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On March 4, 2024, Apple officially launched the MacBook Air M3 with improved performance compared to the MacBook Air M2 thanks to the new Apple M3 processor. However, everything is not simply about performance enhancement. Let's compare the MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2 to explore the differences between these two laptops!
Note: This article contains information and images sourced from Digital Trends, MacWorld, and YouTube channels The Tech Chap, AppleInsider, Max Tech.
See also: Review of MacBook Pro M3 Series: Powerful performance, long battery life
Comparison of MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2: Performance
One of the key points to compare between MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2 is the processors of the two products. Specifically, MacBook Air M3 uses the Apple M3 chip (released in 2023), while MacBook Air M2 uses the Apple M2 processor (released in 2022). Before diving into details, let's go through some specifications of MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2 for you to grasp easily.
- MacBook Air M3:
- Display: 13.6-inch size, Liquid Retina panel, 2,560 x 1,664 pixels resolution, 500 nits brightness.
- CPU: Apple M3 8-core (4 high-performance cores + 4 energy-efficient cores).
- GPU: 8-core or 10-core.
- RAM: Minimum of 8 GB and maximum of 24 GB.
- SSD Storage: Minimum of 256 GB and maximum of 2 TB.
- Operating System: MacOS 14 Sonoma.
- Battery: Up to 18 hours (as per Apple's claim).
MacBook Air M3 boasts powerful performance with the Apple M3 processor. Source: AppleInsider.- MacBook Air M2:
- Display: 13.6-inch size, Liquid Retina panel, 2,560 x 1,664 pixels resolution, 500 nits brightness.
- CPU: Apple M2 8-core (4 high-performance cores + 4 energy-efficient cores).
- GPU: 8-core or 10-core.
- RAM: Minimum of 8 GB and maximum of 24 GB.
- SSD Storage: Minimum of 256 GB and maximum of 2 TB.
- Operating System: MacOS 13 Ventura (can be upgraded to MacOS 14 Sonoma).
- Battery: Up to 18 hours (as per Apple's claim).
MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2 differ in their internal processing cores. Source: AppleInsider.According to Apple's announcement, the Apple M3 chip in the new generation MacBook Air delivers over 20% superior performance compared to the Apple M2 chip, thanks to improvements in both CPU and GPU. Moreover, the Apple M3 is the first generation of Apple Silicon chip to feature Ray Tracing cores in the GPU, combined with new-generation AI algorithms in the Neutral Engine cores to provide realistic imagery for gaming or image/video processing.
The Apple M3 in the new generation MacBook Air has been improved in architecture with an advanced 3nm process. Source: Apple.To compare the performance between MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2, I've referred to some benchmark tests using dedicated scoring software conducted by the Max Tech YouTube channel. You can also find more detailed information in the article comparing the Apple M3 and Apple M2 chips that I've conducted.
- GeekBench 6 (single-core/multi-core):
- MacBook Air M3: 3,093 points/11,997 points.
- MacBook Air M2: 2,621 points/9,968 points.
Comparison of GeekBench 6 performance scores between MacBook Air M3 (right) and M2 (left). Source: Max Tech.- Cinebench 2024:
- MacBook Air M3: 549 points.
- MacBook Air M2: 485 points.
Comparison of Cinebench 2024 performance scores between MacBook Air M3 and M2. Source: Max Tech.- 3DMark Wild Life Extreme (average frame rate):
- MacBook Air M3: 42 FPS.
- MacBook Air M2: 34.2 FPS.
Graphic performance scores of 3DMark Wildlife Extreme between MacBook Air M3 and M2. Source: Max Tech.Thus, the performance provided by Apple M3 for MacBook Air M3 is significantly superior or slightly better in some tests compared to Apple M2. Additionally, The Tech Chap YouTube channel has compared real-world tasks using graphics applications and gaming on MacBook Air M3 and M2, with specific results as follows.
Comparison of real-world performance between MacBook Air generations. Source: The Tech Chap.Overall, the results from performance scoring as well as real-world usage on MacBook Air M3 are significantly superior to MacBook Air M2. This could be a result of leveraging the new 3nm process and utilizing more GPU cores on the Apple M3 chip, enabling the device to handle tasks more optimally than the Apple M2.
