Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3) vs Framework Laptop 12
41.4Performance30.7
29.8Display26.5
55.3Battery—
79.6Portability83.2
2 spec wins — Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3)2 spec wins — Framework Laptop 12
InnoReviews verdict
Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3) wins this laptop face-off, 48.4 to 41.5, pulling ahead mainly in performance (+11) and display (+3). Framework Laptop 12 still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3)
- Stronger performance score: 41 vs 31
- Stronger display score: 30 vs 27
- 25% higher Screen size: 15.3 ″ vs 12.2 ″
- 25% higher Peak brightness: 500 nits vs 400 nits
Reasons to pick the Framework Laptop 12
- Stronger portability score: 83 vs 80
- 100% higher storage: 512 GB vs 256 GB
- 14% lower weight: 1.3 kg vs 1.51 kg
- Lower launch price: $799 vs $1,299
Display
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3) | Framework Laptop 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 15.3 ″+25% | 12.2 ″ |
| Panel type | IPS (Liquid Retina) | IPS LCD |
| Resolution | 2880x1864 | 1920x1200 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits+25% | 400 nits |
Performance
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3) | Framework Laptop 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M3 (8-core) | Intel Core i3-1315U |
| Graphics | Apple M3 10-core GPU | — |
| RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| RAM type | LPDDR5 (unified) | DDR5-5200 |
| Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB+100% |
| Storage type | SSD | — |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3) | Framework Laptop 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,130Top 26% | — |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 12,066Bottom 19% | — |
Battery
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3) | Framework Laptop 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 67 Wh | — |
| Charging | 35 W | — |
Design
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3) | Framework Laptop 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1.51 kg | 1.3 kg+14% |
| Thickness | 11.5 mm | — |
| Material | Recycled Aluminum | Overmolded TPU over PC/ABS plastic with an inner metal frame |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3) | Framework Laptop 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt / USB 4, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm | Modular Expansion Card system (USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, DisplayPort, MicroSD) |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | — |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | — |
| Webcam | 1080p FaceTime HD | — |
| Biometrics | Touch ID | — |
Software
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3) | Framework Laptop 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | macOS Sonoma | Windows 11 / Linux |
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