While most of our attention is on a foldable iPhone, rumor has it that Apple might actually release another foldable device first – a 20-inch foldable MacBook. But the alleged device has been kicked further down the road again, back to 2027, making me wonder if it will ever actually arrive.

Things have gone a bit back and forth on this device. Top Apple insider Ming-Chi Kuo was the first to report on the foldable MacBook. Previously thought to be coming in 2027, Kuo released a blog post on Medium in May, sharing that he now reckons we could see this flagship device hit the shelves by 2026.

But now, Kuo reports that the production of the folding MacBook has hit technical difficulties. Production is now expected to move from 2026 back to 2027, the device's original timeline. In the same post on X, Kuo states that the display size has been finalized at 18.8-inches rather than 20.3-inches. The larger device has been cancelled.

The device would likely join the ranks of the best Macs available, and would be one of the first devices of its kind. However, it's starting to seem less and less likely that the device will ever arrive. This device has been kicked back down the road, with technical difficulties being the reason. It seems likely that Apple may now decide to scrap the device altogether.

What would a foldable MacBook look like?

It sounds like this device could be a hybrid Mac/iPad concept that essentially brings the iPad's multitouch capabilities into the world of macOS. But it looks like there are alternative ideas in the pipeline.

Under the hood, we’re looking at the upcoming M5 processor. Production could kick off as soon as the end of next year, which means the next couple of years could be very interesting for MacBook aficionados. We're still a few years away from prototypes for the device, so things are likely to change.

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NotchNook, an app that transforms a MacBook’s notch into a Dynamic Island, has been updated to display when volume and brightness settings have changed, along with a few new features.

Announcing the 1.2 update to one of the best Mac apps in their Discord server, the NotchNook team explained that any media playing on your Mac will now show up in Dynamic Island. This includes watching videos on YouTube, VLC Player, listening to music through SoundCloud, and even podcasts on Spotify. The media will display just like on an iPhone with a Dynamic Island, complete with cover art and a small wavy line to indicate it’s playing.

But that’s not all that 1.2 features. In previous versions, users had to manually arrange widgets to fit across the width of the Dynamic Island. This meant that if you wanted to add or remove any more, you had to do this manually. In 1.2, you can add as many widgets as you want, and the Dynamic Island will automatically adjust, allowing you to scroll across to Calendar, music controls, and more.

The highlight of NotchNook’s 1.2 update is how it replaces the brightness and volume displays. Previously, changing one of these in macOS resulted in a frosty square appearing, showing the levels of brightness and volume. However, these square windows would usually obstruct something, such as when you’re watching a video in Safari. This annoyance was similar to the volume toggle on the iPhone before it was moved closer to the volume buttons. Now, when you change the brightness or volume with NotchNook 1.2, the indicators are in the Dynamic Island, finally getting rid of a big annoyance of macOS that’s been present for years.

If you haven’t tried NotchNook yet, we strongly recommend it. The app is free to download for a three-day trial and can be bought as a $3 per month subscription or for a $25 lifetime fee.

The team behind NotchNook is just getting started - iMore’s take

NotchNook gives the best Macs a feature you didn’t expect would work so well. I’ve had the app installed since I first heard about it in early July, and it’s made tasks like controlling music and checking Calendar so straightforward, that I’m puzzled Apple hasn’t added something similar to macOS already.

To mark the 1.2 update this week, I reached out to the NotchNook team to see what else they were working on. It turns out that updates like moving the brightness and volume indicators to the Dynamic Island are just the beginning, according to Igor Marcossi, NotchNook’s main developer and designer. “NotchNook's main feature is still to come: Pipelines. The app will allow the creation of custom "drop actions" that will be able to run terminal commands behind the curtains, which will virtually allow any type of interaction with the files,” Marcossi reveals. “ You can drop files here to zip/unzip, drop files here to get a public link, and drop files here to resize them. Those are called Pipelines and users will be able to share their own Pipelines.”

Marcossi is very excited about Pipelines’s potential in NotchNook. “It's the biggest feature we have planned for NotchNook. We plan to release it in a few months!” Hopefully, we won’t have long to wait to see how Pipelines can manage our files. In the meantime, we recommend giving NotchNook a try, even if you have a Mac that doesn’t have a notch. Having a virtual Dynamic Island may surprise you with how useful it can be on macOS.

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Apple released the M3 iMac earlier this year and the M3 MacBook Air a few months ago, both of which feature the recent design upgrade with a notch. So we're due a MacBook redesign with future releases. And this Mac patent showcases an unbelievable new MacBook with some major changes.

Recently filed with the USPTO and first spotted by Patently Apple, the Mac patent showcases an unbelievable future MacBook with rear cameras and a rotatable display.

What to expect from this next-gen MacBook

Apple's patented design includes a MacBook base with the usual input components and a display that can rotate or detach entirely. The display assembly isn’t just any old screen; it's also got the potential for up to four backside cameras and a bunch of sensor modules. These could include everything from a LiDAR module to infrared and time-of-flight cameras.

The patent shows a MacBook with a backside camera that's either flush with or sticking out from the back, much like the cameras on recent iPhones. Other sketches in the patent take it a step further with a multi-camera setup, reminiscent of the iPhone 15 Pro’s formidable camera array. 

But wait, there’s more. Apple also threw in some diagrams of a removable camera. This accessory could clip onto the new best MacBook when you need it and be stashed away when you don’t. The patent further illustrates a MacBook display that pivots, rotates, and does a little dance (okay, maybe not that last part).

This patent was initially filed in April 2022, but has only just been granted, which means it could be years before we see a MacBook with all these bells and whistles. That's if we see one at all. Apple, of course, may not end up using this design. But, we could see elements of it in the next MacBook refresh.

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Overnight on X, I caught a glimpse of a passing post — a lush, well-lit desktop monitor, and a sleek-looking keyboard and mouse, with a single cable binding it all together. A sucker for an aesthetic desk setup, I paused for a closer look and was caught off guard by the caption “What are they doing over on Reddit?” A harmless easy-on-the-eye desk setup, what’s not to like? That’s when it hit me. I was looking at a MacBook, but not just any MacBook. This was a headless MacBook, and now I’m obsessed. 

It didn’t take me long to find the original Reddit post over on r/macbookpro. What I discovered filled me with awe, curiosity, and delight. User rynlv tells the story of how they bought an M2 Pro MacBook Pro (a $1,700 laptop), for just £500 ($650). The reason for the low price? The MacBook’s display was broken. Thanks to a handy iFixit video, they were able to remove the display and turn it into a stunning desktop Mac, ready to be plugged into a 144Hz monitor via Thunderbolt 4.  

Off with his head 

I am now absolutely infatuated with headless MacBooks, so much so that I want to make my own. Against my better judgment, I’m not going to lop the screen of my own perfectly functioning M2 Pro MacBook Pro, that would probably be irresponsible. But the idea of giving a new lease of life to a crippled MacBook in this way is absolutely fantastic. The internet, specifically eBay, is riddled with thousands of defunct Macs that aren’t of much use to anyone because their screens don’t work anymore. Perhaps if more people knew how to make a headless Mac, they could be saved or repurposed, even on a commercial scale! I’m not the only one either, last year Luke Miani posted a video documenting his own headless MacBook project, which you can even follow yourself if you want to.

I’m literally the least handy person I know, so I’ll no doubt be calling on the expert hands of my Genius Bar-honed colleague John-Anthony to help me out. But I’m absolutely desperate to give MacBook decapitation a try, for reasons I’m struggling to describe. The idea of a perfect form factor keyboard and trackpad powering a nice 4K (or 5K) display is just so enticing to me. It’s odd because the MacBook keyboard isn’t that nice to type on, I just have an unshakeable itch to try this. As one commenter on X noted, it “goes hard in ways I can't quite articulate.” 

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You expect to pay a premium penny for Apple’s MacBook Pro and MacBook Air computers — they’re the best of the best, and usually have price tags to match. But the 2024 Prime Day sales are proving a fantastic time for picking up one of Apple’s laptops at a discount.

Whether you’re after a Pro, an Air, a 13-inch, 14-inch or 16-inch device, we’re seeing the lowest ever prices right across Apple’s MacBook range.

Each powered by Apple’s homegrown silicon, we’re not talking about the regularly-discounted M1 devices. And we’re not just talking about M2 laptops either. We’re aso talking about the current top-tier M3 range, still the cream of the crop while we await the M4 MacBook arrival. (Remember, it’s just the 2024 iPad Pro rocking the M4 at present).

Here’s our top picks for what’s on offer right now — and be sure to check out our Best Prime Day Mac and MacBook deals round up for offers not just on the laptops, but Mac accessories too.

• MacBook deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy
• Laptop deals: Dell | Best Buy | Walmart | Lenovo | HP | Newegg | Amazon
• Gaming laptop deals: Dell | Walmart | Lenovo | Best Buy | HP | Amazon | Razer

Today's best Apple deals

Looking for something a little different? Here's a taste of the other great Apple devices on sale right now.

The MacBook Air M1 is a great laptop for loads of different people, but now that Apple has stopped making them, they can be slightly harder to get hold of. Well, Walmart not only has the laptop in stock, but it's at a truly remarkable price, the likes of which we’ve only seen once before.

If you head over to the Walmart website now, you’ll find the MacBook Air on sale for $650 (or $649 if you want to be pedantic), which is around $350 cheaper than it would have been to buy one when it was still on the Apple site. It’s also $200 cheaper than the newer M2 MacBook Air, making for an excellent purchase if you want a MacBook and don’t want to spend loads of money.

MacBook Air M1 gets huge discount

• MacBook deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy

While not as new or as shiny as the M3 MacBook Air, the M1 version still has an m-series chip, and that means one very important thing for macOS fans — you’ll be able to use Apple Intelligence on your MacBook the moment the feature is released with the public version of macOS Sequoia. That means all the AI bits and bobs are going to work from the beginning, giving you all the latest macOS goodies without having to spend loads of money.

The M1 chip is still a great powerhouse of a chip as well, with plenty of power on tap for even video and photo editing. Need a new laptop and don't want to spend the earth? This could be just what you’ve been waiting for.

When it comes to building the ultimate MacBook setup, buying the right laptop is only half the battle. Whether you want a MacBook for on-the-go portability, taking notes in college, splicing up Hollywood movies, or anything in between, supplementing your pick with great peripherals will vastly enhance your experience. 

In situ, a MacBook can be transformed with a good monitor, a nice keyboard, and a precise mouse into a tool of limitless productivity. Pick the right mouse and keyboard, and you can even bring them with you on the go. 

With Prime Day Apple deals just around the corner, there’s never been a better time to pick up some great new MacBook accessories, or even your very first MacBook. So whether you’ve already got a device to hand, or you’re waiting for a good Prime Day MacBook deal, here’s how you can build the ultimate MacBook setup. 

A MacBook

As noted, you might be starting out with your setup MacBook in hand, but if that’s not the case, here are a couple of great deals you can score on a Mac right now.

Once you’ve got that new MacBook in hand, you can start building your ultimate setup. 

Monitor 

The MacBook’s small screen might make it portable and lightweight, but if you want to get a bit more done with more display real estate, especially at home or in the office, a monitor is the way to go. 

Our pick for the best monitor for MacBook Air (and by extension any MacBook), is the Philips 27B1U7903. It boasts a potent 4K display with great pixel density thanks to its 27-inch size. There’s also a ton of connectivity thanks to one DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0, and one Thunderbolt 4 port (upstream, data, video, PD 90 W). The latter means you’ll be able to plug in your MacBook and charge it, all while delivering the data to run the display at the same time. In fact, it’s got so many ports it basically serves as a hub, letting you plug in extra peripherals. It’s not cheap, but when you’re building the ultimate setup, only the best will do. Perhaps most importantly, it boasts mini-LED display tech for excellent brightness and contrast.

Mouse 

There’s really only one pick when it comes to a great Mac mouse, and it’s the Logitech MX Master 3S for Mac. The 3S, like its predecessor, has established itself as the standard when it comes to Mac mouse performance. It’s wireless, features touch scroll, and comes with extras such as thumb buttons. Available in two colors that’ll match any Mac, it remains unparalleled in the market.  

Keyboard 

We have tested a lot of keyboards at iMore. If you’re serious about getting work done, you’re going to want to replace that MacBook keyboard with a great mechanical alternative that sounds and feels great. Having a keyboard with a great typing feel can make all the difference to note-taking, transcribing, or pushing that college assignment over the line before it's due. To that end, we’d recommend the Nuphy Halo75. As the name suggests, it’s a 75%-size keyboard with 83 keys. It’s wireless with support for both Bluetooth and 2.4Ghz. It’s also got some very cool lighting effects, or you can turn these off to achieve more than 300 hours of battery life. This is a great desktop installation, or indeed would work as a portable number you can toss into a backpack along with your MacBook. Like the MX Master 3S Mouse, this can easily be taken on the go. 

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I’ve written in the past about how I’ve always felt a little like a “fake Pro” having a MacBook Pro. Not only does Apple’s “top of the line” laptop cost a fortune, but there’s always been a sort of status that comes with it.

Growing up, everyone I knew wanted a MacBook Pro, and after spending time with outdated MacBook Airs provided by employers, I’d grown to feel like Apple’s slimline machines were somehow “lesser”.

If you’d felt a tad snobbish about the gap between the two product lines, though, I’m pleased to tell you that you can drop that misconception - I swapped my MacBook Pro for a MacBook Air, and I may never go back. 

 Light as Air

My main reason for the change was simple - I travel fairly regularly for work, and lugging a 16-inch MacBook Pro in a backpack was starting to become a drag. It’s not that it’s all that heavy, and the MacBook Pro is an unbelievably impressive machine, but it began to get harder to find backpacks and bags that fit its chunkier chassis without too much of a squeeze.

I considered the MacBook Air as a replacement and thought better of it. After all, could I really give up the speakers, ports, ProMotion refresh rate, and the extra inch of screen real estate just for a slimmer laptop?

As it turns out, each of those was easier to reckon with than anticipated. I don’t game on my Mac (I have a Windows machine and consoles), and I can’t say ProMotion has ever stood out to me in day-to-day usage anyway.

My laptop is also usually docked and connected to a monitor and speakers which means the built-in speakers only really need to be impressive on the rare occasions it’s not, and I connect everything via a single USB-C port. As for the extra portion of screen size, it’s pretty negligible for the most part.

There was just one issue - the M2 chip couldn’t handle two external displays at once.

Make room for M3

Thankfully, the M3 chip fixed that issue, albeit by requiring the laptop to be in clamshell mode. This means I could hook the MacBook Air up to my dual-monitor setup, with a single cable, but also know I could remove it and throw it in a bag if I wanted to work elsewhere.

