M3 MacBook Air vs. M2 MacBook Air: Which Apple laptop should you buy?

The M1 MacBook Air was a monumental release when it came out in late 2020, introducing the world to Apple silicon. It’s still great to this day, although the model has been overshadowed by more powerful machines. If you own one, you may be thinking of upgrading to either an M2 or M3 MacBook Air, but which one should you buy?

Also: Amazon drops M4 Mac Mini to its lowest price this year (and I don’t expect it to last)

Apple’s M3 MacBook Air launched in March 2024 and, as the name suggests, houses the M3 chip. The company claims the chipset is up to 60% faster than the M1. You’re probably thinking that the M3 MacBook is the one you should get. Unfortunately, the answer here isn’t as clear as it might usually be.

Also: The first 5 MacOS commands every user should learn

First, check out our guide if you need help deciding whether you need a MacBook Pro or a MacBook Air. If you do want an Air, read on.

In many cases, it’s often not worth upgrading if you own the previous generation of an Apple device. If may, however, be worthwhile if you’re skipping a generation or entering the ecosystem for the first time. With the MacBook Air M3, though, there are a few major additions that might warrant a leap from the M2. You have even more reasons to upgrade if you have an M1 model or older.

Want a little help deciding? Here’s a breakdown of the biggest differences between the M3 MacBook Air and the M2 MacBook Air, plus a few key reasons to buy each one.

Specifications

You should buy the M3 MacBook Air if…

1. You want the fastest Wi-Fi support available

If you find yourself doing a lot of downloading for work, or you’re a gamer, the MacBook Air with M3 supports the Wi-Fi 6e standard, which provides faster download speeds and lower latency — assuming you’re using a Wi-Fi 6e router. While you might not notice much of a difference for everyday tasks, if you perform Wi-Fi-intensive tasks where latency is critical, you’ll appreciate it.

2. You use more than one monitor

Aside from purely technical upgrades, one of the biggest advantages of the M3 is dual monitor support. While there are workarounds to use two monitors on the M2 MacBook Air, they have some drawbacks and don’t increase the actual number of display outputs supported by the hardware.

Also: Apple’s upcoming MacBook Air M4 could be a boringly awesome update – and I don’t mind it

The M3 MacBook Air has full connectivity for two external monitors, so if you frequently work with multiple monitors, it’s worth upgrading. However, there is a catch: you can only use two external monitors while the laptop lid is closed. So you don’t get your laptop’s display and two monitors; you just get the monitors.

3. You want the absolute best performance

If you want top-notch performance, especially for new AI applications, look to the M3. There are several versions of the M3 chip, and while MacBook Air laptops only come with the base version, it’s a huge upgrade over the M1 or an older Intel-powered model.

If you do intensive work like video editing or graphic design and find your older machine bogging down often, you’ll likely notice the difference in rendering and boot-up speed immediately. The increase over the M2 isn’t as significant, but if you want or need the very best laptop available for the money, it’s worth considering.  

You should buy the M2 MacBook Air if…

1. The $100 price difference means a lot

You don’t get too many chances to save money on Apple products, but you have one here by opting for the M2 version of the MacBook Air. With the release of the M3 version. Apple has dropped the M2 MacBook Air’s starting price to $999, which could drop further down the line, opening the door for bigger savings. Even though the M2 is slightly older, it’s still a perfectly capable laptop that will work fine for most people.

2. You don’t need the latest and greatest features

Will you mainly use your laptop for web surfing, streaming, listening to music, or working a remote job? If so, you probably don’t need the power and price tag of the M3 MacBook Air. For most users, the M2 is a more than reliable machine. It was ZDNET’s even 2022 product of the year!

Also: MacBook Pro vs. MacBook Air: How to choose the Apple laptop that’s right for you

3. You’re expecting the M3 to be a bigger upgrade

If you were expecting a radical redesign with the latest MacBook, you won’t get it from the M3 Air. It looks nearly identical to the M2, and aside from the anodization seal on the midnight color that reduces fingerprints, even the colors aren’t anything new. The real changes are on the inside, so if you want something that looks like it’s the latest model, you won’t get any benefit from picking the M3 over the M2.

Alternatives to consider