Comparison of MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2: Battery Life
According to Apple's announcement, both MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2 are equipped with batteries that provide users with equivalent durations of 18 hours for continuous video playback and 15 hours for continuous web browsing over Wi-Fi. However, these are laboratory-based claims, so the actual battery life of the devices depends heavily on real-world conditions.
Theoretically, both MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2 can operate for 18 hours. Source: Tom's Guide.In a performance comparison video between MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2, reviewer Max Tech mentioned that after a series of tests and heavy usage experiences, there was a significant difference in the remaining battery percentage between the two devices. Specifically, MacBook Air M3 still had 34% battery left, whereas the MacBook Air M2 model only had 21% battery remaining.
Percentage of battery remaining for MacBook Air M3 (right) and MacBook Air M2 (left) after conducting a series of performance tests. Source: Max Tech.Hence, this could well be evidence that the Apple M3 chip on the new MacBook Air has been significantly optimized for power efficiency, helping to prolong usage time to cater to longer work and entertainment needs.
Comparison between MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2: Design, Connectivity Ports
In terms of appearance, there is hardly any change in the overall design style and dimensions between MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2. Specifically, the products are crafted from sturdy aluminum frames with compact dimensions, accompanied by meticulously finished edge details and corners, all without any unnecessary elements.
MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2 show no difference in appearance. Source: DigitalTrends.The surfaces of both MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2 are still lightly textured, which can somewhat mitigate the issue of sweat and fingerprint marks during usage. Additionally, both generations of MacBook Air come in 4 color options: Midnight (Dark Blue), Starlight (Gold), Space Gray, and Silver.
MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2 share similarities in frame material and color options. Source: Karl Conrad.Moreover, both MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2 feature the same number of connectivity ports, including a 3.5mm audio jack and on the left edge, a MagSafe charging port, and 2 USB-C ports. Particularly, the standout feature of the MacBook Air M3 lies in its ability to drive two displays simultaneously from two USB-C ports (while the device is closed), instead of just one display in the previous generation.
MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2 share similarities in port positions and numbers. Source: MacWorld.Enabling dual-screen output on the MacBook Air M3 is truly impressive in terms of functionality, but it still has some limitations. Specifically, to output images to two displays simultaneously, users need to close the laptop, which can be quite inconvenient. Moreover, the performance will be reduced by about half when using this feature, as shared by Max Tech.
Comparison of MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2: Display, Keyboard, Trackpad
In terms of display, both MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2 are equipped with a 13.3-inch widescreen display, with a resolution of 2560 x 1664 pixels, using Liquid Retina panel with high brightness capable of reproducing images realistically and sharply. In the case of the MacBook Air M3, the device also has a 15.3-inch widescreen version with a resolution of 2880 x 1864 pixels, providing a larger display space and suitable for various tasks.
The MacBook Air M3 also has a 15-inch version released simultaneously. Source: MacWorld.Furthermore, both the MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2 are equipped with the Magic Keyboard layout, covering 75% of the keyboard area. According to YouTuber The Tech Chap, this keyboard section still provides a good typing experience, with consistent key travel and just the right amount of key bounce. Additionally, the TrackPad of both devices is generously sized for comfortable operation.
The MacBook Air M3 (right) and MacBook Air M2 (left) feature similar keyboard and trackpad designs. Source: Max Tech.In terms of audio, both the MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M3 are equipped with a 4-speaker system, supporting Spatial Audio when playing music or videos with Dolby Atmos, and supporting head tracking with AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max. Additionally, the speakers of both devices are subtly concealed, so users may not always notice them.
Conclusion
MacBook Air is designed by Apple to meet basic needs such as office work, web browsing, light graphics, etc., so I believe that the performance of both MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2 is still extremely good and does not significantly affect the user experience. At the current time, the MacBook Air M2 still has the capability to handle the mentioned tasks with ease, so you can also choose to optimize costs.
MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2 can still perform well in many tasks. Source: The Tech Chap.The above are comparisons of MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2 - the two lightest MacBook products from Apple at the moment. What do you think about this laptop duo? What will be your choice? Leave a comment below for me and everyone else to know! Thank you for your interest and for following my article.
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