After ticking off everything on my list, it all comes down to performance. Could I really do what I need to do on a laptop with an M3, rather than the M1 Pro? Surely it couldn’t be that simple?

As it happens, yes, it is. Since I’ve not done big tasks like editing audio in years, the bump in single-core performance from the M1 Pro to the M3 was more than enough, but the M3 Air also performs at a similar level to the MacBook Pro M1 Pro when it comes to multi-core tasks.

While the lack of a fan may change things under sustained load, I’ve been really impressed so far - and I’m only just scratching the surface.

It’s all about intelligence

Apple made a big deal in its M3 MacBook Air press release about the potential of the device for AI tasks, packing additional neural cores into its third-generation chip.

With Apple Intelligence on the way, that could be a great way to future-proof, but it’s also likely to come in handy for me, a tech freelancer who regularly contributes content to iMore and its sister sites about AI developments.

So, if you're concerned about moving from a Pro to an Air, rest assured - it's a much easier transition than you may think.

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We love a MacBook at iMore, and we like it even more when they are reduced — and at the moment, Best Buy is running an Apple sale where you’ll find a whole bunch of different MacBook deals.

From the MacBook Air M3 to the MacBook Pro, there are some great savings to be had. You can always have a play with the spec selection spot on the Best Buy website as well, where you’ll find more savings if you want to upgrade the processor, RAM, or storage. The sale isn’t on for long — it ends on June 9, so if there’s a deal that you like the look of you’re going to have to get in there quickly.

MacBook savings at Best Buy

• MacBook deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy

Speccing up your MacBook

Unlike shopping on Amazon, you can choose different spec options when you go to Best Buy. You can upgrade the RAM, for example, on the MacBook Air to 16GB, and increase the storage all the way up to 1TB. Now, you can’t choose all the same options as you’ll find on the Apple Store, but it’s still a nice option to have. 

Even better is that these extra spec options also have money off — so if you need more power out of your MacBook, then it’s well worth giving them a try.

While most of our attention is on a foldable iPhone, Apple might actually release another foldable device first. Rumour has it that this could be a foldable MacBook, and it's the only device in the company's development schedule at the moment. Previously thought to be coming in 2027, it now looks like we can expect it to make an appearance earlier.

Top Apple insider Ming-Chi Kuo was the first to report on the foldable MacBook. Per a blog post on Medium, he now reckons we could see this flagship device hit the shelves by 2026, a year earlier than his previous forecast. The device would likely join the ranks of the best Macs available, and would be one of the first devices of its kind.

What to expect from a foldable MacBook

When first reporting on the device, Kuo explained that the device would have a 20.3-inch display – much larger than what's available on current MacBooks. It sounds like this device could be a hybrid Mac/iPad concept that essentially brings the iPad's multitouch capabilities into the world of macOS. But it looks like there are alternative ideas in the pipeline.

In the same report, Kuo revealed that Apple’s toying with the idea of an 18.8-inch panel too. So, whether you want your foldable to close up into something akin to a 14-15 inch MacBook or a slightly more petite 13-14 inch version, it seems they’ve got you covered. The brains behind this ambitious project? LG Display, tasked with the Herculean effort of making that fold as smooth as a silk sheet.

Under the hood, we’re looking at the upcoming M5 processor. Production could kick off as soon as the end of next year, which means the next couple of years could be very interesting for MacBook aficionados. We're still a few years away from prototypes for the device, so things are likely to change.

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With the advent of Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop for 2024, Apple’s M3 MacBook Air finally has serious competition in the world of mobile computing. Apple’s 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models are purportedly the most popular devices of their type in their respective categories, in part because Apple’s devices have been ascendant in the category for so long. 

However, the introduction of Arm to the Surface lineup means Apple silicon now has a serious contender on its hand in the world of portable, mobile computing. As expected for 2024, Microsoft has also doubled down on the power of AI, which comes baked into the software and hardware of its new Surface Laptop. 

On the face of it, the showdown seems well poised, yet Apple’s MacBook Air lineup lags in several key hardware stats, as well as price. Thankfully for Apple, there’s more to the choice than raw performance, but Microsoft makes a convincing case as the go-to mobile laptop vendor to beat in 2024. Here’s how the M3 MacBook Air and the Surface Laptop stack up on paper.

M3 MacBook Air vs Surface Laptop: Price

Apple’s M3 MacBook Air in 13 and 15-inch sizes costs $1,099 and $1,499 respectively. Despite offering some significantly better specs, the Windows Surface Laptop range starts at just $999 and $1,299 respectively.

The $999 price tag for a 13-inch Surface gets you 16GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage as standard. Adding the Elite variant of the Snapdragon X costs $300, with storage and more RAM around $200 each per upgrade. The $1,299 15-inch model comes with the Snapdragon X Elite as standard, and the storage is a little cheaper at just $100 per increment. 

Apple charges $200 for each step of memory or storage you add, all the way up to 24GB of RAM and 2TB of SSD storage.

M3 MacBook Air vs Surface Laptop: Design

Your preference of design language when choosing between two laptops is going to be largely subjective, but there are a few hard facts here that help distinguish the Surface Laptop from the M3 MacBook Air. 

The 13-inch variant of the Surface Laptop is decidedly bigger than Apple’s. It has a 13.8-inch display compared to Apple’s 13.6-inch display. We’ll get onto display specifics later, but that will naturally make for a more expansive screen. Despite having a larger display, the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop is not much different in size. It measures 11.85 inches by 8.67, versus Apple’s 11.97 x 8.46 inches. The 13-inch Surface Laptop is considerably thicker at 0.69 inches versus Apple’s 0.44 inches. Apple’s offering also weighs less at 2.7 pounds, compared to 2.96. 

Apple’s 15-inch model has a 15.3-inch display, compared to the Surface Laptop, which is 15 inches exactly. That means it measures 13.40 inches by 9.35 inches, compared to 12.96 inches by 9.41 inches for the surface. Apple again beats the Surface for thickness at just 0.45 inches, compared to the Surface’s 0.72. The Surface, despite having a smaller display, is 150 g, weighing in at 3.67 pounds over Apple’s 3.3-pound offering. 

Broadly, there’s not much to choose between the two when it comes to measurements. However, if mobility is key, you can clearly see the difference when it comes to weight, and even more so when it comes to the thickness of these respective devices. 

Apple’s MacBook Air now offers a much squarer, and arguably more modern, design, compared to the Surface Laptop, which looks a lot like MacBooks of old with its wedge-shaped design.

M3 MacBook Air vs Surface Laptop: Display

While Apple’s M3 MacBook Air display is decent, it hasn’t changed much in recent years and is overshadowed by the MacBook Pro’s excellent 120Hz ProMotion offering. Both MacBook Air models offer an LED-backlit display with IPS technology, measuring 13.6 and 15.3 inches respectively. That’s enough for 2560 x 1664 and 2880 x 1864 resolutions, 500 nits of brightness, and True Tone. 

Here, the Surface Laptop has Apple well and truly bested. Microsoft offers a 13.8 or 15-inch PixelSense Flow Display. That’s a touchscreen with 10-point multi-touch support. Even if you’re not interested in touchscreen tech and don’t want or need a laptop that supports it, there are still plenty of reasons to choose a Surface here. The Surface can’t quite match the MacBook Air’s resolution. Its 2304 x 1536 and 2496 x 1664 resolution displays, good for 201 PPI, falling just short of Apple’s aforementioned pixels. However, it more than makes up for the shortfall with a 120Hz display and a dynamic refresh rate. That’s double the 60Hz of the MacBook Air and enough to compete with the MacBook Pro. When it comes to colors, contrast, and accuracy, some side-by-side comparisons will be necessary, but the Surface Laptop has a lot going for it here.

M3 MacBook Air vs Surface Laptop: Processor

This is where things really start to get interesting. Apple’s M3 Apple silicon chip features 8 CPU cores and up to 10 GPU cores (10 GPU cores by default in the 15-inch model), as well as a 16-core Neural Engine. 

The Surface Laptop comes with two processor options, a 10-core Snapdragon X Plus, or a 12-core Snapdragon X Elite. That immediately gives both an advantage over the M3 chip. More real-world testing will be required to determine which exactly is better, but Qualcomm and Microsoft both seem confident that they have Apple beat in at least some benchmarks and tests, touting performance advantages of up to 58% in one unspecified scenario. Microsoft also demonstrated a batch photo editing comparison versus the MacBook Air M3, which showed the Surface completing the tasks almost twice as fast. 

The question of processing power remains up in the air right now, but all signs point to a pretty even fight, with the Snapdragon X possibly having the edge. 

M3 MacBook Air vs Surface Laptop: Memory and storage

Another significant difference, and another Surface Laptop advantage, comes with memory. Apple offers the M3 MacBook Air with 8GB of RAM as standard, with options for 16GB and 24GB worth $200 for each jump. By contrast, the Surface Laptop offers 16GB of RAM as standard, a baseline some Mac users are now crying out for. Although a pricey extra, Microsoft also offers 32GB of RAM as its upgrade, considerably more than the top offering of the MacBook Air. 

Both the Surface Laptop and the M3 MacBook Air offer 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB of storage, however, the MacBook Air also offers a 2TB option. Not to be outdone, while the Surface Laptop doesn’t quite boast the same amount of storage options, its SSDs are removable, making them more repairable and letting users hot-swap drives.

M3 MacBook Air vs Surface Laptop: Battery life

Any good portable laptop worth its salt will have great battery life. Apple’s M3 MacBook Air is rated by Apple for up to 18 hours of use watching local video. Not to be outdone, Microsoft says its 13 and 15-inch Surface Laptops are good for up to 20 hours or 22 hours of local video playback respectively.  That’s a good deal more than Apple’s claims, but whether that stacks up in the real world remains to be seen. 

M3 MacBook Air vs Surface Laptop: Wi-Fi and connectivity

Microsoft’s Surface Laptops offer Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. By comparison, the M3 MacBook Air only boasts Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. The former will mean faster, more reliable Wi-Fi speeds, while the latter will increase the power of connectivity for peripherals such as mice and other Bluetooth devices. 

M3 MacBook Air vs Surface Laptop: Ports and I/O

The M3 MacBook Air offers two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack, and Apple’s proprietary MagSafe charging port. The Surface Laptops both offer the same headphone jack and Thunderbolt array, however, they also include a DisplayPort 2.1 slot, and a USB-A slot. Finally, the larger 15-inch model also offers users a MicroSDXC card reader, a feature you’ll need to buy a MacBook Pro for in the Apple camp. 

M3 MacBook Air vs Surface Laptop: Audio and video

Both Apple and Windows offer a 1080p webcam for video conferencing, but Microsoft seems to have the edge here too with support for its own equivalent of Face ID. The Surface Laptops come with Omnisonic Speakers and Dolby Atmos support, and Dual Studio Mics with voice focus. The M3 MacBook Air also supports Dolby Atmos and spatial audio but features an enhanced three-mic array with beamforming, voice isolation, and enhanced voice clarity that seems to give it an audio edge. 

M3 MacBook Air vs Surface Laptop: AI

Microsoft is keenly touting the power of AI in its new Surface Laptop, introducing a whole new brand of Copilot+PC to denote AI capability. The Surface Laptop features a  Qualcomm Hexagon with 45 trillion operations per second which powers a slew of AI features in Windows. By contrast, Apple’s AI-focused chip is the new M4 variant featured in the M4 iPad Pro. While the Neural Engine (NPU) in M4 is good for 38 trillion operations per second (TOPS), the M3 can only do 18 trillion. Apple’s M3 Neural Engine has 16 cores, and powered lots of tools in macOS including its webcam, speech-to-text, accessibility, and more. Apple also says the MacBook Air is good for running large language models and diffusion models for image generation. 

The focus on AI is much heavier with the Surface Laptop, which boasts a swathe of new AI tools included in Windows. One such example is Recall, a feature that can virtually access “ what you have seen or done on your PC in a way that feels like having photographic memory.” Windows also features new embedded image creation and editing tools, and Microsoft as a whole looks to be all-in on AI. Apple’s approach may change with WWDC 2024 and macOS 15. For now, however, Apple is content to tout the more subtle tools built into macOS that rely on its Neural Engine and AI, which it previously would have referred to as machine learning.

M3 MacBook Air vs Surface Laptop: Software

Last but not least, is the software running on the respective devices. Despite the hardware, for many, this will actually be the most important choice when picking a device, and for some may even render the decision moot. The M3 MacBook Air runs macOS Sonoma and is a shoo-in for macOS 15 support when that drops later this year. As you might expect the Surface Laptop range runs Windows 11. Each of these comes with its various advantages and disadvantages in terms of UI, usability, and user experience that it would be impossible to dissect here. A couple of standout differences are Apple’s suite of creation tools, notably Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro, offset somewhat by Windows' vastly better gaming support.  

A close fight

So there you have it. On paper at least, the new Surface Laptop seems to boast several advantages over the M3 MacBook Air when it comes to hardware, notably in terms of RAM, display, and quite possibly processor. However, many users will prefer the look and feel of macOS, as well as the potent hardware and software optimization Apple is famed for. Only time (literally) will tell whether these new Surface Laptops can offer up the longevity and staying power of a good MacBook, which will often last a user years. If software support isn't a deal breaker, and you're happy to dip your toe in either pond, the choice between Windows and Mac has never been closer. 

We love MacBooks here at iMore, with their svelte aluminum shells and powerful internals — but the high prices might make you look twice at adding one to your life. At the moment, however, Amazon just made those prices a whole lot more palatable, with massive discounts on both the M3 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.

The biggest savings are on the MacBook Pro models, where you can save up to $249. You’ll need to tick the little deal box under the price on the product page, which brings the extra $50 — if you don’t, then you’ll only save $200. There aren’t any hoops to jump through for the MacBook Air models, where you’ll save up to $150 without any extra steps.

MacBook savings galore

• MacBook deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy

There’s not much better than an incredible MacBook deal, netting you one of the best MacBooks around for less. If you’ve been umming and erring about whether you should pick up a new MacBook, then this could well be the best time for it — unless, of course, you want to add more specs to your MacBook. Then you’ll have to go straight to the Apple Store or a retailer like B&H Photo.

Apple's "Let Loose" event is on Tuesday and will show us the next evolution of the iPad, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has blown right past that in his latest Power On Newsletter.

Aside from revealing that the iPad lineup will be getting a much-needed tidy-up, Gurman also said Apple should look to nudge the iPad into the laptop replacement Steve Jobs envisaged it as all those years ago.

"The presentation, which is expected to be about 35 minutes, should set the product on a new path," Gurman says.

Gurman suggests that Apple should look to make the iPad more capable, like a laptop, but that "this picture is going to blur a bit more in the coming years because Apple is working to bring touch screens to the Mac.

"When that happens, choosing between a Mac and iPad will hinge more on whether you want an all-in-one device (laptop) or a modular system (iPad + Magic Keyboard + Apple Pencil)," Gurman says.

