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Should I upgrade my MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024)?

2 years old · Runs macOS 27 Golden Gate, the current macOS

MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024)1MacBook Air (15-inch, M5)2

Quick look

Quick look: MacBook Air M3 against MacBook Air M5
FigureMacBook Air M31MacBook Air M52
Price£1,2993launch price£1,4994Apple UK store
ChipM3chipM5chip
CPU8-coreCPU10-coreCPU
GPU10-coreGPU10-coreGPU
Memory8GB5unified memory, base16GBunified memory, base
Storage256GBstorage, base512GBstorage, base
Battery lifeUp to18 hrsvideo playback, claimedUp to18 hrsvideo playback, claimed
Released8 March 20243ReleasedIn Apple Stores; orderable online from 4 March 2024.11 March 20266ReleasedIn Apple Stores; pre-order from 4 March 2026.
Security updatesNot available7Security updatesNot available7Security updates

Software support

Security updates
Not available7
macOS
macOS 27 Golden Gate, the current macOS

MacBook Air M3 and the MacBook Air M5

The newest base-tier Mac in this line that Apple still sells.

Specifications

Body

Body: Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024) against Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M5)
SpecificationMacBook Air M31MacBook Air M52
Dimensions11.5 x 340.4 x 237.6 mm11.5 x 340.4 x 237.6 mm
Weight1.51 kg1.51 kg
ColoursSilver, Starlight, Space Grey, MidnightSky Blue, Silver, Starlight, Midnight
PortsTwo Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports, MagSafe 3 port, 3.5mm headphone jackTwo Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, MagSafe 3 charging port, 3.5mm headphone jack
Thunderbolt ports822
Thunderbolt versionThunderbolt 3Thunderbolt 4
USB-A portsNo USB-A ports.9No USB-A ports.10
HDMINo HDMI port.11No HDMI port.12
SD card slotNo SD card slot.11No SD card slot.12
Headphone jackYesYes
MagSafeYesYes
KeyboardBacklit Magic Keyboard with Touch IDBacklit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID
Touch IDYesYes

Display

Display: Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024) against Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M5)
SpecificationMacBook Air M31MacBook Air M52
Display size15.3 in15.3 in
Resolution2880 x 18642880 x 1864
Pixel density224 ppi224 ppi
Display typeLiquid Retina displayLiquid Retina display
Brightness500 nits500 nits
Wide colour (P3)YesYes
Nano-texture optionNo nano-texture display option.11No nano-texture display option.12

Chip and memory

Chip and memory: Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024) against Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M5)
SpecificationMacBook Air M31MacBook Air M52
ChipApple M3 chipApple M5 chip
Apple siliconYesYes
CPU cores810
Super coresNot available13414
Performance cores4Not available15
Efficiency cores4614
GPU cores1010
Neural Engine cores1616
Chip optionsM3 with 8-core CPU and 10-core GPUM5 with 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU
Memory (base)8GB516GB
Memory (maximum)24GB532GB
Memory options8GB, 16GB or 24GB516GB, 24GB or 32GB
Memory upgradeable by userNo, as Apple documents16No, as Apple documents16
Memory bandwidth100 GB/s153 GB/s
Storage (base)256GB512GB
Storage (maximum)2TB4TB
Storage options256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB512GB, 1TB, 2TB or 4TB
Media engineHardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes and ProRes RAWvideo decode enginevideo encode engineProRes encode and decode engineAV1 decode engineHardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes and ProRes RAWvideo decode enginevideo encode engineProRes encode and decode engineAV1 decode

Battery and power

Battery and power: Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024) against Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M5)
SpecificationMacBook Air M31MacBook Air M52
Battery capacity66.5 Wh66.5 Wh
Rated charge cycles1,000 cycles171,000 cycles17
Video playback (claimed)1818 h18 h
Wireless web (claimed)15 h15 h
Included power adapter35 WNo power adapter in the box.12
Fast chargingYesYes

Connectivity

Connectivity: Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024) against Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M5)
SpecificationMacBook Air M31MacBook Air M52
Wi-FiWi‑Fi 6E (802.11ax)Wi‑Fi 7 (802.11be)
Bluetooth5.36
EthernetNo Ethernet port.11No Ethernet port.12
External displays (base)1192

Camera and audio

Camera and audio: Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024) against Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M5)
SpecificationMacBook Air M31MacBook Air M52
Camera1080p FaceTime HD camera12MP Center Stage camera with support for Desk View
Camera resolutionNot available2012 MP
SpeakersSix-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofersSix-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers
MicrophonesThree-mic array with directional beamformingThree-mic array with directional beamforming

Platform

Platform: Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024) against Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M5)
SpecificationMacBook Air M31MacBook Air M52
Newest macOSmacOS 27 Golden Gate21macOS 27 Golden Gate21
Model identifierMac15,1322Mac17,422
Model year20242026

The rest of the range at the price

Macs from other lines with a price read from Apple’s UK store, released within a year of the MacBook Air M5 (15-inch) and priced within a quarter of its £1,499 at Apple’s UK price as read on 22 September 2026, nearest price first. Each links to its side-by-side table, with your MacBook Air M3 (15-inch, 2024) or, where that pair is not one this site indexes, with the MacBook Air M5 (15-inch).

