New M3 MacBook Airs Labeled World's Best Laptop for AI, Offer Power and Value Upgrades But Limited by Fanless Design
• New M3 MacBook Airs touted as "World's Best Consumer Laptop for AI" thanks to Neural Engine, though what makes an "AI laptop" is unclear • Airs retain crown as best mainstream MacBooks, relegating Pro models to niche; offer best balance of power, weight, battery life, and price • Base M3 chip brings upgrades like 8-core CPU and GPU, though thermal limitations of fanless design could bottleneck performance • For most consumers, Airs still far better choice over 14-inch Pro; the math changes if upgrading to M3 Pro chip • While not inherently specialized AI machines, new Airs have chops to handle emerging generative AI capabilities and trends