Apple M3 MacBook Air review: Powerful processors with lower price tag

Apple promised "no tricks, just treats" when it unveiled its latest M3 silicon chips at its pre-Halloween event last October.

The iPhone maker's most powerful laptop processors yet are now on the MacBook Air, bringing even more speed to the device.

Here, we take a closer look at the 13.6-inch version of one of Apple's most popular devices.

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20M3%2C%208-core%20CPU%2C%20up%20to%2010-core%20CPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2013.6-inch%20Liquid%20Retina%2C%202560%20x%201664%2C%20224ppi%2C%20500%20nits%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20wide%20colour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F16%2F24GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201%2F2TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thunderbolt%203%2FUSB-4%20(2)%2C%203.5mm%20audio%2C%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206E%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2052.6Wh%20lithium-polymer%2C%20up%20to%2018%20hours%2C%20MagSafe%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201080p%20FaceTime%20HD%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Support%20for%20Apple%20ProRes%2C%20HDR%20with%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%20HDR10%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204-speaker%20system%2C%20wide%20stereo%2C%20support%20for%20Dolby%20Atmos%2C%20Spatial%20Audio%20and%20dynamic%20head%20tracking%20(with%20AirPods)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Midnight%2C%20silver%2C%20space%20grey%2C%20starlight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MacBook%20Air%2C%2030W%2F35W%20dual-port%2F70w%20power%20adapter%2C%20USB-C-to-MagSafe%20cable%2C%202%20Apple%20stickers%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh4%2C599%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Form: Remains in shape

The M3 MacBook Air retains the refreshed look from the M2 version – an all-around equal build.

While the famous original Air design – where it gradually slims down from one end to the other – was its most popular, in the past two years the model has moved closer in look to the MacBook Pro.

You still get two Thunderbolt 3 ports (USB-4 to the general public) and a 3.5mm audio slot, plus MagSafe charging, which was reintroduced in the M2 version. Again, we cannot overstate enough how glad we are to see MagSafe return, freeing up a valuable Thunderbolt slot.

You also get the notch back, housing the FaceTime camera and nestled within the menu bar. There's a variety of ways to hide this, including going full screen, using a dark wallpaper to allow the notch to blend in, or the use of a third-party app.

Having used the M2 MacBook Air before the M3 came along, the notch won't be an issue in the long run. It's just a black hole in the middle of the menu bar, anyway.

The four colours from the M2 make a return, as well – midnight, silver, space grey and starlight – and starlight gets our nod.

What's new in the M3 MacBook Air?

Not a whole lot, from the perspective of design. However, the hardware is the biggest deal again – specifically (and obviously) the M3 chip.

Apple created a stir when it introduced the first M chip in 2020 and, so far, performance-wise, it's lived up to its billing. The M3, in particular, promises that it is up to 60 per cent and 20 per cent faster than the M1 and M2, respectively, and 13 times speedier than the last Intel-based MacBook Air in 2020.

But note that the new MacBook Air comes only with the base M3. The M3 Pro and M3 Max are available with the latest MacBook Pros, which also have bumped-up hardware.

The M3 also now has hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing. In layman's terms, this provides even more realistic scenarios in computer graphics and are particularly key in gaming, which Apple is aiming to push further.

Apple also says the M3 "unlocks workflows previously not possible on a laptop, such as AI developers working with even larger transformer models with billions of parameters".

We're taking this as something leading up to Apple's anticipated plans for generative artificial intelligence.

The Pro and Max versions of Apple's M3 chip are used in the higher-end MacBook Pro laptops. Photo: Apple

As for what's missing from the new MacBook Air, Face ID is still absent, which kind of makes it an outlier when compared with the iPhone and iPad, and considering it has Touch ID on its keyboard.

We're batting for Face ID in the next iteration, as it would be convenient for unlocking your MacBook, and approving set-up changes and purchases.

One new thing that could fly under the radar, but is crucial, is that the M3 supports Wi-Fi 6E, compared with its predecessor's Wi-Fi 6, which allows faster wireless speeds – provided, however, that you have a compatible router to support it. Thankfully, Wi-Fi 6E hardware has been around since 2022.

A key point to note is that Apple has dropped the new MacBook Air's price. It now starts at Dh4,599 ($1,250) for the 8-core, 8GB/256GB base model in the UAE, compared with the M2's Dh4,999 in 2022. Max out your hardware and it'll cost you Dh9,639.

How long does the battery last?

For the third iteration running, the new MacBook Air has up to 18 hours of battery life. It's good to last for an entire day mixing every app you'd want to use.

Apple does say each new MacBook is more power-efficient than the previous version, and it could be argued that this doesn't necessarily need to be measured by battery life. Power efficiency is meant to maximise the use of energy to make other functions better, which is what the newer versions of the M chip is all about.

In our standard one-hour YouTube-at-full-brightness (500 nits) test, the device lost 13 per cent of battery, a hair lower than the M2 version's 14 per cent loss.

Charging, on the other hand, presents similar options to the M2: you still get a 30W adapter for 8-core models and the 35W dual USB-C port adapter, which lets you charge two devices at the same time, with a 10-core version with at least 512GB of storage. The USB-C-to-MagSafe cable retains its braided, tangle-free design.

