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Of all the biggest missed opportunities in Microsoft’s rather long history of squandered chances, Windows on Arm is the one I’m saddest about – but that could soon change. When Windows 10 on Arm was first being touted (the less said about the earlier Windows RT the better), the promise of a fully-fledged version of Windows running on Arm-based hardware usually found in smartphones and tablets (rather than the more common Intel and AMD hardware) was incredibly exciting. We were told that Windows 10 on Arm would combine the power and flexibility of the best laptops with some of the best features of smartphones and tablets – particularly speedy boot times, fast resume, always-connected internet, and day-long battery life. Unfortunately, the reality was quite different from those lofty promises. While battery lives of Windows 10 on Arm devices were certainly impressive for the time, performance was poor, especially considering that Windows 10 on Arm devices were also very expensive. Worst of all, these devices could only run apps downloaded from the Windows Store (now known as the Microsoft Store), and those apps had to have Arm-compatible versions. (Image credit: Microsoft / Dell) Unfortunately, most Windows apps are designed for Intel and AMD hardware (also known as x64 architecture). This makes sense as the vast majority of Windows devices – especially during the Windows 10 years – was built on x64 hardware. So, many app developers didn’t see the point of making Arm-compatible versions, and this meant that not only were Windows 10 on Arm devices more expensive and less powerful than standard Windows 10 laptops, but they also couldn't run a lot of the most popular applications – a fatal combination. Poor sales of Windows on Arm devices inevitably followed, and that, in turn, meant app developers were less likely to port their products to Arm. (Image credit: Yaaaaayy / Shutterstock) Breaking the vicious cycle Unfortunately, the lack of both apps and customers set off a vicious cycle that impacted the success of later Windows 11 on Arm devices. However, there have been some exciting breakthroughs that could positively affect the fortunes of Windows 11 on Arm devices, and might finally allow them to reach their full potential. The most important development has been the launch of the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus and Elite chips. Qualcomm is one of the biggest companies in the world, and while it might not have the kind of brand recognition that the likes of Intel and AMD have, its Arm-based chips have been powering millions of mobile devices around the world. The company has been a key partner of Microsoft’s when it comes to Windows on Arm devices and has applied its experience of making Arm chips for mobile devices to create more powerful chips for computing devices. While these haven’t always been successful, the latest generation promises some very exciting things. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite is the most powerful variant, and it’s shaping up to be an Arm chip that could finally live up to expectations. My colleague, UK Computing Editor Christian Guyton, was particularly impressed when he tested out some prototype laptops earlier this month that were powered by the X Elite. He was able to play Baldur’s Gate 3, a rather complex game, at a decent framerate and resolution. This struck me as evidence that Qualcomm might have cracked two of the biggest issues with Windows on Arm devices. First, there’s the performance. While Baldur’s Gate 3 on the Snapdragon X Elite-powered device was playable, it won’t trouble the best gaming laptops – but the fact that it even ran at all is impressive. This bodes well for the day-to-day performance of Snapdragon X Elite-powered laptops. There’s also the important fact that there’s no Arm version of Baldur’s Gate 3 for Windows devices. This means that the game is using emulation to allow it to work on Arm hardware. This comes at a performance cost, which makes the playable state of the game on the Snapdragon X Elite even more impressive. It also shows that even demanding non-Arm applications can be made to work on Arm hardware without needing a native Arm version. This could pave the way for more programs coming to Windows on Arm – and it isn’t dependent on the developers making dedicated versions. This could address the issue of a lack of apps on Windows on Arm. Alongside the Snapdragon X Elite, Qualcomm also has Snapdragon X Plus, a more affordable chip that lowers the CPU core count (10 cores compared to the Elite’s 12) and lower speed (3.4GHz vs 3.8GHz). If the performance remains competitive (and early benchmark leaks suggest that it does), and the price is low enough, we could see Windows on Arm devices that aren’t overpriced and offer much better value for money – addressing yet another common criticism of Windows on Arm devices. (Image credit: Apple) The Apple effect Before the launch of the Snapdragon X series, Windows on Arm was in a bad place. Things looked particularly grim as Microsoft’s old rival, Apple, was enjoying huge success and critical acclaim with its lineup of Macs powered by its M1 (and later M2 and M3) chips – which are built on Arm architecture. While Windows on Arm struggled, the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) and co were proving that Arm-powered laptops weren’t just viable, they could be the future of computing. Offering the long battery lives and quick startups we’d been promised, Apple’s first generation of Mac and MacBooks that ran on the company’s Arm-based chips, rather than the Intel hardware of older models, were a hit. And, while the MacBook Air’s launch price of $999 / £999 / AU$1,599 wasn’t exactly cheap, it was a competitive price point. And with the M1 providing an excellent level of performance, the high price tag is far more justified. The best thing about the M1 Apple Macs was a tool by Apple called Rosetta 2. This was an emulation layer that allowed almost all existing Mac apps to run on the new M1 hardware. This meant Mac users switching to an M1 device would be able to use pretty much all of their important apps and programs, even if M1 native apps were thin on the ground. This was a canny move by Apple, as it meant that M1 products were a big success, and because of that, app developers started making versions of their products that could run on M1 hardware without the need for emulation – and could take full advantage of Apple’s chip. When the M2 series of Macs and MacBooks came out, Rosetta 2 was still in use – but the number of times I’ve had to use it when using an M2 MacBook dropped significantly, as there was a growing library of M2 apps. By the time the M3 chips rolled around late last year, the number of times I (and other users) had to rely on Rosetta 2 was even rarer. Very few bits of