Apple announced new MacBook Air models with 13-inch and 15-inch screen sizes with its own M3 chip. The 13-inch model starts at $1,099 ($100 less than the M2 Air model) and the 15-inch model starts at $1,299. Both variants are available for pre-orders in the U.S. starting today with general availability slotted for March 8.
Apple unveiled the M2 Macbook Air in 2022 and added the 15-inch model to the portfolio last year.
Both MacBook Air models have 18 hours of claimed battery life, a 1080p webcam, and upgraded Wi-Fi 6E radios. They also have two Thunderbolt ports along with a 3.5mm headphone jack. There is also support for two external displays, but only if the lid is closed.
The M3 chip, which was released last year, has an 8-core CPU combined with up to 10-core GPU. The new set of MacBook Air devices also has a three-mic array for better voice clarity on calls.
“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,” Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing said in a statement.
Both models are available in midnight, starlight, silver, and space gray color options.
Apple’s announcement of new MacBook Air devices comes on the same day when the European Union fined Apple €1.84 billion (around $2 billion at today’s exchange rate) for violating antitrust rules in the music streaming market.