New MacBook Air M4 Review: Light, Fast, But Is It a Game-Changer?

Apple’s MacBook Air has always been the go‑to lightweight laptop. With the M4 chip launch in March 2025, Apple kept the same ultra‑thin design but promised a serious boost in performance, efficiency, and world-class battery life, all while lowering the starting price to $999. But is this just another incremental upgrade, or something worth upgrading for? Let’s dig in.

What’s New Under the Hood

The biggest headline is the M4 chip, built on TSMC’s 3 nm process:

Offers up to 50% faster CPU speeds and 4× better GPU performance over the M2
Includes hardware‑accelerated AV1 decoding, mesh shading, and even ray tracing for the first time in a MacBook Air
Comes standard with 16 GB RAM, versus the previous 8 GB minimum

Bottom line: whether you’re compiling code, editing video, or running multiple apps, the M4 packs a punch.

Performance in Real‑World Use

Benchmarks & Developer Workloads

Benchmark results show clear gains:

Geekbench single‑core scores roughly 46% higher than the M2; multi‑core scores jump ~46–55%
Developer testing (Python Mandelbrot, ML inference) showed the Air M4 compiling code 30–40% faster than prior models

Developers report the M4 handles heavy tasks smoothly, compiling machine‑learning models, even basic gaming, without fans humming.

Everyday Tasks & Multitasking

Performance gains aren’t just for power users. Launching apps, working in browser tabs, multitasking, even running an external display, everything feels snappier. Apple added support for up to two external displays, making it more flexible for power users

Battery Life: All‑Day Workhorse

Apple claims up to 18 hours of battery life, and the real-world tests back it up:

Over 20 hours of local video playback
Roughly 15 hours of mixed web/video testing in Tom’s Hardware battery benchmark

There are reports of faster drain under heavy CPU/GPU loads, just be aware, but for most users, you’ll easily go a full day and into the next without charging.

Design & Build: Familiar but Polished

The Air’s iconic wedge design remains:

Weight still around 1.2 kg, thickness ~12 mm
Fan‑less construction: completely silent, though heating modestly under long, heavy workloads
New “Sky Blue” color joins Silver, Starlight, and Midnight

The display, keyboard, trackpad, and speakers maintain their excellent quality; no surprises here.

Webcam & Connectivity

Significant improvements in this area:

12 MP webcam with Centre Stage and Desk View keeps you centered on video calls
Two Thunderbolt 4 ports and MagSafe charging continue the minimalist setup
Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 included, though no Wi‑Fi 7 or 5G yet

The upgrade in camera and wireless tech makes it feel modern and ready for hybrid work.

Price & Value

Apple cut the base price by $100, down to $999 for the 13‑inch and $1,199 for the 15‑inch. The 15″ model adds real productivity value with more screen real estate, but the 13″ remains the sweet spot. For most users, it offers MacBook Pro-like performance at a lower tier.

Analysts and reviewers list it as the best overall laptop in 2025 for students, professionals, and casual creatives

Downsides & Trade‑Offs

Ports still limited: only two USB‑C and a headphone jack, no SD, no HDMI
Can get warm under sustained heavy loads, with no fans to dissipate heat
Configuration upgrades cost a premium later; plan accordingly

Who Should Upgrade?

Perfect for:

Creatives and developers who need extra performance and RAM
People wanting top battery life without moving up to Pro
Those ready to upgrade from Intel or older M-series laptops

Maybe skip if:

You already own an M3 MacBook Air; gains are modest
You need ports (HDMI/SD) or fan-cooled performance
You’re budget-conscious, and a refurbished M1/M2 fits your needs better

Final Verdict

The MacBook Air M4 is a true game-changer in Apple’s ultralight laptop line. It delivers breakthrough performance, industry-leading battery life, and solid modern features, all at a competitive price. It may not dethrone the MacBook Pro for sustained performance or port variety, but for everyday users, professionals, and creatives, this is as good as it gets in a thin-and-light package.