software can be considered a success if fewer people need to use it, but that’s exactly what happened here. Rosetta 2 allowed Mac owners to switch to Arm-based Macs with ease, while also giving app developers the time to develop native apps. And the more people that switched to Arm Macs, the more attractive it became for app developers to port their apps to the platform. (Image credit: Accogliente Design / Shutterstock) It’s now up to Microsoft So, Apple proved that Arm-based laptops can be successful, and Qualcomm looks like it could have addressed many of the hardware issues. Does this mean the next generation of Windows on Arm devices will be a slam dunk? Sadly, that’s not a guarantee just yet as there’s one company that needs to pull its weight to give Windows on Arm devices their best chance of success: Microsoft. While it’s obvious that Microsoft would want Windows on Arm to succeed, the way it’s handled previous generations has been frustrating. The fact that there’s never been a tool similar to Rosetta 2 that would make running non-Arm apps run easily is particularly annoying. Now, I’m sure this is due to it being a very complex job. After all, Windows devices are made by various manufacturers that use components from different companies, which leads to a potentially limitless range of Windows PC configurations. Macs, on the other hand, have much more limited configurations, with the hardware mainly being built by Apple. However, the lack of apps is perhaps the biggest hurdle still standing for Windows on Arm, especially when there are Macs out there that can run a much wider range of apps. And, this is a problem that should be in Microsoft’s powers to do something about. Microsoft does have tools for getting non-Arm software running on Arm hardware using emulation, but it hasn’t taken off in the same way, mainly because it’s not as easy to use and doesn’t work quite as well, with some apps still refusing to run. If Microsoft can’t come up with a Rosetta 2-beating solution, then it needs to do more work convincing app developers to port their software to Arm. This might be a difficult feat, especially when the user base is so low, but Microsoft is a very successful company with plenty of resources. It could provide financial incentives, or offer developers and tools to help port the biggest apps. Microsoft is also a hardware company, and its past attempts to create Windows on Arm devices suffered from the problems that have become all too familiar. The Surface Pro X, for example, came with Microsoft’s SQ1 Arm-based chip, made in conjunction with Qualcomm. It was also overpriced and didn’t perform well. However, rumors are swirling that Microsoft could be releasing Surface Pro and Surface Laptop devices soon that will feature Snapdragon X chips. If Microsoft can nail both the software and hardware sides, we could see a new era of Windows on Arm devices that are actually worth buying. And Microsoft could give Apple’s rumored M4-powered Macs a run for their money. However, if these devices come out with unappealing price tags, poor performance, and a continued lack of app support, then it could be the end of the Windows on Arm dream. After all, if Microsoft itself can’t make a success of it, what hope do other companies have? You might also like Forget Apple’s M4 MacBooks – Lenovo’s Snapdragon X Elite laptops have been spottedSnapdragon X Elite hype builds as Qualcomm shows off Apple M3-beating CPU that can handle laptop gaming nicelyApple just saved Arm-based Windows laptops, and it’s a wakeup call Intel needs View the full article

Microsoft will advertise that its upcoming Windows laptops with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite processor are faster than the MacBook Air with Apple's latest M3 chip, according to internal documents obtained by The Verge. "Microsoft is so confident in these new Qualcomm chips that it's planning a number of demos that will show how these processors will be faster than an M3 MacBook Air for CPU tasks, AI acceleration, and even app emulation," the report says. Microsoft believes its laptops will offer "faster app emulation" than Apple's Rosetta 2. Introduced in October, the Snapdragon X Elite has Arm-based architecture like Apple silicon. Qualcomm last year claimed that the processor achieved 21% faster multi-core CPU performance than the M3 chip, based on the Geekbench 6 benchmark tool. There are a few caveats here, including that Microsoft and Qualcomm are comparing to Apple's lower-end M3 chip instead of its higher-end M3 Pro and M3 Max chips. MacBooks with Apple silicon also offer industry-leading performance-per-watt, while the Snapdragon X Elite will likely run hotter and require laptops with fans. Since being updated with the M1 chip in 2020, the MacBook Air has featured a fanless design. Apple can also optimize the performance of MacBooks since it controls both the hardware and macOS software. Nevertheless, it is clear that Apple's competitors are making progress with Arm-based laptops. Microsoft plans to announce laptops powered by the Snapdragon X Elite later this year, including the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 on May 20.Tags: Microsoft, Qualcomm This article, "Microsoft Says Windows Laptops With Snapdragon X Elite Will Be Faster Than M3 MacBook Air" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

An Apple Mac expert has written about an unfathomable issue one of his children faced after downloading a Steam game to an almost full SSD. View the full article

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today held a Q&A session focused on the Apple Car, in which he revealed that the vehicle's chip would have been equivalent to four M2 Ultra chips combined. He also said the vehicle had an underlying "safetyOS" system that was one part of the overall operating system, but he did not elaborate. Gurman also briefly touched on a few other topics, including that Apple apparently "just started formal development" of a new MacBook Pro with an M4 chip. He did not provide any additional details about the chip, which has yet to be announced by Apple. Apple announced the M1 chip for Macs in November 2020, followed by the M2 chip in June 2022 and the M3 chip towards the end of October 2023, so there has been around a year-and-a-half gap between each of the chips being introduced. If that pattern continues, the M4 chip would be released in the first half of 2025. However, a late 2024 release is also possible if the interval shrinks to one year. Apple last updated the MacBook Pro lineup in October with M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips. As part of that refresh, Apple discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Pro and replaced it with a new base model 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 chip. Apple has also updated the iMac and MacBook Air with the M3 