Apple’s new M4 MacBook Air has arrived, and it may just be the best value laptop ever created.
With a surprisingly lower price point than previous generations, double the starting RAM, and significant performance improvements, this thin and light marvel has set a new standard for what consumers should expect from a premium laptop.
I’ve spent some time with both the 13-inch and 15-inch models, analyzing everything from design changes to performance benchmarks, and I’m ready to share my comprehensive findings.
Starting at just $999 for the base model, the M4 MacBook Air now includes 16GB of unified memory as standard – a major upgrade from previous generations.
This makes it not only a great laptop for casual users but also a serious contender for professionals and creators.
Design and Build Quality: Familiar Yet Refreshed
At first glance, the M4 MacBook Air maintains the sleek and modern design introduced with the M2 generation.
Its uniform thinness, clean lines, and premium aluminum build quality remain unchanged – and that’s not a bad thing.
One noticeable update is the revamped mute button on the keyboard, which now features a slash through the speaker glyph for better visual indication.
It’s a small touch, but shows Apple’s attention to detail.
Most striking, however, is the introduction of the new Sky Blue color option, replacing the Space Gray in the lineup.
This marks Apple’s return to colorful laptops in a significant way.
The New Sky Blue: A Refreshing New Look
Sky Blue color is subtle yet distinctive.
In some lighting conditions, it appears very close to silver, but when viewed directly, it presents a pleasant light blue hue that sets it apart from the usual MacBook colors.
Welcome additions to the lineup still include Silver, Starlight, and Midnight options.
While not as bold as some might have hoped, the Sky Blue strikes a nice balance between professional aesthetics and personal expression.
Unlike the Midnight color, which is notorious for showing fingerprints and smudges, Sky Blue does an excellent job of hiding fingerprints due to its lighter shade.
This makes it not only attractive but also practical for daily use.
Apple hasn’t offered a blue laptop since the iconic iBook G3 from 1999, making this a significant, if subtle, departure from their usual color palette for MacBooks.
Physical Features and Ports
Port configuration remains the same as its predecessors: two Thunderbolt 4 ports on the left side (upgraded from Thunderbolt 3 on the M3), a MagSafe 3 charging port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the right.
Slightly improved hinge design allows the screen to open a few degrees further than previous models.
This provides more flexibility in viewing angles, which is a small but welcome improvement.
Weight-wise, the 13-inch model comes in at 2.7 pounds, while the 15-inch model weighs 3.3 pounds.
Both are remarkably light and portable for their respective sizes, making them ideal travel companions.
Performance and Specifications: The Power of M4
Heart of the new MacBook Air is Apple’s M4 chip, which represents a significant leap forward in performance compared to previous generations.
This isn’t just a minor refresh – the benchmarks show impressive gains across multiple domains.
The M4 Chip: A Major Upgrade
Base model M4 MacBook Air now comes with a 10-core CPU (up from 8 cores in previous models) and an 8-core GPU in the base configuration.
Stepping up to the higher-tier models or the 15-inch variant gets you a 10-core GPU, providing even better graphics performance.
Improved Neural Engine optimized for AI tasks in 2025 provides faster performance for features like background removal, image enhancement, and the upcoming Apple Intelligence capabilities.
Memory bandwidth has increased from 100GB/s in the M3 to 120GB/s in the M4, allowing for faster data transfer between the unified memory and the chip.
This translates to better performance in memory-intensive tasks.
RAM and Storage Options
Substantial upgrade to 16GB of unified memory in the base model marks a significant improvement from the 8GB that was standard in the M3 Air.
This alone is a game-changer for many users, as 16GB provides much more headroom for multitasking and more demanding applications.
Configuration options allow up to 32GB of RAM, which is plenty for even demanding workloads like software development, video editing, and running virtual machines.
Storage options start at 256GB for the base model, with options to upgrade to 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB.
The 512GB and higher storage options also come with the upgraded 10-core GPU, something worth considering if you’re looking for more storage for creative work.
Benchmark Results: Numbers Don’t Lie
Impressive performance gains show up in benchmark tests compared to its predecessors and competing devices.
Let’s take a look at the hard numbers.
Geekbench Performance
Geekbench 6 scores for the M4 MacBook Air reached approximately 3,750 in single-core performance, compared to around 3,100 for the M3 Air.
That’s a 21% improvement in single-core performance.
Multi-core performance saw an even bigger jump, with the M4 scoring around 15,000 points compared to about 12,000 for the M3.
That’s a 23% improvement in multi-core performance.
These scores put the M4 MacBook Air in the same performance tier as the M3 Pro MacBook Pro from last year, which is impressive considering the price difference.