Trade-in and used prices

CeX pays, grade A
£424 cash / £493 voucher23Base configuration
CeX sells, grade A
£685–£84023Base configuration, cheapest of 4 listings linked, out of stock online and in store when read
The MacBook Air M5 (15-inch) new, less CeX’s cash
£1,075£1,499 new at Apple’s UK price as read on 22 September 2026, less £424 cash CeX was offering on 3 November 2026 for a grade A MacBook Air M3 (15-inch, 2024) in its base configuration

More

Sources

  1. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024) - Tech Specs · Default for MacBook Air M3 · Apple’s figure · read 14 Sep 2026

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  2. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (15-inch, M5) - Tech Specs · Default for MacBook Air M5 · Apple’s figure · read 14 Sep 2026

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  3. Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple unveils the new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air with the powerful M3 chip · Apple’s figure · read 14 Sep 2026

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  4. Apple UK store — 15-inch MacBook Air M5, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU — From £1,499 · Apple’s figure · read 22 Sep 2026

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  5. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024) - Tech Specs · Apple’s figure · read 2 Oct 2026

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  6. Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple introduces the new MacBook Air with M5 · Apple’s figure · read 14 Sep 2026

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  7. Apple publishes no date for the end of updates, and this site does not guess one. Checked: endoflife.date. Read 22 Sep 2026

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  8. Different Thunderbolt generations. MacBook Air M3: Thunderbolt 3. MacBook Air M5: Thunderbolt 4.

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  9. MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024): No USB-A ports. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024) - Tech Specs. Read 14 Sep 2026

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  10. MacBook Air (15-inch, M5): No USB-A ports. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (15-inch, M5) - Tech Specs. Read 14 Sep 2026

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  11. MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024): No HDMI port. No SD card slot. No nano-texture display option. No Ethernet port. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024) - Tech Specs. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  12. MacBook Air (15-inch, M5): No HDMI port. No SD card slot. No nano-texture display option. No power adapter in the box. No Ethernet port. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (15-inch, M5) - Tech Specs. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  13. Doesn’t apply: this chip has no super cores

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  14. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (15-inch, M5) - Tech Specs · Apple’s figure · read 2 Oct 2026

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  15. Apple names this chip’s cores differently: 4 super cores, 6 efficiency cores

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  16. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro: how to remove or install memory · Apple’s figure · read 18 Oct 2026

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  17. Apple Support (UK) — Determine battery cycle count for Mac laptops · Apple’s figure · read 15 Oct 2026

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  18. Two different Apple tests. MacBook Air M3: Apple TV app movie playback. MacBook Air M5: Video streaming.

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  19. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024) - Tech Specs · Apple’s figure · read 11 Oct 2026

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  20. Not published by Apple (Apple states resolution: 1080p FaceTime HD camera)

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  21. Apple Support (UK) — macOS 27 Golden Gate is compatible with these computers · Apple’s figure · read 22 Sep 2026

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  22. Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Air model · Apple’s figure · read 14 Sep 2026

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  23. CeX — Trade-in, Grade A, cash · third-party figure · read 3 Nov 2026

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Not published by Apple

MacBook Air M3. Apple doesn’t publish for this Mac: refresh rate, storage upgradeable by user, the macOS it shipped with. Geekbench 7: the Mac chart has no entry for this Mac, so no figures are shown (chart read 10 Oct 2026). Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024) - Tech Specs; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Air model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple unveils the new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air with the powerful M3 chip; Apple Support (UK) — macOS 27 Golden Gate is compatible with these computers, read 9 Oct 2026.

MacBook Air M5. Apple doesn’t publish for this Mac: refresh rate, storage upgradeable by user, the macOS it shipped with. Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Air (15-inch, M5) - Tech Specs; Apple Support (UK) — macOS 27 Golden Gate is compatible with these computers; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Air model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple introduces the new MacBook Air with M5, read 9 Oct 2026.

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