Technology evolves in the blink of an eye and the introduction of Apple’s M3 chip in the 15-inch MacBook Air is one of those moments that show just how far technology has advanced. In the last year alone, the tech giant has rolled out two significant upgrades to the MacBook Air—first, the introduction of the 15-inch screen, and now an upgraded M-series chip.
As someone who isn’t tethered to a desk all day, portability is crucial for me. That’s why my beloved MacBook Air 13-inch M1 laptop has been such a convenient choice. To be honest, I was quite content and didn’t pay much attention to the M3 upgrades. However, when I had the opportunity to review the MacBook Air 15-inch M3 chip, it was a game-changer. The differences may seem subtle at first, but they’re quite significant over time—improving comfort, satisfaction, and overall performance. These enhancements have made working on my laptop feel enjoyable. Read on for my thoughts on the device.
Performance
I’ll dive straight into the performance aspect because the M3 chip truly has made the MacBook Air experience that much more satisfying. Although I don’t particularly play video games—which I feel will benefit most from the device’s faster speed—I do use Photoshop on an everyday basis, and I’ve noticed significant improvements; there’s hardly any lag at all and switching between tasks is seamless. The enhanced performance has made my workflow much more efficient, allowing me to do more complex tasks with ease as I’m on the go. The MacBook Air is 60 per cent faster and offers twice the performance of the previous model that I used (the 2020 M1), making it hard not to marvel at its efficiency. Moreover, the 15-inch MacBook Air provides even more screen real estate for multitasking, further enhancing its versatility.
Graphics
This visual and audio performance is way more impressive now. With a larger screen, it goes without saying that the videos are more pleasing to look at in 4K or Ultra HD on Netflix, especially with the Liquid Retina display, P3 wide colour and support for one billion colours. Hues are vibrant and lively on-screen and images in the photo library come to life in a way that is different from viewing them on my iPhone. Not only that, the text and visuals of web pages appear razor-sharp, which makes looking at BURO’s webpage feel even more satisfying. Again, the M3 chip plays a huge role in this performance boost, with its eight-core CPU, up to 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine, and advanced media engine. While the camera remains at 1080p FaceTime HD, the overall combination of the stunning display and powerful chip makes video calls a joy for both work and personal use.
Design
Despite its larger size, the 15-inch MacBook Air offers incredible portability, making it ideal for everyone, from students to entrepreneurs, creatives, and corporate workers. At just 1.15mm thick and 1.51kg, it feels remarkably light for its dimensions. Initially, I was concerned about how heavy it would be to carry around during events, but it doesn’t feel much different from my previous laptop, which weighed 1.3kg.
The model I’m currently using comes in a beautiful light gold shade called Starlight, and it’s as stylish as it is efficient. Additionally, I’m pleased to report that the new MacBook Air is the first Apple product made with 50 per cent recycled content. This includes 100 per cent recycled aluminium in the enclosure, 100 per cent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, and, for the first time in an Apple product, 100 per cent recycled copper in the main logic board. This commitment to sustainability makes the MacBook Air not only a powerful and portable device but also a personal eco-conscious choice. On top of that, the MacBook Air supports up to two external displays (with its lid closed) making it great for enhancing your working space.
AI enhancements
The MacBook Air M3 delivers impressive AI capabilities, providing smart features that boost productivity, including real-time speech-to-text—which has been essential in helping me take notes during meetings—visual recognitions, text prediction and much more.
Supported by a wide array of apps that leverage advanced AI technology, it is much easier to complete everyday tasks like verifying numbers and multiplication with AI Math Assistance in GoodNotes 6, automatically enhancing photos in Pixelmator Pro, and removing background noise from videos using CapCut.
Battery life
So far, I have no complaints about the battery life; the 18-hour battery life holds up quite accurately. Having used my MacBook for writing articles daily, editing photos in Photoshop, and watching the occasional movie, I never worry about running out of battery these days. This allows me to go about my day with ease. In fact, I often find my iPhone running out of battery before my MacBook, and I end up using the MacBook as a power bank. This impressive battery performance ensures that I can stay productive and entertained without constantly searching for an outlet, making my daily tasks smoother and more convenient.
Last words
All in all, after using the MacBook Air 15-inch M3, I can’t imagine going back to a smaller screen. The expansive display enhances productivity and makes both work and entertainment more enjoyable. The combination of its lightweight design and powerful performance creates a seamless user experience that most certainly meets my daily needs.
Get the MacBook Air with M3 from RM 5,199. For more information, click here.
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