When Apple unveiled the 15-inch MacBook Air (M3, 2024) on March 4, 2024, it was clear they were aiming to give fans of the Air lineup something special: a bigger screen without losing the lightweight charm that’s made this laptop a go-to for years. Available just days later on March 8, this latest model brings the powerful M3 chip into the mix, offering a blend of efficiency and performance that’s tough to beat in such a slim package. At only 0.45 inches thick and 3.3 pounds, it’s still the kind of device you can slip into a backpack and forget about—until you need it to shine.
The star here is the M3 chip, built on a 3nm process that squeezes more power into less space. With an 8-core CPU, a 10-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine, it’s ready for everything from cramming for finals to editing 4K videos or even dabbling in some light gaming. The GPU’s new features—like ray tracing and mesh shading—mean better graphics for games and creative tools, letting you enjoy sharper visuals or faster renders without breaking a sweat. And since it’s fanless, you get all that power in total silence, whether you’re working in a quiet library or a bustling coffee shop.
The 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display is a big reason to love this MacBook. With a crisp 2880×1864 resolution and 500 nits of brightness, it’s a treat for your eyes—perfect for sprawling out with multiple windows open, binge-watching shows, or tweaking photos with vivid P3 colors. True Tone keeps it easy on the eyes by adjusting to your room’s lighting, and the 1080p webcam tucked into the notch ensures you look sharp on Zoom calls. Sound is another win: six speakers with force-cancelling woofers deliver clear, punchy audio, and Spatial Audio makes it feel like the sound’s all around you when paired with AirPods.
Apple’s attention to detail shines through elsewhere too. The Magic Keyboard is a joy to type on, with back lighting and a handy Touch ID button for quick unlocks. The massive Force Touch track pad is as responsive as ever, making navigation a breeze. You get two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports for fast connections, plus a MagSafe charger that frees up those ports for other uses. Battery life stretches up to 18 hours, so it’s got your back from morning classes to late-night projects. And it’s eco-conscious—made with 100% recycled aluminum and designed to sip power efficiently.
Starting at $1,299, with options up to 24GB of RAM and 2TB of storage, the 15-inch MacBook Air comes in four sleek finishes: Silver, Starlight, Space Gray, and Midnight. It’s a refined, versatile machine that proves bigger can still be beautifully simple.
MacBook Air 15 inch, M3, 2024 Full Specifications
- Model: MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024)
- Release Date: Announced March 4, 2024; available for purchase starting March 8, 2024
- Model Identifier: Mac15,13
- Board Configuration: J615AP
- Model Number: A3114
Finish Options
- Silver
- Starlight
- Space Gray
- Midnight
Processor (System on Chip)
- Chip: Apple M3
- CPU: 8-core (4 performance cores, 4 efficiency cores)
- GPU: 10-core
- Neural Engine: 16-core
- Clock Speed: Up to 4.05 GHz
- Memory Bandwidth: 100GB/s
Memory (Unified Memory)
- Options: 8GB (base configuration), 16GB, 24GB (configurable at purchase)
- Type: Unified memory integrated into the M3 chip, enabling fast data sharing between CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine
Storage
- Options: 256GB SSD (base configuration), 512GB SSD, 1TB SSD, 2TB SSD (configurable at purchase)
- Type: Solid-state drive (SSD)
Display
- Size: 15.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Liquid Retina display with IPS technology
- Resolution: 2880 x 1864 native resolution at 224 pixels per inch
- Brightness: Up to 500 nits
- Color Support: 1 billion colors, Wide color (P3), True Tone technology
- Design Note: Rounded corners at the top; when measured as a standard rectangle, the screen is 15.3 inches diagonally (actual viewable area is less)
Battery and Power
- Battery: 66.5-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery
- Battery Life: Up to 18 hours of Apple TV app movie playback. And up to 15 hours of wireless web browsing
- Charging: MagSafe 3 charging port, Supports fast charging with a 70W USB-C Power Adapter (sold separately; achieves 50% charge in ~30 minutes)
- Power Adapter: 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter (included with base model), Optional 70W USB-C Power Adapter
Size and Weight
- Dimensions:
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- Height: 0.45 inch (1.15 cm)
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- Width: 13.40 inches (34.04 cm)
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- Depth: 9.35 inches (23.76 cm)
- Weight: 3.3 pounds (1.51 kg)
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- Note: Weight may vary slightly depending on configuration and manufacturing process
Audio
- Speakers: Six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers
- Audio Features:
– Wide stereo sound
– Support for Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking when using AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max
- Microphones: Three-mic array with directional beamforming
- Supported Formats: AAC, MP3, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos
Camera
- Type: 1080p FaceTime HD camera
- Features: Advanced image signal processor with computational video
Keyboard and Trackpad
- Keyboard:
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- Backlit Magic Keyboard with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys
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- 12 full-height function keys
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- 4 arrow keys in an inverted-T arrangement
- Ambient light sensor
- Touch ID: Integrated Touch ID sensor in the power button
- Trackpad: Force Touch trackpad
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- Features precise cursor control, pressure-sensing capabilities, Force clicks, accelerators, pressure-sensitive drawing, and Multi-Touch gestures
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Connectivity
- Ports:
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- MagSafe 3 charging port
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- Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports (supporting charging, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 3 up to 40Gb/s, USB 4 up to 40Gb/s)
- 3.5 mm headphone jack
- Wireless:
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- Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
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- Bluetooth 5.3
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Operating System
- Initial OS: macOS Ventura (upgradable to macOS Sequoia and later)
- Features: Includes Apple Intelligence, iPhone Mirroring, window tiling, and Safari updates (with macOS Sequoia)
External Display Support
- Capability:
- Supports up to two external displays with the lid closed
- One external display up to 6K resolution at 60Hz
- Second external display up to 5K resolution at 60Hz
Environmental Features
- Materials:
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- 100% recycled aluminum enclosure
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- 100% recycled rare earth elements in all magnets
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- 100% recycled tin in the solder of multiple circuit boards
- 100% recycled gold in the plating of multiple circuit boards
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- Energy Efficiency: ENERGY STAR certified
- Manufacturing: All final assembly supplier sites verified as Zero Waste by UL LLC (UL 2799 Standard)
- Packaging: Majority of packaging is fiber-based, with reduced plastic content
Additional Notes
- Cooling: Fanless design for silent operation
- Accessibility: Features for vision, hearing, mobility, and learning support
- Sustainability: Apple is carbon neutral for global corporate operations, aiming for all products to be carbon neutral by 2030