chip, leaving the Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro as the only current-generation Macs still equipped with the M2 family of chips. Current Chip Last Updated Next Chip ETA 13" MacBook Air M3 March 2024 M4 2025 15" MacBook Air M3 March 2024 M4 2025 14" MacBook Pro M3/M3 Pro/M3 Max October 2023 M4/M4 Pro/M4 Max Late 2024/2025 16" MacBook Pro M3 Pro/M3 Max October 2023 M4 Pro/M4 Max Late 2024/2025 iMac M3 October 2023 M4 2025 Mac Studio M2 Max/M2 Ultra June 2023 M3 Max/M3 Ultra 2024 Mac Pro M2 Ultra June 2023 M3 Ultra 2024 Mac mini M2/M2 Pro January 2023 M3/M3 Pro 2024 Apple's chipmaking partner TSMC is expected to begin volume production of chips based on its 2nm process in the second half of 2025, so the M4 chip will likely remain 3nm like the M3 chip. However, the M4 chip will likely be manufactured with an enhanced version of TSMC's 3nm process for improved performance and power efficiency. Last month, the Taiwanese publication Economic Daily News reported that the M4 chip will feature an upgraded Neural Engine with "significantly" more cores for artificial intelligence tasks, but no other specific details are known about the chip at this time.Related Roundup: MacBook Pro 14 & 16" Tags: Mark Gurman, M4 MacsBuyer's Guide: 14" & 16" MacBook Pro (Neutral)Related Forum: MacBook Pro This article, "Apple Reportedly 'Just Started Formal Development' of M4 MacBook Pro" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

The first ever discount on Apple Vision Pro headlines this week's best Apple deals, and it's still available at Woot. You'll also find great discounts on the new M3 MacBook Air models, second generation Apple Watch SE, and an all-time low price on the AirTag 4-Pack. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Apple Vision Pro What's the deal? Get $200 off Apple Vision Pro Where can I get it? Woot Where can I find the original deal? Right here $200 OFFApple Vision Pro for $3,299.00 The most notable deal of the week came from Woot, which still has the first discount that we've ever seen on Apple Vision Pro. Woot offers small and medium sizes for the solo knit band and dual loop band, as well as the 21W light seal. The headset is in new condition and comes with a one year Apple Manufacturer Limited Warranty. MacBook Pro What's the deal? Get $300 off 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro Where can I get it? Amazon $300 OFF14-inch M3 MacBook Pro (8GB RAM, 1TB) for $1,499.00 Amazon has a new record low discount on Apple's 14-inch 1TB M3 MacBook Pro, available for $1,499.00, down from $1,799.00. This is a massive $300 markdown on the computer, and the best price that we've ever tracked on this 8GB RAM/1TB model. MacBook Air What's the deal? Get up to $125 off 13-inch and 15-inch M3 MacBook Air Where can I get it? Amazon Where can I find the original deal? Right here $100 OFF13-inch M3 MacBook Air (256GB) for $999.00 $95 OFF15-inch M3 MacBook Air (256GB) for $1,204.00 $110 OFF15-inch M3 MacBook Air (8GB RAM, 512GB) for $1,389.00 $125 OFF15-inch M3 MacBook Air (16GB RAM, 512GB) for $1,574.00 We saw Apple's 13-inch and 15-inch M3 MacBook Air hit multiple new all-time low prices this week, and they're all still available on Amazon. Prices start as low as $999.00 for the 256GB 13-inch M3 MacBook Air, and for 15-inch models this sale has expanded since we originally posted, now including two 512GB models. Apple Watch SE What's the deal? Get $60 off Apple Watch SE Where can I get it? Amazon Where can I find the original deal? Right here $60 OFFApple Watch SE (40mm GPS) for $189.00 $60 OFFApple Watch SE (44mm GPS) for $219.00 Next, the Apple Watch SE hit second-best prices at Amazon this week, available for $60 off both the 40mm and 44mm GPS models. Compared to previous sales, these are just $10 higher than all-time low prices, so they're still great deals for anyone shopping for a cheaper Apple Watch this Spring. AirTag What's the deal? Get $24 off the AirTag 4-Pack Where can I get it? Amazon Where can I find the original deal? Right here $24 OFFAirTag 4-Pack for $74.99 Finally, Amazon has a record low price on the AirTag 4-Pack this week, available for $74.99, down from $99.00. This is one of the only times we've tracked the AirTag 4-Pack at this low price in 2024, so we definitely recommend purchasing if you've been waiting for a great deal. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.Related Roundup: Apple Deals This article, "Best Apple Deals of the Week: Apple Vision Pro Gets First Discount Alongside All-Time Lows on New M3 MacBook Air" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

It is Friday, March 8 in New Zealand and Australia, which means customers who pre-ordered one of the new machines in those two countries are receiving their MacBook Air models. Introduced on Monday of this week, the updated 13.6-inch and 15.3-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ models are equipped with the same M3 chip that was introduced in the MacBook Pro late last year. M2 vs. M3 MacBook Air Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared There are no external changes to the ‌MacBook Air‌, with Apple instead focusing on internal updates. The M3 chip is up to 30 percent faster than the M2 chip in terms of CPU performance, and there are notable GPU improvements with Apple adding support for Dynamic Caching, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, hardware-accelerated mesh shading, and support for AV1 decode. Other improvements to the ‌MacBook Air‌ include support for two external displays when the machine is used in clamshell mode, support for Wi-Fi 6E, enhanced voice clarity for audio and video calls, and a new anodization seal to reduce fingerprints on the Midnight finish. Apple retail stores in Australia are selling the new ‌MacBook Air‌ machines, and there is plenty of stock for walk-in customers. Apple does not operate stores in New Zealand, so customers in that country need to order online. Following New Zealand and Australia, sales and deliveries of the new ‌‌MacBook Air‌ models will launch in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and finally, North America. We'll be sharing a hands-on review of the new M3 ‌MacBook Air‌ in the morning after picking up one of the new devices.Related Roundup: MacBook AirBuyer's Guide: 15" MacBook Air (Buy Now), 13" MacBook Air (Buy Now)Related Forum: MacBook Air This article, "M3 MacBook Air Models Now Arriving to Customers in New Zealand and Australia" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