Big changes with iPadOS 18?

If you were worried about the iPad getting the raw end of the deal with Apple bringing touchscreens to Mac, it appears you needn't worry.

Gurman said that "by next year" Apple will have cleared up the iPad, and "the top-end iPads will feel more like computers" thanks to a snazzy new Magic Keyboard redesign with an aluminum finish and a "laptop-like aesthetic".

Perhaps most excitingly, Gurman says "new software will take advantage of the hardware."

That's not a lot to go on, but the potential for something like additional keyboard shortcuts, the ability to set our own Keyboard Maestro-like shortcuts and Macros, or even more trackpad functionality is exciting for anyone who's tried to work on their iPad for a day or two.

More from iMore

• macOS on the iPad: Could it really replace iPadOS? The case for and against…
• Apple's brand new OLED iPad Pro to feature display tech even the iPhone can't match
• Apple's May 7 iPad Pro and Air event won't include the rumored AI announcement, and nor should it

It's important to buy one of the best docking stations for MacBook Pro if you want to turn your Apple laptop into a truly great workplace powerhouse. 

MacBook Pros may have more ports than they used to have, but they still don't have many. Even the best MacBooks could do with more options for hooking up accessories. If you need to plug in loads at once, like screens, hard drives, or keyboards, you need a docking station to get the most from your setup. A MacBook docking station removes the strain from the MacBook itself. You only use one plug while gaining multiple inputs and outputs. Whether you need to add more Thunderbolt 4 ports, or you need old favorites like full-size USB-A ports, a docking station can take the hassle out of juggling connections.

Below, we've curated the best MacBook Pro docking stations you can buy right now. Each will make it easier to connect lots of devices and peripherals including those that need high-speed data transfer.

Quick List

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Best Overall

The weighty, aluminum shell of the CalDigit TS4 gives you some idea of the quality on offer — it's a monster of ports and connections, giving you plenty of ways to hook your accessories up to your MacBook. It can be laid out horizontally or vertically as well, so you won't have to worry about how much space there is on your desk, or how you want your setup to look.

There are loads of ports on offer, as we covered in our review: "three Thunderbolt 4 ports (all on the rear), three 10Gb/s USB-C ports (one rear, two front), five 10Gb/s USB-A ports (four rear, one front), a DisplayPort 1.4 port, a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port, two UHS-II card slots (in both full size and microSD sizes, both on the front), 3.5mm audio in and audio out, plus a 3.5mm combo audio in and out on the front." That's loads of different ports, and makes for one of the most fully featured docks that you can plug your Mac into.

Thanks to its excellent port selection and solid construction, the CalDigit TS4 is easily the best dock overall — although if you want an HDMI port, then you're going to have to look elsewhere. The TS4 only uses a Display Port or Thunderbolt 4 to connect to a display.

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Best Ports

The iVanky FusionDock Max 1 is an absolute monster of a dock, packing in more ports than you can shake a very large stick at. You can orient its metal shell in both portrait and landscape and still have every single one of its ports easily accessed. Its floating design is a cool look too, so it will slip nicely into whatever kind of desk decor you've got going on.

The port layout is excellent, with a good number of ports on the front so that you can easily reach over and plug in anything you need more access to — there are even USB-C ports for displays on the front in case you swap monitors out a lot. On the topic of the ports, there's a grand total of 21: "Five USB-A 10GBps ports, Two HDMI 2.1 ports, An SPDIF optical port, Two headphone jacks, A 2.5Gigabit Ethernet port, Two 10GBps USB-C ports, one with Power delivery, Four Thunderbolt ports with support for a 6K monitor up to 60Hz, A microSD card slot, and a miniSD card slot."

In our review of the dock, we loved the dock in our review, although we lamented the lack of 8K support and Display Port sockets. Bear in mind as well that the dock only supports M-series Macs, so you'll be left high and dry if you've got an older machine.

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Best for 8K

While the Ugreen USB C Triple Display Docking Station might not have the same smattering of ports as the other entries on this list, it more than makes up for it with its display support and more compact design. It's powered by a USB-C port on the back, and it'll let you connect an 8K monitor in a triple display setup thanks to its Display Port 1.4 port.

There's no Thunderbolt on board, which is a shame, but its array of different connection options is still going to be plenty for most people. There's a pair of HDMI ports and a Display Port connector for monitors, and USB-C and type A connectors on the front for some easy access plugging in. Those front ports are joined by SD card readers and a Headphone jack, while the back of the dock houses the extra two USB-A ports, the monitor connectors, the power USB-C port, and the USB-C input for your MacBook.

We loved the way that the dock looked in our review, as it seemed to pay more attention to its appearance than other options. It's not cheap, and later model M-series Macs might not work quite so well, but it's a solid desktop dock for most people — especially if they want something that supports 8K.

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Best Vertical

While the Plugable 14-in-1 can be oriented on its side, it's more suited for being sat in a stand, pointing towards the sky. It takes up less space on a desk this way, and means you can more easily hide it behind a monitor or a laptop stand. With a mixture of aluminum and plastic in its construction, it's a sturdy dock too, and the rubber feet on the bottom of the included stand mean that it won't move around too much if you're plugging accessories in and out.

Port selection is also very solid, with a pair each of HDMI and Display Ports, alongside five USB-A ports shared between the front and the back. Camera users are served with a microSD card slot and a full-sized SD slot, and then a 3.5mm jack rounds out the selection. It might not be as fully featured as the other docks on this list, but there's plenty here for someone who needs some more ports for their MacBook.

Be aware that M-series users might find some weaknesses. There's only support for a single display, unfortunately, even if you plug multiple in. It's also not been tested with the latest Apple Silicon, so you might want to look elsewhere if you've got a shiny new M3 MacBook Air. Intel Mac users will be served well by the dock, however, so it might be one for the users of older Apple hardware.

Best Portable

If you're looking for something smaller, more compact, and portable, then the Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Mini might be just what the doctor ordered. It's a portable dock, for one, but it has a surprisingly extensive gamut of ports to connect to your MacBook. It connects over Thunderbolt 3 as well, so you'll be able to hook up a display to your MacBook.

There are two HDMI ports on the dock, alongside two USB-A 3.0 ports and a Ethernet connector. That might not sound like much, but its plenty to hook up a keyboard, mouse, and display while you're on the go. It's small enough to slip into a bag as well, so you'll never be without ports.

As with all Thunderbolt 3 docks, Mac users with M-series machines won't be able to connect multiple screens with their dock. Unfortunately, there is only support for one screen over HDMI, so no multi-display setups with your MacBook Air M1. Users of older Intel Macs will be fine, however, and you can easily connect two different HDMI displays to your MacBook using the Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock mini.

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Most Compact

The final dock on the list is one that's great if you travel to different desk setups. It's not 'portable', per se, because it needs a power supply to work properly, but its compact design means that it will easily fit into a backpack or rucksack if you're moving between work zones.

Port selection is solid as well, with two HDMI ports handling most display duties, and then a Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port handling the rest. There are four USB-A ports, and an SD card slot for photographers, rounded out by the requisite 3.5mm headphone jack so that you can connect some cans and listen to your favorite tunes while you work. The dock connects to your machine over USB-C.

This is another dock with iffy support for M1 Macs, so you might want to go for something else if you've one of Apple's first M-series devices. Other M-chips should be fine, and Intel Macs aren't going to have any problems at all.

Q&A

If you want to get the most from your shiny new MacBook, such as if you've just bought the latest 15-inch MacBook Air with M2, then the CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 dock is a must-have. Outside of HDMI ports, it offers multiple sockets for every conceivable physical connection to your MacBook Pro or Mac (and even your iPad), while also providing fast charging at 98W. It's expensive but it's the ultimate docking station for most people.

If portability or price is a concern, then you may wish to consider Belkin's Thunderbolt 3 Dock Mini instead. It has two HDMI and two USB-A ports, along with Gigabit Ethernet, all while being tiny and almost half the price of more expensive docks. It also has a built-in cable so you can unplug the dock and easily toss it in your bag before traveling.

To expand your workspace or home office setup, check out our best charging stations and best webcams for Mac guides for further ways to enhance your working environment. 

Update: 1/5/24: Best Buy's M1 MacBook Air deal has ended - save $150 on an M2 MacBook Air instead!

You'll have seen us use the term 'lowest price ever!' a whole lot here on iMore — although it's never made more sense than with this frankly ludicrous deal that you'll find at Best Buy on an M1 MacBook Air.

There's a massive $300 discount on the machine, which was already reduced from $999, making the machine a ridiculously low $399. That is less than an iPad Air 5, an iPad mini, and even less than a pair of AirPods Max. 'Lowest price ever' doesn't seem to cut it — this deal is, genuinely, unmissable.

The cheapest brand new MacBook you can buy

• MacBook deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy

This is, without exaggeration, one of the best deals we've ever seen on a MacBook. Prices like this are usually reserved for refurbished MacBooks, not brand new sealed models that haven't yet been owned by anyone. While the MacBook Air M1 is not the newest or snazziest MacBook, this price makes it an absolute steal, and well worth picking up.

The M1 chip is still a capable processor, and the 8GB of RAM will be more than enough for everyday computing. This is the perfect deal for the student in your life, whose old computer might be getting a bit long in the tooth.

It's incredibly slim and easy to slip into any sized backpack, and its 13-inch screen is colorful and crisp for watching movies on in bed — and doing all your homework, of course.

Be quick, mind you — at the time of writing, there's only just over 18 hours of time left before the price disappears forever!

Following recent reports that Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X Elite will allegedly trounce Apple’s M3 silicon chip in CPU and AI performance, new benchmark data appears to back up that claim. At least according to Qualcomm. 

At an event in London recently, Qualcomm took to the stage to give “an interim update” ahead of the Snapdragon X notebook launch in June. Marketing material shared by the company at the event appears to indicate that in certain tests, the Snapdragon X Elite does indeed best Apple’s base model chip. 

The figures, shared by Notebookcheck, reveal Geekbench 6 scores for multi-threaded CPU performance, as well as power efficiency figures, and some impressive Cinebench 2024 scores. 

Snapdragon X Elite vs Apple M3 

Out of the gate, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X boasts a couple of clear advantages over Apple’s M3 chip. While both are designed to be efficient, mobile chips primary powering laptops, the Elite boasts 12 CPU cores over the M3’s 8. According to Qualcomm’s figures, Snapdragon X Elite is good for a multi-threaded CPU Geekbench score of 15,610, compared to just 12,154 for the M3. That’s an almost 30 percent performance gap and one that could turn heads at Cupertino. 

The other direct comparison between M3 and Apple silicon is the aforementioned Cinebench scores. While the Snapdragon X Elite lost out to Apple’s best MacBook, the M3 MacBook Air with a single-core score of 126 to Apple’s 142, it shined in the multi-core test, beating Apple’s M3, M3 Pro, and even AMD’s Ryzen 9 8945HS.

The company also shared some telling performance graphs revealing significant advantages in power consumption over several Windows rivals including Itenl’s Core Ultra 9, Core Ultra 7, and another AMD Ryzen 9. Qualcomm also revealed the X Elite is faster than Intel’s Ultra 7 when it comes to loading web browsers, and offers a big GPU boost in 3D Mark’s WildLife Extreme tests. 

However, Apple’s M3 chip absence from these comparisons is telling. That’s not necessarily unexpected, Qualcomm is tackling a Windows market Apple doesn’t operate in, so comparing it to other processors in that space makes more sense. Yet Qualcomm seems happy to show M3 comparisons where it outperforms M3. Clearly, a more comprehensive look and testing will be required once Snapdragon X Elite laptops are available to the public. 

Not that Apple will be too worried about its M3 chip losing its crown. The company is reportedly already working on the development of its M4 chip, and targeting a release of some M4 Macs by the end of the year. 

More from iMore

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Microsoft and Qualcomm might finally have an answer to a chip Apple launched six months ago, but with what Apple has planned next, it might already be a bit behind the competition. 

The first Apple M3 chip device launched back in October last year with the M3 MacBook Pro range. The same chip then launched with the M3 MacBook Air in March this year. The new line of OLED iPad Pros is also tipped to get the M3 chip, with the iPad Air 6 expected to inherit 2022’s M2 chip. This is all to say we’ve had the chip for a while now and most modern Apple devices will have some variation of it. 

According to a report from The Verge, “Microsoft is confident that a round of new Arm-powered Windows laptops will beat Apple’s M3-powered MacBook Air both in CPU performance and AI-accelerated tasks.” These will be powered by the Snapdragon X Elite Processor.

How is Microsoft beating the M3?

Expected to launch on a variety of Microsoft devices, Snapdragon’s new processor is said to beat the M3 MacBook Air for “CPU tasks, AI acceleration, and even app emulation”. It’s important to note that The Verge’s report only cites the MacBook Air line, and not the M3 MacBook Pro range, which can come with the M3 Pro or M3 Max chip. Interestingly, this report claims that Microsoft’s PCs will have “faster app emulation than Rosetta 2”, Apple’s emulation layer for running apps not natively designed for Apple Silicon devices. 

Though Microsoft is well ahead of Apple when it comes to AI, Apple AI might be unveiled as soon as WWDC 2024, weeks after May 20, Microsoft’s AI PC reveal. Not only will Apple’s AI plan play into the M4 chip, which has started formal development, but it will also increase the usefulness of the M3 range. Microsoft has a clear target in Apple’s devices but that target is moving rapidly. Recent reports from February indicate that the M4 and A18 chips “will significantly increase the number of built-in AI computing cores” and the overall performance.”  We’ll have to wait for the official unveiling in May to get a better look at Microsoft’s performance, but when M4 comes out, Microsoft might well find itself on the back foot again.

More from iMore

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The latest and greatest M3 MacBook Air is now on sale and that means that people have been putting it through its paces for a little while. The machine has a lot going for it not least an upgraded chip, a thin and light design, and a choice of colors to boot. But one of the notable additions over the previous models is that the latest MacBook Air can be hooked up to two external monitors at once. The limitation? You'll lose access to the internal display, but that could be worth the trade-off if you need extra space with which to work. However, it turns out there might be a catch.

New testing shows that running the MacBook Air with external displays attached works well, but things can start to go awry when people do something that they've been doing with Mac laptops for decades now. Closing the lid, or running the MacBook Air in clamshell mode as it has become known, can drastically reduce the performance of the machine according to new tests. And when we say drastically, we really mean it.

According to those tests, an M3 MacBook Air's performance can be slashed by almost half just by closing the lid and having it work hard, something that those who work with intensive workflows are likely to do regularly. As a result, running the MacBook Air with the lid open is definitely the way to go — but you can still expect a performance hit when the temperatures start to rise.

Who needs all that performance anyway?

