Apple releases new $1,100 MacBook Air that’s TWICE as fast as previous generation – as the world’s most popular laptop gets a massive upgrade
Apple released its new MacBook Air on Monday, touting the updated device as twice as fast as previous generations.
‘The most popular laptop in the world’ starts at $1,099 and features the tech giant’s new M3 chip released in 2023.
The upgraded chip increases speeds up to 60 percent faster than its M1 predecessor and 13 times faster than the Intel-based MacBook Air, Apple claims.
The 13-inch and $1,299 15-inch screen options are currently available for pre-order starting today, with delivery scheduled for Friday, March 8, the company announced.
Pre-orders for the M3 MacBook Air, available in 15 and 13 inches, will be available for pre-order starting March 4, and consumers can expect to receive their orders on March 8.
The new MacBook Air model allows users to control two displays while the laptop is closed
“MacBook Air is our most popular and loved Mac, and more and more customers are choosing it over any other laptop. And today, it gets 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 – emulating an ‘out with the old, in with the new mentality’.
“The world’s most popular laptop is better than ever, with even greater performance, faster Wi-Fi, and support for up to two external displays – all in a remarkably thin and light design with up to 18 hours of battery life,” Apple said. the announcement.
Gartner, a provider of research and advisory 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 introduced 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.
The MacBook Air has a Neural Engine processor that gives users quick access to 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 – and the latest MacBook Air is the first to use the new chip receives.
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 Neural Engine artificial intelligence software to “improve productivity and creativity” with more powerful camera features and real-time speech-to-text.
The Neural Engine is a processor that ensures that machine learning models respond quickly and speed up algorithms.
Apple claimed that the M3 MacBook Air “remains the world’s best consumer laptop for AI,” the company said, and will offer AI-based apps including Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365, Canva and Adobe Firefly.
It will also work better with the iPhone, allowing users to AirDrop photos, documents and more from nearby Apple devices, and copy images, video or text from an app on one Apple device to the M3 MacBook Air.
With the new chip, users can also experience improved voice clarity for audio and video calls, voice isolation and an immersive sound system for spatial audio and Dolby Atmos that provides three-dimensional sound for music and movies.
‘From students graduating college to business users needing powerful productivity or anyone who simply wants the unmatched combination of performance, portability and industry-leading battery life, all in a fanless design, the new MacBook Air remains the world’s best thin and light laptop,” Joswiak said.
MacBook Air has a better sound system for video games, movies and video calls
The new laptop replaces Apple’s M1 mode l, which was discontinued as quietly as the M3 model was introduced – emulating an ‘out with the old, in with the new mentality’.
The company claimed that the laptop will also be more environmentally friendly, made with 50 percent recycled material, fully recycled aluminum and copper for the chassis and motherboard.
The M3 Macbook Air’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 its goal is to be carbon neutral across its global operations by 2030, including the manufacturing supply chain and life cycle of all its products.
The laptop includes AI-based apps including Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365, Canva and Adobe Firefly
In December, speculation surfaced that Apple would release its M3 model in spring 2024 and get rid of its original M1 model. Bloomberg reported at the time.
The company has now reportedly discontinued the M1 MacBook The edgestating that the M3 has officially replaced the older model introduced in 2020.
The new M3 laptop comes at a time when Apple has reportedly seen a decline in Mac and iPad sales, with the pair accounting for just 15 percent of the company’s revenue.
Mac sales fell 34 percent in the third quarter of last year, while iPad sales fell 10 percent.