Apple Sneakily Introduces New MacBook Air

Apple Just announced its new 13- and 15-inch laptops, the MacBook Air M3 models, sporting the M3 Chips.

• The M3 chip offers up to 60% faster performance than the previous M1 model and up to 13 times faster than Intel-based MacBook Airs, alongside up to 18 hours of battery life.
• The new MacBook Air M3 models support up to two external displays.
• Pricing for the 13-inch model starts at $1,099, while the 15-inch model begins at $1,299.

Apple has released its long-awaited 13- and 15‑inch MacBook Air, which features the infamous M3 Chips.

Rumor has it that Apple is planning to announce the launch of new products sometime in the next two weeks. Sources close to the matter have revealed to MacRumors that Apple will disclose several new products through press releases on its official website.

And from the looks of things, MacRumors’ source may be right after all. Apple released its new 13- and 15‑inch MacBook Air featuring the M3 chip. The same M3 Chips that the company has been raving about for months now.

The new M3 models promise enhanced performance, faster Wi-Fi, and support for up to two external displays. All in the signature sleek and lightweight design of the MacBook Air.

Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, Greg Joswiak, expressed excitement about the improvements, 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.”

So, let’s talk about what the M3 Chip can do for you, the MacBook Air user.

The M3 chip is built with cutting-edge 3-nanometer technology. So, it has a powerful 8-core CPU, up to a 10-core GPU, and support for up to 24GB of unified memory. What this means to you is up to 60% faster performance compared to the previous model with the M1 chip and up to 13 times faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Air. The M3 chip also enables up to 18 hours of battery life. A new standard for longevity in the MacBook Air lineup.

The M3 chip is not only good for performance, as it provides a faster and more efficient Apple Neural Engine (ANE). If you are unfamiliar with ANE, it’s a type of Neural Processing Unit (NPU). It’s kind of like a Graphic Processing Unit (GPU), but instead of accelerating graphics, an NPU accelerates neural network operations. This makes the MacBook Air perfect for AI tasks. As a result, the macOS will offer intelligent features that enhance productivity and creativity.

What caught my eye is that this iteration of the MacBook Air can withstand two external displays. Let me tell you, if you have never used an external display, you are missing out. It’s like having all your work laid out for you, but neater.

As far as design goes, it’s still the same thin and light form factor. The MacBook Air is available in the midnight, starlight, space gray, and silver colors. The colors are exactly what you expect from Apple. Nothing crazy, which I guess is good. Imagine walking into a meeting with your CEO holding a neon green laptop.

The new MacBook Air models are now available for order, with shipping slated to begin on Friday, March 8. Prices start at $1,099 for the 13-inch model and $1,299 for the 15-inch model.

I do have a question, though.

Where’s the flair?

All the poor laptops got was a measly press release. I would have expected some fanfare in announcing their new products. What happened to Tim Cook commanding a room and convincing you to buy the same phone but in a different font?  Last year, the crowds went wild when the company announced its Apple Vision Pro. I know there’s a difference in the products, but give us something.

Is the fanfare reserved for something bigger coming our way?

After a decade of development, Apple put its electric car project, “Project Titan,” to sleep not long ago. It then redirected the team that was working on it to Apple’s AI division. Now add the new MacBook Air, which is perfect for AI tasks. I’m no mathematician, but I’m pretty sure this adds up to Apple prioritizing the development and integration of AI features in its existing products.

The $2.77 trillion may take us by surprise again and announce something truly new again. Apple may be getting the “mundane” out of the way, so their customary September event may be filled to the brim with AI.

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