The tests, carried out by YouTube channel Max Tech, show the M3 MacBook Air being put through its paces using the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme Stress Tests. The tests are run using the MacBook Air connected to an external monitor with the lid both closed as well as the machine running with the lid open. The results of the tests give us an idea of how the laptop performs over a period of time, especially when that M3 chip is being pushed to the limit.

As you'll see from the video above, the performance of the M3 does start to decline throughout the tests even with the lid open. An initial score of 8,083 gives way to one of 5,196 as the test is run with the lid open and the laptop starts to heat up. Remember, the MacBook Air is a fanless design which means the only heat it loses is via its built-in passive heatsink. It's a trade-off that has to be made, and for most people, it might not matter. But for those who push the laptop harder, it becomes problematic the longer the M3 is placed under strain.

That lack of fan really bites when the M3 MacBook Air is run in clamshell mode, though. By covering the keyboard area with the display the MacBook Air is stripped of its main method of heat dissipation and the temperatures ramp up more severely. As a result, a score of just 4,198 can be had early into the testing period — a clear indication that heat is an issue.

There are a couple of ways around this, including elevating the laptop to give it more space to breathe or using a cooling laptop pad. Using the MacBook Air with its lid open — even if you just ignore the internal display — is another option, too, but you'll lose that second monitor option. Ultimately, the MacBook Air isn't the best MacBook for those who want performance that doesn't tail off when the heat's turned up. For that, you're probably going to need to look at an M3 Pro MacBook Pro if you want to keep that second external display.

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It's easy to forget in the current era of MacBooks, but there was a time when Apple laptop keyboards were pretty lousy.

Debuting in March 2015, the 'Butterfly' keyboard mechanism arrived in the 12-inch MacBook and then spread to Pro and Air models over the course of a few years, drawing complaints pretty much everywhere it went.

This led to a class action lawsuit in May 2018, prompting Apple to launch its "Keyboard Service Program" which allows for repairs to be conducted free of charge for anyone experiencing the following on an affected model (as per Apple's own site):

• Letters or characters repeat unexpectedly
• Letters or characters do not appear
• Key(s) feel "sticky" or do not respond in a consistent manner

As spotted by MacRumors, though, this program is coming to an end this year, with the discontinued 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2019 the last bastion of butterfly keyboard depending on when it was purchased.

That means, depending on when you purchased your MacBook, you may be running out of time to request a service to keep it running longer, with the latest ones being ineligible after November 2024.

Did Apple ever apologize?

Apple may yet extend the program, but it likely learned its lesson and shifted to scissor-switch keys in the 16-inch 2019 MacBook Pro, then the MacBook Air, and then the 13-inch Pro over the course of a few months.

That class action lawsuit ended with payouts ranging from $50 to $395, but Apple also apologized for the whole thing, albeit suggesting it was a "small number of users".

"We are aware that a small number of users are having issues with their third-generation butterfly keyboard and for that we are sorry," a spokesperson shared with the Wall Street Journal back in 2019.

Did you have a butterfly MacBook? Let us know in the comments.

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What happens when iFixit gets its hands on a MacBook? The laptop gets taken apart, piece by piece, and evaluated for its reparability — and now it's the turn of the M3 MacBook Air.

iFixit has yet to give the brand-new MacBook a score for its repairability, but you can watch the full teardown on YouTube to see the shiny internals of the laptop. We’ve already given it a watch and noticed a couple of key takeaways from the dismantling.

Piece by piece

The first thing we noticed was that, unsurprisingly, the internals of the M3 MacBook Air are almost identical to the M2 MacBook Air with vastly the same layout. That means four screws to open up the bottom panel, a pair of battery units at the bottom held in with easy-to-access adhesive, and a logic board that houses the M3 chip and the rest of the computer gubbins dominating the top.

That logic board, however, hides one of the biggest changes (beyond the obvious M3 chip) to the new model — the SSD. In the 256GB M2 MacBook Air, it was quickly discovered that the SSD was slower than the storage in the M1 MacBook Air. This turned out to be because instead of the dual chip SSD from the old model, Apple equipped the base model M2 machines with a single chip SSD, making for speeds that were much slower than its predecessor.

Testing has shown that the SSD in the base 256GB M3 MacBook is back up to those blistering dual chip SSD speeds — and now iFixit’s teardown physically confirms it. One look at the logic board and the two chips of SSD storage are immediately noticeable.

As for reparability, how is the M3 MacBook Air looking? Well, for one, Apple has used a new U-shaped adhesive on the batteries, making for easy removal, although little else has changed. Of course, watching the experts at iFixit take the laptop delicately apart with ease could make anyone think they are capable of disassembling the laptop, although iFixit has given it a preliminary score of 5 out of 10. That puts it up there with the other best MacBooks, but it's still going to be a tricky job to get it apart. So, like, probably don’t take your new MacBook Air apart.

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Apple's latest M3 MacBook Airs and M3 MacBook Pros might be the best MacBooks ever made, but they all suffer from an issue that has befallen its laptops for years. While they might be fast and quiet, and they have battery life that never seems to end, they all have an issue that Apple seems unwilling to fix — they can't be upgraded.

There was once a time when buying a laptop meant being able to add more RAM and a bigger SSD later in its life, as your needs begin to outgrow its abilities. But that's no longer the case and buyers are stuck with whatever they configured at the time of purchase. Given the costs associated with upgrading both the RAM and storage on Apple's portable Macs, that can be problematic. As a result, people find themselves running out of storage space further down the line with little recourse other than to buy an external hard drive or upgrade to a new Mac altogether. But there might be help at hand, so long as you happen to be in Canada and have reasonably deep pockets.

Now, one Vancouver repair shop says that not only has it figured out how to replace the SSD on Apple's M-series laptops but also that it's confident enough to offer the service to customers. The result? You can hand over your 256GB MacBook and then take it back with a shiny new 2TB SSD installed. The swap-out isn't cheap, though — the upgrade costs 550 of your Canadian dollars per laptop.

How much?

Yes, that's a lot of money and it works out to a little more than $400 when converted to USD, but in a world where the options are limited, it's better than nothing.

Tom's Guide was the first to spot the service being provided by the Vancouver Mac Service Centre, and while the original blog post detailing the work the company will do mentions the M1 machines, we're told that M2 and M3 laptops should be good to go as well although there are some differences in the parts that are needed.

"The overall process is identical, but the parts used are different," Sam Freeman, the owner of VancouverMac.ca told Tom's Guide. "The M1 Pro, M2, and M3 series use smaller chips with more dense connections, making it a bit harder, but it is very doable. I cannot confirm if parts are currently available for the M3 Macs since they are so new, but they will surely be released soon."

The service center says that upgrading the storage is "relatively simple," adding that "the main logic board must be removed, and the NAND chips are removed and replaced with the replacement parts." The process can be seen in the video above and while it may be a simple process for professionals, this is definitely not something you'll want to try at home. Getting the new SSDs physically installed is only half of the job, because getting everything back up and running afterwards still requires plenty of work.

"After the chips are replaced, Apple Configurator is run on the machine through another Mac via USB-C to reprogram the SSD configuration, and correctly link the CPU to the new storage drive, reassigning the encryption parameters," the service center explains.

It goes without saying that this absolutely voids your warranty with Apple, but if you're in dire need of more storage and don't want to splash the cash on a shiny new Mac, this option might be one to consider. 

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If you like the look of the recently launched M3 MacBook Air range but think it’s not quite enough of an improvement for you, the M4 range might finally tempt you to upgrade.

In a recent Q&A blog from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the prolific Apple insider was asked what his first Apple product was. Following his answer (his first Apple product was a blue iPod mini), he further noted he hasn’t yet upgraded from his M1 Max MacBook Pro but may finally make the jump with the M4 MacBook Pro, which has “just started formal development”. The Apple Silicon M4 chip is reported to have a focus on AI development, though it is also due to receive a bump in processing power.  

An AI upgrade

As reported last month, Apple is reportedly planning to “significantly increase the number of built-in AI computing cores” in the next generation of chips coming to iPhone, iPad, and Mac in the future. Specifically, Apple is expected to boost “the number and performance of the new generation M4 and A18 processors,” suggesting both AI and performance could be a major focus. 

Just a few weeks ago, a group of Apple shareholders were considering petitioning the company to reveal its AI plans. This petition, and reports into the ethics of Apple’s AI, was shot down by shareholders at large, but Tim Cook did promise breakthrough AI functionality. 

Though new Apple chips getting power upgrades are always good for customers, the focus on AI is a bit of a more recent development for Apple — the M3 MacBook Air press release talked a lot about the M3 chip’s AI advancements. That press release specifically mentions the combination of its Neural Engine and M3 chip saying: “M3 includes a faster and more efficient 16-core Neural Engine, along with accelerators in the CPU and GPU to boost on-device machine learning, making MacBook Air the world’s best consumer laptop for AI.” 

Though the recent M3 MacBook Air is a great improvement over previous machines and is one of the best MacBooks right now, Apple still hasn’t fully committed to AI implementation yet and we expect AI integration to change a lot over the next few generations. Hopefully, we’ll learn much more about Apple’s AI plans at WWDC 2024 in June, this year.

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Apple’s brand-new M3 MacBook Air features a significantly boosted 256GB SSD hard drive that rectifies one of the biggest drawbacks of the M2 MacBook Air, its read and write speeds. 

In the M2 MacBook Air, Apple used a single higher-density NAND chip for its 256GB SSD storage option. Upon release, it quickly became apparent that the benchmark scores for the chip were significantly lower than Apple’s old M1 MacBook Air, one of the best MacBooks the company has ever made. Apple claimed, "While benchmarks of the 256GB SSD may show a difference compared to the previous generation, the performance of these M2-based systems for real-world activities are even faster.”

Despite defending its decision to adopt the single-chip configuration at the time, Apple has reversed course with the new 13 and 15-inch MacBook Air models, opting for two 128GB chips instead. Because our M3 MacBook Air review features a 512GB model, we’ve not been able to run tests, but data from Max Tech confirms the new SSD is significantly faster than its predecessor. 

M3 MacBook Air SSD speeds 

According to Max Tech, the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air with 256GB of storage delivers sequential read and write speeds of 2,880.2 MB/s and 2,108.9 MB/s respectively. That’s a commendable write speed increase of 33% over the M2’s 256GB capacity and an eye-watering 82.7% increase over the read speed. 

The boost is great news for prospective M3 MacBook Air customers who don’t want to fork out for extra storage just to get the best hard drive speeds possible from the latest MacBook Air. 

Unveiled March 4 and released March 8, the new M3 version retains the popular design of the previous M2 model while delivering significantly faster day-to-day computing thanks to the M3 chip. The latest generation of Apple silicon boasts power and efficiency bonuses over both the M1 and M2 models. Apple also debuted both a 13 and 15-inch model together for the first time, cementing the lineup for the foreseeable future. 

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The new M3 MacBook Air sure does look shiny and powerful — but that full launch price might put you off. There aren’t any official price drops as yet, but Best Buy has a great way of saving some money if you want to buy one of Apple’s latest machines.

If you trade in an old laptop (from any brand, we should add) you could get up to $1,200 of trade-in value towards a shiny new M3 MacBook Air. The top trade-in values are reserved for the most expensive laptops and desktops, of course, but it helps you get rid of a computer you’re not going to use anymore and saves you money on a brand-new MacBook.

Save up to $1200 with a trade-in

• MacBook deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy

To get the most trade-in value, you’ll need to trade in a more expensive laptop or desktop. Apple-wise, that means a MacBook Pro with M3 Pro — something we reckon most people aren’t going to do.

We tried with various other models, however, and the savings are still excellent. If you’re trading in an M1 MacBook Air, for example, you could net a saving of $475 on a new M3 MacBook Air, bringing the base 13-inch model down to $624. That’s an excellent price — and it recycles your old computer without needing to sell it on or dispose of it separately.

You can trade in a laptop from any brand with any specs too, and have a look to see how much you’ll get on Best Buy’s Trade-in estimator. You will find that machines in rougher condition get less trade-in value, but a saving is a saving. If you want to save even more, then you should sign up for My Best Buy Plus for an extra $50 off — you’ll also get Apple Care + for nothing on top as well. 

The M3 MacBook Air is available now, with the 13-inch starting at $1,099 and the 15-inch at $1,299. It wrangled a five-star review from us, and easily ranks among the best MacBooks ever.

Apple fans have been clamoring for a folding iPhone for years, but it looks like there’s only one foldable device in the company’s development schedule at the moment — a 20-inch MacBook.

According to top insider Ming-Chi-Kuo, “currently, Apple's only foldable product with a clear development schedule is the 20.3-inch MacBook, expected to enter mass production in 2027.”

The foldable MacBook has been a long-standing rumor, with previous reports claiming that the 20.3-inch foldable displays would be sourced from Samsung and LG. The timeline was based on a 2025 or 2026 release, but it sounds like the folding concept won’t join the ranks of the best Macs for quite a while longer.

For years, we’ve hoped for a folding iPhone like Samsung’s Galaxy Fold or Flip series of smartphones, but according to Kuo, there’s no clear development plan. That means if you’re hoping for Apple’s attempt at a foldable smartphone, you’re probably going to have to wait quite a while. That said, the company will use the first foldable product release to learn and adapt to a smaller size.

A foldable MacBook

Considering we don’t expect to see this foldable Mac release for at least another three years, information on what to expect from the iMac-sized display is very limited.

The idea of a 20-inch foldable display makes me think of a hybrid Mac/iPad concept that essentially brings the iPad's multitouch capabilities into the world of macOS. What Apple envisages as a folding device is anyone’s best guess, but a folding touchscreen display gives users flexibility in a way we’ve never seen before on an Apple product. 

With a few years until we’re likely even to see prototypes of this foldable MacBook, the product could be so far from the idea we have in our heads when thinking of a folding-display laptop. At the moment, products like the Asus Zenbook Fold give users the ability to quickly switch between multiple forms, whether that’s using a touchscreen keyboard or folding into a small form factor to throw into your bag. Whether Apple has plans to continue that trend or create something entirely different, only time will tell.

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Less than 24 hours after Apple unveiled its brand-new M3 MacBook Air, leaked benchmarks have revealed its substantial increase in power and performance over the M2 model. 

On Monday, Apple unveiled the new M3 Macbook Air, which the company says is “up to 60 percent faster” than one of the best MacBooks of all time, the M1 MacBook Air, and up to 13 times faster than the fastest Intel-powered MacBook Air. Aside from the chip, there are almost no differences to the M2 MacBook Air, which Apple has retained as a cheaper alternative in its lineup. Given M3 and M2 are much closer together in terms of performance, Apple didn’t provide any comparison figures with the M2 model. Thankfully, we have some early benchmarks to do the job for us instead. 

