The base model 13-inch MacBook Air with the M3 chip, 256GB of storage, and 8GB of RAM has significantly faster SSD speeds compared to the equivalent model with the M2 chip, according to benchmark results shared today by YouTube channel Max Tech.
Max Tech's teardown video confirms that Apple has returned to using two 128GB storage chips for the new 13-inch MacBook Air with 256GB of storage, compared to a single 256GB chip in the equivalent model with the M2 chip. This change results in faster SSD read and write speeds in tests, as the two chips can process requests in parallel.
Max Tech ran Blackmagic's Disk Speed Test tool with a 5GB file size test on both the M2 and M3 models of the 13-inch MacBook Air with 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, and they found the SSD in the M3 model achieved up to 33% faster write speeds and up to 82% faster read speeds compared to the SSD in the M2 model.
The change very likely extends to the base model 15-inch MacBook Air with the M3 chip, although Max Tech has yet to tear down that model.
Apple's decision to switch to a single 256GB chip for the base model MacBook Air in 2022 was controversial, even though the slower SSD speeds are unlikely to be noticed by the average MacBook Air user working on common day-to-day tasks. Nevertheless, customers who purchase an M3 model no longer need to worry about configuring the laptop with at least 512GB of storage in order to avoid the slower speeds.
Two 128GB storage chips in the new base model 13-inch MacBook Air (via Max Tech)
The new MacBook Air models with the M3 chip launched Friday. Apple continues to sell a 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip and 256GB of storage for $999, so customers who want maximum SSD performance should avoid that model.
Saturday February 8, 2025 3:51 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
The end of an 18-year era is on the horizon for the iPhone.
Apple reportedly plans to announce a new iPhone SE as soon as next week, and the device is expected to feature a full-screen design with Face ID, instead of a Touch ID home button. That means Apple will no longer sell any new iPhone models with a home button, for the first time since the original iPhone launched.
The home button...
Monday February 10, 2025 3:05 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Oppo has confirmed a February 20 global launch for its Find N5, which the company claims is the world's thinnest device in the foldable phone category. The phone is expected to be re-branded as the OnePlus Open 2 in the US.
The Chinese vendor has been teasing the device in the last few weeks, touting its waterproofing and nearly invisible display crease, and highlighting its thinness by compa...
Monday February 10, 2025 10:56 am PST by Juli Clover
There continue to be signs of a new MacBook Air with an M4 chip, indicating that we could see the machine launch in the not too distant future. A private account on X today shared the identifiers that the MacBook Air will use, and those identifiers correspond to the M4 chip.
According to the source, both the 13-inch MacBook Air and the 15-inch MacBook Air will be equipped with Apple's...
Thursday February 6, 2025 11:21 am PST by Joe Rossignol
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost.
iCloud+ is the official name for Apple's paid iCloud storage plans, which range from 50GB for $0.99 per month to 12TB for $59.99 per month in the United States. iCloud+ plans already come with multiple perks for free, such as Hide My Email and HomeKit Secure Video, and now there is another one...
Monday February 10, 2025 10:11 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.3.1, a minor update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that came out last September. macOS 15.3.1 comes a few weeks after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.3.
Mac users can download the macOS Sequoia update through the Software Update section of System Settings. Apple has also released macOS 13.7.4 and macOS 14.7.4 for those who are...
Saturday February 8, 2025 10:55 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple has yet to release any new devices in 2025, but at least two new products are expected to be announced next week, according to rumors.
Below, we outline the new Apple products that are likely to be unveiled next week.
iPhone SE 4
Apple plans to announce the long-rumored iPhone SE 4 as soon as next week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
The new iPhone SE is rumored to...
Sunday February 9, 2025 3:53 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today increased its estimated trade-in values for select Mac models in the United States, with the full changes outlined below.
Apple says the extra trade-in credit for select Macs is available with the purchase of an eligible new Apple device through April 2.
The trade-in values increased by between $10 and $50.
Model
New Value
Old Value
MacBook Pro
Up to $925
...
Monday February 10, 2025 7:42 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple's long-awaited Powerbeats Pro 2 are finally expected to be announced this Tuesday. Ahead of time, one lucky Walmart customer was able to get their hands on the earbuds early, according to a since-deleted Reddit post over the weekend.
A leaked image of the Powerbeats Pro 2 in Electric Orange
"My local Walmart had them in the cage," the Reddit user explained. "I asked if I can buy them...
I'm still using a (13-inch, Mid 2012) MacBook Air that came with 4 GB RAM, and 120 GB SDD. I have 59 GB of free space left. It just depends what you use your machine for. For me daily home stuff like email, browsing, etc. And yes, I'm definitely ready for an upgrade!!
Browsing the web and writing emails with less than 1tb HD and 48gigs of Ram? Brave man.
The MaxTech channel is on another level of cringe and baiting.
I certainly hope they're swimming in money from posting their garbage 'cause I sure ain't getting anything from watching their stuff.
Video title: “M3 MacBook Air Overheating - What was Apple Thinking?!” conclusion of video: the new MacBook Air is impressive. They literally called it “impressive” in the video, but you would never guess that by the title and the over exaggerated first 10 minutes. Literally, the conclusion was that yes, it throttles, but even when it throttles, it’s still faster than the M2. And (surprise surprise) it absolutely never overheated once in the video. It got hot, but overheated implies that it stopped working, which it absolutely did not.