The similarities between MacBook Air M3 and its predecessors are numerous, whether for better or worse, but Apple announced that there will be one key difference between the models.
The midnight color variant for the laptop won't be such a bad fingerprint magnet this time around. 'Scratchgate', as it was called In 2022 with the MacBook Air M2, it emerged because the midnight blue version was particularly vulnerable to both fingerprints and scratches.
According to AppleThe new M3 version features an “innovative anodizing seal to reduce fingerprints,” similar to the Space Black M3 MacBook Pro, which was the first of Apple's laptops to receive such a coating.
Apple seems to have the solution in hand
Considering how prominent 'Scratchgate' was with the M2 MacBook Air, it's good to see that Apple has adequately addressed the issue by adding this new coating to better protect the chassis of the M3 version. Especially since buyers are investing in this new product and deserve to have one that maintains its aesthetics.
Hopefully, once pre-orders go live and people start getting the laptop in their hands, the coating will be more than enough to protect the exterior from fingerprints. However, from what those with the Pro have said, the anodizing seal appears to be as effective at reducing the number of fingerprints as Apple claims, which is good news for the Midnight Air M3. There have also been no major complaints about scratches on the chassis, which is also a good sign.
Let's keep our fingers crossed that this coating is the definitive solution to this problem and that Apple doesn't allow a problem like this to happen again, as quality and aesthetics are two of the tech giant's biggest selling points.