As spotted by MySmartPrice, the new M3 MacBook Air “scored about 20% more in single-core round and 18% in multi-core” tests. The 2023 model tested was the 15-inch MacBook Air with M2 sporting 16GB of Unified Memory. Likewise, the newer M3 Model also had the same Unified Memory, but sports a higher processor clock speed of 4.05Ghz. 

M3 MacBook Air vs M2 performance benchmarks 

At the launch of the M3 chip last year, Apple told us its efficiency cores perform 30% faster than the M2, while its performance cores are 15% faster. As such, an overall performance boost of 20% in the M3 Macbook Air seems about spot on. It’s certainly not enough to make M2 MacBook Air customers upgrade, but if your M1 MacBook Air is starting to show signs of age this might be a decent time to pick up either model as an upgrade. 

The new M3 13-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,099, while the 15-inch model costs $1,299, upgrades to memory and storage notwithstanding. Like the previous model, it’s available in midnight, starlight, silver, and space gray. Apple says this year’s midnight finish “features a breakthrough anodization seal to reduce fingerprints,” much like the space black M3 MacBook Pro. As we noted in our review, the finish performs well on the outer shell, but it’s a little less effective inside the clamshell. 

M3 MacBook Air pre-orders are available now and the device will launch on March 8. 

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Users of the M3 MacBook Pro are going to get one of the biggest new features of the M3 MacBook Air with a software update — native support for multiple displays.

The same limitations apply, however, Apple confirmed to 9to5Mac. That means you can only have the two displays active while the MacBook is closed — so your second screen is either your external monitor or your MacBook display.

More screen real estate for all

The M3 MacBook Air is the first MacBook with a base model chip to be able to handle another extra screen. The M1 and M2 models of MacBook Air and MacBook Pro could only handle one extra screen at a time, whether the screen was open or closed. This new update, while weirdly restricted, is a welcome addition to the newest members of Apple’s laptop family.

Users of the more expensive MacBook models, such as the M2 Pro or even the M1 Pro and beyond have been able to use multiple displays since launch, although that’s due to the incredible power behind the chips and better connectivity. It also gives them another selling point over the lower-priced and lower-powered models. Even now, they’re still superior in multi-display support — you can use the MacBook screen while you use two external displays.

There are workarounds for users of M1 and M2 MacBook Air models — DisplayLink being one of the better options. It’s a free piece of software that allows users to hook up multiple displays, be that over the USB ports or a dock, and get to work. It’s never been the ideal solution, however, as it's known to crash on occasion, although it is a lifesaver for those who need some extra screen — and it still may be for some, as it allows the use of external displays and the MacBook screen, effectively removing that irritating limitation with M3 machines.

We don't know if this software update will appear soon in macOS Sonoma, or whether it will be part of macOS 15 unveiled at WWDC. Given its existing support for the M3 MacBook Air, it's likely to be the former.

The M3 MacBook Air and its multi-display support is a big leap for the best MacBooks, and to see it come to the M3 MacBook Pro is a massive boon — it’s just annoying that you can’t use your lovely MacBook screen while you use two bigger ones.

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The MacBook Air M2 barely feels like it’s had time to bed in, especially if you’ve only just bought yourself one of the newer MacBook Air 15-inch models. That’s not stopped Apple from unleashing new models, however, with the M3 MacBook Air range featuring the firm's latest and greatest in-house silicon.

But are there any extras beyond the M3 processor that the new models bring to the table, and how do the two laptops compare? Let’s take a look at the M2 MacBook Air and the M3 MacBook Air side-by-side.

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M3: Price

When it first launched, the MacBook Air M2 cost $1,099. That’s the same as the launch price of the MacBook Air M3, although since the latest announcement the M2 model has dropped to $999. If you want the 15-inch MacBook Air, then you can now only choose an M3 model— that will cost you $1,199. Apple will no longer sell the M2 15-inch MacBook Air, though third-party retailers will likely stock it for some time to come.

That price drop makes the M2 a great option if you don’t need the latest and most powerful model, saving you a decent sum while getting you a still-powerful computer. 

With the 15-inch MacBook Air M2 now discontinued, it becomes one of the shortest-lived Apple products for some time, barely on shelves for 8 months. Farwell, sweet prince, we barely knew you. It could also make those who’ve only recently bought a 15-inch M2 model a little frustrated, making them think that they could’ve waited a few months for the latest model.

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M3: Screen and external display support

The displays on the M2 MacBook Air and the M3 MacBook Air are the same 13- and 15-inch Liquid Retina panels that we’ve come to love. They are absolutely stunning, featuring incredible color reproduction, crisp quality, and wicked brightness. If you’re looking for something with a higher refresh rate then you’re out of luck, unfortunately. You’ll want to opt for a MacBook Pro with the ProMotion feature.

New with the M3 however, is something that’s going to please a whole load of MacBook Air users — native dual-screen support. Now, there are is a caveat; you can only use the dual screen mode with the laptop closed. For getting more work done, however, this is going to be what many love most about the new MacBook Air — especially given that the MacBook Air M2 couldn’t do it.

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M3: Processor

This is the biggest change between the two laptops, although you wouldn’t know if you just took a glance at the spec sheet. Both the M2 and M3 chips feature 8-core CPUs that have 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores, and both have 10-core GPUs. Those are identical numbers.

Internally, however, things have changed more than you might think. Comparing the two chips means you have to take into account the new 3nm production process, which fits more transistors into the same space as would have been possible with an older chip. The M3 uses this process, and it gives significant boosts to performance. The M2, on the other hand, uses the older 5nm process, which means it doesn’t fit as many transistors in its surface area.

The M3 now has 25 billion transistors whereas the M2 only has 20 billion. What does this mean for power? It means that the M3 performs faster in editing and workflow tasks, with Apple estimating that there’s 20% better CPU and GPU performance.

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M3: Design

The MacBook Air 13 and 15-inch with M3 and the M2 versions have identical chassis, featuring the same super slim aluminum design. It’s no problem, they look incredible and feel unreasonably thin. If you were hoping for a massive visual upgrade, however, you’re not going to find it here.

That doesn’t mean that the MacBook Air looks stale at all, far from it. It’s a glorious angular machine, smothered with glorious premium aluminum. The colors on offer are lovely too, with Starlight, Midnight, Space Grey, and Silver options available.

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M3: RAM

The RAM options also remain the same between the two processors, with 8GB, 16GB, and 24GB available to choose from. As always with MacBooks you’ll want to choose the amount you’ll need over the life of the laptop, as Apple won’t let you upgrade once the machine has already been put together.

The upgrades will cost you as well, and they’re not cheap. For the 16GB upgrade, you’ll pay an extra $200, and then a further $200 for the 24GB. That’s a lot of money to add to an already costly machine, but the performance upgrades are well worth the spend. If you can afford it, of course.

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M3: Storage

Storage options also remain the same from the previous model when you buy an M3 MacBook Air, letting you choose between 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB SSDs. Like the RAM, you can’t add more storage into the laptop once it’s been delivered, although it's less important to be picky here given that you can stick a USB-C hard drive in one of the ports if you run out of space. Make sure you choose enough to install all your apps, however, no matter the MacBook Air you buy.

It’s worth bearing in mind here that the base 256GB M2 models, in our testing, only had single-channel SSD speeds whereas previous models had dual-channel. This, in turn, led to data transfer bottlenecks, and slower transfer speeds. It’s not known yet whether the M3 model will have this issue. The higher storage options didn’t have this issue, moving back up to dual channel. Either way, this limitation was only likely to be felt by the most demanding of super-users. Even in single-channel scenarios, the SSDs are incredibly fast.

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M3: Battery life

Battery life on the two versions of the MacBook is exactly the same, with Apple saying you’ll get up to 18 hours in normal use with both M2 and M3 devices. That will go down depending on what you’re using the MacBook for, so if you’re doing loads of video editing then you’ll see that battery indicator plummet faster than if you’re just doing some writing or web browsing.

Of course, it’s not quite a like-for-like battery experience though. You’ll be able to do more demanding tasks with the M3 chip than you would over the same space of time that you could with the M2 chip. So it’s a more efficient workhorse across that single battery charge than with the previous generation.

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M3: Extra Features

All of the extras here are shared between the two laptop models, although they are all important parts of the MacBook Air experience. The webcam, port layout, keyboard, and trackpad are all excellent on the MacBook Air no matter the model you buy, but it's still worth talking them over.

The FaceTime camera is a highlight of the current crop of MacBooks, with the 1080p webcam found in the display notch providing some top-quality video for those FaceTime calls at work or with friends. There’s some impressive computational image improvement going on here as well, making for some good-looking video call footage.

Ports-wise, you’re going to get 2 USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a MagSafe charging port. The MacBook Air has never been known for its massive selection of ports, but the two ports on the current models are a useful addition. The MagSafe port is one of the best elements however, as it frees up one of the ports that’d otherwise be required for charging, and it means that you won’t send your $1,000+ laptop tumbling to the floor when you accidentally stand on the charging cable. The magnetic connection will just snap off, leaving your MacBook safely in place.

The keyboards and trackpads are lovely too. The keys are clicky with plenty of travel, and while it doesn’t compare to your home keyboard, it’s the perfect typing companion when traveling. Both models feature a full-size row of function keys. The trackpads are large and responsive, and thanks to their Force Touch panels they allow for multi-touch gestures and pressure sensitivity.

There’s a high-impedance headphone jack on both models so that you can connect more power-hungry headphones, and they each support Spatial Audio with their internal speakers. You can connect AirPods for head-tracked personalized Spatial Audio as well.

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M3: macOS

The M2 and M3 MacBook Air models both support the latest version of Apple’s operating system, macOS 14 Sonoma. Given the two versions are only a year or so apart, they’re likely to be supported by Apple for longer than older machines might be.

One thing to note, however, is that the AI focus of Apple’s messaging around the M3 models shows that there could well be features in later versions of macOS that are either only supported by the latest M3 MacBooks, or that will work better on them. If you’re really into the AI-scented future that Apple seems to be looking to delve into, then you’re going to want the M3 chip.

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M3: Which should you buy?

If you’re looking for a new MacBook Air and you want to get the latest and greatest, then the MacBook Air M3 brings some massive power gains to the table that make it well worth the extra cost. If you want to save some money and you’re not bothered about the latest device, however, then you might want to consider grabbing the now-reduced MacBook Air M2. Apart from the processor, it’s almost the same computer.

For our money, we’d opt for the latest model with a little extra RAM. That gives you a mighty machine that’s going to be powerful for some time to come, as well as being ready to handle any future AI applications that Apple might stuff into macOS. It might cost more, but it will handle future workloads much better.

MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M3: Should you upgrade?

That’s a resounding ‘no’ on that one. The MacBook Air M3 brings loads of power, yes, but it's not enough to justify the need to buy the latest version of the MacBook Air if you’re already working on an M2 machine. Instead, wait another couple of years and enjoy the most bang for your buck possible with your current MacBook Air M2.

But what about older Air models? Check out our breakdown of the benefits and drawbacks of the M3 MacBook Air vs M1 MacBook Air. 

The MacBook Air is one of the most portable PCs around, and it brings some wicked features to the table for those looking for a powerful laptop that’s easy to slip into a backpack. The new M3 MacBook Air comes with Apple’s latest home-grown silicon, the M3 processor, and the same stunning design as the previous MacBook Air with M2 chip.

If you’ve got one of the slightly older MacBook Air M1 machines then the new M3 model could look like a very powerful upgrade choice. There’s a massive performance boost (as we’ll soon find out) and you’ll get that lovely new design — but we hope you won’t miss the wedge-shaped option, as these squared-off models are all you’re going to get now!

But just how do the two machines compare? Is it worth trading in your old one and buying one of the latest MacBook Air models? Let’s take a deep dive to find out.

MacBook Air M1 vs MacBook Air M3: Price

This is an important one, and worth looking at first. The MacBook Air with M1, when it was new, cost you $999. The MacBook Air M3 13-inch, however, will start at $1,099, a $100 price bump over the MacBook Air M1. Of course, if you were looking to replace your aging M1 Air like-for-like, then you could save some money and find a new one somewhere like Amazon for anywhere from $799 to $899.

For the price that you’ll pay today, a $799 MacBook Air M1 is still a solid machine, with 8GB of RAM, an M1 processor, and a lovely slim MacBook Air design. Bear in mind that it will be supported by Apple for a shorter period of time, however, as the M1 chip falls behind and won’t be able to keep up with macOS future features.

Keep in mind as well that you have more configuration options with the MacBook Air M3 as well. The MacBook Air M3 has a 15-inch model for starters, so you can get a bigger screen for $1,199. That’s an option that the MacBook Air M1 never had. You’ll also pay slightly more for internal upgrades with the M3 Air devices, although now that the M1 model has disappeared from the Apple Store and been discontinued by the company, you won’t be able to customize one yourself anyway unless you head to a store like Best Buy or B&H Photo.

Whichever way you look at it, the MacBook Air M1 may well be cheaper, but it’s likely not to last as long if you’re looking to keep up to date with the latest advancements to the macOS ecosystem. If you want the cheapest MacBook you can lay your hands on without going for something that’s used, then M1 is your ticket. If you want a laptop that will last you longer, it will cost more, but the M3 is the best for you price-wise regardless.

MacBook Air M1 vs MacBook Air M3: Screen

The MacBook Air M1 is only available in one size — 13-inch. That has a 13.3-inch Retina display, which looks good enough. Stack it up next to the newest MacBook Air models, however, and your eye will be instantly drawn to the newer model.

The MacBook Air M3 laptops have the same displays as their predecessors — a 13 and 15-inch Liquid Retina display with resolutions of 2560x1664 and 2880x1864 respectively. Now, that’s not that much higher than the older model, but it’s that Liquid Retina moniker that does all the talking.

They’re bright, crisp, and stunning to look at. They don’t have the slick 120Hz refresh rate of the ProMotion MacBook Pro displays, but the 60Hz is plenty for most applications. If you’re a video editor or photo editor, the extra sharpness and color you get with the Liquid Retina display is well worth the extra cost.

There is something else you’ll notice when you open up the M3 MacBook Air — the divisive camera notch at the top of the screen. While it might seem off-putting, it quickly blends into the control bar at the top of the screen, and it allows for more useable space below, and a slimmer display bezel.

MacBook Air M1 vs MacBook Air M3: Processor

The primary difference between the new MacBook and the older models is the M3 at the core of the machine. Last seen in the redesigned base model M3 MacBook Pro, the M3 chip is a very potent processor that brings plenty of performance to the table.

There’s an 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores, alongside a 10-core GPU. That adds to a 100GB/s memory bandwidth for some very speedy RAM.

The M1 on the other hand has an 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores, to go with its 7-core GPU. It’s that GPU where the numbers of the M1 drop on first glance — although there’s more to the story.

