The newly unveiled MacBook Air equipped with the M3 chip has surfaced on the Geekbench 6 benchmark database, providing preliminary insights into its performance compared to the M2 iteration (via MySmartPrice).
The benchmark listing reveals a single-core score of 3,157 and a multi-core score of 12,020. The results are specifically for a 15-inch model equipped with 16GB of unified memory and is running the release candidate of macOS Sonoma 14.4, released earlier this week.
Compared to the M2-powered MacBook Air, the M3 version demonstrates a noteworthy performance increase, scoring roughly 20% higher in single-core and 18% higher in multi-core tests. Compared to older models, Apple says the M3 MacBook Air is up to 60% faster than M1-based models and “13x faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Air.
Excluding a spec upgrade, improved WiFi performance, and a few other smaller changes, the updated MacBook Air is largely the same as its predecessor. The updated models feature the same enclosure design introduced in June 2021 in both 13-inch and 15-inch sizes with True Tone Liquid Retina displays boasting a peak brightness of 500 nits.
The new MacBook Air is available for pre-order with in-store availability slated to start on Friday, March 8. Customers can choose from various configurations, including memory options of 8GB, 16GB, or 24GB, and storage capacities ranging from 256GB to 2TB. The models start at $1,099 and $1,299 for the 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, respectively.
