Apple didn't redesign the MacBook Air, but it's getting a major boost that won't cost you extra

3 weeks ago

(Image credit: Future)

Hidden among each nan caller M4 Mac Mini, MacBook Pro news is simply a tantalizing tidbit astir 1 of our favourite laptops, nan Apple MacBook Air. The existing MacBook Air M2 and MacBook Air M3 are some doubling their guidelines representation from 8GB to 16GB of unified representation while not raising nan price.

This is bully news because while we loved nan MacBook Air M3, our main disapproval was that Apple neglected to upgrade nan guidelines representation from nan erstwhile M2 model.

The bigger astonishment present is that Apple is treating representation for illustration a comparatively inexpensive commodity and not raising nan value of nan laptop to accommodate it. The Apple MacBook Air M2 will still commencement astatine $999 / £999 / AU$1,599, and nan Apple MacBook Air M3 will commencement astatine $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,799. The MacBook Air M3 15-inch will besides get nan RAM boost, going from 8B to 16GB while maintaining nan $1,299 / £1,399 / AU$2,199 starting price.

But why?

Perhaps Apple is being generous, but nan much apt logic is that nan caller guidelines request for MacBooks moving Apple Intelligence (Apple's marque of generative AI) is nary longer 8GB. Apple's efforts to tally arsenic overmuch of nan ample connection and image models connected committee whitethorn strain an 8GB guidelines strategy significantly. 16GB should connection capable headroom for basic, creative, pro, and AI tasks.

Apple Intelligence support aside, doubling nan RAM solidifies its position arsenic 1 of nan best laptops. Furthermore, it puts this 13-inch portable connected par, memory-wise, pinch our apical prime for nan champion laptop, Microsoft's Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC, which starts pinch 16GB of RAM for $999 / £1,049.99 incl. VAT / AU$1,899 incl. GST. If you adhd Apple Intelligence to nan mix, we will person a head-to-head title betwixt nan champion AI Microsoft offers and Apple's still comparatively untested AI entry.

All Apple Silicon-class MacBook Air models tin tally Apple Intelligence, moreover our beloved MacBook Air M1, but that now discontinued exemplary is stuck astatine 8GB. One mightiness presume that nan caller M2 and M3 MacBook Air laptops will beryllium moreover much businesslike Generative AI-capable systems.

No connection from Apple for now connected erstwhile we mightiness spot an M4 spot successful nan MacBook Air.

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A 38-year manufacture seasoned and award-winning journalist, Lance has covered exertion since PCs were nan size of suitcases and “on line” meant “waiting.” He’s a erstwhile Lifewire Editor-in-Chief, Mashable Editor-in-Chief, and, earlier that, Editor successful Chief of PCMag.com and Senior Vice President of Content for Ziff Davis, Inc. He besides wrote a popular, play tech file for Medium called The Upgrade.

Lance Ulanoff makes predominant appearances connected national, international, and section news programs including Live pinch Kelly and Mark, nan Today Show, Good Morning America, CNBC, CNN, and nan BBC.

Source Technology