Apple launched its new MacBook Air on Monday, touting the updated device as twice as fast as previous generations.
The ‘world’s most popular laptop’ has a starting price of $1,099 and features the tech giant’s new M3 chip launched in 2023.
Updated chip increases speed up to 60 percent faster than its M1 predecessor and makes it 13 times faster than the Intel-based MacBook Air, Apple claimed.
The 13-inch and $1,299 15-inch screen options are currently available for pre-order starting today with deliveries scheduled for Friday, March 8, the company announced.
Pre-orders for the MacBook Air M3, available in 15-inch and 13-inch, will be available on March 4 for pre-order and consumers can expect their order to arrive on March 8.
New MacBook Air model allows users to operate two screens while the laptop is closed
‘The MacBook Air is our most popular and beloved Mac, and more and more customers choose it over any other laptop. And today it’s even better with the M3 chip and new capabilities,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing.
The new laptop replaces Apple’s M1 model, which was discontinued as quietly as the M3 model was introduced, mimicking an “out with the old, in with the new” mentality.
“The world’s most popular laptop is better than ever with even more performance, faster Wi-Fi, and support for up to two external displays, all in its surprisingly thin and light design with up to 18 hours of battery life,” he shared Apple in the ad.
Gartner, a provider of research and consulting services for the IT sector, showed in 2023 that Apple sold 6.3 million Macs worldwide in the fourth quarter, up from 5.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2022.
In the US, 2.7 million Macs were sold in the fourth quarter of last year, compared to 2.3 million in the same period of 2022.
Apple unveiled the M3 chip in October, which features “a next-generation GPU that represents the biggest leap forward in graphics architecture ever for Apple silicon,” the tech giant shared in last year’s announcement.
MacBook Air has a Neural Engine processor that allows users to quickly access machine learning models
The chip allows the laptop to be configured at speeds up to 2.5 times faster than the M1 and increases the speed at which the device performs tasks by up to 50 percent, with the latest MacBook Air being the first to receive the new chip.
The new laptop is designed to withstand long usage times “so you can leave the power adapter at home,” the company said.
Apple has also added AI software from its Neural Engine to “improve productivity and creativity” with more powerful camera features and real-time speech-to-text conversion.
Neural Engine is a processor that makes machine learning models respond quickly and speed up algorithms.
Apple said the MacBook Air M3 “remains the world’s best consumer laptop for AI,” the company said, and will offer AI-powered apps including Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365, Canva, and Adobe Firefly.
It will also work better with the iPhone, allowing users to send photos, documents and more from nearby Apple devices, and copy images, videos or text from an app on an Apple device to the MacBook Air M3.
The new chip also allows users to experience improved voice clarity for audio and video calls, voice isolation, and a surround sound system for Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos that provides three-dimensional sound for music and movies.
“From college students pursuing their studies to business users who need powerful productivity or anyone who simply wants an unmatched combination of performance, portability and industry-leading battery life, all in a fanless design, the new MacBook Air continues being the best in the world. Thin and light laptop,” said Joswiak.
MacBook Air has a better sound system for gaming, movies and video calls
The new laptop replaces Apple’s M1 l model, which was discontinued as quietly as the M3 model was introduced, mimicking an “out with the old, in with the new mentality” mentality.
The company said the laptop will also be more environmentally friendly: It will be made with 50 percent recycled content, fully recycled aluminum, and copper for the case and main logic board.
The Macbook Air M3’s packaging is almost entirely fiber-based, Apple said, bringing the company closer to its goal of eliminating plastic from all packaging by 2025.
Apple said it aims to be carbon neutral for its global operations, including its manufacturing supply chain and the lifecycle of all its products by 2030.
The laptop includes AI-powered apps, including Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365, Canva, and Adobe Firefly.
Speculation arose in December that Apple would launch its M3 model in spring 2024 and ditch its original M1 model. Bloomberg reported at the time.
The company has reportedly discontinued its M1 MacBook, according to The edgewhich said that the M3 has officially replaced the previous model that was introduced in 2020.
The new M3 laptop arrives as Apple has reportedly seen a decline in Mac and iPad sales, with both accounting for just 15 percent of the company’s revenue.
Mac sales fell 34 percent in the third quarter of last year, while iPad revenue fell 10 percent.