Graphics performance also saw improvements despite having the same number of GPU cores.
The Metal benchmark showed about a 12.5% increase in performance over the M3 MacBook Air.
3D Mark Performance
Gaming and 3D rendering capabilities show solid improvements in 3D Mark Wild Life Extreme, where the M4 MacBook Air scored around 12-13% higher than the M3 model.
This makes it a capable device for casual gaming and creative tasks.
Video and Photo Editing Performance
Creative workloads see substantial improvements with the M4 chip.
In Lightroom Classic, exporting 542 raw photos took about 16 minutes on the M4 Air, compared to nearly 25 minutes on the M3 Air – a nearly 9-minute (36%) improvement.
Video editing in Final Cut Pro improves as well, with the M4 MacBook Air completing a 5-minute 4K export in about 2 minutes, compared to 2 minutes and 15 seconds on the M3 model.
While that 15-second difference might not seem huge, it scales with longer projects.
Upgraded video encoders in the M4 chip make video export times noticeably faster than previous generations.
This is particularly beneficial for content creators working with video.
Thermal Performance and Throttling
Lacking a cooling fan like all MacBook Air models, the M4 version relies on passive cooling.
Under sustained heavy loads, this can lead to thermal throttling – where the chip reduces its performance to manage heat.
Cinebench 2024’s 10-minute stress test initially showed the M4 MacBook Air hitting clock speeds of about 4GHz, but as temperatures rose to around 107°C, the clock speeds decreased to manage heat.
Interestingly, throttling occurs faster on the M4 MacBook Air than the M3 model under extreme sustained loads, likely due to its higher peak performance generating more heat.
However, even when throttled, it still maintains better performance than the M3 at its peak.
Maximum chassis temperature reaches around 44.4°C under heavy load, which is warm but not uncomfortable for most users.
Display and Webcam: Subtle Improvements
Screen Quality and Options
Display specifications remain unchanged from previous models.
The 13.6-inch model features a Liquid Retina display with 2560 x 1664 resolution, while the 15.3-inch model has a 2880 x 1864 resolution panel.
Both displays offer 500 nits of brightness, P3 wide color gamut support, and True Tone technology for adaptive color temperature adjustment.
The refresh rate remains at 60Hz, unlike the ProMotion displays on the MacBook Pro models that go up to 120Hz.
While not revolutionary, these displays are still excellent for productivity work, content consumption, and even creative tasks.
Colors are accurate, text is crisp, and brightness is sufficient for most indoor environments, though they don’t quite match the competition from other premium laptops in terms of refresh rate.
The New 12MP Center Stage Webcam
One of the most significant upgrades in the M4 MacBook Air is the new 12-megapixel webcam with Center Stage support.
This is a substantial improvement over the 1080p FaceTime HD camera in the M3 model.
Center Stage feature uses an ultra-wide field of view and then intelligently crops and follows subjects as they move around the frame.
This is particularly useful for video calls where you might be moving around or when multiple people need to be in the frame.
Image quality from the new webcam is noticeably better, with improved detail, better low-light performance, and more accurate colors.
This makes a significant difference for those who regularly participate in video conferences or create content using their built-in camera.
Desk View support allows the ultra-wide camera to simultaneously show your face and an overhead view of your desk – perfect for demonstrations or showing physical objects during calls.
Battery Life and Power Efficiency
Despite the performance improvements, the M4 MacBook Air maintains the excellent battery life we’ve come to expect from Apple silicon devices.
Apple claims up to 18 hours of battery life, which is consistent with real-world testing.
Battery capacity has been slightly increased from 52.6 watt-hours to 53.8 watt-hours in the M4 model, providing about 2% more battery capacity.
This helps offset the increased power demands of the more powerful M4 chip.
Practical usage shows the M4 MacBook Air delivers about an hour of additional battery life compared to the M3 model under similar workloads.
Testing shows around 13 hours and 40 minutes of mixed use for the M4 compared to 12 hours and 19 minutes for the M3.
More efficient use of the efficiency cores in the M4 chip compared to previous generations is a notable improvement.
During photo editing tasks, all six efficiency cores were fully utilized while the performance cores were used sparingly, resulting in better battery life while still delivering improved performance.
Power adapter options vary by model: the base 13-inch model comes with a 30W USB-C power adapter, while the 15-inch model and upgraded 13-inch configurations include a 35W dual USB-C port adapter that can charge both your MacBook and another device simultaneously.
Connectivity and External Display Support
Enhanced external display support marks one of the most significant improvements in the M4 MacBook Air.
Previous MacBook Air models were limited in how they could connect to external displays.
