M3 Macbook Air - connecting 2 external displays to dock and using laptop display?

If you want an Apple Silicon Mac notebook that can drive two external displays, and the built-in display, at the same time, in a first-class, hardware-supported way, I believe that you would need a 14" or 16" MacBook Pro with a 'Pro' or 'Max' chip.

Here are the Technical Specifications for the current (M3-family) ones.

MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3 Pro or M3 Max, Nov 2023) - Technical Specifications - Apple Support

MacBook Pro (16-inch, Nov 2023) - Technical Specifications - Apple Support

And the Technical Specifications for now-discontinued 14" and 16" {M1/M2} {Pro/Max} MBPs that you might come across in the Certified Refurbished section of the online Apple Store.

MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021) - Technical Specifications - Apple Support

MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021) - Technical Specifications - Apple Support

MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2023) - Technical Specifications - Apple Support

MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2023) - Technical Specifications - Apple Support

Note that there are entry-level 14" MacBook Pros that have just a base M3 chip. Those MBPs have only two USB-C ports and can drive only a single external display. Apple may release a software update that will give them the same "lid closed" feature as the M3 MacBook Airs, but that's not what you are looking for.

MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023) - Technical Specifications - Apple Support

rapaul76 wrote:

I have a 2018 MBP and I'm looking to go with a new 15" M3 MacBook Air (I don't need the power of the Pro). With my MPB, I have a Belkin dock connected. I am able to connect 2 external displays to the dock and still use the laptop display. Is this possible with the new M3 MacBook Air's?

No: MacBook Air 13- and 15-inch with M3 or M2 - Tech Specs - Apple

"Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at 1 billion colors and:

• One external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz
• Close the MacBook Air lid to use a second external display with up to 5K resolution at 60Hz"

"

FYI, if you look across all of the Apple Silicon Macs released to date, no Mac that has a base M1, M2, or M3 chip has ever been able to drive more than two displays (including any built-in one) at the same time.

The M3 MacBook Airs are flexible enough to re-route the internal display output when the lid is closed, and there is no need to actually refresh the built-in screen. But there's no evidence to date that the base M3 processor has the ability to drive more than two active displays in any chassis (MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or 24" iMac).