The M3 is built on the 3nm process, meaning that Apple has been able to make a more powerful and efficient chip than the M1, squeezing more transistors into the same space than is possible with the M1's 5nm process. The performance figures look to speak for themselves. Apple says that the M3 will run game titles like No Man’s Sky up to 60% faster than the M1, for one, giving a massive boost to game performance.

There’s more performance to be had when using AI features, too. Apple gives the example of editing an image using Photomator’s Super Resolution tool — it’s going to be up to 40% faster than M1, and up to 15x faster than an older intel-powered Mac. That’s a massive bonus for creatives, and caters to more strenuous workloads.

Final Cut Pro will show off more of the power of the M3 processor as well, bringing 35% faster speeds than the M1 chip. It’s when compared against an Intel Mac that users will again see the biggest boost, with performance up to 13% faster.

MacBook Air M1 vs MacBook Air M3: Design

The MacBook Air line received a visual update in 2022, bringing a snazzy new aluminum chassis to the table that does away with the wedge shape of the M1 generation. That chassis remains in use for the M3 MacBook Air models, available in 15-inch and 13-inch sizes. It looks lovely — although some do miss the tapering and (at points) slimmer MacBook Air M1. 

Remarkably, despite its slightly larger screen, the comparable 13-inch MacBook Air M3 only adds a little extra depth to the device — 8.46 inches as opposed to the 8.36 inches of the older device. It’s lighter too, although only .1 of a pound. Overall, you won’t notice too much of a difference when slipping either the MacBook Air M1 or M3 into a bag, although the more uniform thickness (or slimness) of the M3 model makes for a more modern-feeling product.

The keyboard on the MacBook Air M3 is different too, borrowing its board from the previous M2 model. It’s a lovely clicky affair, and makes typing super comfortable. There’s also TouchID on both so that you can log in without the need to input your password every time you log in — though you’ll want the M3 model if you want a dedicated row of function keys along the top.

MacBook Air M1 vs MacBook Air M3: RAM

The MacBook Air M1 is available with two RAM configurations — 8GB and 16GB. The 8GB option should be fine for most, but if you find yourself needing more multitasking headroom, then the 16GB option is going to be much better. It will cost you an extra $200, however, and you can’t buy it from Apple anymore. Instead, you’ll have to look somewhere like Best Buy or B&H Photo.

The RAM options on the M3 are larger. The base model still has 8GB, although you can now spec up 16GB or 24GB for some extra multitasking power, so that you can do more with your MacBook. That RAM will be quicker as well, as the M3 chip has more memory bandwidth.

Remember that for both machines the RAM is shared by the GPU and the CPU, so you’ll want to get as much as possible if you’re looking to do any graphics work. It’s also non-upgradeable, so you should future-proof the purchase with as much as you may need for the lifespan of the Mac so that you don’t find yourself wishing for more later on down the line. Either way, the MacBook Air M3, even in its base 8GB model form, is going to be better for multitasking thanks to its faster memory.

MacBook Air M1 vs MacBook Air M3: Storage

The MacBook Air M3 and the MacBook Air M1 have the same storage options. You can get an SSD that’s either 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB inside your new laptop. Just like the RAM, you can’t upgrade the internal storage later on down the road so you’ll want to make sure you get it right the first time you order your MacBook. Note that M2 MacBook Air models had single-channel SSD read and write speeds in that entry-level storage configuration, which created data transfer bottlenecks. It’s not yet clear if that’s an issue to be shared in the M3 line.

MacBook Air M1 vs MacBook Air M3: Battery life

The MacBook Air M3 has, just like the M2 model, a battery life of up to 18 hours. That’s a very long-lasting battery, and will allow you to take your work on the go where you might not have access to a power outlet. That battery life will drop depending on your workload, so don’t expect to get the same battery life as a writer if you’re a video editor.

Similarly, the battery in the MacBook Air M1 will get you 18 hours — so you get the same battery life in the newer model despite the performance boost the M3 will bring to your applications. 

MacBook Air M1 vs MacBook Air M3: Extra features

There are a couple of things that you want to make sure your laptop has. A webcam, plenty of ports, and a decent trackpad are some of the most important, arguably, and both models have some excellent additions. 

First of all, is the FaceTime camera that sits on the top part of the screen. The camera on the M1 MacBook Air is, alas, not very good. It’s a 720p camera that struggles in low light, although the MacBook does its best to improve the image with some clever computational improvements. The M3 model on the other hand comes with a much nicer 1080p webcam, nestled in the notch at the top of the screen. It’s a much nicer webcam, and the extra resolution makes for a better image at the end. There are the same computational improvements as well, although the base picture it has to work from is much better.

The MacBook Air M1 and M3 have the same ports — a pair of USB-C ports. The MacBook Air M3, however, has more usable ports because of the addition of a MagSafe charging connector. The M1 model requires one of the ports to be used for charging, only leaving you with one port that you can actually use to plug in peripherals if you’re looking to charge it from a wall outlet at the same time. The MagSafe connector not only frees up a port, but it also makes for a better user experience, as you don’t have to worry about the laptop careening off a desk if you accidentally step on the charging cable. Instead, the cable just pops right out, not taking the laptop with it.

The trackpads on the two laptops are similar, both featuring accurate Force Touch panels. That means multi-touch gestures, different levels of clicking response, and pressure sensitivity. No matter the MacBook you buy, the large trackpads are some of the best around.

Audio support is good on both, although you’ll find the MacBook Air M3 superior to the older model. While both feature a 3.5mm headphone jack, for example, you’ll get support for high-impedance headphones with the MacBook Air M3. That means the laptop will drive some of those snazzy audiophile headphones, or better reference models for music production.

The speaker setup is better on the MacBook Air M3 as well, with a four-speaker setup. Whereas the M1 model only offers stereo audio, the M3 supports Spatial Audio through its built-in audio system. The speakers in the M1 are known for being excellent, but the M3s are the same as the M2 MacBook Air’s — and they’re even better. You can also connect up your AirPods Pro and AirPods Max for head-tracked Spatial Audio, something that’s not supported on the MacBook Air M1.

MacBook Air M1 vs MacBook Air M3: macOS

Both the M1 and M3 MacBook Air support the latest version of macOS, otherwise known as 14, Sonoma.  Both are likely to be supported by Apple for some time, although the M1 will cease getting support sooner than the M3 model. If you want to know more about macOS Sonoma, then check out our macOS coverage.

If you want the ‘future-proofed’ MacBook Air, then the M3 is the way to go. Sporting more powerful internals, Apple will be able to provide it with new, more demanding software features for longer than the aging M1 model.

MacBook Air M1 vs MacBook Air M3: Should you upgrade?

If you’ve just bought a MacBook Air M1, then no, you shouldn’t. While the improvements are many, you likely saved lots of money by buying the M1 model, so you shouldn’t feel like you made a purchasing mistake. It remains a great machine.

If, however, you’ve had your MacBook Air M1 for some time and you want something new, then the MacBook Air M3 is certainly something you should consider. It’s a stunner of a machine, and you’ll get much better performance if you upgrade. If you want more performance but don’t want to pay the $1,099 for the M3 model, then you should also take a look at the now reduced M2 13-inch model, which you can buy from Apple for $999.

The MacBook Air M3 is a superb upgrade to the MacBook Air line — although whichever MacBook you end up with, you’ve got one of the best portable machines around. The MacBook Air M3 is available to preorder now, and releases on March 8, 2024.

Though the powerful chip and AI functionality of the new lineup of M3 MacBook Air computers are certainly headline-worthy, Apple has finally fixed one of the range’s long-suffering problems — making it less likely to attract fingerprint marks on its most smudge-prone color. 

If you’re a fan of the Midnight MacBook Air but worried about how vulnerable it is to fingerprint smudges, Apple’s M3 MacBook Air press release announced “a breakthrough anodization seal” that will reduce the visibility of such marks. Curiously, this seems to only get applied to the Midnight models but, as someone who purchased the Silver M1 MacBook Air in 2020, I’ve never had a fingerprint problem so this distinction makes some sense. 

Given this will likely be the best Mac for most people, it makes sense that Apple wouldn’t want any colors to have drawbacks like the smudges you could find in previous Midnight devices.

An Apple problem

Not only are the Midnight MacBook Airs, and my 2019 MacBook Pro, a fingerprint magnet but the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a bit of an issue here too. Back, when it launched, some users reported discoloration problems around its edges when they went without a case. In a Support post, Apple says ”the oil from your skin might temporarily alter the color of the outside band. Wiping your iPhone with a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth will restore the original look.” Though the iPhone 15 Pro Max discoloration is only a minor annoyance, a report from last week, catching up with the widely criticized FineWoven case, tells another story. 

In that report, Joanna Stern of The Wall Street Journal took to X to report on the state of her case, which has, in only a handful of months, started to peel at the edges and discolor in the center of the device where the MagSafe component lies. Due to this poor quality, Amazon put a “frequently returned item” banner on the product.

This new coat on the Midnight M3 MacBook Air range, if it proves to be successful, is a step in the right direction for a company that once prided itself so highly on aesthetic details. As Apple’s branding is so clean, a few too many smudges can seriously harm that squeaky clean look. We’ll have to get our hands (and fingers) on it to find out how well this new coat works in real life.

More from iMore

• New MacBook Air M3 models announced 
• The new M3 MacBook Air launch hints at Apple's big AI plans in 2024 and beyond
• The M3 MacBook Air supports dual external monitors... But only with its lid closed

The launch of the new M3 MacBook Air brings devastating news for one of Apple’s best Mac designs. The M3 Air slots into the lineup above the 13-inch M2 Air, while the M2 15-inch and the M1 MacBook Air are gone for good. It’s that last one that we’ll be pouring one out for in the office today.

The wedged design was an ode to the very MacBook Steve Jobs pulled out of an envelope back in 2008. A modernized classic, the wedge shape not only made the original Air and all subsequent models very thin but also incredibly comfortable to use.

While the design launched in 2018, it was the M1 chip that truly cemented this laptop in Apple’s Hall of fame. The M1 MacBook Air reinvented Apple’s most popular laptop with a leap in performance thanks to Apple’s first chip built on its own silicon.

The M1 chip took Apple’s most portable computer to the next level by providing huge battery improvements, with an 18-hour advertised battery life. While the design remained unchanged from the previous Intel model, the M1 chip allowed the portability of the thin and light chassis to really shine.

Goodbye, M1 MacBook Air. Your impact on the best MacBooks will never be forgotten (2020-2024).

Ding Dong! The wedge is dead

 In all seriousness, the newly announced M3 MacBook Air means Apple’s iconic entry-level laptop has been replaced with the M2 MacBook Air starting from $999. It’s a sad day for wedge lovers, but the M1 Air will continue to be sold through other channels like Apple’s Certified Refurbished store.

Ultimately, consumers should rejoice. Now, for the same price, as you could buy an M1 MacBook Air from Apple yesterday, you can now grab yourself an M2 model with a complete redesign and modern design language that makes it one of the best Macs on offer.

Now that the M1 Air has been discontinued, the long-standing wedge-shaped laptop design is gone from Apple’s ranks completely. While the Air design has changed over the years, the tapering from the hinge down to a thin, perfect point has existed since the very launch of the MacBook Air nearly 16 years ago.

Whether or not the wedge will return at some point in the future is anyone’s guess, but by discontinuing the M1 Air, we’ve moved into the next generation of Apple’s laptop offerings, where every MacBook has a bezel-less notched design.

More from iMore

• M2 MacBook Air is now $999
• Refreshed iPad Air, iPad Pro, and M3 MacBook Air to debut in March
• M3 MacBook Air and new iPad Pro have entered production

The M3 MacBook Air has just been revealed, but the price cut to the M2 MacBook Air might just be the best news to come out of Apple's press release.

Starting at $999 and $899 with educational pricing, the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air is now an even better deal than it was just a few moments ago. The M2 MacBook Air is one of the best MacBooks out there, and it is made even better with this $100 price cut.

The MacBook Air lineup now starts at $999 with the 13-inch M2, which is joined by the 13-inch and 15-inch M3 models. The 15-inch M2 MacBook Air has been discontinued.

The price cut is effective immediately, so you can pick up an M2 Air in either midnight, starlight, silver, or space gray today. As for the new M3 MacBook Air, you can preorder starting from $1,099 with the laptops available from Friday, March 8.

One of the best Macs just got even better

For $999, the M2 MacBook Air might just be the best bargain in the Apple Store right now. You can pick one up with an 8-Core CPU and GPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD for the base $999 price, while higher specs, like more storage, bring the model closer in price to its new M3 sibling.

In our review of the M2 Air, we said, "If you need portable power, a great keyboard, and a beautiful and sturdily designed laptop, the new MacBook Air ticks practically every box."

So, if you're in the market for a new laptop, today's Apple announcement has made your purchasing decision a little bit more difficult. That said, it's a good problem when you've got a cheaper M2 Air than it was yesterday versus a better M3 model. 

More from iMore

• Apple to unveil new M3 MacBook Air and new iPads in early 2024
• Refreshed iPad Air, iPad Pro, and M3 MacBook Air to debut in March
• M3 MacBook Air and new iPad Pro have entered production

The new MacBook Air M3 range is finally here, as Apple reveals its slim and light MacBook with the latest M3 processor on board — boasting up to 60% faster speeds than the M1 models that kicked off Apple's own silicon revolution.

The new M3 MacBook Air is available to preorder now and will be released on Friday, March 8, so you don't have long to wait before you can get your hands on one. The new MacBook Air starts at $1,199 for the 15-inch, and $1099 for the 13-inch model.

New MacBook Air is here

While the design remains unchanged from the M2 editions, some headline figures in the press release might catch your eye. One of the biggest is gaming performance, with Apple boasting that the M3 MacBook Air models will run games titles like No Man's Sky up to 60% faster than the MacBook Air with M1.

It looks like there's some good news around creative tasks as well. Apple says that the M3 chip is 40% faster than the M1 version, and up to 15% faster for those still running Intel when using the Photomator's Super Resolution Feature to edit photos with AI.

The new MacBook Air M3 compares well against an Intel i7 too, according to Apple. There's 2x the performance on offer, as well as 50 percent speedier web browsing, and a massive 40 percent longer battery life over Intel-powered machines.

They'll both have stunning Liquid Retina displays, although there's still no ProMotion as found with the MacBook Pros. The rest of the spec sheet reads similarly to the older M2 MacBook Air models — a 1080p FaceTime camera, TouchID in the keyboard, MagSafe charging, two Thunderbolt ports and that lovely svelte aluminum design. Battery life also remains unchanged — up to 18 hours. The M3 seems to be bringing performance gains rather than efficiency boosts.

