When can we expect firm specs for the M3 Airs?

[3SQ Machine]

All the reports say "March" but anybody know WHEN exactly in March? Everything I read makes it seems like no one really knows, except TC maybe. Macworld is just as vague.

Any good sources for real specs or other info? I can only find the rumors, but would be great to know if there's going to be a new color, or if they use the M3 8 or 10 core GPU chip, and of course anything else.

 

[JPack]

You'll have to learn to live with the unknown. The original info came from Gurman/Bloomberg and everyone is just repeating it.

 

[Elusi]

Everything's speculation at this point. Often the release period talked about is based off guesswork and can be wrong as well. Back in mid-October, Gurman guessed that the M3 MBPs would be released in 2024. He couldn't see it coming that they would be announced just weeks after that prediction.

Regarding specifics on color etc. Those things usually don't leak.

I feel it's fairly safe to assume that whatever M3 configs that are available for the base M3 Macbook Pro would be available for a theoretical M3 MBA. With a somewhat diminished value of getting the 10C GPU.

What I wouldn't count on 100% is seeing the M3 MBA released in March.

 

[G5isAlive]

All the reports say "March" but anybody know WHEN exactly in March? Everything I read makes it seems like no one really knows, except TC maybe. Macworld is just as vague.

Any good sources for real specs or other info? I can only find the rumors, but would be great to know if there's going to be a new color, or if they use the M3 8 or 10 core GPU chip, and of course anything else.

your new here aren’t you? You want specifics go to the Apple web site. What not there? Then Apple hasn’t announced/released it. And anything you read is speculation at best. Sorry. I wouldn’t even count on “march”

 

[azentropy]

March 12th since that is when I have a dentist appointment.

 

[Technerd108]

Wow, give the guy a break....

As others have mentioned there is no firm news about release until Apple officially announces it. Apple doesn't leak a lot of info until very close to launch and even then it isn't everything most of the time or something they said was wrong.

Everyone hear seems to think later but I think it will be late quarter one or early quarter two. So either the spring or summer is what I would bet my money on. Summer would be almost a year for the M2 15" or about exactly a year since release which would be a good enough time for those owners to be satisfied with a new air.

I doubt they would release any later because iPhone.

 

[iStorm]

The 15" MBA has only been out for half a year. I agree with the others and think March would be too soon for an update. Who knows…what if Apple ends up skipping the M3 MBA, just like they skipped the M2 iMac.

 

[Chuckeee]

I would expect (except for the display, keyboard, trackpad and sound of course) the M3 Mac Book Air capabilities and options to closely mimic the M3 iMac. Their logic boards (“computer on a stick”) have a similar layout.

 

[AngryBrit]

I might pull the trigger and get an M3 13" Air to replace my 14" M1 Pro MBP if they ship it with 32GB memory. Mainly due to weight. I prefer smaller machines now. Gone from 17" MBP > 15" MBP > 14" MBP.

Just hope it can run VSCode, Xcode, Simulator etc and Docker with no issues.

 

[aj_niner]

MBA M3 chip SKUs will be identical to those of the

• MacBook Pro (14-inch, Nov 2023)
• iMac (24-inch, 2023)

 

[Surfsalot]

next year

 

[jdb8167]

I might pull the trigger and get an M3 13" Air to replace my 14" M1 Pro MBP if they ship it with 32GB memory. Mainly due to weight. I prefer smaller machines now. Gone from 17" MBP > 15" MBP > 14" MBP.

Just hope it can run VSCode, Xcode, Simulator etc and Docker with no issues.

It will have the same max specs as the M3 MacBook Pro so 24 GB memory at most.

 

[Bob_DM]

Will not be surprised with a new iMac look design, but don’t have a clou as everyone else!

 

[AngryBrit]

It will have the same max specs as the M3 MacBook Pro so 24 GB memory at most.

I still have hope.

 

[neo_cs193p]

My guess is it will have the same specs as the M3 iMac.
Same CPU/GPU options, same RAM options, same SSD options.
I'm hoping for a few new colors to boost sales, but not holding my breath.
I'm hoping for anti-smudge coating for the midnight, but not holding my breath.
And I wouldn't bet on March.

 

[tstafford]

My guess is it will have the same specs as the M3 iMac.
Same CPU/GPU options, same RAM options, same SSD options.
I'm hoping for a few new colors to boost sales, but not holding my breath.
I'm hoping for anti-smudge coating for the midnight, but not holding my breath.
And I wouldn't bet on March.

Seems like a good guess to me.

 

[bradman83]

I might pull the trigger and get an M3 13" Air to replace my 14" M1 Pro MBP if they ship it with 32GB memory. Mainly due to weight. I prefer smaller machines now. Gone from 17" MBP > 15" MBP > 14" MBP.

Just hope it can run VSCode, Xcode, Simulator etc and Docker with no issues.

They won't, it will have the same memory tiers as the other regular M3 machines - 24 GB maximum RAM for the standard M3 chip.

 

[turbineseaplane]

It will be identical to now ... with M3's

I wouldn't overthink it.
Apple has stopped doing anything really that innovative in the laptop space (sadly)

 

[Technerd108]

It will be identical to now ... with M3's

I wouldn't overthink it.
Apple has stopped doing anything really that innovative in the laptop space (sadly)

I don't agree. M chips made a truly performative fan-less laptop a reality. Pretty innovative to me. Same performance on battery as with it plugged in. Pretty innovative.

Light yet durable, compact yet a lot of screen. There are tons of windows laptops like an m2/3 air? No. Sure they may have better specs, some components, and performance but they will need fans, will heat up more, and do not have a similar build quality for a similar price with some exceptions.

So basically there is nothing else like an air if you want an ultra portable laptop that can actually do some work all without breaking much of a sweat and lasting all day on a single charge.

Could Apple make some meaningful upgrades to the air line that are already in Windows laptops, yes! But Apple is Apple and they will squeeze every dollar they can. So a 60hz non touch LCD IPS display is the compromise you make compared to say a 120hz touch gorilla glass OLED 2.k panel in some competitions at a cheaper price.

What do you define as innovation. A complete redesign of the laptop chassis? A new chip architecture? Unified architecture? What would satisfy as innovative because the more I go the more innovative yet done in a tasteful non guady way the MacBook air M2 is.

 

[Mainsail]

It will be identical to now ... with M3's

I wouldn't overthink it.
Apple has stopped doing anything really that innovative in the laptop space (sadly)

I agree. The MBA will get the M3 spec bump sometime between March and WWDC in June. Perhaps some other minor specs, but don't hold your breath for more RAM and storage in the base models. As for the design and form factor, I would not expect changes. The current 13" MBA was released in the summer of 2022, so about 1.5 years ago. The typical MBA cycle is roughly 4 to 5 years.