The new version of the MacBook Pro is stealing the spotlight today, but Apple quietly announced something else worth celebrating: a pivotal upgrade for the MacBook Air M3.
Even if this week is all about M4 Macs, this MacBook Air announcement could be far more important to lots of people, especially if those trying to decide which MacBook they should buy right now.
Here's what you need to know about Apple's quiet MacBook Air upgrade.
Apple quietly upgrades the MacBook Air M3
The MacBook Air may not have gotten a refresh this week, but it didn't get left out of Apple's slew of huge announcements. It's still available to purchase at the same starting price of $1099, only now the MacBook Air M3 is way better value for your money.
Apple removed the option for 8GB of RAM, so now all new MacBooks have a minimum of 16GB of RAM, including the MacBook Air M3.
Apple usually charges $200 for RAM upgrades, so it's rare to see a "free" upgrade like this, especially mid-cycle. According to our predictions, we probably won't see the MacBook Air M4 until March or even July 2025. There's a slim chance for a November release, but it seems unlikely given this surprising spec boost for the M3 model.
So, if you're thinking about buying a new MacBook, Apple just made the MacBook Air M3 a far more compelling option.
The decision to double the RAM at no extra cost was most likely due to a combination of Apple Intelligence and consistency across the Mac line-up. After this week's announcements, all of the other Mac models have at least 16GB of RAM, so it may be that Apple didn't want the MacBook Air to be the outlier. Plus, Apple Intelligence launched this week and AI features run better when more RAM is available.
Even if you're not interested in using Apple's new AI features, it's great news. The additional RAM will be a huge help with things like video editing, multitasking, and gaming. It makes the base MacBook Air M3 much better value for your money and a more competitive option for budget-conscious buyers.
Should you wait for the MacBook Air M4?
If you're in the market for a new laptop, you're probably wondering whether you should buy the MacBook Air M3 or wait for the MacBook Air M4.
Short answer: you should wait, but you should still buy the MacBook Air M3.
If you currently have a MacBook Air M2, you're better off waiting for the MacBook Air M4 since it will be a more significant spec boost.
However, if you have an older MacBook or a non-Apple laptop, the MacBook Air M3 could be a fantastic value pick. You should still wait for the MacBook Air M4, though. Apple usually offers two generations of the MacBook Air at a time with the previous year's model discounted by $100.
So, if you wait until the MacBook Air M4 launches, you can get a brand new MacBook Air M3 with 16GB of RAM for just $999, which is a fantastic deal.
It's worth noting that Apple also bumped the MacBook Air M2 up to 16GB of RAM, but it might not be worth buying at this point. If you need a new laptop right now, the MacBook Air M3 is still a good buy at $1099 and offers a better balance of price, performance, and battery life than the M2 model, which is a couple of years old at this point.
Laptop Mag will be keeping an eye out for deals on the MacBook Air M3 and the new M4 Macs, so stay tuned for more news and some great discounts on new Apple tech.
More from Laptop Mag