The new MacBook Air models that are set to be released tomorrow will have a day-one update, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. Both the 13.6-inch and 15.3-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ models that are set to launch tomorrow are running a special build of macOS Sonoma 14.3, with a version number of 23D2057. Users will be prompted to update to ‌macOS Sonoma‌ 14.4 tomorrow, as the software saw a public release today. Given the timing of the software's launch and the debut of the new ‌MacBook Air‌ models, Apple was not able to get the ‌macOS Sonoma‌ 14.4 update installed on them. Apple's M3 ‌MacBook Air‌ models are priced starting at $1099 for the 13-inch version and $1299 for the 15-inch version. Customers who pre-ordered will receive their machines on March 8, which is also when the new ‌MacBook Air‌ models will be available in Apple retail locations.Related Roundups: MacBook Air, macOS SonomaBuyer's Guide: 15" MacBook Air (Buy Now), 13" MacBook Air (Buy Now)Related Forums: MacBook Air, macOS Sonoma This article, "New M3 MacBook Air Models to Have Day-One macOS Update" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

The new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with the M3 chip launch this Friday. Ahead of time, the first reviews and unboxing videos for the laptops have been shared by some media outlets and YouTube channels. Key new features added to both MacBook Air models include Apple's M3 chip for faster performance, Wi-Fi 6E support, expanded external display support, an anodization seal that reduces fingerprints on the Midnight finish, and microphone improvements. Reviews M3 Chip Both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air are now available with the M3 chip for faster performance and improved power efficiency. As expected, an early benchmark result revealed that the M3 chip is up to 20% faster than the M2 chip in the previous MacBook Air models in terms of CPU performance. These results are consistent with the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 chip. Jason Snell shared benchmark results in his review on Six Colors: With the M3 chip, the MacBook Air has also gained hardware-accelerated ray tracing for improved graphics rendering in games, along with AV1 video decoding. Two External Displays While previous MacBook Air models with Apple silicon officially support only one external display, the new models support two external displays. However, a second display can only be used when the MacBook Air's lid is closed. When the lid is open, the new models support one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz. When the lid is closed, a second display with up to 5K resolution at 60Hz can be connected, according to Apple's tech specs. Image Credit: CNET CNET's Joshua Goldman: With the M3 MacBook Airs, you can connect two external displays directly to the Thunderbolt USB-C ports, which will also power the MacBook. However, doing this comes at the cost of the MacBook Air's display; the lid must be closed in order to drive both external monitors. On the surface, this doesn't seem like much of an issue, unless you typically use your laptop's keyboard and trackpad while working on an external display. For me, the bigger hiccup is the loss of Touch ID on the Air's keyboard. You can just open and close the lid to use Touch ID, but I use mine so much during the day that that would get old really fast. The better option is to get Apple's Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, and while you're at it, pick up a Magic Trackpad or Mouse to complete the package. Even more displays can be connected to the MacBook Air with the use of DisplayLink adapters. Fingerprint Seal for Midnight Color Just like the Space Black MacBook Pro, the Midnight MacBook Air now features an "anodization seal to reduce fingerprints," according to Apple. TheStreet's Jacob Krol: Thus far, it's clear that the anodization blocks most fingerprint smudges, and the M3 looks better than an M2 in the Midnight color. However, Midnight is a harder color to block all of them, as I am still seeing some, specifically on the top and bottom cases of the 15-inch. That being said, on the inside around the keyboard and on or off the trackpad, it does a really good job of stopping them. Wi-Fi 6E The new MacBook Airs support Wi-Fi 6E for "up to twice as fast" wireless download speeds compared to the previous models with Wi-Fi 6, according to Apple. Wi-Fi 6E extends the capabilities of Wi-Fi 6 to the 6 GHz band, enabling faster wireless speeds and reduced signal interference with a compatible device and router. The entire current-generation Mac lineup now supports Wi-Fi 6E. Microphone Upgrades Apple says the microphones in the new MacBook Air models offer "enhanced voice clarity in audio and video calls" compared to the previous models. The microphones also gained support for "Voice Isolation" and "Wide Spectrum" modes. Videos Related Roundup: MacBook Air Buyer's Guide: 15" MacBook Air (Buy Now), 13" MacBook Air (Buy Now) Related Forum: MacBook Air This article, "MacBook Air With M3 Chip: Reviews and Unboxing Videos" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Apple recently updated the MacBook Air by adding the M3 chip, so how do the new machines compare to its latest MacBook Pro models? Despite now being similar in appearance, the ‌MacBook Air‌ and the MacBook Pro are very different devices, so should you consider purchasing the 13- or 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, which start at $999, to save money, or do you need one of the higher-end 14- or 16-inch MacBook Pro models, which cost at least $600 more? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two popular Apple silicon machines is best for you. ‌MacBook Air‌ MacBook Pro M2: 13.6-inch display M3: 13.6- or 15.3-inch display 14.2- or 16.2-inch display LCD Liquid Retina display Mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display 60hz refresh rate ProMotion for refresh rates up to 120Hz 500 nits brightness Up to 1,000 nits sustained (full-screen) brightness and 1,600 nits peak brightness Apple M2 or M3 chip Apple M3, M3 Pro, or M3 Max chip M2: Enhanced 5nm node (N5P) based on A15 Bionic chip from iPhone 13 (2021) M3: 3nm node (N3B) based on A17 Pro chip from iPhone 15 Pro (2023) ‌3nm‌ node (N3B) based on A17 Pro chip from ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ (2023) M2: 3.49 GHz CPU clock speed M3: 4.05 GHz CPU clock speed 4.05 GHz CPU clock speed 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores M3: 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores M3 Pro: Up to 12-core CPU with 6 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores M3 Max: Up to 16-core CPU with 12 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores Up to 10-core GPU M3: 10-core GPU M3 Pro: Up to 18-core GPU M3 Max: Up to 40-core GPU 100GB/s memory bandwidth M3: 100GB/s memory bandwidth M3 Pro: 150GB/s memory bandwidth M3 Max: 300GB/s or 400GB/s memory bandwidth 8GB, 16GB, or 24GB unified memory M3: 8GB, 16GB, or 24GB unified memory M3 Pro: 18GB or 36GB unified memory M3 Max: 36GB, 48GB, 64GB, 96GB, 128GB unified memory M3 models only: New GPU architecture Dynamic Caching Hardware-accelerated