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Author Topic: Apple's M3 and M2 MacBook Airs have never been cheaper  (Read 104 times)
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« on: March 31, 2024, 04:05:06 pm »

Apple's M3 and M2 MacBook Airs have never been cheaper

<p>We consider Apple's newest <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1gyMlpXMVQ_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy1wLXYtYzAtMjAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6Ijk1YTdhNWFlLTIzNDAtNGFkMy1iOTk3LTIxZTMyNTJmNjcyNCJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAWPhL4lY6RFz4Oxq0Vrr1oNO3uxqMgM8_nkCzfkPglth&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CX22ZW1T" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CX22ZW1T">MacBook Air[/url] to be the <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-laptops-120008636.html">best laptop for most people[/url], and it's now dropped to a new low of $999 at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1gyMlpXMVQ_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy1wLXYtYzAtMjAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6Ijk1YTdhNWFlLTIzNDAtNGFkMy1iOTk3LTIxZTMyNTJmNjcyNCJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAWPhL4lY6RFz4Oxq0Vrr1oNO3uxqMgM8_nkCzfkPglth&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CX22ZW1T" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CX22ZW1T">Amazon[/url] and <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:B&amp;H Photo;elmt:;cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=95276f3c-7b79-4c1e-803f-981cd9f7a968&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=B%26H+Photo&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iaHBob3RvdmlkZW8uY29tL2MvcHJvZHVjdC8xODE0OTc3LVJFRy9hcHBsZV9tcnh2M2xsX2FfMTNfNl9tYWNib29rX2Fpcl9tMy5odG1sIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiI5NWE3YTVhZS0yMzQwLTRhZDMtYjk5Ny0yMWUzMjUyZjY3MjQifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAQbMjcexTWq0qYVyJ0y8JNL-1pWT3ETvT3iYt03yTynl&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fproduct%2F1814977-REG%2Fapple_mrxv3ll_a_13_6_macbook_air_m3.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1814977-REG/apple_mrxv3ll_a_13_6_macbook_air_m3.html">B&amp;H[/url]. This discount is for the entry-level 13-inch model, so you'll have to make do with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, but it's $100 less than buying from Apple directly and $50 less than the sale <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/the-best-amazon-big-spring-sale-tech-deals-on-airpods-apple-watches-macbooks-ipads-and-more-110027642.html">price we've seen[/url] on Amazon for the past couple of weeks. Just note that the deal only applies to the Midnight and Space Gray finishes, and that Amazon's listing is showing a shipping delay. B&amp;H says the offer will run through March 28.</p>
<p><core-commerce id="ad0090494866492ebc537c38101d1409" data-type="product-list"></core-commerce></p>
<p>A few other configurations are also on sale. For one, B&amp;H has <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:B&amp;H Photo;elmt:;cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=95276f3c-7b79-4c1e-803f-981cd9f7a968&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=B%26H+Photo&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iaHBob3RvdmlkZW8uY29tL2MvcHJvZHVjdC8xODE0OTg3LVJFRy9hcHBsZV9teGNyM2xsX2FfMTNfNl9tYWNib29rX2Fpcl9tMy5odG1sIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiI5NWE3YTVhZS0yMzQwLTRhZDMtYjk5Ny0yMWUzMjUyZjY3MjQifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAVChJXTfLLomKbeqzXs5-AYC0PX435wCdX_b8hRImauL&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fproduct%2F1814987-REG%2Fapple_mxcr3ll_a_13_6_macbook_air_m3.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1814987-REG/apple_mxcr3ll_a_13_6_macbook_air_m3.html">a model with[/url] 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD for $1,399, which is another $100 discount. If you'd prefer a bigger display, Amazon is also selling the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1gyNTFGNFg_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy1wLXYtYzAtMjAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6Ijk1YTdhNWFlLTIzNDAtNGFkMy1iOTk3LTIxZTMyNTJmNjcyNCJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAfkFW1B0JuAhltgemyacdZdSZaLsBF4Mjnovj1xqRLhl&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CX251F4X" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CX251F4X">15-inch version[/url] of the M3 Air for $1,204. That deal has been around for the past few days, but it's still a $95 discount and the best price we've tracked for this entry-level config since the new notebooks <a data-i13n="cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/apple-announces-new-macbook-airs-with-m3-chips-132810766.html">were released[/url] earlier this month.</p>
<span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>If you can accept an older processor, meanwhile, B&amp;H has the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:B&amp;H Photo;elmt:;cpos:9;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=95276f3c-7b79-4c1e-803f-981cd9f7a968&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=B%26H+Photo&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iaHBob3RvdmlkZW8uY29tL2MvcHJvZHVjdC8xNzEwMzA1LVJFRy9hcHBsZV9tbHkzM2xsX2FfMTNfNl9tYWNib29rX2Fpcl9tMi5odG1sIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiI5NWE3YTVhZS0yMzQwLTRhZDMtYjk5Ny0yMWUzMjUyZjY3MjQifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAQHSQ1NwyaaKqyLLL8OKAGA-LPWr5ap_xzEEUX0xvmZS&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fproduct%2F1710305-REG%2Fapple_mly33ll_a_13_6_macbook_air_m2.