The 15-inch MacBook Air launch seems inevitable, considering the increasing amount of chatter mentioning the upcoming laptop. As a former MacBook Air user, I’m incredibly excited about the larger model. The most recent report claims that the 2023 13-inch MacBook Air and the 15-inch model will feature the new M3 chip, just as I had speculated. And that’s just one of the reasons that I can’t wait to check out the new larger model.
I originally got the 13-inch MacBook as a compromise. My old 15-inch MacBook Pro it replaced needed a battery change. And a faster chip. The Air was a great alternative considering the bargain I had found. I thought I’d keep the laptop just long enough to get me through a busy MWC, where I needed plenty of battery life to cover all the events. Then, I’d pass it on to someone in the family or resell it to get one of the newest upcoming MacBook Pro models.
Little did I know that I’d end up using the 13-inch MacBook Air for well over three years until I switched back to a MacBook Pro, the first 16-inch variant. The experience was amazing. I did not miss the Pro despite the occasional hiccups. But this was back in the days of Intel-powered Macs, and that’s a detail that matters.
The main reason for the switch wasn’t the extra power, the better set of specs, or Apple’s redesigned keyboard. It was the screen size. I don’t always use a second monitor, and the 13-inch display becomes increasingly crowded.
But the downsides of moving to the Pro were immediately obvious. The laptop is heavier than the Air, and the battery life just couldn’t compete. That’s why I can’t wait for the 15-inch MacBook Air to arrive. Especially if 9to5Mac’s report is accurate. The blog learned that the 15-inch model will indeed feature an M3 System-on-Chip (SoC), just like the upcoming 2023 13-inch MacBook Air and 2023 13-inch MacBook Pro.
The 15-inch display size in a compact notebook featuring incredible battery life is a terrific prospect. The M3 is a 3nm SoC, so it should deliver major battery life gains over the M2, in addition to the expected performance improvements.
The M2 SoC gives the 2022 MacBook Air 18 hours of battery life. The M3 13-inch model should be even better. And the 15-inch Air should, at the very least, match the M2 MacBook Air. Interestingly, the 2023 M2 14-inch MacBook Pro also gets 18 hours of battery life on a system that’s even more powerful.
But, as I told you recently, we’ve reached a point where buying the Apple “Air” products makes more sense than going for the Pros. Whether it’s MacBooks, iPhones, iPads, or Apple Watches, the mid-range models are incredible and will save you money. There’s no iPhone Air, but Apple sells previous-generation iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models. Add the base iPhone 14 variants, and you have plenty of decent options that are more affordable than the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.
The 15-inch MacBook Air falls in that category. The M3 chip would give it enough power to outperform most rivals. Add the larger display, great battery life, and a weight between the M2 MacBook Air’s 2.7 pounds (1.24 kg) and the 16-inch MacBook Pro’s 4.8 pounds (2.16 kg), and the 15-inch laptop is too good to pass up.
It might not seem like such a big difference, but lugging around the extra weight can take its toll.
The only mystery that remains is the starting price. The M2 MacBook Air starts at $1,199. The cheapest M2 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro goes for $1,999. Finally, the most affordable M2 16-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,499. Therefore, the 15-inch MacBook Air could very well start at around $1,599. But that’s just speculation at this time.