ray tracing Hardware-accelerated mesh shading Support for AV1 decode New GPU architecture Dynamic Caching Hardware-accelerated ray tracing Hardware-accelerated mesh shading Support for AV1 decode M2: Neural Engine M3: 15% faster Neural Engine 15% faster Neural Engine 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB of storage M3: 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage M3 Pro or M3 Max: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB storage Passive cooling Active cooling M2: Wi-Fi 6 M3: Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 6E Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports M3: Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 (USB-C) ports M3 Pro or M3 Max: Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports HDMI 2.1 port with support for multichannel audio output SDXC card slot 13-Inch: Four-speaker sound system 15-Inch: Six-speaker sound system with force-canceling woofers High-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers Three-mic array with directional beamforming Studio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming M2: Support for one external display M3: Support for up to two external displays when the lid is closed M3: Support for up to two external displays when the lid is closed M3 Pro: Support for up to two external displays M3 Max: Support for up to four external displays 13-Inch: 52.6-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery 15-Inch: 66.5-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery M3 14-Inch: 70-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery M3 Pro or M3 Max 14-Inch: 72.4-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery 16-Inch: 100-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery 18-hour battery life M3 14-Inch: 22-hour battery life M3 Pro or M3 Max 14-Inch: 18-hour battery life 16-Inch: 22-hour battery life 30W, 35W, or 67W USB-C Power Adapter 67W, 96W, or 140W USB-C Power Adapter Silver, Space Gray, Starlight, or Midnight color options M3: Silver or Space Gray color options M3 Pro or M3 Max: Silver or Space Black color options M2 13-Inch: Starts at $999 M3 13-Inch: Starts at $1,099 M3 15-Inch: Starts at $1,299 M3 14-Inch: Starts at $1,599 M3 Pro 14-Inch: Starts at $1,999 M3 Pro 16-Inch: Starts at $2,499 Design Both the ‌MacBook Air‌ and MacBook Pro share the same basic design with a flat top and rounded edges on the bottom, but they do have several minor details that differ. For example, while both MacBooks have displays with a "notch" at the top to facilitate the built-in webcam, the MacBook Pro's bezels are noticeably slimmer. The keyboard area of the high-end MacBook Pro is also all-black. The ‌MacBook Air‌ and M3 version of the MacBook Pro are available in Silver and Space Gray, but the ‌MacBook Air‌ is also offered in Starlight and Midnight color options, so if you are looking for a particular aesthetic with one of these finishes, you will need to get the ‌MacBook Air‌. Space Black is exclusive to the MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips. ‌MacBook Air‌ (13-Inch) ‌MacBook Air‌ (15-Inch) MacBook Pro (14-Inch) MacBook Pro (16-Inch) Height 0.44 inches (1.13 cm) 0.45 inch (1.15 cm) 0.61 inches (1.55 cm) 0.66 inch (1.68 cm) Width 11.97 inches (30.41 cm) 13.40 inches (34.04 cm) 12.31 inches (31.26 cm) 14.01 inches (35.57 cm) Depth 8.46 inches (21.5 cm) 9.35 inches (23.76 cm) 8.71 inches (22.12 cm) 9.77 inches (24.81 cm) Weight 2.7 pounds (1.24 kg) 3.3 pounds (1.51 kg) 3.5 pounds (1.61 kg) 4.8 pounds (2.15 kg) Dimensions are also a key area of difference between the ‌MacBook Air‌ and MacBook Pro. The 16-inch MacBook Pro is considerably larger and heavier than the 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, but it is important to not understate the difference between the 14-inch MacBook Pro and the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌. While the 14-inch MacBook Pro offers a larger display than the ‌MacBook Air‌, its marginally larger footprint, added thickness, and an additional 0.8 pounds of weight do make for a noticeably less portable machine if you prefer to travel light. Even so, the 14-inch MacBook Pro offers a very good balance of portability and performance, so if you need its added capabilities, its size and weight should not hold you back. The 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ also provides a good balance of portability and display area, but users wary of its size should opt for the 13-inch model. Ports and Connectivity The selection of ports is an area of major difference between the two machines. The ‌MacBook Air‌ features just two Thunderbolt ports, while the M3 version of the MacBook Pro adds an HDMI 2.1 port and SDXC card slot. When configured with the M3 Pro or M3 Max, the MacBook Pro has a total of three Thunderbolt 4 ports, in addition to its HDMI 2.1 port and SDXC card slot. Both machines feature a 3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones. All in all, the MacBook Pro is much more versatile in terms of physical connectivity, offering useful features for professionals who use SDXC cards from digital cameras or even simply more USB peripherals. Display Size The smaller ‌MacBook Air‌'s display is 13.6 inches in size, which is a little smaller than the 14.2-inch MacBook Pro, and markedly smaller than the 16.2-inch MacBook Pro. 13.6 inches is still bigger than the largest iPad Pro model, which comes in at 12.9 inches, and even all of the previous ‌MacBook Air‌ and smaller MacBook Pro models, meaning that it should be adequate for most users. The 14.2-inch MacBook Pro simply offers a little bit more screen real estate to those who need high-end capabilities. The 15.3-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ and 16.2-inch MacBook Pro's displays will be better replacements for a desktop machine and provide much more screen space to arrange multiple windows and use professional applications that benefit from additional display area. Display Technology The display technologies of both machines are significantly different. Like most MacBooks in recent years, the ‌MacBook Air‌ has an LCD panel, but owing to its slim bezels and rounded corners, Apple calls it a Liquid Retina display. The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models feature Apple's more advanced mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR technology for deeper blacks, better dynamic range, and improved color accuracy. The XDR display can get much brighter, reaching as high as 1,600 nits of brightness at its peak when showing HDR content. The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models also have ProMotion displays, allowing them to vary their refresh rate up to 120Hz. The ‌MacBook Air‌ does not have a display with a variable refresh rate. It will be worth getting the high-end MacBook Pro models for viewing and editing HDR content, as well