MacBook Air M4 Review: Cutting-Edge Performance and Portability

The all-new MacBook Air M4 delivers a huge leap in speed and efficiency. Powered by Apple’s latest M4 chip (10‑core CPU, up to 10‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine), it blazes through demanding tasks 2× faster than the original M1 Air and up to 23× faster than older Intel-based Airs. Apple also boosts AI capabilities with “Apple Intelligence” features: generative tools like Image Playground and Genmoji, along with integrated ChatGPT via Siri and writing helpers. In practice, everyday work and creative apps get a huge performance boost (e.g. spreadsheets, video and photo edits run 2–8× faster than on M1 or Intel Airs). The result is a silently powerful laptop for students and professionals alike.

  • Blazing CPU & GPU: Apple’s M4 chip has a 10‑core processor (4 performance + 6 efficiency cores) and up to 10‑core graphics, with hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AV1 decode. This means smoother video editing, faster game performance, and snappier multitasking than any previous Air.
  • Unified Memory: Configurable up to 32 GB unified memory, the highest in any Air, ensures large projects and many browser tabs never slow you down.
  • Battery Life: Despite the extra power, the M4 Air still offers up to 18 hours of Apple TV movie playback on a single charge (approximately 15 hours of web use). That matches or exceeds prior models, so students and travelers can work all day unplugged.
  • MagSafe & Fast Charging: A MagSafe 3 charging port returns for quick one-plug charging, and a 70W adapter can fast-charge to 50% in ~30 minutes. Two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports provide ultrafast I/O (charging, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 4) and a 3.5 mm headphone jack rounds out the connectivity.
  • Apple Intelligence: Built-in AI features make creative tasks easy. For example, the Image Playground can instantly generate custom images from text prompts, and systemwide writing tools can rewrite or summarize text for you. Siri now includes thousands of Mac-specific how-to answers, and ChatGPT is seamlessly integrated for even smarter assistance. Importantly, all AI tasks keep user data private on-device by default.

Stunning Display and Design

The M4 Air retains the gorgeous 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display (2560×1664) introduced with the M2 model. With 500 nits brightness and support for 1 billion colors, photos and video look incredibly sharp and vibrant. The thin-bezel “all-screen” design is as portable as ever – only about 11mm at its thickest – and still fanless for silent operation. Apple adds a gorgeous new Sky Blue finish alongside Midnight, Starlight, and Silver. The 12 MP “Center Stage” FaceTime camera automatically keeps you centered in video calls, and even supports a new Desk View that shows your face and an overhead view of your desk simultaneously. Audio is enhanced by a four-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio support (Dolby Atmos) for immersive audio. Overall, the M4 Air looks and feels just as premium as older models – durable aluminum body, backlit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID – but now packs even more technology.

Key Display/Design Specs: 13.6″ IPS Retina display (2560×1664), 500 nits, P3 wide color, True Tone. 12 MP Center Stage camera, Touch ID fingerprint sensor, MagSafe 3 charger, fanless aluminum chassis. Supports two external 6K displays (a first for Air) in addition to its own screen.

MacBook Air M4 vs M2 vs M1: A Quick Comparison

Apple’s M4 Air builds on the advances of the M2 (2022) and M1 (2020) models. The table below highlights the main differences:

FeatureMacBook Air M1 (2020)MacBook Air M2 (2022)MacBook Air M4 (2025)
Chip (CPU/GPU)Apple M1
8‑core (4P+4E CPU)
7‑8 core GPU
Apple M2
8‑core (4P+4E CPU)
8‑core GPU (10‑core option)
Apple M4
10‑core (4P+6E CPU)
8‑core GPU (10‑core GPU option)
Neural Engine16‑core16‑core16‑core
RAM (Max)8 GB (max 16 GB)8 GB (max 24 GB)16 GB (max 32 GB)
Storage (Base)256 GB SSD256 GB SSD256 GB SSD
Display13.3″ Retina (2560×1600), 400 nits13.6″ Liquid Retina (2560×1664), 500 nits13.6″ Liquid Retina (2560×1664), 500 nits
Camera720p FaceTime HD1080p FaceTime HD12 MP Center Stage (1080p)
Battery (video)Up to 18 h movie playbackUp to 18 h movie playbackUp to 18 h movie playback
Battery (web)Up to 15 h webUp to 15 h web(≈15 h web)
Weight2.8 lb (1.29 kg)2.7 lb (1.24 kg)2.7 lb (1.24 kg)
Ports2× Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C)2× Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 32× Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3
Starting Price (USD)$999$1,199$999

Sources: Apple Newsroom and tech specs. This highlights how the M4 offers more CPU/GPU cores and higher memory limits than M2, while matching the fanless, lightweight design. Notably, Apple cut the base price back to $999 for the M4 Air (the same as M1, and $200 less than M2’s original $1,199) to deliver even better value.

Also Read :- Fees in IIT Bombay

Pricing & Availability (USA, India, Germany, Russia)

USA: Apple’s 13-inch M4 Air starts at $999 (USD) (around $83.25/mo financing) with $899 for education buyers. The larger 15-inch M4 Air begins at $1,199. Both went on sale in mid-March 2025 and are widely available online and at Apple Stores. The new sky blue color is offered alongside Midnight, Starlight, and Silver.

India: The MacBook Air M4 arrived in India with a starting price of ₹99,900 for the 13-inch base model (with government GST included). Students and other buyers can also take advantage of no-cost EMI and bank cashback offers on Apple’s India store. Apple India explicitly advertises the ₹99,900 starting price, making it very competitive compared to the previous M2 model.

Germany: In Germany, the 13-inch MacBook Air M4 (256 GB) starts at €1,199 (including VAT). This reflects Apple’s Euro pricing and local taxes. Likewise, 15-inch models begin at around €1,449. Financing plans (12× €99.92/mo) are also available on the Apple.de store. Apple provides a generous two-year warranty and student discounts via its education pricing.

Russia: Since Apple’s official stores are closed in Russia, the MacBook Air M4 must be purchased through authorized resellers (e.g. Re:Store) or import channels. As a result, local pricing is higher and varies, typically on the order of ~₽110,000–120,000 for the 13″ model (depending on retailer and currency rate). Customers in Russia can still find the M4 Air, but often at a premium compared to USD prices.

Worldwide, the MacBook Air M4 combines class-leading specs with appealing value. Its low starting price and strong performance make it an especially great deal for students, professionals, and Apple fans in every market.

Buy Now

Ready to upgrade your laptop? Click the link below to buy the MacBook Air M4 through our affiliate partner and enjoy any available deals or student discounts:

Buy MacBook Air M4 (Affiliate Link)

(Prices and availability are subject to change. See Apple’s website or authorized retailers for the latest offers.)

Sources: Official Apple Newsroom and specifications. This review is based on Apple’s published data and reviews as of 2025

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