Apple's MacBook Air quietly gets a long overdue update

Key Takeaways

The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air have been upgraded to 16GB RAM from 8GB at the same price.
Apple likely took criticism regarding the M3 MacBook Air’s starting 8GB of RAM to heart
Rumors suggest the MacBook Air’s M4 chip upgrade is coming in early 2025.

This week’s biggest Apple announcements have been the M4 iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro refresh, but Apple’s MacBook Air also received a pretty noteworthy update despite not getting a new chip.

The 13-inch and 15-inch M2 and M3 MacBook Air have been upgraded to 16GB from 8GB with their starting RAM configuration, a move Mac users have requested for years. Making the upgrade even sweeter, the tech giant hasn’t raised the ultra-light laptop’s price, with the M2 still starting at $1,000 and the M3 starting at $1,100.

While the 8GB MacBook Air is no longer available through Apple’s store, it’ll likely start appearing at third-party retailers like Best Buy at a hefty discount.

This means that if you’re planning to buy a MacBook Air in the coming months, you’re getting a much better deal than those who purchased the laptop a few weeks ago.

When you sit back and really think about how Apple has offered only 8GB of RAM to start the MacBook Air for years, it’s wild. Apple likely took the criticism it received regarding the M3 MacBook Pro’s starting 8GB of RAM to heart, and, in an uncharacteristic move, opted to make a change.

13-inch M3 MacBook Air

In a surprise move, Apple upgraded its base-level MacBook Air to 16GB from 8GB.

Operating System: macOS
CPU: M3 8‑core CPU
GPU: 8‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 256GB SSD
Display (Size, Resolution): 13.6-inch Liquid Retina
Colors: Midnight, Starlight, Space Grey, Silver
Ports: Two Thunderbolt USB 4.0 ports

Refreshed M4 MacBook Pro lineup is designed from the ground up to be AI-ready

Beyond the chip refresh, the overall design of Apple’s 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro remains the same.

But where’s the M4 MacBook Air?

The MacBook Air’s upgrade to the M4 chip is likely slated for early 2025

Rumors have been sparse, but Apple will likely update the MacBook Air to the M4 chip in early 2025, probably in March or April. Similar to the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max MacBook Pro, it’s unlikely the MacBook Air’s design will change, with the refresh being focused on the chip upgrade.

While the 8GB MacBook Air is no longer available through Apple’s store, it’ll likely start appearing at third-party retailers like Best Buy at a hefty discount.