Connectivity limitations plagued earlier models, with the M1 and M2 MacBook Air only connecting to a single external display.
The M3 model added support for two external displays, but only in clamshell mode (with the laptop closed).
These limitations are finally gone with the M4 MacBook Air supporting up to two 6K external displays at 60Hz while still using the built-in display.
This is a game-changer for productivity users who rely on multiple screens.
Improved display performance comes from the M4 chip having three dedicated display controllers (two external, one internal) compared to the two controllers in the M3 (one of which had to alternate between internal and external signals).
Wireless connectivity remains unchanged with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support.
These standards provide excellent wireless performance for most users, though they aren’t the latest Wi-Fi 7 or Bluetooth 5.4 specifications.
13-inch vs 15-inch: Which Size Should You Choose?
Choice between 13-inch and 15-inch variants continues with the M4 MacBook Air, giving users a choice between maximum portability or a larger screen.
Both models share the same M4 chip, but there are some key differences to consider.
Price difference is $200, with the 13-inch model starting at $999, while the 15-inch model starts at $1,199.
For that $200 premium, you get a larger 15.3-inch display, a six-speaker sound system (versus four speakers in the 13-inch), and a slightly larger trackpad.
GPU configuration differs between models, with the 15-inch model coming with the 10-core GPU in its base configuration, while the 13-inch base model has an 8-core GPU.
You’ll need to upgrade to the $1,199 configuration of the 13-inch to get the 10-core GPU.
Weight considerations might influence your decision: the 13-inch model weighs 2.7 pounds, while the 15-inch weighs 3.3 pounds.
Both are lightweight by laptop standards, but the 13-inch is noticeably more portable.
Battery life between the two sizes is very similar, with the 15-inch having a slightly larger battery to power its bigger screen.
Performance between the two sizes is virtually identical for the same configurations.
Creative professionals, content consumers, and those who value screen real estate over maximum portability will find the 15-inch model particularly well-suited to their needs.
The larger screen makes working with multiple windows more comfortable, and the improved speakers provide a better multimedia experience.
Frequent travelers, students, and those who prioritize portability above all else will prefer the 13-inch model.
Its compact size makes it ideal for working in tight spaces like airplane tray tables or crowded coffee shops, making it one of the best options for students.
Value Proposition: Pricing and Configurations
Significant shift in Apple’s pricing strategy is evident with the M4 MacBook Air.
After raising prices with the M2 generation (to $1,199) and only slightly reducing them with the M3 (to $1,099), Apple has brought the entry price back down to $999 while substantially improving the specifications.
Base Model vs Upgraded Options
Base model at $999 includes the M4 chip with 10-core CPU and 8-core GPU, 16GB of unified memory, and 256GB of storage.
This configuration is suitable for most general users, students, and light productivity work.
Mid-tier configuration at $1,199 upgrades you to 512GB of storage and gets the 10-core GPU.
This middle configuration offers a good balance of performance and storage for most users.
High-end configuration at $1,399 increases the RAM to 24GB while maintaining the 512GB storage and 10-core GPU.
This is ideal for power users, developers, and those who keep their machines for many years.
Premium prices apply to additional RAM and storage upgrades.
Upgrading from 16GB to 24GB of RAM costs $200, while upgrading from 24GB to 32GB costs another $200.
Storage upgrades beyond 512GB are similarly expensive, though many might be able to use external storage solutions instead.
MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro Comparison
Gap between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro has narrowed significantly with the M4 generation.
The base M4 MacBook Air now outperforms last year’s base M3 MacBook Pro in CPU performance, all while costing $600 less.
Advantages of the M4 MacBook Pro still include a fan for sustained performance, a ProMotion display with up to 120Hz refresh rate, mini-LED technology for better contrast, an additional Thunderbolt port, HDMI port, SD card slot, and better speakers.
Cinebench testing shows the M4 MacBook Pro scored about 36% higher than the M4 MacBook Air under sustained loads, showing the benefit of active cooling for intensive workloads.
However, for most short-duration tasks, the performance difference is minimal.
Best value for the majority of users comes from the M4 MacBook Air.
The Pro model makes sense primarily for those who regularly push their machine with sustained intensive workloads or need the additional ports and display features, similar to deciding between the M4 Mac Mini and Pro models.
Real-World Performance
For Students and Casual Users
Students and casual users will find the M4 MacBook Air exceptionally well-suited to their needs.
The base model with 16GB of RAM provides plenty of headroom for multitasking between research, writing papers, browsing with multiple tabs, and video calls.
Web browsing performance is stellar, with the M4 MacBook Air scoring about 11% higher in the Speedometer 3.0 benchmark compared to the M3, making it one of the fastest machines for web browsing available today.
