If you're in the market for a new MacBook Air, you might think that the latest M3 series would be your best choice. After all, they are Apple's latest computers, adding dual-monitor support, Wi-Fi 6E compatibility, and a faster base-model SSD than the previous Apple Silicon Air. Considering most of us don't need the extra bells and whistles that come with the much more expensive MacBook Pro range, you'll likely be well served by one of these machines.
But here's the thing: Most of us don't even need the extra bells and whistles of the M3 MacBook Air, or even those offered by the similar M2 lightweight Mac. Most of us will still find Apple's 2020 M1 MacBook Air to be the best value, especially now that it's only $699 new.
Apple MacBook Air M1 13-inch laptop
The M1 MacBook Air is still going strong
Even though it's been years since its 2020 debut, the M1 MacBook Air is still a great computer. In fact, any M1 machine still performs just as well as when it was first released. (FYI, I'm typing this on an M1 iMac.)
Much of this success is due to Apple's end-to-end control of the hardware and software in all M-series Macs. Not only is the M1 chip still a powerful technology in its own right (it performs far better than i9 Intel Macs), but Apple is also able to optimize macOS for the chip in a way that its Intel machines can't. So when Intel Macs start to struggle with new versions of macOS, or lose features that newer Macs enjoy, the M1 feels like a fresh experience even today.
In terms of software support, it doesn't look like there will be any issues with the M1 anytime soon. While Apple does have a habit of supporting its machines for a while, assuming the company doesn't drop support for business reasons, Apple chips will likely break records in that regard.
Just take a look at macOS Sonoma's features page: There's one feature that requires M2 or later - the ability to connect hearing aids to your Mac. The MacBook Air launched in late 2020 can run all other new macOS Sonoma features, so you won't miss out on any of the latest macOS features by sticking with the M1. We'll see if Apple introduces more features this year that aren't compatible with the M1 (perhaps some of the generative AI options expected in the next version of macOS). But for now, it appears the M1 is still as supported as any other Mac chip.
At this point, you have to wonder if Apple has any regrets about how well-manufactured the M1 is. The company doesn't even advertise the speed increase from the M2 to the M3, quietly pointing out that the M3 MacBook Air is only 1.6 times faster than the M1 MacBook Air. That's probably why the company discontinued the M1 MacBook Air after the M3 MacBook Air was released: it's easier to sell you the M3 when the excellent M1 isn't in Apple Stores.
This is a very good value
For Macs, all this goodness comes at a very high price: Stores like Amazon have long priced the M1 MacBook Air at $750, which is $350 cheaper than the base M3 MacBook Air. But today, you can buy one of these great computers for as low as $699 from stores like Best Buy and Walmart. I would say now is a good time to buy a mid-range laptop because this laptop will last for many years.
The money saved can be used for a variety of purposes: Maybe you want to add an iPad 9 or Series 9 Apple Watch to your setup. But I would say that if you want to close the gap between the prices of the devices, you're better off going for the M1 Air with 16GB RAM. While you can use 8GB of RAM, doubling the RAM will ensure that you can run more tasks on your Mac without problems, while potentially extending the overall lifespan of the device.
It might be difficult to find a brand new M1 Air with 16GB of RAM, but refurbished and refurbished units can offer the same benefits. You can buy an M1 Air with double the RAM and sometimes double, quadruple, or eight times the storage, depending on the seller, for about the same price as an M3 MacBook Air with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
If you can get your hands on it, the M1 Air with 16GB of RAM will serve you well for quite some time to come and will probably be able to handle more tabs and tasks than the M3 Air with 8GB of RAM.
The M2 MacBook Air is also a great value
Let's not discredit the M2 MacBook Air. After all, there are benefits to buying something newer. For one, the design language is more modern: The M2 MacBook Air is more square, like the rest of the current MacBook lineup, while the M1 MacBook Air adopts the tapered look that Apple's Airs have had for years. The newer Air has a cutout for an upgraded webcam and a display closer to the edge, while the M1 has large bezels. It looks good by any means, but it does look dated compared to newer devices.
MagSafe could also be a dealbreaker: Why Apple abandoned the charging platform, I'll never understand, but it's back with the M2 MacBook Air. The M1 still uses USB-C only for charging, which is very convenient since most of our devices use that standard. But a magnetic charger makes sense , and it's a big advantage of the M2 over the M1.
You can also get newer generation chips. You're always going to get at least an eight-core GPU (base model Airs come with seven cores), and in theory Apple should support the M2 for a little longer than the M1, but we can't predict the future. Also, if you want a larger laptop, you'll need to opt for the M2, as Apple never produced a 15-inch M1 MacBook Air. (Apple did discontinue the 15-inch M2, however.) All in all, the M2 is more modern, faster, and offers some customers more options.
In my opinion, the M1 is still the better overall value when you compare dollars and cents, but now that the M3 is here, the tide is turning a bit. Apple dropped the price of the M2 by $100, so the M2 Air now starts at the classic $999 with 8GB of RAM. That cost will rise as you upgrade the machine: you'll spend another $200 to upgrade the RAM to 16GB, and any changes to the GPU or storage will only raise the price further.
However, keep an eye on third-party retailers and the refurbished market. With the M3 becoming Apple's latest MacBook Air standard, stores are starting to drop prices on the M2 MacBook Air, if only intermittently. Amazon has the base 13-inch model for $879. That 's a great price for the M2 and all its features, and I think for some buyers, having MagSafe, a better camera, a more modern design, and a slightly newer chip than the M1 Air will be worth the $130.
Look, if you want the latest and greatest machine that Apple has to offer, you can't go wrong with the M3 MacBook Air. They'll be great laptops and offer the most "Mac" laptops you can buy right now - at least, without jumping into "Pro" territory. But when it comes to the best value you can get from your purchase, the 2020 small MacBook Air remains the gold standard. (Sorry, Apple.)
Apple MacBook Air M2 13 inches