AI features heavily through the announcement too, with Apple calling the new MacBook Air "The World's Best Consumer Laptop for AI", citing the M3 platform as a great base for on-device large language models. This is looking to be Apple's year for AI, so it's no surprise it's focussing on it with its upcoming products.

The two sizes will come in the same colors as the older model — Midnight, Starlight, Silver, and Space grey. The 15-inch MacBook Air with M2 will no longer be available for purchase, but you will be able to nab an M2 13-inch model at the reduced price of $999.

More from iMore

• Apple to unveil new M3 MacBook Air and new iPads in early 2024
• Refreshed iPad Air, iPad Pro, and M3 MacBook Air to debut in March
• M3 MacBook Air and new iPad Pro have entered production

The MacBook Air M1 might not be the most powerful MacBook that money can buy, but it is still the slimmest, and, in some people's eyes, the most attractive — and now you can nab one for its lowest-ever price on Amazon.

Be aware, however, as the price you initially see on the page is not the price you should be paying. Instead, you’ll have to search the page for a helpful little tick box so that you can save the extra $149 on top of the already present $100 discount: And we know just where to find it.

MacBook Air M1 $250 off at Amazon

• MacBook deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy

The trick to getting the deal is a simple one — it’s not all that hidden or hard to find. It is, however, easy to miss, as while it sits just below the price, it is very small. While the price on the product page over on Amazon says that the MacBook Air M1 is $899, just pan your mouse down and find the little ‘coupon’ tick box, and then add the extra $149 discount so that you can get the best price of $749. Sneaky Amazon, very sneaky.

Now that you know where to look you can get that great deal on the MacBook, and then enjoy the surprisingly powerful fruits of your labor. While it might not be a portable powerhouse like the MacBook Pro or the later MacBook Air M2, it’s perfect for doing some writing, spreadsheet surfing, or Netflix watching on the go. The M1 is still a sweet little chip that doesn’t need fans to stay cool in the MacBook Air, so you’ll have a super quiet machine too — just don’t expect to edit 4K video or play Baldur’s Gate 3 and you’ll be okay.

If you are looking for a super powerful yet equally portable laptop, Apple’s MacBook Air combines excellent specs with a super light feel to fit in almost any situation. Now, with a whopping $300 off the retail price at Best Buy, the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air has never looked better. 

This gives you enough off to get some of the best Mac accessories too like a brand new hard drive, AirPods Pro 2, or a nice MacBook sleeve. At 15 inches, this MacBook is fantastic for browsing the internet, watching videos, and even playing some games.

M2 MacBook Air is now $300 off

• MacBook deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy

The M2 MacBook Air is the ultimate productivity device thanks to good specs, a great keyboard, and fantastic battery life. Given there is no M3 model of the MacBook Air, this is the best processor you will find in an Air model and it shows in its performance. 

Though the smaller 8GB of RAM might seem a little low in comparison to its competitors, it is specifically designed for Apple machines, making it much more efficient with less raw power than your average Windows laptop. If you’re worried the RAM will hold you back, you could always upgrade to the 16GB model, which is also $300 off at Best Buy and comes with double the storage. If you order now, you can get it shipped by as early as next week. 

In our 15-inch M2 MacBook Air review, we say it “might just be the perfect MacBook” and, at this price, it becomes even better. 

Apple is currently busy preparing for the Vision Pro to go on sale on February 2. The company isn't going to rest much after that, it appears. We have already had rumors about a new M3 MacBook Air and a new iPad Pro, and it looks like we may get to see these two devices launch at the end of March. 

In his latest Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman revealed that we may be headed for another March Apple Event. Apple has apparently already started producing the M3 MacBook Air and the new redesigned iPad Pro, with OLED screens this time around, which he expects to be the next Apple devices to be launched.

A refresh for Mac, an overhaul for iPad

Apple didn't do much with the iPad in 2023, but it has plans to do a lot in 2024. The entire lineup is expected to get refreshed. The iPad Pro looks like it'll be the first, alongside the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air. 

Gurman wrote, "I’m told these machines are likely to come out around the end of March — and that the new iPad Pros and 13-inch MacBook Air are already deep in production overseas. The first beta version of iOS 17.4 has also given us a few additional clues. It references some new iPad accessories — there are fresh Magic Keyboards and Apple Pencils on the way — in addition to a possible landscape Face ID camera on the new iPad Pros."

The MacBook Air refresh is likely going to be a spec bump to the M3 chip, but the iPad Pro is set to get a redesign, complete with OLED screens. The displays will be a first for iPad. Gurman also noted that new iPad accessories are likely going to be launched alongwith.

We don't know yet if the event will be limited to these two devices or if we'll be getting some more, but the latter is likely. We should hear more in the coming weeks.

Want to bag a solid deal on a new MacBook Air? This saving on the 15-inch might not be the biggest that we’ve ever seen, but $200 is still a decent amount of money off one of our favorite laptops from last.

This deal marks the second-lowest price for this MacBook, with only a $100 markup on the price last seen over Black Friday. If you need a new laptop, then this deal could be just what you’ve been looking for. 

MacBook Air 15-inch $200 off

• MacBook deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy

The MacBook Air 15-inch is one of the best portable computers that we’ve ever seen. The 15-inch display gives it more space for you to do some work, with more room for spreadsheets, Pages documents, and even video calls. It’s plenty powerful too, with the M2 chip at its heart capable of some seriously impressive computing feats.

While you won’t be doing enormous 3D rendering tasks on it, you’ll certainly be able to do some fairly beefy video editing. Light gaming works well too, and as more games become available on macOS you’ll find that some dialed-down Resident Evil or Assassin’s Creed will run with no problem at all.

That screen and power come in a lovely looking and feeling aluminum shell that lives up to the super-slim legacy of the Air line. It’ll slip into a backpack with no qualms at all, even if you stick a protective case on it.

Not sure that the MacBook Air is the laptop for you? Still want to save some money? We’ve got you covered: Here are the best MacBook deals around.

With just a few days to go before Christmas and the holidays well and truly open us, Apple's best MacBook for most people has just fallen to within $20 of its Black Friday low price, the perfect gift or last-minute treat for yourself before the end of the year. 

Normally priced at $1,299, the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air can now be bought for just $1,049 at a variety of outlets including Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo. 

• Save on every MacBook at Best Buy

15-inch MacBook Air M2 — Black Friday low returns!

With its lovely Liquid Retina display and larger 15-inch form factor, the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air is the perfect laptop for students and creatives on the go who don't need all the raw power of a MacBook Pro. 

Apple silicon means it's very fast and snappy for opening applications, multitasking, and doing lighter graphics-intensive work. It's also very efficient so has tremendous all-day battery life for when you're traveling or just fancy a change of scenery in the local coffee shop. This is back down to within $20 of the lowest price we saw on this model over Black Friday, so one not to be missed this time around. What's more, it'll make the perfect gift for the holiday season, especially for students and teenagers at school and college. 

A new Apple patent filed this week has revealed the company is studying a new MacBook keyboard that could provide adjustable feedback to users, letting them vary the tactile force and the audible feedback of each key depending on how hard you press it, customization, and other factors. 

If that sounds a lot like a mechanical keyboard for Mac then you’re quite right. A new patent filed by Apple this week titled “keyboard with adjustable feedback” notes a new method “for controlling feedback provided by key mechanisms of a keyboard or by a similar input device”, specifically “a keyboard system with adjustable and variable feedback.” The embedded images reveal a MacBook keyboard in the first instance, but there’s no reason to believe this couldn’t also be applied to Apple’s desktop Mac keyboards as well. 

In the patent, Apple notes that the current state of mechanical keyboard testing and prototyping “can be excessively expensive and slow” and that experimenting with new tech or force feedback profiles for key switches requires building entire prototype keyboards, essentially trial and error. What’s more, a keyboard that feels “comfortable and satisfying” to one user “can be deemed completely inadequate in feel to another.” So making keyboards is expensive, and everyone has different tastes. Fortunately, Apple might have a solution.  

The patent 

Apple has patented a keyboard that includes the standard key mechanism and keycap of any great mechanical keyboard. However, it also includes an encoder to transduce the position of the keycap and an actuator “to apply an output force to the keycap,” much like haptic feedback on an iPhone or MacBook trackpad. 

The actuator’s force can be adjusted in a variety of different ways. For instance,, it can be programmed to deliver different feedback depending on how hard you press a key, or where the key is placed on the keyboard. Theoretically, for instance, you could set your W, A, S, D, keys to provide unique feedback in the style of a gaming keyboard. The patent shows macOS interface images that let you adjust the force feedback profile of each key and shows how users could have presets and custom settings. Users would be able to change many factors including “feel, tactility, smoothness, roughness, sound, travel distance, perceived travel distance, and more. 

This patent might never see the light of day, but Apple has successfully leveraged tactile and haptic feedback in many of its past and present devices. Notably, the iPhone SE’s solid-state Home Button and the haptic feedback of the MacBook trackpad, to name but two. If Apple did release a MacBook with an adjustable keyboard, it would almost definitely be the best MacBook ever made.  

More from iMore

• Apple M3 chip: Release date, cores, Dynamic Caching, speeds, and more
• Apple M3 MacBook Air: Release date rumors, news, and more
• Apple M3 13-inch MacBook Pro: Release date rumors, news, and more

At some point this year, Martin Noble, a YouTube content creator, must have come across his old MacBook, which was a late 2008 Intel Mac. Perhaps he hadn’t seen it in a while. Who knows. But when he stumbled upon that old MacBook, at some point, he must have said to himself, “You know, Martin, I believe you can run the Windows Phone operating system on that laptop.” 

For those keeping score, Microsoft officially discontinued support and production of Windows Phone devices in December 2019.

And this past Monday, "after a bit of experimenting,” Noble acted on his observation: He was able to get Windows 10 Mobile to run on his old MacBook, according to Windows Central, who also added that “there is no practical use for this. It's just fun!” 

As proof, this past Monday, Noble also posted a video of his project.

In addition to his video, Noble created a how-to guide to adding Windows Phone OS on a MacBook laptop

Windows Central noted that one interesting aspect of Noble’s exercise was that it showed how well Microsoft's Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps “scale across different screen sizes. Keep in mind, all the apps seen running in the video were designed for a phone, yet many of them scale incredibly well on the MacBook's 13-inch display.” They also said that this flexible scaling was due to UWP being an adaptive app platform.

What’s more is that Nobel just published a how-to guide on his website yesterday, called “How I put Windows Phone on a MacBook!” So, if you’d like to replicate his achievement, he says in his introduction that “this tutorial will explain it in the most basic terms. And if you know what you’re doing, it’s actually very simple.” Nobel also illustrates the story and the four steps you’ll need to use to run Windows Phone on Mac.

If you do get stuck, you could send Noble an email, which he includes at the end of the story.

Personally, when I look at the video, I’m of two minds: Part of me feels like he’s made an Apple MacBook laptop look a bit like it’s possessed with a Windows Phone OS system. Then again, it also reminds me of Bruce Springsteen’s lyrics: "Everything dies, baby, that's a fact. But maybe everything that dies some day comes back."

My M1 MacBook Air has served me well over the last few years but, with it due to stop production as early as next year, it feels like it may finally be time for me to upgrade. Luckily, with the M3 MacBook Pro already getting a pretty huge $150 discount, now is the perfect time to get that upgrade. 

It’s important to note that the 9% discount we have spotted on Amazon promises a delivery date of up to one week before Christmas, making it perfect for a very exorbitant gift for yourself or a (very) loved one. This is the lowest price we have ever seen the M3 MacBook Pro at.

Great power at a great price

• MacBook deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy
• Laptop deals: Dell | Best Buy | Walmart | Lenovo | HP | Newegg | Amazon

Available in space gray or silver, it comes with, three thunderbolt ports, an HDMI Port, and a 1080p camera, the M3 MacBook Pro has some small quality-of-life upgrades from previous models but where the MacBook really shines is in the M3 chip. It offers significantly better single-core, multi-core, and power efficiency stats, whilst new features like hardware-accelerated raytracing and mesh shading allow for much better gaming and rendering performance. 

Increased battery power gives up to 22 hours of battery life out of a single charge, and the upgraded storage capabilities leave plenty of room for all the productivity apps it can run so well. With the launch of Resident Evil 4 Remake on the way for Mac devices, it offers a level of gaming experience never before seen on an Apple device. If you’re looking for a nice upgrade, this is an excellent choice. 

Apple is making a confusing iPad lineup a lot clearer next year by discontinuing one of the most popular entry-level devices it sells, but it’s also set to kill off one of it’s most iconic Mac devices alongside it. The era of the M1 is almost over. 

According to a report in Bloomberg, Apple will be launching an M3 MacBook Air and a new iPad lineup next year, likely ending production of the M1 MacBook Air and 9th generation iPad respectively. The M1 MacBook Air is still an excellent laptop you can get for a steal right now, while the 9th generation iPad is an entry-level tablet that is now regularly on sale for just over $250.

As well as a standard iPad Air and a beefier iPad Pro, an 11th-generation iPad will be released, still containing the iconic home button. The processor has not been revealed yet but iPads in this vein tend to have Bionic chips like those found in the iPhone. 

End of an era

The M1 MacBook Air was the first Apple Silicon chip device, a significant bump from the Intel processors previous MacBooks used. When the M2 models came along, the M1 MacBook Air became the best Mac for those on a budget as the M2 chip is a minor but noticeable bump up from the M1, making it great if you have the spare cash for an upgrade but not necessary if you are looking to spend a little less. 

The 9th generation iPad, on the other hand, contains a version of the A13 Bionic chip found in the iPhone 11 line, making it quite battery efficient but lacking in power. It has the iconic Home Button found in the original iPhone and much thicker bezels than the Pro and Air line, making it good for more casual users and young children.  If you are looking for a tablet to draw and browse the web, it’s an excellent choice but loses out when it comes to using production apps and performing more intensive tasks. 

When new MacBooks and iPads launch next year, entry-level machines will take a significant power bump too, making it an excellent time for a nice new upgrade. 

More from iMore

• iPad (2022) review: Apple's 10th-gen tablet is redesigned ...
• iPad Pro (2021) review: One more reason to go pro
• iPad Pro (M2,) review: A little too familiar and a little too quirky ...

MacBooks are efficient little workhorses. I bought my first new MacBook back in 2020 with the M1 model and, I couldn’t have picked a better time to get one due to the fantastic chip. The Apple Silicon M chips are purposefully designed to go with Apple hardware, and this shows in how efficient and powerful they are. However, as the M1 starts to age just a little, it may be worth committing to an M2 device now that one is on sale. 

Just in time for the holidays, you can pick up an M2 MacBook Air with 256GB of storage for $1,099 – $200 cheaper than its retail price. If you are looking for a great upgrade or a very extravagant gift for a loved one, now is the perfect time. 

