The 13-inch MacBook Air M3 is $250 off at B&H right now - and I wouldn't think twice about it

Apple's 13-inch MacBook Air with the M3 chip.

Jason Hiner/ZDNET

With Cyber Monday behind us and the big holiday sales still a couple of weeks out, we're at an in-between moment with some quietly amazing sales. Case in point: Apple's 13-inch M3 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM is currently $250 off at B&H: up there with some of the best deals we saw during Black Friday.   

Apple's 13-inch MacBook Air M3 set the standard for ultraportable power when it burst onto the scene last year, offering Apple's titular M3 chip, a lightweight and sleek form factor, and all the integrations that make MacBooks the powerhouse laptops they are. 

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Right now at B&H, you can snag a MacBook Air M3 with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for just $1,049, which is $250 off the regular price. 

Apple's M3 has some of the most efficient chip architecture on the market, making that 16GB of RAM go a lot further than on other lower-end machines, especially for an ultraportable laptop that weighs only 2.7 pounds and is 0.44 inches thick. 

The M3 brings processing power and battery life improvements over Apple's previous M2 chip, and at the center of all the advancements is the chip's AI readiness with a 16-core neural engine. The chip also powers the laptop in ways that hybrid and remote workers will care about: you can connect it to up to two external monitors (with the lid closed) for seamless transition if you're commuting into the office or a home setup. Also, the unified memory provides a smooth, stutter-free experience without any graphical lag resulting from working with multiple monitors.

Don't let the MacBook Air's portable size fool you, though; this thing is a powerhouse. The hardware on board is geared to handle demanding workloads, such as photo editing and productivity multitasking at home or at work. We went hands-on with the MacBook Air M3 right when it was released and praised the device for its superior design and upgraded neural engine.   

Also: MacBook Pro vs. MacBook Air: How to decide which Apple laptop is best for you

The 16GB/256GB configuration that's on sale is a mid-range spec, more than enough for work-related tasks that occasionally spike in demand. Most importantly, its portable form factor and integration with external displays provide a seamless experience for commuters. 

Battery life on the M3 Air is fantastic, with upwards of 15 hours on one charge, more than enough for a few work days without having to worry about power. When it does come time to charge, you've got fast charging capabilities, reducing the need to be tethered to a power outlet.

M3 MacBook Air review: Apple's AI computer for the masses has arrived

Right now, B&H is offering a $250 discount on the Midnight colorway only, but the dark silhouette is quite sleek, and it's easy to see why it's one of the more popular colors. 

All in all, this is one of the lowest prices we've seen for a top-tier ultraportable machine that's barely over a year old. If you've been looking for a good deal to snag a lightweight and snappy MacBook Air, now is the time, as this price isn't going to stick around forever.