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Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) vs Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M1)
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) ($772) vs Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M1) ($249) — side-by-side specs, weight, pros and cons to help you pick the right ultraportable laptop.
Spec-by-spec
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) | Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M1) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $772 | $249 |
| Weight | 1240g | 1290g |
| Chip | M3 | M1 |
| Display | 13.6" Liquid Retina | 13.3" Retina |
| Ports | MagSafe 3, 2x Thunderbolt, headphone | 2x Thunderbolt, headphone |
| Cooling | Fanless | Fanless |
| Displays | Two external with lid closed | — |
| Weight | 1240g (Apple published) | 1290g (Apple published) |
| Battery | — | Up to 18 hours |
Pros & Cons
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3)
- Two external displays, which the M2 could not do
- Faster chip in the same 1240g body
- Fanless and silent
- Better SSD than the base M2
- Marginal gain over an M2 for most tasks
- 8GB base memory again
- Still throttles under long exports
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M1)
- Extraordinary value at this price
- Fanless and silent
- Battery life still excellent
- Fast enough for real work in 2026
- Wedge shape is thicker at the back than modern Airs
- Only two ports and no MagSafe
- 8GB base memory
- 1290g, heavier than an M2 Air
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M1) is the better value at $249. If weight matters most, Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) carries lighter at 1240g. Both are part of our curated ultraportable laptop index — tap through to check current pricing.
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