Full-day battery life is a major strength for this use case, easily lasting through a full day of classes or work without needing a charger.
The improved webcam also makes a noticeable difference for virtual classes and meetings.
Occasional demanding software needs for specific courses are well-handled with the 16GB of RAM in the base model, providing sufficient headroom without requiring expensive upgrades.
For Professionals and Creators
Creative professionals will find the M4 MacBook Air surprisingly capable.
Photo editing in applications like Lightroom and Photoshop is smooth and responsive, with the increased RAM making a noticeable difference when working with large files or multiple images.
Video editing performance is quite impressive for a fanless machine.
4K editing in Final Cut Pro is smooth, with real-time playback at reasonable preview resolutions.
Export times have improved significantly over previous models.
3D work shows improvements in applications like Blender, completing the sample “Party Tug” project in about 1 minute and 48 seconds, compared to 2 minutes and 11 seconds on the M3 Air, though it doesn’t compete with dedicated graphics cards for 3D work.
Main limitation for creative professionals remains the thermal constraints of the fanless design.
For extended rendering or exporting sessions, performance will throttle more significantly than on a MacBook Pro with active cooling.
For Developers and Programmers
Developers will appreciate the performance improvements in the M4 MacBook Air, particularly in compilation speeds.
Xcode build times are about 23% faster than on the M3 Air, with typical projects compiling in around 142 seconds compared to 184 seconds on the M3.
RAM configurations start at 16GB in the base model, which is adequate for most development tasks, but those working with larger codebases, virtual machines, or container environments should consider upgrading to 24GB or 32GB of RAM.
Web development tools like VS Code, browser tooling, and Node.js run exceptionally well.
The M4 chip’s improved single-core performance makes a noticeable difference in build times and responsiveness of development tools.
Machine learning and AI development benefits from the improved Neural Engine in the M4 chip, providing better performance for local model inference, though serious ML work will still benefit from more powerful machines like those optimized for AI solutions like ChatGPT or Claude.
Should You Upgrade from Previous Models?
Upgrading from M3 MacBook Air
Recent M3 MacBook Air owners have a relatively weak case for upgrading to the M4 unless you specifically need one of the new features like improved external display support or the Center Stage webcam.
Performance improvements, while noticeable in benchmarks, won’t dramatically change your day-to-day experience if you already have an M3 with 16GB of RAM.
The roughly 20% improvement in CPU performance and 12% in GPU performance isn’t enough to justify the cost for most users.
Memory-constrained users with the base M3 with only 8GB of RAM might find the upgrade to an M4 with 16GB worthwhile, especially considering the minimal price difference now.
Upgrading from M2 MacBook Air
Stronger upgrade case exists for M2 MacBook Air owners, especially if they have the base 8GB model.
The combination of more RAM, better performance, improved external display support, and the better webcam adds up to a compelling upgrade package.
Substantial performance improvements from M2 to M4 are evident, with roughly 30-40% better CPU performance and 25-30% better GPU performance.
For creative professionals and developers, these gains can translate to meaningful time savings.
Basic productivity tasks are still handled capably by the M2 MacBook Air.
If your current M2 is meeting your needs without frustration, it’s still reasonable to wait another generation before upgrading.
Upgrading from M1 MacBook Air
M1 MacBook Air owners will find the M4 represents a substantial upgrade across all metrics.
Performance is roughly twice as fast in many tasks, RAM has doubled in the base configuration, and you gain modern features like MagSafe charging, a better webcam, and improved display.
Main limitations of the M1 model are addressed in the M4, particularly the restriction to a single external display.
With the M4, you can now connect two external displays while keeping the laptop open.
Battery degradation after three to four years of use might be affecting many M1 owners, making the fresh battery in a new M4 model an additional benefit.
Excellent upgrade opportunity exists for most M1 owners, with significant improvements in all areas at a very reasonable price point, comparable to upgrading from older premium ultrabook models to newer versions.
Upgrading from Intel MacBook Air
Intel-based MacBook Air owners will find the upgrade to an M4 model is a no-brainer.
The performance difference is night and day, with the M4 offering several times the performance while consuming far less power.
Battery life alone makes the upgrade worthwhile, with the M4 offering roughly double the runtime of most Intel MacBook Air models.
Add in the vastly improved performance, better display, modern design, and new features, and there’s really no reason to hold onto an Intel model if you can afford to upgrade.
Software support will continue longer for Apple Silicon models, as Intel models will likely reach end-of-support before M-series chips do.
FAQ: M4 MacBook Air
What is the starting price of the M4 MacBook Air?