as watching high-framerate video such as sports. The display of the ‌MacBook Air‌ is sufficient for most users and some may not even notice a drastic difference. The MacBook Pro's deeper blacks and smoother on-screen motion simply offer a slightly better experience. Chips The ‌MacBook Air‌ contains the ‌M2‌ or M3 chip, while MacBook Pro customers can choose between the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips. The M3 Pro and M3 Max are scaled-up versions of the M3 chip that offer additional CPU and GPU cores. See the ‌M2‌, M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max's Geekbench 5 Benchmark scores below: ‌M2‌ M3 M3 Pro M3 Max Single-Core 2,570–2,630 3,010 3,120 3,120 Multi-Core 9,630–9,650 11,763 14,010–14,410 19,160–21,215 Metal (Graphics) 41,300–45,550 47,430 68,330–77,070 124,060–157,120 The M3 Pro and M3 Max provide CPUs with up to eight additional cores and GPUs with up to 30 additional cores. The entry-level ‌MacBook Air‌'s ‌M2‌ chip is only slightly less powerful than the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max in single-core tasks, but the M3 chips, and particularly the Pro and Max versions, are considerably better in multi-core and graphics tasks. With significantly more transistors, performance CPU cores, and GPU cores, the M3 Pro and M3 Max are powerful chips designed for professionals with demanding workflows. The ‌M2‌ and M3, on the other hand, are more consumer-oriented chips focused on delivering surprisingly impressive performance and excellent efficiency to keep temperatures down and prolong battery life. It is also worth noting that the ‌MacBook Air‌ is passively cooled and contains no fan, which can slightly constrain peak performance compared to the MacBook Pro, since the high-end machines have large fans to actively cool the system and push the chips harder. The ‌M2‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ only supports a single external display. The limitations of the M3 also mean that ‌MacBook Air‌ and MacBook Pro devices configured with this chip support up to two external displays when the lid is closed, whereas M3 Pro and M3 Max machines support up to two and four external displays, respectively. Memory and Storage The ‌MacBook Air‌ can be configured with up to 24GB of unified memory and up to 2TB of storage, which should be more than enough for the vast majority of users. For those who need even more memory and storage, the MacBook Pro can be configured with significantly more memory and storage than the top-spec ‌MacBook Air‌. The M3 Pro and M3 Max chips in the MacBook Pro also provide up to 150GB/s and 400GB/s memory bandwidth respectively – an enormous increase over the 100GB/s memory bandwidth with the ‌M2‌ and M3 models. Buyers should also be aware that the 256GB ‌MacBook Air‌ base models have up to 50 percent slower SSDs than configurations with more storage. This is because the base models only have a single SSD module inside, whereas models with larger amounts of storage have two SSD chips, significantly increasing the overall speed of the machine's storage. Speakers and Microphones The 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ has a four-speaker sound system that is surprisingly full and balanced for such a small, slim device. The 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ and all of the MacBook Pro models take things to the next level with a six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers for dramatically bigger and deeper audio. Apple also describes the MacBook Pro's speaker system as "high-fidelity," which may be invaluable to users who work in professional audio production or simply listen to a lot of music out-loud. The ‌MacBook Air‌ has a three-mic array with directional beamforming that is perfect for activities like video calls and voice notes. The MacBook Pro has what Apple calls a "studio-quality" three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming. While they are not as good as a dedicated microphone, the MacBook Pro's microphones are impressive and, at a push, are suitable for production purposes like podcasting. Battery Life The ‌MacBook Air‌ has an 18-hour battery life, offering the same battery life as the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro or M3 Max chips, and four hours less than the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 chip and the 16-inch MacBook Pro. Final Thoughts Overall, the ‌MacBook Air‌ is the best option for casual users, offering an excellent balance of features and performance in a highly portable design. The ‌MacBook Air‌'s $999 starting price is much more affordable compared to the MacBook Pro, and with an education discount or an offer from our Apple Deals Roundup, it is possible to get that price down by at least $100. The additional $600 to get the MacBook Pro likely is not worth it for most ordinary users, and on the contrary, many will prefer the slimmer, lighter design of the ‌MacBook Air‌ and perhaps even its additional color options. Professionals who require larger and more accurate displays, additional ports, more memory and storage, and a very high level of performance should look to the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips, and the higher price points of these machines reflects this. The high-end MacBook Pro models are not targeted at everyday consumers, being clearly tailored to creatives and professionals who rely heavily on the capabilities of their machines. As such, these high-end models should only be a go-to option if you are a power-user or professional who can make use of its advanced features. The 16-inch MacBook Pro, in particular, is also potentially a good desktop replacement machine due to its large display. M2 vs. M3 MacBook Air Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared 13-Inch vs. 15-Inch MacBook Air Buyer's Guide Late 2023 MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide: 14-Inch and 16-Inch Models Compared Alternatively, if you are considering the $1,299 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, it may be worth paying more to get the M3 MacBook Pro. For just $200 more, the M3 MacBook Pro offers a considerably better Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion, a more powerful chip with active cooling, four extra hours of battery life, better speakers and microphones, an HDMI port and SDXC card slot, and more. In fact, if you configure the 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ with 512GB of storage to match the M3 MacBook Pro, there is only a $100 between the two machines, so in this instance it is almost always worth getting the more powerful machine, unless maximizing screen size is your only priority.Related Roundups: MacBook Air, MacBook Pro 14 & 16" Buyer's Guide: 15" MacBook Air (Buy Now), 14" & 16" MacBook Pro (Buy Now), 13" MacBook Air (Buy Now)Related Forums: MacBook Air, MacBook Pro This article, "MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide: 30+ Differences Compared" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