If you need an even bigger boost, you can get a 70W, 96W or 140W charger (all sold separately). Keep in mind, however, that Apple recommends using out-of-the-box or Apple-approved charging cables for optimal results. Apple's standard charging claim for the MacBook Air (from the M2 in particular) is up to 50 per cent in half an hour, using at least a 70W charger.

For the M3 version, using the 35W dual USB-C power brick in the box, we were able to go up to 33 per cent in 30 minutes and 55 per cent in an hour. This was done while the device was offline, so these times will vary depending on how much you still use it. Do remember as well that you can swap that 35W charger for a 70W brick during purchase, at no extra cost.

The verdict

Really no surprises here. The M3 MacBook Air stands out as a really fast and capable machine, and is arguably the best in the line-up, boosted by the fact it's more affordable.

Sure, the M2 version's price tag has already gone down, as is custom when a new version is launched, but if you're upgrading after a good number of years holding on to an older MacBook, it would make sense to grab the latest.

We're also wondering whether Apple will at some point in the future consolidate its MacBook Air and Pro line-ups, given that both share the same architecture and now look similar. Was the M2 redesign a hint?

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg

Ajax v Real Madrid, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Lamsa

Founder: Badr Ward

Launched: 2014

Employees: 60

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: EdTech

Funding to date: $15 million

Long read

Mageed Yahia, director of WFP in UAE: Coronavirus knows no borders, and neither should the response

Poacher

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERichie%20Mehta%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nimisha%20Sajayan%2C%20Roshan%20Mathew%2C%20Dibyendu%20Bhattacharya%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Recipe

Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo

Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Method

▶ Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.

▶ Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.

▶ Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.

▶ Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.

The biog

Favourite food: Fish and seafood

Favourite hobby: Socialising with friends

Favourite quote: You only get out what you put in!

Favourite country to visit: Italy

Favourite film: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

Family: We all have one!

While you're here

Sulaiman Hakemy: Really, everything is not fine in Canada

HA Hellyer: Don't put a full stop after the Christchurch sentence

Sholto Byrnes: The urgency of tackling extreme views in Australia

How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

On Women's Day

Dr Nawal Al-Hosany: Why more women should be on the frontlines of climate action

Shelina Janmohamed: Why shouldn't a spouse be compensated fairly for housework?

Justin Thomas: Challenge the notion that 'men are from Mars, women are from Venus'

The National Editorial: Is there much to celebrate on International Women's Day 2021?

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

While you're here

The National editorial: Turkey's soft power weighs heavy on Europe's Muslims

Con Coughlin: How extremists use Zoom and other tools to exploit pandemic

Nicky Harley: Peace TV preacher Zakir Naik prompts UK hate laws review

The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cyl%20turbo%20%2B%20mild%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E204hp%20at%205%2C800rpm%20%2B23hp%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C800rpm%20%2B205Nm%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.3L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2FDecember%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh205%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

While you're here

Sholto Byrnes: A mainstreaming of racist ideas in Europe

Rashmee Roshan Lall: White males can be terrorists too

HA Hellyer: With dialogue, Islamophobia can be beaten

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Kumulus Water

Started: 2021

Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid

Based: Tunisia

Sector: Water technology

Number of staff: 22

Investment raised: $4 million

Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.

Based: Riyadh

Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany

Founded: September, 2020

Number of employees: 70

Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions

Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds

Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices

Rainbow

Kesha

(Kemosabe)

Understand What Black Is

The Last Poets

(Studio Rockers)

Royal wedding inspired menu

Ginger, citrus and orange blossom iced tea

Avocado ranch dip with crudites

Cucumber, smoked salmon and cream cheese mini club sandwiches

Elderflower and lemon syllabub meringue

While you're here

Kareem Shaheen: In Syria and elsewhere, women often bear the brunt of war

Janine di Giovanni: What we don't get about women in politics and war

Taliban's female assassins who lured men to their deaths released

On Women's Day

Dr Nawal Al-Hosany: Why more women should be on the frontlines of climate action

Shelina Janmohamed: Why shouldn't a spouse be compensated fairly for housework?

Samar Elmnhrawy: How companies in the Middle East can catch up on gender equality

Justin Thomas: Challenge the notion that 'men are from Mars, women are from Venus'

Generation Start-up: Awok company profile

Started: 2013

Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev

Sector: e-commerce

Size: 600 plus

Stage: still in talks with VCs

Principal Investors: self-financed by founder

Apple M3 MacBook Air review: Powerful processors with lower price tag

Latest device is a good option for those with an older MacBook who plan to upgrade

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)

Form: Remains in shape

What's new in the M3 MacBook Air?

How long does the battery last?

The verdict

MATCH INFO

COMPANY PROFILE

Long read

Poacher

Recipe

The biog

While you're here

How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

On Women's Day

Timeline

While you're here

The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200

While you're here

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

COMPANY PROFILE

Royal wedding inspired menu

While you're here

On Women's Day

Generation Start-up: Awok company profile

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)