MacBook Air M1. Apple's most affordable MacBook has been discontinued as Apple has announced the MacBook Air M3. This means one model is gone from our list of best MacBooks, and we think it's justified.

The "new" $999 MacBook in Apple's lineup is the MacBook Air M2. And this move makes a lot of sense: the MacBook Air M1 had large bezels and an outdated look; the MacBook Air M2 has a thinner design, a larger 13.6" display (up from 13.3"), and a sharper 1080p webcam, MagSafe charging.

Yes, the MacBook Air M1 is still available at Amazon and other retailers for $749, but it is clear that Apple wants to sunset this laptop; once the M1 inventory is depleted, the MacBook Air M2 is expected to have a similar selling price.

So what about the MacBook M3? In its press release, Apple touts that it is faster than the MacBook Air M1 in various tests. In fact, according to Apple, the MacBook Air M3 is up to 60% faster overall than the MacBook Air M1, pointing to several applications where the M3 wins. [For example, Apple claims that games like "No Man's Sky" run up to 60% faster on the M3 versus the M1, image correction in AI is 40% faster, and video editing in Final Cut Pro is 60% faster. In other words, some may want to consider replacing their MacBook Air M1 with the Air M3. After all, the MacBook Air M3 starts at $1,099, only $100 more than the MacBook Air M2.

The MacBook Air M3 boasts a faster Wi-Fi 6E connection than the MacBook Air M2 and supports two external monitors simultaneously, whereas the MacBook Air M2 only supports one.

We will be testing and reviewing how the MacBook Air M3 compares to the Air M2, Air M1, and all the best laptops. Stay tuned for the results.