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MacBook Air 13-inch (M3)
Keep your 13-inch MacBook Air with M3 if it still does the job, and buy one used only at a real discount, with 16GB rather than 8GB of memory.
Product images
MacBook Air 13-inch (M3), from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Keep your 13-inch MacBook Air with M3 if it still does the job, and buy one used only at a real discount, with 16GB rather than 8GB of memory. It's fanless, weighs 1.24 kg and has the same 13.6-inch, 500-nit screen as the M5 Air. Upgrade for a better camera or two monitors with the lid open: the M4 and M5 have both, and the M5 adds Wi-Fi 7 and a 512GB base SSD.
Who it is for
- M3 owners wondering whether to upgrade. If you work on one screen and rarely video-call, the M3 is still enough, on the same 13.6-inch, 500-nit display the M5 Air uses.
- Used and refurbished buyers who want a silent Mac for less and can live with a 1080p camera and Wi-Fi 6E.
Who should skip it
- Anyone buying new. Apple no longer sells it, and the M5 Air starts with 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage.
- People who want two monitors with the lid open. The M3 runs one that way and needs its lid closed for a second; the M4 and M5 run two with the lid open.
- Anyone on video calls all day. There's no Center Stage on the 1080p FaceTime HD camera; the M4 and M5 have it.
- Shoppers who want more screen. The 15-inch M3 Air has a 10-core GPU as standard, six speakers and a 66.5Wh battery, and weighs 1.51 kg.
What sets it apart
- The same 13.6-inch, 2560 × 1664 Liquid Retina screen at 500 nits as the M5 Air.
- Fanless and 1.24 kg, with Apple ratings of up to 18 hours of movie playback and 15 hours of web browsing from a 52.6Wh battery.
- Wi-Fi 6E and a second external display with the lid closed, two things the M2 Air lacks.
- The M3 chip: an 8-core CPU, an 8-core GPU (10-core optional) with hardware ray tracing, and 100GB/s of memory bandwidth.
Caveats
- Check the memory before you buy: Apple lists 8GB and 16GB configurations, with up to 24GB as an option.
- Its two USB-C ports are Thunderbolt 3 and USB 4, at up to 40Gb/s, not Thunderbolt 4.
- Storage tops out at 2TB, and the base model has 256GB.
Key specs
In the same order on every laptop page, so you can compare models.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | M3: 8-core CPU (4 performance, 4 efficiency); 16-core Neural Engine; 100GB/s bandwidth | Apple tech specs100GB/s is the memory bandwidth. A 10-core GPU version was also sold. |
| Graphics | 8-core GPU standard, 10-core optional; hardware ray tracing | Apple tech specs |
| Memory | 8GB (16GB or 24GB optional) or 16GB (24GB optional) unified memory | Apple tech specs |
| Storage | 256GB SSD standard; 512GB, 1TB or 2TB optional | Apple tech specs |
| Display size | 13.6 inches diagonal | Apple tech specs |
| Display type | Liquid Retina, LED-backlit IPS; not touch | Apple tech specs |
| Display resolution | 2560 × 1664 at 224 ppi | Apple tech specs |
| Refresh rate | No ProMotion or 120Hz option | Apple tech specs |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits | Apple tech specs |
| Color | 1 billion colors; P3 wide color; True Tone | Apple tech specs |
| Dimensions | 1.13 × 30.41 × 21.5 cm (0.44 × 11.97 × 8.46 in) | Apple tech specs |
| Weight | 1.24 kg (2.7 lb) | Apple tech specs |
| Chassis material | Aluminum unibody, fanless | Apple tech specs |
| Finishes | Silver, starlight, space gray, midnight | Apple tech specs |
| Battery capacity | 52.6-watt-hour lithium-polymer | Apple tech specs |
| Battery, wireless web | Up to 15 hours | Apple tech specsApple's January 2024 test on a preproduction 13-inch M3 (8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 8GB, 256GB) across 25 websites, brightness 8 clicks from the bottom. |
| Battery, movie playback | Up to 18 hours of Apple TV app movie playback | Apple tech specs |
| Charging | 30W USB-C adapter with the 8-core GPU; 35W Dual USB-C Compact with the 10-core GPU and 512GB; USB-C to MagSafe 3; fast charging with a 70W USB-C adapter | Apple tech specs |
| Ports | MagSafe 3; 3.5 mm headphone jack; two Thunderbolt 3 and USB 4 ports (up to 40Gb/s), with DisplayPort and charging | Apple tech specs |
| Webcam | 1080p FaceTime HD camera | Apple tech specsNo Center Stage; the M4 and M5 Airs have it. |
| Speakers | Four speakers; Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos | Apple tech specs |
| Microphones | Three mics; Voice Isolation and Wide Spectrum modes | Apple tech specs |
| Keyboard | Backlit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID; 78 keys (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) | Apple tech specs |
| Trackpad | Force Touch trackpad | Apple tech specs |
| Wi-Fi and Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3 | Apple tech specs |
| Operating system | macOS with Apple Intelligence, which Apple supports on M1 and later | Apple tech specs |
| External displays | One at up to 6K at 60Hz with the lid open; with the lid closed, a second at up to 5K at 60Hz | Apple tech specs |
| Security | Touch ID | Apple tech specs |
| Cooling | Fanless | Apple tech specs |
| US price | $1,099 for the 13-inch at US launch in 2024 | Apple launch materials, 2024Apple no longer sells it new, and used prices vary. |
