Apple's latest MacBook Air models featuring the new M4 chip have arrived on the market, bringing significant performance improvements while actually decreasing the starting price. This combination of better specs and lower cost positions the new MacBook Air as potentially one of the most compelling laptop options of 2025, especially for productivity-focused users seeking a balance of power, portability, and value.
Performance Leap with the M4 Chip
The benchmark results for the new MacBook Air M4 models reveal substantial performance gains over their M3 predecessors. In Geekbench 6 tests, both the 13-inch and 15-inch variants achieved remarkably higher scores in single-core and multi-core performance compared to the previous generation. What's particularly impressive is how close these results come to the more expensive MacBook Pro M4 models, despite the Air's significantly lower price point. The M4 chip in the Air models features a 10-core CPU and either an 8-core or 10-core GPU (depending on the model), providing enhanced processing power for everyday tasks and moderate creative work. This performance boost allows the MacBook Air to handle multitasking, video editing, and productivity workflows with greater efficiency than ever before.
Performance Comparison:
- MacBook Air M4 (13-inch) vs M3: ~30% faster in multi-core performance
- MacBook Air M4 approaches MacBook Pro M4 performance at a USD $600 lower starting price
- Video transcoding: ~1 minute faster than previous M3 Air models
- Battery life: ~15 hours (13-inch), ~16 hours (15-inch) in web browsing tests
Price and Value Proposition
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the MacBook Air M4 launch is the USD $100 price reduction for the 13-inch model, which now starts at USD $999. This price decrease, coupled with the performance improvements and the new standard 16GB of unified memory (up from 8GB in previous base models), represents a significant enhancement in value. The combination of lower entry cost and better specifications makes the MacBook Air M4 an even more attractive option for students, professionals, and everyday users looking for a premium computing experience without stretching to MacBook Pro prices. The 15-inch model maintains its previous pricing structure but benefits from the same performance upgrades.
MacBook Air M4 Key Specifications:
- Processor: Apple M4 chip (10-core CPU)
- GPU: 8-core (13-inch base model) or 10-core (15-inch models)
- Memory: 16GB unified memory standard (upgradable to 32GB)
- Display: 13.6-inch (2,460 x 1,664) or 15.6-inch (2,880 x 1,864) Liquid Retina
- Storage: Starting at 256GB SSD
- Ports: Two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports
- Camera: 12MP with Center Stage technology
- Starting Price: USD $999 (13-inch), USD $1,299 (15-inch)
Display Quality and Experience
While the display specifications remain largely unchanged from the M3 models—featuring the same 13.6-inch (2,460 x 1,664) and 15.6-inch (2,880 x 1,864) Liquid Retina displays—testing reveals some subtle differences. The M4 Air models appear to offer slightly less brightness but more vivid colors with improved accuracy compared to their predecessors. Both models continue to provide excellent color reproduction with over 100% sRGB color gamut coverage, making them suitable for content creation and consumption. The display quality remains competitive with or superior to many Windows alternatives, though some specialized Windows laptops like the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x offer better color gamut coverage.
Productivity Enhancements
The MacBook Air M4 introduces several features that enhance its productivity credentials. Most notably, it now supports dual external displays while the laptop lid is open, a capability previously limited to Pro models. This feature significantly expands the Air's versatility as a workstation replacement. Additionally, the new models incorporate Center Stage technology for the improved 12MP webcam, which automatically keeps users centered in the frame during video calls—a valuable feature for the remote work era. Another welcome addition is the Presenter Preview function, which allows users to preview how their screen will appear to others before sharing during video conferences. These software and hardware improvements collectively strengthen the MacBook Air's position as a premium productivity device.
Battery Life and Portability
Battery performance remains a strong suit for the MacBook Air series, though the M4 models don't show significant improvements over their predecessors. In continuous web browsing tests, the 13-inch MacBook Air M4 actually performed slightly worse than the M3 version, while the 15-inch model became the longest-running Air by a small margin. Nevertheless, both models still deliver impressive battery longevity, with the 15-inch version reaching nearly 16 hours in testing. This places the MacBook Air M4 among the better performers in the ultraportable category, though some Windows competitors like the Dell XPS 13 now exceed it with over 19 hours of battery life. The MacBook Pro models still maintain a battery life advantage, with the M4 Pro version achieving nearly 21 hours in similar tests.
Gaming Capabilities
Despite improvements in overall performance, the MacBook Air M4 remains limited as a gaming platform. The fanless design restricts sustained performance under heavy loads, and benchmark results show modest frame rates in modern games. The 15-inch model with its 10-core GPU performs better than the 13-inch version's 8-core GPU, but neither approaches the capabilities of dedicated gaming laptops or even the MacBook Pro models with M4 Pro or Max chips. While Apple's silicon continues to improve for gaming applications, and titles like Cyberpunk 2077 are coming to Mac in 2025, serious gamers will still want to look elsewhere for their primary gaming device.
Conclusion
The MacBook Air M4 represents a refined iteration of Apple's popular ultraportable, delivering meaningful performance improvements and enhanced productivity features at a more accessible price point. The combination of the powerful M4 chip, standard 16GB memory configuration, dual external display support, and improved webcam functionality makes this a compelling upgrade for those with older MacBooks or those considering switching from Windows. While it may not justify an immediate upgrade for M3 Air owners, the new model strengthens Apple's position in the competitive laptop market by offering Pro-like performance in its most affordable laptop line. For productivity-focused users seeking a balance of power, portability, and value, the MacBook Air M4 stands as one of the most compelling options available in early 2025.