New M3 MacBook Air Offers Faster SSD Storage Speeds
Introduction
Apple released the new M3 MacBook Air this week, introducing faster performance, Wi-Fi 6E support, and the capacity to connect to dual external displays. Notably, the new MacBook Air also addresses the previous-generation base model’s issue with slower SSD storage speeds. In this article, we explore the backstory and the improvements Apple has made to the M3 MacBook Air’s storage capabilities.
Background: Slower SSD Speeds in the Previous MacBook Air Models
The previous base model M2 MacBook Air with 256GB storage had significantly slower SSD speeds in comparison to higher-tier configurations. This difference was due to the base model’s use of a 256GB single storage chip, instead of two 128GB storage chips utilized in the base M1 MacBook Air. As a result, the M2 MacBook Air experienced a regression in SSD performance.
Faster SSD Speeds in the New M3 MacBook Air
The M3 MacBook Air, however, addresses the storage speed issue with the base model. Noted by Gregory McFadden on Twitter and confirmed by a teardown conducted by Max Tech on YouTube, Apple now incorporates two 128GB storage chips in the base model M3 MacBook Air, allowing for significantly faster SSD speeds and improved data transfer capabilities.
Increased Speeds and Performance
According to testing by Max Tech, the M3 MacBook Air exhibits impressive SSD speeds. Write speeds of the M3 model reach 2108 MB/s compared to the base M2 MacBook Air’s speeds of 1584 MB/s, marking a boost of approximately 33%. In terms of read speeds, the M2 MacBook Air achieved 1576 MB/s, while the M3 MacBook Air soared to 2880 MB/s, representing a substantial 82% increase. These speeds level with and, in some cases, surpass the speeds seen in the M1 MacBook Air.
In-Depth Analysis by Max Tech
Max Tech’s YouTube video provides a detailed analysis of the SSD speeds and performance of the M3 MacBook Air. For a comprehensive review, you can watch the video below:
Glimpse from Gregory McFadden
In another YouTube video shared by Gregory McFadden, you can catch a quick glimpse of the M3 MacBook Air and its enhanced SSD speeds. Check out the video below:
