With the launch of the 13-inch MacBook Air M3 and 15-inch MacBook Air M3, all of Apple’s latest MacBooks feature the company’s M3 processor. This has made purchasing one of the best MacBooks simpler, more or less. All of today’s MacBooks now look fantastic and offer exceptional performance and battery life. They are some of the best laptops we’ve tested.
With five models, there’s a MacBook for almost everyone. Now you only have to ask yourself one thing: which MacBook best suits your specific needs? We’ve tested all M3 MacBooks to help you answer this question. Below, we will detail all the MacBook M3 available so you can choose the right one.
MacBook M3: specifications
Macbook Air
13-inch M3 MacBook Air
If you’re looking for the most affordable M3 laptop, look no further than the latest 13-inch MacBook Air. The new laptop is not that different from its predecessor, the 13-inch MacBook Air M2. It has the same ultraportable design, MagSafe charging, a sharp 13.6-inch Retina display, and incredible battery life. The M3 chip simply improves what was already one of our favorite laptops.
As you’ll see in our review of the 13-inch MacBook Air M3, you also get faster Wi-Fi 6E connectivity and the ability to run two external displays at once (with the lid closed), plus more than 15 hours of battery life. the battery in our tests. At $1,099, the 13-inch MacBook Air is the best overall laptop for most people interested in an Apple M3 laptop. There are more powerful MacBooks, but if you just want a reliable machine for getting work done, watching videos, and even doing light editing, it’s a fantastic machine for the price.
15-inch M3 MacBook Air
If the 13-inch Air sounds interesting to you but you want a larger screen, check out the also excellent 15-inch MacBook Air M3. As we said in our 15-inch MacBook Air M3 review, this laptop hits the sweet spot between the 13-inch MacBook Air and the 14-inch MacBook Pro M3, as it has a larger screen than both models and offers almost the power of the basic model. Top-tier MacBook Pro for less money.
Besides size, the main thing the 15-inch MacBook Air M3 has over its smaller counterpart is more powerful speakers. The MacBook Pros’ speakers are better, but your ears won’t be offended when listening to music or podcasts on the 15-inch Air M3. For $1,299 this is another great option for people new to the Apple ecosystem. It is a worthy successor to the 15-inch MacBook Air M2.
MacBook Pro
MacBook Pro 14-inch M3
Now we’re entering premium MacBook territory with the MacBook Pro line. The 14-inch MacBook Pro with the entry-level M3 chip is a great sweet spot between the MacBook Air and more powerful MacBook Pros, offering the relative affordability of the first and some of the power of the second.
Why would you prefer this laptop over any of the Air M3 laptops that have the same processor? First, you get a more vivid 120Hz mini-LED display, additional ports like HDMI and an SD card slot, and longer battery life. Plus, because there’s a fan, this M3-powered MacBook Pro offers stronger sustained performance than the new MacBook Air. Sure, it’s not cheap at $1,599, but it’s still $400 less than the 14-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro. Speaking of which…
14-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro
This used to be the entry-level MacBook Pro, but it’s now the middle child of the Pro line. That puts it in an awkward position, being more expensive than the entry-level M3 MacBook Pro, but not as powerful as the MacBook Pro. basic 16-inch with a more robust M3 Pro chip. These factors could almost make you want to ignore this model entirely.
That said, it’s still an objectively solid laptop even with its $1,999 starting price. It features a gorgeous mini-LED display, impressive power from the M3 Pro (with optional M3 Max), and epic battery life. However, the only real reason for it to outperform its more powerful counterpart is its starting price and more portable size.
MacBook Pro 16-inch M3 Max
Lastly, we have the monstrous 16-inch MacBook Pro. Starting at $2,499 with an M3 Pro chip or $3,499 with an M3 Max processor, this is easily the most powerful MacBook you can buy. It’s virtually identical to its M2 Pro/Max predecessor in terms of design, but the fingerprint-reducing Space Black finish is nice (the Air M3’s Midnight finish has the same feature).
To be fair, this 16-inch MacBook Pro isn’t for most people. Creative professionals working with 8K video will no doubt make great use of this machine’s M3 Max chip. That same processor also makes this beastly laptop a powerful gaming platform, even if gaming support still isn’t as robust as on the best gaming laptops. Still, if you’re not a video editor, don’t play video games, or just use laptops for writing, you’ll be better off with one of the more affordable MacBooks mentioned above.
One more…
MacBook Air M2
I know this article is about the M3 MacBooks, but I couldn’t leave you without briefly discussing the MacBook that I now recommend to most people: the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air.
At $999, it’s now the cheapest MacBook available since Apple discontinued the M1 MacBook Air. Even if its M2 chip is no longer the most powerful, it is still more than capable of handling everyday computing tasks. Not only that, but this humble laptop also features the same slim design as its M3 siblings and exceptional battery life that puts most Windows laptops to shame.
- Apple M3 vs M3 Pro vs M3 Max: the specifications you need to know
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