as the Surface line of laptops and tablets, Xbox gaming consoles, and accessories.

  

Technology Explained

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CPU: The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the brain of a computer, responsible for executing instructions and performing calculations. It is the most important component of a computer system, as it is responsible for controlling all other components. CPUs are used in a wide range of applications, from desktop computers to mobile devices, gaming consoles, and even supercomputers. CPUs are used to process data, execute instructions, and control the flow of information within a computer system. They are also used to control the input and output of data, as well as to store and retrieve data from memory. CPUs are essential for the functioning of any computer system, and their applications in the computer industry are vast.

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GPU: GPU stands for Graphics Processing Unit and is a specialized type of processor designed to handle graphics-intensive tasks. It is used in the computer industry to render images, videos, and 3D graphics. GPUs are used in gaming consoles, PCs, and mobile devices to provide a smooth and immersive gaming experience. They are also used in the medical field to create 3D models of organs and tissues, and in the automotive industry to create virtual prototypes of cars. GPUs are also used in the field of artificial intelligence to process large amounts of data and create complex models. GPUs are becoming increasingly important in the computer industry as they are able to process large amounts of data quickly and efficiently.

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Ray Tracing: Ray tracing is an advanced rendering technique used in computer graphics to simulate the way light interacts with objects in a virtual environment. It traces the path of light rays as they travel through a scene, calculating how they interact with surfaces, materials, and lighting sources. By simulating the complex behaviors of light, ray tracing produces highly realistic and accurate visual effects, including lifelike reflections, shadows, and refractions. This technology enhances the overall visual quality of images and animations by accurately replicating how light behaves in the real world, resulting in a more immersive and visually stunning digital experience.

Ray Tracing Website: https://www.nvidia.com/en-gb/geforce/technologies/ray-tracing/

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Wi-Fi 6E: WiFi 6E is the latest iteration of the WiFi standard, offering faster speeds and improved performance. It is designed to take advantage of the newly available 6GHz frequency band, which is much less congested than the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. This means that WiFi 6E can provide faster speeds and more reliable connections, even in crowded areas. It is also more secure, as it uses the latest encryption standards. In the computer industry, WiFi 6E can be used to provide faster and more reliable connections for laptops, tablets, and other devices. It can also be used to provide better coverage in large buildings, such as offices and universities. Additionally, it can be used to provide better connections for streaming services, such as Netflix and Hulu, as well as for gaming.