The MacBook Air continues to be available in 13- and 15-inch sizes after Apple's latest refresh that added the M3 chip. The 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ offers almost all of the same hardware with a significantly larger display, yet there are still some key differences that are worth considering when purchasing one of the machines. The 13- and 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ models are almost exactly the same in terms of feature set and design, both sporting high-resolution Liquid Retina displays, Touch ID, two Thunderbolt ports, and much more. Both machines can be configured with the exact same amounts of memory and storage, and they are both available in the same color options. This simplifies purchasing decisions to just a few important aspects. Key Differences 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display M2 or M3 chip M3 chip Starts with 8-Core GPU 10-Core GPU Four-speaker sound system Six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers Integrated 52.6-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery Integrated 66.5-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery 30W USB-C Power Adapter (with 8-core GPU chip) or 35W Dual Port Compact Power Adapter 35W Dual Port Compact Power Adapter Starts at $999 Starts at $1,299 It is important to note that while the 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ has a battery that is 13.9-watt-hours larger than the 13-inch model, both machines have the same 18-hour battery life. This is likely due to the increased power consumption of the larger display. If you plan to heavily use your laptop's built-in speakers, the 15-inch model offers a worthwhile reason to get the larger model, offering two extra speakers inside the larger chassis. The smaller ‌MacBook Air‌ also misses out on the force-canceling woofers that are present in the 15-inch model, meaning that its audio isn't quite as good. Since size is the main difference between the two ‌MacBook Air‌ models, prospective customers may wish to drill into the specific dimensions and weight of the machines. The 15-inch model adds 0.6 pounds (0.27 kg) and may be more difficult to get into a bag or backpack due to its larger footprint. Dimensions 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ Height 0.44 inch (1.13 cm) 0.45 inch (1.15 cm) Width 11.97 inches (30.41 cm) 13.40 inches (34.04 cm) Depth 8.46 inches (21.5 cm) 9.35 inches (23.76 cm) Weight 2.7 pounds (1.24 kg) 3.3 pounds (1.51 kg) While the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ with the M3 chip starts at $1,099, making it $200 cheaper than the 15-inch model, if you choose the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ with a 10-core GPU, this price difference shrinks to $100. If you add the 35W Dual Port Compact Power Adapter, the difference shrinks to just $80. With this in mind, most users considering an M3 model should opt for the 15-inch model since it provides much more screen real-estate and better speakers. You should only buy the M3 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ if you specifically want a lighter, more portable device and are concerned about having to carry a device as large as the 15-inch model around. Likewise, the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ is a better buy if you are price-conscious and don't need anything more than an 8-core GPU and the 30W USB-C Power Adapter. The $1,099 13-inch model is still quite a bit more affordable than the 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, with virtually no compromises in terms of features. M2 vs. M3 MacBook Air Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared The 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ is also available with the ‌M2‌ chip for $999. This is the ‌MacBook Air‌ Apple introduced in mid-2022 and it now represents an entry-level model. If affordability is your main concern, this 13-inch model is the best choice, coming in at $300 less than the 15-inch M3 model.Related Roundup: MacBook AirBuyer's Guide: 15" MacBook Air (Buy Now), 13" MacBook Air (Buy Now)Related Forum: MacBook Air This article, "13-Inch vs. 15-Inch MacBook Air Buyer's Guide" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Lost amid today's hoopla over a pair of brand-new M3 MacBook Air laptops was a none-too-subtle shift in product messaging that may mark Apple's official entry into the race to build an AI PC. In the press release on the new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air ultraportables featuring the newest Apple silicon were two paragraphs devoted to claiming the MacBook Air is the "World’s Best Consumer Laptop for AI". Now, if you weren't tracking the computer industry as I do, you might've just chalked that up to some oddly specific boasting or hyperbole on Apple's part. I see it a little differently though. First, a little history. Up until 2020, virtually all new Apple Macs, including MacBook Airs ran Intel CPUs. That year, Apple announced its intention to build its own chips and ultimately replace all Intel CPUs with its bespoke system on a chip (SoC) that came to be known as Apple Silicon. The first such chip – the M1 – arrived on the much-loved MacBook Air M1 (now discontinued). The march of silicon The new Apple MacBook Air M3 (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff) Apple eventually made good on its promise and through multiple iterations and upgrades, it finally replaced all Intel silicon with its own. Intel still owns most of the world of Windows PCs, but in some ways, Apple is seen as the system innovator, creating SoCs that run faster and more efficiently than anything Intel can produce. Intel's big plan for countering that perception, and exciting people who are looking for other ARM-based solutions that can run Windows as fast and efficiently as something like Apple silicon could, is to revise its whole chip lineup with Intel Core Ultra processors and, more importantly, the "AI PC." The AI part comes from the Neural Processing Unit or NPU that will pair with Intel Core Ultras as a sort of AI coprocessor. Intel has the support of virtually all major Windows PC manufacturers and, perhaps more importantly, Microsoft. The Redmond software giant is in the midst of a Copilot full-court press. The generative AI, formerly Bing AI chat, that it built with intelligence from OpenAI, is seemingly everywhere, and on AI PCs it'll appear as a Copilot keyboard button. What exactly any of us will do with an "AI PC" is unclear but we will be talking about these systems all summer and into the back-to-school buying season in the Northern Hemisphere. Apple, by some measures, owns just 17% of the PC market. Even if people