Following a tease earlier in the week from CEO Tim Cook, Apple today unveiled its latest laptop offering, the new M4 MacBook Air. This new generation MacBook Air not only replaces the M3 chip with M4, it also brings a new 12MP Center Stage camera, a new sky blue color, and a lower starting price.
Performance Enhancements with M4
At the heart of this new MacBook Air is the M4 chip. The M4 features a 10-core CPU, an up to 10-core GPU, and support for up to 32GB of unified memory, making the new MacBook Air up to 2x faster than the M1 model. Apple says the Neural Engine in M4, which accelerates AI-based tasks, is also up to 3x faster than on MacBook Air with M1.
Apple says the M4 MacBook Air delivers 18-hour battery life.
Display support improvement and lower starting price
The M4 MacBook Air is still available in both 13-inch and 15-inch screen sizes, both featuring Liquid Retina displays with P3 wide color and True Tone technology.
In addition to the performance improvements brought on by M4, the 13-inch MacBook Air now starts at a lower price: $999. That’s a $100 decrease from the M3 MacBook Air’s starting price of $1099.
Another welcome improvement over the M3 MacBook Air is the new M4 model can power two external displays while still supporting use of the laptop’s built-in display as well. The M3 Air required the laptop’s lid to be closed when using two external displays.
New Center Stage camera
The new M4 MacBook Air features a new 12MP Center Stage camera that Apple says brings improved video quality to video calls. The camera automatically keeps users centered in the frame as they move around and supports Desk View, which simultaneously displays the user and a top-down view of their desk.
Thunderbolt Ports and Connectivity
Each available configuration of the M4 MacBook Air is equipped with two Thunderbolt 4 ports. Thunderbolt 4 provides super fast 40Gb/s data bandwidth. Unfortunately, the new MacBook Airs can’t be spec’ed out with Thunderbolt 5 as the only chip you can outfit this laptop with is the base M4 chip. If you want a laptop with Thunderbolt 5 ports, you’ll need to check out Apple’s latest M4 MacBook Pro models. Or make the ultimate upgrade and go with the new Mac Studio.
That being said, Thunderbolt 4 ports remain extremely capable for the vast majority of users. If you’re looking for fast storage to pair with an M4 MacBook Air, look no further than the OWC Express 1M2, the OWC Envoy, or OWC Envoy Pro Elektron.
- The Express 1M2 is an external SSD solution capable of speeds up to a blazing 3151MB/s. It’s a USB4 drive which means it’s fully compatible with the MacBook Air’s Thunderbolt 4 ports thanks to Thunderbolt’s rich USB-C compatibility.
- The Envoy is a very fast, ultra-portable external SSD capable of speeds over 1000MB/s. It’s a go-anywhere powerhouse.
- The Envoy Pro Elektron is not just ultra fast and ultra portable. It’s ultra durable as well. The Elektron is the ultimate portable SSD, capable of speeds up to 1011MB/s, capacities up to 4TB, and built like a tank. It’s crushproof, dustproof and waterproof IP67 rated.
M4 MacBook Air Detailed Specifications
- Display: Available in 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, both featuring Liquid Retina displays with P3 wide color and True Tone technology.
- Memory and Storage: Starts with 16GB of unified memory and 256GB SSD storage, configurable up to 32GB of memory and up to 2TB of storage.
- Camera: Upgraded 12MP Center Stage camera for improved video conferencing experiences.
- Battery Life: Up to 18 hours of usage, ensuring all-day productivity.
- Color Options: New sky blue, along with midnight, starlight, and silver.
- Pricing: 13-inch model starts at $999; 15-inch model starts at $1,199.
Should M2 and M3 MacBook Air Users Upgrade?
For current M2 MacBook Air users, the performance gains with the M4 chip are notable but may not be substantial enough to justify an immediate upgrade, especially if their current device meets their needs effectively. M3 users, given the relatively recent release of their devices, might also find the improvements incremental. However, for students or professionals requiring the latest processing capabilities or those attracted to the new color options and enhanced camera features, upgrading could be beneficial.
Pricing and availability
The new M4 MacBook Air is available for pre-order starting today and will arrive to customers and in stores starting March 12. The 13-inch M4 MacBook Air starts at $999, while the 15-inch model starts at $1,199.
