Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024) 13.6" Laptop - Apple M3 16GB 256GB SSD Midnight
At a glance
Chip
Apple M3 with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine
Display
13.6-inch Liquid Retina, 2560 x 1664 at 500 nits
Memory
16GB unified memory shared by CPU, GPU and Neural Engine
Battery
52.6Wh, up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback
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LaptopApple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024) 13.6" Laptop - Apple M3 16GB 256GB SSD Midnight
€1,009.97
At a glance
Chip
Apple M3 with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine
Display
13.6-inch Liquid Retina, 2560 x 1664 at 500 nits
Memory
16GB unified memory shared by CPU, GPU and Neural Engine
Battery
52.6Wh, up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)
Apple's 13.6-inch MacBook Air with the M3 chip, 16GB of unified memory and a 500-nit Liquid Retina display, in a 1.24kg body.
The 13-inch MacBook Air is the laptop most people actually need, and this configuration pairs the M3 chip with 16GB of unified memory rather than the old base allocation. It weighs 1.24kg, measures 11.3 millimetres at its thickest, and the Midnight finish is the darkest of Apple's four colours.
Sixteen gigabytes is the figure that matters here. The M3's eight-core CPU and eight-core GPU are quick enough for photo editing, code and a stack of browser tabs, but memory is what stops a machine stalling when all three are open at once, and on Apple silicon it cannot be added later. Apple quotes up to 18 hours of video playback.
Ideal For
A 1.24kg machine with up to 15 hours of wireless web use covers a full day of lectures, and MagSafe 3 means a snagged cable pulls free rather than pulling the laptop.
The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina panel runs 2560 x 1664 at 500 nits with wide colour P3 and one billion colours, and 16GB of memory keeps large libraries moving.
A 1080p camera, four speakers with Spatial Audio and a three-mic array make video calls straightforward, and Touch ID handles logins without typing a password each time.
Key Features
An eight-core CPU with four performance and four efficiency cores, an eight-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine, all on one piece of silicon.
Double the memory of the old entry configuration, shared between the CPU, GPU and Neural Engine so nothing has to copy data between separate pools.
2560 x 1664 at 224 pixels per inch, 500 nits, one billion colours, wide colour P3 and True Tone to match the light in the room.
Apple quotes up to 18 hours of Apple TV app movie playback or 15 hours of wireless web from the 52.6 watt-hour battery.
Charging has its own magnetic connector, so both Thunderbolt ports stay free for displays, drives and docks while the machine is plugged in.
Four speakers with Spatial Audio support and a three-mic array, plus a 3.5mm headphone jack for wired listening when the room is not yours.
Why 16GB changes the machine
On Apple silicon the memory is part of the chip package, shared by the processor, graphics and Neural Engine, and it cannot be changed after you buy. Eight gigabytes copes with a browser and a document; sixteen is what lets you keep a photo library, a video call, a music app and thirty tabs open without the machine paging to disk. For a laptop expected to last several years, it is the specification worth having.
A display you can work outside
Five hundred nits is bright enough for a garden table or a train window seat, and the 13.6-inch Liquid Retina panel puts 2560 x 1664 pixels behind it at 224 per inch, so text stays crisp at normal viewing distance. Wide colour P3 and one billion colours matter if you edit photographs, and True Tone quietly shifts the white point to match the light you are sitting in, which makes long sessions easier on the eyes.
What a day away looks like
Apple rates the 52.6 watt-hour battery at up to 18 hours of Apple TV app playback or 15 hours of wireless web. In ordinary use that means leaving the 30W adapter at home for a working day. The machine weighs 1.24kg and is 11.3 millimetres thick, so it disappears into a bag, and MagSafe 3 keeps both Thunderbolt ports free when you do charge. Touch ID sits on the backlit Magic Keyboard for logins, the 1080p camera handles calls, and four speakers mean a lunchtime episode does not need headphones.