do believe Apple silicon is better and macOS is a better platform than Windows, they can't afford to sit back and let Intel and Microsoft innovate and market themselves to even greater PC market heights. We know AI Apple MacBook Air M3 (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff) This brings us back to the "World's Best Laptop for Consumer AI." Apple has a point, though. It's been doing AI for ages, going back to adding its first Neural Engine in the iPhone 8 courtesy of the A11 Bionic CPU. You can draw a direct line from this early onboard machine learning system to the 16-core Neural engine on the M3. Apple has made no secret of its silicon's onboard AI capabilities, but it never positioned them front and center. That's all changing now. The company has no choice. Part of Apple's problem is that, unlike Microsoft, OpenAI (ChatGPT), and Google (Gemini), Apple has no generative AI product to speak of. Siri is not generative, it can't generate poetry, presentations or artwork. That's hamstrung Apple's efforts to appear ahead of the curve. In the release though, Apple specifically mentions Large Language Models (LLMs): "Combined with the unified memory architecture of Apple silicon, MacBook Air can also run optimized AI models, including large language models (LLMs) and diffusion models for image generation locally with great performance." The shape of things to come Apple MacBook Air M3 keyboard (no AI key on there yet). (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff) Running locally, without the need for potentially less secure or slower cloud support has always been Apple's secret AI sauce. However, Apple is fully aware that it can't win this game if it doesn't allow for cloud-based generative AI. In demonstrations shown to me, I saw the MacBook Air M3 able to run both cloud-based Microsoft CopIlot prompts, and local generative tasks with apps like Luminar Neo, which can take a blurry nighttime photo and add generative info to make the image usable. In both instances, their performance appeared almost instantaneous and easily as good as what you'd get from a Cloud-based generative AI. The point of showing off these apps and making these pronouncements though is not just about telling the world Apple does Gen AI, too. I think it's preparing us for what's to come. It's not just new products and press releases. Apple CEO Tim Cook now takes almost every opportunity to promise big things in Generative AI (remember when he used to talk up "AR"? What a difference a letter makes). Cook knows that Apple silicon is more than ready for Large Language Models and Generative AI for images and text, and we're going to see Apple take advantage of all that power starting with WWDC 2024 in June. That's the message from Apple when it comes to AI: You ain't seen nothing yet. You might also like iOS 18: rumored features, predicted release date, and everything we want to seeThe best MacBook and MacsApple MacBook Air (M2,) : A stunning redesign that comes at a ...Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch with M3: everything we know so far ...I've been using a MacBook Air for a month and, no, I don't miss ... View the full article

Apple's "Scary Fast" event this week went off about as expected, with Apple showing off its next-generation Mac chips in a couple of product lines during a fast-paced 30-minute presentation. Our biggest stories this week unsurprisingly delved into Apple's announcements including some early tidbits on the updated MacBook Pro and iMac, a goodbye to the Touch Bar, and more, so read on below for all the details! Everything Apple Announced During the 'Scary Fast' Event Trick or treat! Apple this week held its "Scary Fast" event, focused entirely on the Mac. During the brief presentation, Apple announced new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips, and an updated iMac with the M3 chip. We've recapped everything that Apple announced during the event for those who missed it or want to learn more. Apple Announces New 14-Inch and 16-Inch MacBook Pro Models With M3 Series Chips The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are equipped with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips, and there is now an entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro available with the standard M3 chip as well. The new MacBook Pro models are available in a Space Black finish when configured with the M3 Pro or M3 Max chip, and they are equipped with 20% brighter displays compared to the previous generation. The new MacBook Pro models are available to order now, and most configurations will launch on Tuesday, November 7. Apple Announces New iMac With M3 Chip Apple updated the 24-inch iMac with the M3 chip for up to 35% faster performance compared to the previous model with the M1 chip. The all-in-one desktop computer features the same design and color options as the 2021 model. There are only a few other changes with the new iMac, including Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support. Contrary to rumors, the Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad accessories still have Lightning instead of USB-C. Apple Discontinues 13-Inch MacBook Pro With Touch Bar Apple discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Pro following the event, meaning that the Touch Bar has now been completely phased out after seven years. The first MacBook Pro models with the Touch Bar were released in October 2016, as part of a controversial redesign that also included a defective butterfly keyboard and the removal of many connectivity options, including an SD card slot, HDMI port, and MagSafe. First Benchmark Results Surface for M3 Chip in New Macs The first benchmark results for the standard M3 chip and the high-end M3 Max chip surfaced in the Geekbench 6 database after Apple's event, providing a closer look at CPU performance improvements. The results show the M3 chip is around 20% faster than the M2 chip, while the M3 Max chip is around as fast as the M2 Ultra chip that debuted in the Mac Pro and Mac Studio desktop computers earlier this year. 2023 MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide: 20+ Differences Compared Are you considering purchasing one of the new 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro models? If so, make sure to check out our in-depth 2023 MacBook Pro buyer's guide that compares over 20 features and differences between MacBook Pro generations. We also shared a buyer's guide comparing the new iMac with the M3 chip to the 2021 model with the M1 chip for those who are interested in that computer. MacRumors Newsletter Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view. So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!Tag: Top Stories This article, "Top Stories: Apple Event Delivers MacBook Pro and iMac Updates" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article