Apple has taken the beloved MacBook Air and enhanced it with the M4 chip, bringing impressive performance gains, AI-powered features, a new design twist, and a slightly reduced price, making it a compelling option for anyone looking for power, portability, and value. The new M4 MacBook Air is set to redefine what a thin and light laptop can do, all while offering a mix of intelligent features and performance that are hard to beat in this price range.
| Chip | M4 chip (10-core CPU, 8-core or 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine) |
| Memory | 16GB unified memory (upgradable to 32GB) |
| Storage | 256GB SSD (upgradable to 2TB) |
| Battery Life | Up to 18 hours |
| Display | 13.6-inch or 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, 500 nits brightness |
| Camera | 12MP Center Stage camera |
| Color Options | Sky Blue, Midnight, Starlight, Silver |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, MagSafe charging |
| Price | Starting at $999 (education discount: $899) |
The biggest change is the M4 chip, which brings with it a 10-core CPU and an up to 10-core GPU, making the MacBook Air up to 2x faster than the previous M1 model. For users upgrading from Intel-based Macs, the performance boost is a staggering 23x faster. Whether you’re multitasking, editing videos, or running AI-enhanced tasks, the M4 chip makes everything run more smoothly.
The Neural Engine is a standout, giving the MacBook Air the ability to handle more AI-specific tasks, from background cutouts to enhancing photos or videos faster than before. This chip’s added muscle means it can even perform tasks that would have previously required a more powerful Pro chip, which is incredible for an entry-level laptop.
Price Drop and Design Changes
At $999, this new MacBook Air is priced $100 less than its predecessor, making it an amazing deal for the base configuration with 16GB of unified memory and 256GB of storage. This makes it a fantastic choice for students, professionals, or anyone in need of a powerful, portable laptop without breaking the bank.
Physically, the laptop remains mostly the same as the previous generation. You still get the same slim aluminum unibody with MagSafe charging, two Thunderbolt ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and the iconic notch at the top. The most noticeable physical change is the Sky Blue color, a subtle and delicate light blue that adds a fresh touch to the lineup. Though some might say it looks more silver against other blue items, it’s a refreshing new option that still retains the classy feel of the MacBook Air.
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Performance and Features
While the MacBook Air still has the same 60Hz LCD display, 1280 x 800 resolution, and 500 nits of brightness, it has a couple of notable upgrades:
- Up to two 6K external displays supported, perfect for those looking to extend their workspace.
- A 12MP Center Stage camera that automatically keeps you in the frame during video calls.
- Battery life up to 18 hours — all-day power that will keep you productive no matter what.
For users who want to dabble in video editing, Final Cut Pro runs surprisingly well on this machine, with the ability to handle 4K and 8K footage with ease, making it more capable than ever before. And while the MacBook Air isn’t designed for heavy-duty tasks like AAA gaming or professional 3D modeling, it can still handle multiple applications with ease, thanks to its upgraded M4 chip.
Note: The battery capacity has increased slightly from 52.6 to 53.8 watt-hours, providing a minor but beneficial boost to overall battery life for everyday use.
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Integration of AI in the M4 MacBook Air
The new M4 MacBook Air leverages Apple’s powerful AI integration with its 16-core Neural Engine, enhancing tasks like background cutouts, photo enhancements, voice recognition, and real-time language translation. It also features creative tools like Image Playground, Genmoji, and dynamic Writing Tools, alongside improved Siri functionality for faster task management. With ChatGPT integrated into Siri and Writing Tools, users can access expert assistance, all while maintaining privacy and control. This combination of performance and smart features elevates the overall user experience, making the M4 MacBook Air more efficient and intuitive.
Better for Everyday Use
Despite its performance improvements, the MacBook Air still maintains its reputation as the ultimate “basic” laptop for casual users who need a reliable machine for everyday tasks — from email and web browsing to productivity apps and light photo editing. This entry-level MacBook remains a perfect option for anyone who doesn’t need the Pro features but still wants that Apple performance and ecosystem.
Display and Other Considerations
The display remains a point of contention for some, especially those used to the MacBook Pro’s high-end Mini LED and ProMotion tech. While the Air’s Liquid Retina display is good, it could use a better screen—especially for users who are accustomed to brighter, higher-quality visuals. Still, for the majority of users, this LCD display will suffice.
One key thing to note is that while the base model comes with 16GB of unified memory, if you’re looking to upgrade to more storage or memory, it’s going to cost you extra. But given the improvements in performance with Apple Silicon, even the base model will meet the needs of most users, especially those who only need light to moderate usage.
Release Date
The latest MacBook Air, featuring the powerful M4 chip, is now available for pre-order and will officially launch on Wednesday, March 12.
Final Thoughts
At $999, the M4 MacBook Air offers incredible value, providing top-tier performance, efficiency, and portability in a sleek design. Whether you’re upgrading from an older MacBook or trying out Apple for the first time, it’s hard to find a better deal in the ultra-portable laptop category. Sure, it’s not a massive leap from the previous generation, but the performance improvements and price drop make this the best value MacBook Air yet.
While the display could use some improvement, the M4 MacBook Air is a machine that can handle just about anything most users throw at it. And if you’re looking for a reliable, affordable, and powerful laptop, it’s hard to go wrong with this MacBook.
Recommendation: For most people, this is the MacBook to get. But if you’re really focused on display quality or need Pro features, then a MacBook Pro might be worth considering.
Reference: This review is based on insights from Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) and Apple’s official announcement (Apple Newsroom).
- Electronics
- March 11, 2025
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