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1710305-REG/apple_mly33ll_a_13_6_macbook_air_m2.html">last-gen MacBook Air[/url] with Apple's M2 chip on sale for $849. That's another all-time low and $150 off Apple's list price. Again, the retailer says this deal will only run through March 28. Lastly, a config of the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:B&amp;H Photo;elmt:;cpos:10;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=95276f3c-7b79-4c1e-803f-981cd9f7a968&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=B%26H+Photo&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iaHBob3RvdmlkZW8uY29tL2MvcHJvZHVjdC8xNzcwOTcyLVJFRy9hcHBsZV9tYmExNW0ybW5fMDZfMTVfbWFjYm9va19haXJfbWlkbmlnaHQuaHRtbD9jbnhjbGlkPTE3MTE1NjMzNTkwMTUwMDUwNjYxNjEzODgxMTM5MDA4MDA1IiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiI5NWE3YTVhZS0yMzQwLTRhZDMtYjk5Ny0yMWUzMjUyZjY3MjQifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAZ-tuvcQAwr3cOJiFPAa_moYLGLf7sAaWHoBvlrSxWl_&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fproduct%2F1770972-REG%2Fapple_mba15m2mn_06_15_macbook_air_midnight.html%3Fcnxclid%3D17115633590150050661613881139008005" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1770972-REG/apple_mba15m2mn_06_15_macbook_air_midnight.html?cnxclid=17115633590150050661613881139008005">15-inch M2 Air[/url] with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD is down to a low of $1,499 as well.</p>
<p>We gave the both versions of the M3-powered MacBook Air a <a data-i13n="cpos:11;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/macbook-air-m3-review-2024-13-15-inch-140053162.html">score of 90[/url] in our review. Like the M2 Airs before them, they're slim, light and sturdy slabs, with comfortable keyboards and trackpads, accurate displays, 1080p webcams and more than enough battery life for a typical workday. Now, they each have a slightly faster chip, <a data-i13n="cpos:12;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-mesh-wifi-system-130028701.html">Wi-Fi 6E[/url] support and the option to connect to two external monitors (albeit only when the laptop itself is closed). Between the two sizes on sale, the <a data-i13n="cpos:13;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/why-the-15-inch-m3-macbook-air-is-the-best-macbook-air-150020238.html">15-inch model[/url] has a slightly stronger GPU and more robust speakers alongside its roomier display. The port selection isn't great on either, but there are two Thunderbolt USB-C ports, a MagSafe charging port and a headphone jack.</p>
<p>As my colleague Daniel Cooper has noted, though, the best thing about the new notebooks might be that they've <a data-i13n="cpos:14;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/the-best-thing-about-the-m3-macbook-air-is-the-m2-macbook-air-144543065.html">made the M2 versions cheaper[/url]. The difference between the M2 and M3 Airs isn't hugely noticeable in day-to-day use, so if you really want to save $150, the older model might be the better deal, especially if you're upgrading from a more dated Air with an Intel chip. (Those coming from an <a data-i13n="cpos:15;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/apple-macbook-air-m1-review-140031323-140050246.html">M1 model[/url] will probably be better off jumping to the M3.) The base M3 Air <a data-i13n="cpos:16;pos:1" href="https://9to5mac.com/2024/03/09/macbook-air-m3-storage-speeds/">technically has[/url] a faster SSD than its predecessor, however, so it may be worth it if you often work with large files. That said, you should only get these 8GB RAM/256GB SSD configurations if you'll mostly stick to less demanding tasks. Go beyond that and they can start to run hot.</p>
<p>It's worth noting that <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Walmart;elmt:;cpos:17;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=3719d8d4-5edd-4817-998a-91f3229e7323&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Walmart&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YWxtYXJ0LmNvbS9pcC9BcHBsZS1NYWNCb29rLUFpci0xMy0zLWluY2gtTGFwdG9wLVNpbHZlci1NMS1DaGlwLThHQi1SQU0tMjU2R0Itc3RvcmFnZS82MDkwNDA4ODkiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6Ijk1YTdhNWFlLTIzNDAtNGFkMy1iOTk3LTIxZTMyNTJmNjcyNCJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAYMta3AMTprzHIKpp5PB7R3OLsGAipUUHW0HEejfdcDd&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FApple-MacBook-Air-13-3-inch-Laptop-Silver-M1-Chip-8GB-RAM-256GB-storage%2F609040889" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Apple-MacBook-Air-13-3-inch-Laptop-Silver-M1-Chip-8GB-RAM-256GB-storage/609040889">2020 M1 version[/url] of the notebook is now <a data-i13n="cpos:18;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/walmart-is-selling-the-m1-macbook-air-for-only-700-171500495.html">going for $699[/url] at Walmart, which is a great price. Unless you just want a competent MacBook for as little as possible, though, the M2 version is enough of an upgrade to be worth the extra cost for most. We'll also highlight a <a data-i13n="cpos:19;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/apple-silicon-has-a-hardware-level-exploit-that-could-leak-private-data-174741269.html">hardware-level security exploit[/url] that was <a data-i13n="cpos:20;pos:1" href="https://gofetch.fail/">recently discovered[/url] for all M-series Macs, though the real-world risk of falling victim to that flaw is generally low. In any case, if you're looking to make a MacBook upgrade, this looks like a decent time to take advantage.</p>
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<p>Follow <a data-i13n="cpos:21;pos:1" href="https://twitter.com/EngadgetDeals">@EngadgetDeals[/url] on Twitter and <a data-i13n="cpos:22;pos:1" href="https://subscription.yahoo.net/Newsletter/Preference/sub?b=engadgetdeals&amp;src">subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter[/url] for the latest tech deals and buying advice.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-m3-and-m2-macbook-airs-have-never-been-cheaper-195132686.html?src=rss

Source: Apple's M3 and M2 MacBook Airs have never been cheaper
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