| Price band | Previous-generation ultraportable, now bought used or refurbished | Based on Apple's $1,099 launch price |
| Announced | 4 March 2024 | Apple Newsroom, 2024-03-04 |
| Availability | Introduced in 2024; a used, refurbished or education purchase in 2026 | Apple tech specs |
MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| 13-inch M2 model | MacBook Air 13-inch (M2): Wi-Fi 6 and one external display, with no second display even with the lid closed | Apple tech specs for the 13-inch M2 model |
| 15-inch model | MacBook Air 15-inch (M3): 10-core GPU standard, 66.5Wh battery, 1.51 kg, six speakers | Apple tech specs for the 15-inch model |
| Second external display | Needs the lid closed; the M5 Air runs two external displays with the lid open | Apple tech specs |
| In the box | 13-inch MacBook Air; 30W or 35W Dual USB-C Compact adapter, depending on configuration; USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable (2 m) | Apple tech specs |
What the M4 and M5 changed
Apple has updated the 13-inch Air twice since the M3, and today’s M5 still has the same screen. Here’s how the two compare:
| Spec | 13-inch Air (M3) | 13-inch Air (M5) |
|---|---|---|
| Base memory | 8GB or 16GB | 16GB |
| Base storage | 256GB | 512GB |
| Maximum storage | 2TB | 4TB |
| Memory bandwidth | 100GB/s | 153GB/s |
| Camera | 1080p FaceTime HD | 12MP Center Stage |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 (N1 chip) |
| External displays | One, or two with the lid closed | Two with the lid open |
| Screen | 13.6-inch, 2560 × 1664, 500 nits | Same |
The M4 already brought 16GB as standard, Center Stage and two displays with the lid open, so a discounted M4 covers the gains you’d notice every day. The M5 adds the storage, Wi-Fi 7 and memory bandwidth on top. MacBook Air M3 vs M4 and MacBook Air M3 vs M5 go through each step.
Keep your M3 if one external screen and the 1080p camera suit you. If you’re on calls all day or want two monitors without shutting the laptop, those are the changes worth paying for. If you’ve outgrown the Air altogether, MacBook Air M3 vs MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4) shows what a Pro adds.
Screen, size and battery
The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display is an LED-backlit IPS panel: 2560 × 1664 at 224 ppi, 500 nits, P3 wide color, 1 billion colors and True Tone, with no ProMotion and no touch. The fanless aluminum body is 1.13 cm thick and weighs 1.24 kg, in silver, starlight, space gray or midnight.
| Mode | 13-inch Air (M3) |
|---|---|
| Apple TV app movie playback | Up to 18 hours |
| Wireless web | Up to 15 hours |
| Battery | 52.6Wh |
Apple measured those in January 2024 on a preproduction 8GB, 256GB model with the 8-core GPU, browsing 25 websites with brightness 8 clicks from the bottom.
Ports and displays
Charging goes through MagSafe 3 or either of the two USB-C ports, which run Thunderbolt 3 and USB 4 at up to 40Gb/s and carry DisplayPort; there’s also a 3.5 mm headphone jack. The box has a 30W adapter with the 8-core GPU, or a 35W Dual USB-C Compact with the 10-core GPU and 512GB, plus a 2-meter MagSafe 3 cable; fast charging needs a 70W USB-C adapter.
With the lid open, it runs one external display at up to 6K and 60Hz. Close the lid and it can add a second, at up to 5K and 60Hz.
Camera, sound and keyboard
The camera is a 1080p FaceTime HD, without Center Stage. Four speakers support Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, and the three-mic array has Voice Isolation and Wide Spectrum modes. The backlit Magic Keyboard has Touch ID, and wireless is Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
Price
The 13-inch M3 Air launched at $1,099 in the US in 2024. Apple no longer sells it, so you’re buying used, refurbished or through education channels, where the memory configuration matters as much as the price. Compare a few sellers before you buy.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- Apple Support — MacBook Air (13-inch, M3, 2024) tech specs — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple Newsroom — new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air with M3 — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Should I upgrade from the M3 Air?
Only if it's holding you back. The M4 adds 16GB as standard, the Center Stage camera and two external displays with the lid open. The M5 has all of that plus 512GB of storage to start, up to 4TB, Wi-Fi 7 and 153GB/s of memory bandwidth. The 13.6-inch, 500-nit screen stays the same.
Does the M3 Air have 8GB or 16GB of memory?
Either. Apple lists an 8GB configuration, with 16GB or 24GB as options, and a 16GB one, with 24GB as an option. Ask which one you're getting; Apple's battery ratings were measured on the 8GB model.
Can the M3 Air drive two external displays?
Yes, but only with the lid closed. With the lid open it drives one external display at up to 6K and 60Hz; close the lid and it can run a second at up to 5K and 60Hz.
Does it run Apple Intelligence?
Yes. Apple supports Apple Intelligence on Macs with M1 or later, which includes the M3. For the newest macOS version it can run, see Apple's current compatibility page.
Official product page: MacBook Air 13-inch (M3). Tech specs: MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) specs.