The M4 MacBook Air starts at $999 for the 13-inch model and $1,199 for the 15-inch model.
This represents a price reduction compared to the previous M3 generation.
How much RAM comes with the base model M4 MacBook Air?
The base model now comes with 16GB of unified memory, double the 8GB that was standard on previous generations.
This is a significant upgrade that improves multitasking capability and future-proofs the device.
What are the color options for the M4 MacBook Air?
The M4 MacBook Air is available in Sky Blue (new), Silver, Starlight, and Midnight.
The Space Gray option from previous generations has been replaced by Sky Blue.
Can the M4 MacBook Air connect to multiple external displays?
Yes, the M4 MacBook Air can connect to two external 6K displays at 60Hz while still using the built-in display.
This is an improvement over the M3 model, which could only connect to two displays in clamshell mode (with the laptop closed).
Does the M4 MacBook Air have active cooling (fans)?
No, the MacBook Air remains fanless with passive cooling.
Under sustained heavy workloads, this can lead to thermal throttling, where performance is reduced to manage heat.
How does the M4 MacBook Air compare to the M4 MacBook Pro?
The M4 MacBook Pro offers several advantages over the Air: active cooling for sustained performance, a ProMotion display with up to 120Hz refresh rate, mini-LED technology, additional ports (including HDMI and SD card), and better speakers.
However, the Air offers similar performance for short-duration tasks at a much lower price point.
What’s new with the webcam on the M4 MacBook Air?
The M4 MacBook Air features a new 12-megapixel webcam with Center Stage support, which can automatically pan and zoom to keep you in frame during video calls.
This is a significant upgrade from the 1080p camera on previous models.
How much storage does the base model M4 MacBook Air have?
The base model comes with 256GB of SSD storage.
Upgrade options include 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB, though these upgrades come at a premium price.
Is the M4 MacBook Air good for gaming?
The M4 MacBook Air offers improved gaming performance over previous generations and includes hardware-accelerated ray tracing.
It can handle many Mac-compatible games well, but for serious gaming, it’s still limited by its passive cooling and the relatively small library of Mac games.
Can the M4 MacBook Air run AI models locally?
Yes, with 32GB of RAM, the M4 MacBook Air can run certain AI models locally.
Testing has shown it can run models like DeepSeek R1 with 32B parameters, though with some limitations due to memory constraints.
What’s the battery life like on the M4 MacBook Air?
Apple claims up to 18 hours of battery life.
Real-world testing shows around 13-14 hours of mixed use, which is about an hour better than the M3 model.
Should I upgrade from an M3 MacBook Air to the M4?
If you have a recent M3 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM, the upgrade is probably not worth it unless you specifically need the improved external display support or Center Stage webcam.
Performance improvements, while noticeable, aren’t transformative for most users.
Does the M4 MacBook Air support the latest Wi-Fi standards?
The M4 MacBook Air supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
It does not support the newer Wi-Fi 7 standard.
What charger comes with the M4 MacBook Air?
The base 13-inch model comes with a 30W USB-C power adapter.
The 15-inch model and upgraded 13-inch configurations include a 35W dual USB-C port adapter that can charge both your MacBook and another device simultaneously.
How long will Apple support the M4 MacBook Air with software updates?
Based on Apple’s track record, you can expect at least 7-8 years of macOS updates for the M4 MacBook Air.
Apple Silicon Macs are likely to receive support for even longer than Intel models did.
Conclusion: The New Value King
Significant shift in Apple’s approach to its consumer laptop lineup is evident with the M4 MacBook Air.
By reducing the price while simultaneously improving performance and doubling the base RAM, Apple has created what may be the best value proposition in the current laptop market.
Vast majority of users will find the base $999 M4 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage provides an exceptional computing experience that will remain responsive and capable for years to come.
The performance is sufficient for everything from basic productivity to creative work to development tasks.
Improved external display support addresses one of the few remaining limitations of the Air lineup, making it suitable for more professional workflows.
The new webcam with Center Stage is a welcome upgrade for our video call-centric world.
While the MacBook Pro and other premium laptops still maintain advantages for those with specific professional needs, the gap has narrowed considerably.
For many users who previously felt compelled to spend extra on a Pro model, the M4 Air now offers sufficient performance at a much more attractive price point.
Laptop market in 2025 offers many choices, but it’s hard to imagine a better overall package than the M4 MacBook Air.
It delivers on performance, battery life, build quality, and value in a way few other laptops can match.
Whether you’re a student, professional, creator, or casual user, the M4 MacBook Air deserves to be at the top of your consideration list.
It’s not just a great Apple laptop—it’s one of the best laptop values on the market, period.