How It Compares
| What You Need | Technology | Practical Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| All-day lecture notes | 52.6Wh battery, 15 hours web | A full teaching day on one charge, with the 30W adapter left in the bag. |
| Photo library work | 16GB unified memory | Enough headroom to keep an editor, a browser and a call running without swapping to storage. |
| Colour-accurate editing | Wide colour P3, 500 nits | One billion colours and True Tone give a reliable reference indoors or beside a window. |
| Video calls | 1080p camera and three mics | Four speakers with Spatial Audio and a three-mic array keep both ends of the call clear. |
| Desk docking | Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports | MagSafe 3 takes the power, so both high-speed ports stay free for a display and a drive. |
| Carrying it daily | 1.24kg, 11.3mm thick | Light and thin enough that a full day in a bag is barely noticeable. |
Specifications
| Brand | Apple |
| Model | MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024) |
| Part Number | MC8K4B/A |
| Product Type | Laptop |
| Processor | Apple M3 chip with 8-core CPU (4 performance and 4 efficiency cores) and 16-core Neural Engine |
| Graphics | 8-core GPU (integrated) |
| Graphics Memory | Shared unified memory |
| Memory (RAM) | 16GB unified memory |
| Memory Type | Unified memory, built into the chip and not upgradable after purchase |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Display | 13.6-inch Liquid Retina, 500 nits, 1 billion colours, wide colour P3, True Tone |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1664 at 224 pixels per inch |
| Panel Type | LED-backlit IPS (Liquid Retina) |
| Touchscreen | No |
| Operating System | macOS |
| Webcam | 1080p FaceTime HD camera |
| Audio | Four-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio, three-mic array |
| Keyboard | Backlit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Force Touch trackpad |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt / USB 4 (USB-C), MagSafe 3 charging port, 3.5mm headphone jack |
| Battery | 52.6Wh lithium-polymer, up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback or up to 15 hours wireless web |
| Power Supply | 30W USB-C Power Adapter |
| Dimensions (W x D x H mm) | 304.1 x 215 x 11.3 mm |
| Weight | 1.24 kg |
| Warranty | 1-Year |
The Verdict
Strengths
- Apple M3 with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU
- 16GB unified memory shared across CPU and GPU
- 13.6-inch Liquid Retina at 500 nits
- Up to 18 hours of video playback
- MagSafe 3 charging keeps both Thunderbolt ports free
- Backlit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID
- 1.24kg body, 11.3 millimetres thick
Considerations
- Unified memory and storage are built into the machine, so neither the 16GB nor the 256GB can be increased later.
- Two hundred and fifty-six gigabytes fills quickly if you keep video projects or a large photo library locally.
- Expansion is two Thunderbolt ports and a headphone jack, so card readers, HDMI and USB-A need an adapter or dock.
What's in the Box
- MacBook Air x1
- 30W USB-C Power Adapter x1
- USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable (2m) x1
Compare Similar Models
| Specification | Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024) 13.6" Laptop - Apple M3 16GB 256GB SSD Midnight | ASUS Vivobook 16 16" Laptop - AMD Ryzen 5 | Apple MacBook Air 13" M4 16GB/512GB Laptop - Midnight | Apple MacBook Air M4 13" 16GB/256GB Laptop - Sky Blue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 13.6" | 16" | 13.6" | 13.6" |
| Memory (RAM) | 16GB | 16GB | 16GB | 16GB |
| Storage | 256GB | 512GB | 512GB | 256GB |
Essential laptop accessories
Great accessories to pair with your laptop.
Complete your setup
Select useful accessories to complete your setup.
LaptopApple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024) 13.6" Laptop - Apple M3 16GB 256GB SSD Midnight
€1,009.97
At a glance
Chip
Apple M3 with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine
Display
13.6-inch Liquid Retina, 2560 x 1664 at 500 nits
Memory
16GB unified memory shared by CPU, GPU and Neural Engine
Battery
52.6Wh, up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback
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Why you’ll love it
Apple's 13.6-inch MacBook Air with the M3 chip, 16GB of unified memory and a 500-nit Liquid Retina display, in a 1.24kg body.
- Apple M3 with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU
- 16GB unified memory shared across CPU and GPU
- 13.6-inch Liquid Retina at 500 nits
- Up to 18 hours of video playback
- MagSafe 3 charging keeps both Thunderbolt ports free