A steal for the M2

• Laptop deals: Dell | Best Buy | Walmart | Lenovo | HP | Newegg | Amazon

The 15-inch display shows off a wonderfully designed screen, where the M2 chip with an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU can really display some excellent sights. The M2 MacBook has superb all-day battery life, great performance, and is designed to be nearly noiseless, making it excellent to bring along to a cafe as I often do with mine. 

It is also compatible with all other Apple devices making it excellent at moving over files and sharing applications via AirDrop. Though you could opt to crank up those specs a little with a higher amount of RAM or bigger storage, it is still excellent value for money and won’t need an upgrade for a good few years. Even now, the 2020 M1 still performs admirably and we anticipate the M2 doing the exact same thing. 

The Logitech POP Keys will add some color and a fantastic keyboard to your desk for $66.50 this Cyber Monday — that's over 30% off!

Logitech makes awesome Mac accessories, and the Logitech POP Keys is a great option for anyone looking to purchase their first mechanical keyboard.

The Logitech POP is a Bluetooth keyboard with multi-device support so you can easily switch between your Mac and your iPad. You can also have some fun with swappable emoji keys that work with Windows and macOS.

The battery life is seriously impressive too, Logitech claims that the POP has a 3-year battery life on a single charge which will allow the keyboard to endure up to 50 million strokes. 

30% off the Logitech POP Keys

There are so many mechanical keyboards to choose from nowadays, but those looking for an easy to setup peripheral that works with the Mac should look no further than the Logitech POP Keys with its punchy colors and small footprint.

Cyber Monday is ending in just a few hours, so make sure to check out our best Cyber Monday deals and pick up some new tech before it's too late.

Buy a Mac to go with your new keyboard

• MacBook Pro M3 Pro 14-inch $2399 $2199 at B&H Photo
• MacBook Pro M3 14-inch | Up to $825 off when you trade-in at Best Buy
• MacBook Pro M2 13-inch $1499 $1349 at Amazon
• MacBook Air M2 15.3 inch $1299 $1049 at Amazon
• MacBook Air M1 $999 $749 at Amazon
• MacBook Pro M1 Pro 16-inch $2699 $1949 at B&H Photo

• MacBook deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy

The Apple Silicon transition is in the rearview mirror, and one of the biggest beneficiaries has been the MacBook Air. While the M1 version underwhelmed with its classic (read: old) design, the M2 saw a huge facelift - and the introduction of a new 15-inch version, too.

We awarded the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air a 5-star rating in our review, and a year on, there's still little we'd change - except the price. Thankfully, B&H Photo feel the same way, and Apple's most portable laptop has seen a price cut of another $170 off of the MSRP - bringing it down to just $929.

Where to find the best MacBook Air Black Friday deals

• Amazon — M1 and M2 models discounted
• Best Buy — Discounted 13 and 15-inch M2 models
• Walmart — Renewed M1 stock from under $600

The latest MacBook Air models are an almost impossible combination of power and portability, with Apple's own M2 processor zooming through tasks like me after my morning coffee - but with none of the drawbacks. You'll still get more power from a MacBook Pro, but in doing so you lose a lot of the portability of the Air, which still offers fantastic battery life.

MacBook Air M2 from $929

•  Laptop deals: Dell | Best Buy | Walmart | Lenovo | HP | Newegg | Amazon

The MacBook Air is now so capable I almost feel a bit silly for owning a MacBook Pro when I use a fraction of its power - I said as much earlier this year when the 15-inch version was revealed. 

Even a few years into the Apple Silicon switchover, it feels a little like witchcraft that so much power and potential can be squeezed into such a small form factor. The MacBook Air is a great-looking machine, too, but perhaps the biggest boon for Intel or even M1 users is that Apple finally (FINALLY) upgraded the webcam to 1080p.

I love my MacBook — It’s a 14-inch M1 Pro model, and it’s got all the power that I could ever ask for. What it doesn’t have, however, is a massive SSD inside. For most people, the 512GB of storage is fine. For me, however, it has quickly filled up with untold amounts of digital detritus, from half-finished screenplays to semi-edited video files. As a result, my 512GB is now full. If I want to save something, I must delete something else. A soul for a soul, as it were.

Where to get the best storage deals

• Save up to $200 on Storage at Amazon
• Up to $238 off storage at Best Buy
• Massive savings up to $600 at B&H Photo

Thankfully, there are loads of ways to extend my storage, with a multitude of different storage options available. I could plug a portable SSD into one of the USB-C ports, or stick an SD card into the card slot on the side to add some much-appreciated extra storage — and now, I can do it for cheaper with some massive storage deals in Amazon’s Black Friday sale.

Those sales are ongoing, and there are already some epic Apple deals to be had along with these great storage deals. They’ll be running up to Cyber Monday next week, so there’s plenty of time to get involved.

Simply Storage Savings

The M1 MacBook Air is my number one recommendation for a first-time Mac buyer, and you can buy it via Amazon’s Black Friday sale with a £200 discount in the UK.

I use the M1 MacBook Air daily, and while a 20% discount and a price of £797 is a fantastic offer, we’ve seen this particular model sell for slightly cheaper in the past. That’s why I think anyone looking to purchase an M1 MacBook Air this Black Friday should wait until the price is closer to the £770 mark.

I’ve used the M1 MacBook Air since it originally launched in 2020 as Apple’s first venture into Apple silicon, and it has never let me down since. The model on offer here is the base model with 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD. Combined with a 13-inch Retina display, this laptop is the perfect companion for students or anyone looking to purchase their first Mac, making it one of the best Black Friday MacBook deals of the week so far.

A trusty MacBook for less

Laptop deals: Dell | Best Buy | Walmart | Lenovo | HP | Newegg | Amazon

The reason I recommend the M1 Air over other options, especially when someone is looking for a trusty laptop that gets the job done, is because of how cheap you can find this particular model during shopping events like Black Friday. This Mac is too good to skip over when you’re paying under £800 or $800, especially in the UK, where Macs have gotten increasingly more expensive over the last few years.

The current offer is available in Silver, Gold, and Space Grey and has everything you need for a brilliant laptop experience, including a fully backlit keyboard, a FaceTime HD camera, and Touch ID.

If you’re in the US, you can pick up the M1 MacBook Air for as little as $749 from Best Buy, and for that price, you seriously can’t go wrong with this trusty machine.

Black Friday may be over, but the Cyber Monday sales have just begun. That means that the best MacBook deals are still rolling in, with massive savings in tow on some of Apple's coolest devices from the MacBook Air to the MacBook Pro. We've already seen some incredible savings over the last few days, so we're hoping for some even lowest prices over the weekend.

Whether you're looking for a MacBook Air M1 or a brand new MacBook Pro with M3 Max, there is a monster deal waiting for you at a retailer this Cyber Monday. The biggest surprise of the year is the two-week-old M3 machines receiving some massive discounts, with massive price drops on some of Apple's newest and most premium machines. Those are the deals likely to disappear quickly, so if you're interested in picking up one of those then you should move fast.

There are also big savings on the MacBook Air 15-inch and 13-inch with M2, making for some of those lowest prices ever. That means you won't be paying as much to pick up a brand new laptop this year — and you'll be paying even less for the MacBook Air M1, also at its lowest price.

We've rounded up all the latest prices and best deals across the US and UK below. All you need to do is double-check that the RAM and storage configurations suit your needs — there are lots of options to be checked, and remember that it's near impossible to upgrade these components post-sale.

Editor's Choice MacBook deals

Best MacBook Cyber Monday deals at a glance

• MacBook Pro M3 Pro 14-inch $2399 $2199 at B&H Photo
• MacBook Pro M3 14-inch | Up to $825 off when you trade-in at Best Buy
• MacBook Pro M2 13-inch $1499 $1349 at Amazon
• MacBook Air M2 15.3 inch $1299 $1049 at Amazon
• MacBook Air M1 $999 $749 at Amazon
• MacBook Pro M1 Pro 16-inch $2699 $1949 at B&H Photo

STOP THE PRESS! There's already a massive deal on the brand-new MacBook Pro M3 models over at B&H Photo. There, you'll save a great deal on the two main 14-inch models, with a coupon on the main base model and then a big $200 off the Space black M3 Pro version with a 1TB hard drive. These aren't likely to stick around for long, so make sure you get in there quick!

Best MacBook Air Cyber Monday deals

US Deals ($)

UK deals (£)

Best MacBook Pro Cyber Monday deals

US deals ($)

UK deals (£)

MacBook Cyber Monday deals Q&A

The NEXA laptop sleeve by Journey is a 4-in-1 protective case for your MacBook with incredible versatility. It takes a lot to make a laptop sleeve stand out, but Journey has done a fine job with its included wireless charging pads for phones and AirPods. Not only does it protect your laptop and wirelessly charge devices, but it also doubles as a nifty desk mat or even a mouse mat for true 4-in-1 utility.  

NEXA 4-in-1 Laptop Sleeve: Price and availability

The NEXA 4-in-1 laptop sleeve is only available from Journey’s official website. In the U.S. it costs $109.99 for either the 13 & 14-inch or the 15 & 16-inch versions. It comes in two colors, Black or Dove Grey, pictured here. It’s also available in the UK for £79.99, Canada for $119.95 CAD, and Europe for €113,95.

• NEXA 4-in-1 laptop sleeve

NEXA 4-in-1 Laptop Sleeve: Design and Build

The NEXA 4-in-1 boasts a tremendous design and a lovely finish and feel. Apple users will be impressed by the unboxing experience, which takes inspiration from Apple’s own boxes and features flush accessories packed into a neat housing, and of course, stickers. 

For the most part, it’s a fairly regular laptop sleeve. The “top” side is made of vegan leather that naturally feels more synthetic than regular leather might. However, it also feels much tougher and durable, and more practical in mouse mat mode, which I’ll get onto later. This leather is very neatly stitched to the opposite panel, which is a much more textured grey finish. Both exude quality and it’s a slick-looking piece of kit. It’s only when you get to the mouth of the sleeve that you realize this is no ordinary laptop pouch. The aforementioned rear panel is extended and features a flexible flap that folds over to seal up the pouch, keeping your MacBook secure. And it’s here too where the magic happens. Within the extension are subtle but defined raised areas for wireless charging a phone and a pair of wireless earbuds.

NEXA 4-in-1 Laptop Sleeve: Features

As a MacBook sleeve, the NEXA feels very protective, and I would have no problem lugging my MacBook around in this all day, throwing it into a bag, commuting, or anything else. Its smooth surfaces also wipe clean with ease, so it can brush off any grime from the slightly sticky table at the local cafe. You know the one I’m on about. 

The NEXA features a USB-C 12V/2.5a port that can be connected to a plug socket (not included), or directly into a MacBook, as I’ve found most useful. Once plugged in, those two charging pads supply wireless charge to two devices simultaneously. The round one is a Magsafe compatible wireless charger for phones that delivers 15W of power, while the rectangular one can house any wireless charging earbuds including Apple’s AirPods and AirPods Pro, charging them at up to 5W. 

Both use magnets to keep your devices securely in place, and there’s no hint of them being disturbed if you move the NEXA itself or anything in the surrounding area. The charging response is instant, and thanks to the aforementioned magnets you know your device is always aligned correctly and receiving juice. 

Not content as merely a sturdy laptop sleeve with wireless charging, the NEXA triples, nay quadruples as a mousemat, and a nifty desk pad. If you sit the NEXA adjacent to your MacBook you’re left with a sizeable surface to situate a mouse on. Naturally, it’s about the same size as your MacBook itself. As such, this mode doesn't lend itself well to small spaces, but in the right environment, it’s perfect. The leather surface is definitely noticeably draggier as a mouse surface than my own highly-tuned gaming pad, but for a portable mousemat solution, it’s a sure-fire upgrade to nothing at all and very snazzy. 

If you do find yourself limited on space, you can stow the mouse, pop your MacBook atop the leather, and use the NEXA as a mobile desk pad for any workspace. Just because it's more compact and the NEXA is a great travel companion, this is my preferred mode of use. What’s more, even if your devices don’t need to be charged, they sit flush on the magnetic pads neatly arranged and secure. Take it to any local artisan roastery and you’ll be the envy of every digital nomad in the room.  

I’ve most enjoyed using the NEXA plugged into my MacBook, as this keeps everything nice and neat with the cables. You can, of course, plug your NEXA into the wall or a charging bank of sorts for juice too. The former will of course drain your battery, more so than simply plugging in an iPhone to charge. But it’s more convenient, turning one USB-C port into two and giving you that extra flair of a mousemat or a deskpad. If I had one complaint, it’s that the NEXA functions best in this configuration, but the included cable is much too long for this, and there’s a lot of excess. But this is such a minute detail it’s not enough to dent the five-star rating.

NEXA 4-in-1 Laptop Sleeve: Competition

In so far as I can tell, the NEXA is completely unique as a MacBook sleeve that offers this much functionality. If you want a MacBook sleeve without any of the bells and whistles, then I’d recommend the Moshi Muse 3-in-1 from our best MacBook Pro cases roundup. The HYZUO Laptop Sleeve case is also very stylish. Apple also stocks the von Holzhausen MacBook Portfolio case, which is a bit more expensive and is made from 100% vegan leather, as well as microfibre made from 100% recycled plastic water bottles. None of these, however, entice me more than the NEXA. 

NEXA 4-in-1 Laptop Sleeve: Should you buy it?

NEXA 4-in-1 Laptop Sleeve: Verdict

The NEXA 4-in-1 laptop sleeve is an absolute triumph. I love the ingenuity of its design and the features Journey have packed in. The materials themselves are lovely and this is a well-built, rugged, and durable MacBook sleeve that still feels premium and quality. The charging is surprisingly useful and not gimmicky at all, with magnets and solid power delivery this is a genuinely excellent on-the-go charging solution for any MacBook user. It’s also a premium portable desk pad and a fine mouse mat to boot. 

The biggest screen you can get on a MacBook of any type is 16 inches on the MacBook Pro. That, for a portable machine, is a big screen, giving you loads of room to work with on the train. When you’re at home, however, with more desk space to stretch out over, you might find yourself wishing for just a little more screen real estate to help you get more done. One of the best 4K monitors for Mac could be just what you’re looking for, with a massive range of styles and sizes for you to choose from.

From Apple’s own displays to other manufacturer's options, there are loads of ways to find more screen space for your laptop. And now, with Black Friday rapidly approaching, there are going to be loads of deals on 4K monitors so that you can save some money on a brand-new display. In fact, before the sale has even begun, there are already some good savings on our favorite monitors — here are three of the best.

Monitor savings

Where to find Black Friday Monitor deals

• Amazon — Monitors at great prices
• B&H Photo — Massive display savings
• Walmart — Loads of early Black Friday deals
• Target — Save on a brand-new monitor
• Best Buy — Don’t pay full price with an early deal