Unlike the norm, Apple unveiled the M3-equipped MacBook Pros before their Air lineup back in October (2023). Later, the Cupertino giant refreshed its 13 and 15-inch Airs with the M3 silicon in March (2024) then bumped up the base memory to 16GB. Only a few weeks later, the MacBooks are now available in Nepal. In this article, let’s take a closer look at the Apple MacBook Air M3 (13-inch), its specifications, upgrades, and official price in Nepal alongside availability details. 

Apple MacBook Air M3 Price in Nepal and Availability

MacBook Air M3 launched in the USA in March 2024 but now ships with 16GB of unified memory by default. This model is now available for purchase here as well but you'll still be able to find older 8GB variants due to remaining stock. The official Apple MacBook Air M3 price in Nepal now starts at NPR 168,000 for the 16/256GB variant. You can purchase it via the Hukut Store with a complementary laptop sleeve and hardshell cover!

Buy Macbook Air M3 here

Apple MacBook Air M3 Overview: 

M3 Magic

The M3 chip in the new MacBook Air 13 is the same one that we saw in the base MacBook Pro 13 from last year. According to Apple, the processor is up to 60% faster than the base M1 SoC. It features a total of 8 Cores with 4 on the performance side and others on the efficiency end alongside up to 10 GPU cores. The chip now supports hardware-accelerated mesh shading and raytracing alongside an AV1 decode engine for efficient video streaming and playback. This allows for higher-quality video even at low bitrates which enhances the overall streaming experience.   With that extra power, the base MacBook Air (with M3) can now drive two external displays with its lid closed. You can configure the machine with up to 24GB of unified memory and up to 2TB of storage while the base variants continue to ship with a modest 8/256 trim. 

Design 

Looks-wise there isn’t an overhaul like we saw with the M2 Air. You get the same unibody metal design that weighs less than 1.25 kg and measures just a tad more than 1 cm. And unfortunately, we aren’t getting new colors either. Besides the standard ‘Silver’ and ‘Space Grey’ color options, you can pick between ‘Starlight’ and '‘Midnight’- the latter of which now features a new anodization seal to reduce fingerprints.

• Meanwhile, check out all the prices and specs of MacBooks here

The screen doesn’t see any upgrades on paper either. The MacBook Air M3 sports a 13.3-inch Liquid Retina display that can hit 500 nits of maximum brightness. Resolution and colors also stay the same at 2560x1664 and Wide P3. Alongside that, the notch is still there and houses the same FHD webcam. 

New Chip, Same Endurance

Apple quotes the same 18 hours of battery life as they did for the M2 MacBook. In theory, the newer M3 with its more efficient 3nm architecture should provide more endurance with the 52.6 Wh lithium polymer battery, but that seems to not be the case (according to Apple). And although the device supports up to 67W of power via USB-C, Apple ships a 30W MagSafe charger with the base variants. 

• Also Read: 
• Apple MacBook Air M3 vs M2 vs M1: Which one should you buy?
• Apple MacBook Air 15-inch gets an M3 refresh!
• MacBook Pro 14 (2023) with new M3 chips is officially here!
• The 16-inch MacBook Pro (2023) with new M3 Pro and M3 Max chips is finally here!!!

On the same topic, let’s take a look at the ports, which again, are the same as the previous generation with a modest 2 Thunderbolt 4s, a Magsafe, and a 3.5mm audio jack. 

Everything else is the same

Everything else — except the WiFi stays the same. You get the same Backlit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Force Touch trackpad that MacBooks are famous for. There are a total of 4 speakers with support for ‘Spatial Audio’ and ‘Dolby Atmos’ and a three-microphone array with beamforming tech. The WiFi gets a slight upgrade from WiFi 6 to 6E but Bluetooth connectivity is the same at version 5.3. Apple MacBook Air 13 with M3 boots on macOS 14 Sonoma.

Apple MacBook Air M3 (2024) Specifications:

• Dimension: 0.16-0.63H x 11.97W x 8.36D-inches, 1.29kg
• Display: 13.6-inch Liquid Retina IPS display; True Tone technology; P3 Wide Color; 500 nits
• Resolution: 2560 x 1600 pixels; 16:10 aspect ratio
• CPU: Apple M3 chip (Octa-core, 3nm)
• GPU: 8/10 cores
• RAM: up to 24GB of unified memory
• Storage: up to 2TB SSD
• OS: macOS Sonoma
• Keyboard: Backlit Magic Keyboard
• Camera: 1080p FaceTime HD camera
• Ports: 2x USB-C Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, 3.5mm headphone jack, MagSafe 3 port
• Connectivity: WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
• Battery: 52.6Whr LiPo Battey; (up to) 67W USB-C power adapter
• Colour options: Space Grey, Silver, Midnight, Starlight
• Read the full specifications of the Apple MacBook Air M3 (2024) here.

Check out comparison between M1, M2, and M3 MacBook Air