Apple’s latest generation of the MacBook Air is notable not only because it added the latest generation of Apple silicon, the powerful M4 chip, but also because it’s one of the most affordable laptops Apple has ever made.
Starting at only $999, the M4 MacBook Air is the MacBook for everyone. It’s priced right for those who need a laptop for email, web browsing, and YouTube, but thanks to the M4 chip, it’s now also capable of getting professional tasks done—and not just in applications like Excel, but even in video and photo editing applications like Final Cut Pro and Photoshop.
And while all of this capability at so low a price point is great news for customers, it can also make for a confusing time when spec’ing out the MacBook Air that’s right for you. Apple has made two versions of the M4 chip available on the MacBook Air alongside the typical different options for screen size, internal storage, and RAM.
So, if you’re wondering how to create the best MacBook Air for your needs—one capable of running the apps you need to run and one that will last you at least a few years before needing an upgrade—you’re in the right place. Let’s walk through how to configure your perfect M4 MacBook Air. We’ll go through the considerations for each spec, some great external storage options to pair with the MacBook Air, and then at the end, we’ll show you the specific configurations we’d recommend.
Selecting the right screen size: 13 inches or 15 inches
Perhaps one of the hardest decisions to make when ordering a MacBook Air is screen size. Apart from the $200 price difference between the 13-inch Air and the 15-inch model, it’s always hard to know which size laptop you’ll be most comfortable with. The truth is, this can be either a very subjective decision or a very practical one.
Let’s start with subjective. Maybe you prefer a smaller laptop that is easy carry around. And when you’re at a desk and hooked up to an external display, you plan on keeping the lid to your MacBook Air closed instead of using it as a secondary screen. In that case, you’d be better off going with the 13-inch MacBook Air.
But maybe you’re the type of person that wants the “nicest” possible version of this laptop. It’s hard to argue against the 15-inch MacBook Air in that regard. At 15 inches it’s not a huge laptop, but it still feels roomy. (I’d honestly argue it might be perfectly sized.)
On the other hand, let’s think practically. What if you plan on using the MacBook Air most often without an external display and you need as much screen real estate as possible; or you want a larger display to pair with an external display when sitting at a desk? In that case, the 15-inch model is the right way to go.
In general, if you’re going to be doing a lot of photo or video editing on this machine, I would recommend the 15-inch model. But if you’re trying to keep your MacBook Air configuration under a certain budget and would rather spend the $200 difference on other upgrades instead, stick with the 13-inch model.
How many M4 cores do I need?
On the 13-inch screen size, Apple is offering two versions of its base M4 chip on the M4 MacBook Air. Both have 10 CPU cores, but one has 10 GPU cores while the other has 8 GPU cores. The only difference here is going to be graphics performance, so if you’re going to be editing video or playing games a lot, you might be better off with the 10/10 M4 configuration. That being said, I’m not sure just how much extra performance you’re going to see out of those two extra GPU cores.
This one doesn’t feel like a huge difference, so if money is no object and you know you need as much power as you can get, opt for the 10/10 configuration. Otherwise, if you know you’d rather have the $100 difference between these two versions of the chip go toward a larger display or more RAM, opt for the 10/8 chip.
If you opt for a 15-inch model, you don’t have to choose. Apple includes the 10-core/10-core configuration with the upgrade to the larger screen. One final note here: if you opt for 24GB or 32GB of RAM on the 13-inch model, Apple automatically upgrades the M4 to the 10-core/10-core version for free.
How much RAM does your M4 MacBook Air need?
Speaking of spec upgrades, unless you’re planning on using professional apps like Photoshop, Final Cut, or DaVinci Resolve on your new MacBook Air, you’ll probably be fine sticking with the base model’s 16GB of RAM.
If you need more—say for applications like video editing, or if you plan on doing some casual AAA gaming on this machine—I’d seriously consider upgrading all the way to 32GB which is going to give you just enough headroom for NLEs like DaVinci Resolve and maybe even a bit of future proofing in terms of getting the most years out of your investment as possible. Plus, as a bonus you get the more powerful 10-core GPU version of the M4 included with 32GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage.
32GB is the max RAM you can spec out this machine with. If you need more than that, you need a different Mac entirely.
I’ll end this section on RAM with a quick note: I do a lot of 4K video editing on my M4 Mac mini. This Mac mini is the base $599 base model with the base M4 chip and 16GB of RAM. I haven’t once encountered an issue or performance drop in any of several professional apps.
I edit video in Final Cut Pro, which is, of course, optimized for the Mac. That’s why I note, if you plan on using an application that’s going to tax the RAM more heavily, something like Premiere or DaVinci Resolve, you definitely want to consider upgrading the RAM to 32GB, though I would recommend if you’re a user of either of those applications you’d likely be better served looking at a Mac with at least an M4 Pro processor.
How much storage does your M4 MacBook Air need?
The typical recommendation on storage is “get as much as you can afford.” But that’s not my recommendation. Most people that are a good fit for the MacBook Air will also be able to make 256GB of internal storage work. With the ubiquity of cloud storage and the tight integration of iCloud in macOS, 256GB of internal storage goes a lot farther today than it did 10 years ago.
So, instead of paying the extra $400 to upgrade from the base model Air’s 256GB of storage to 1TB, I’d recommend you do what I did with my M4 Mac mini: spend that money instead on a speedy external hard drive.
Which external storage should I pair with the M4 MacBook Air?
With two USB-C ports that offer Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 support, you’ll be able to connect extremely fast external SSDs to bolster the MacBook Air’s 256GB of internal storage. Here are our recommendations for which drives pair best with the MacBook Air.
OWC Envoy
The OWC Envoy provides consistently fast data transfer speeds of 1000MB/s in a package small enough to fit in the small watch/fob pocket of your jeans—and at a very low price. Right now you can snag a 1TB Envoy for only $99 or upgrade your MacBook Air’s storage by a full 2TB for only $149. Click here to learn more about Envoy.
OWC Envoy Pro Elektron
If you need more storage capacity or a more rugged storage solution, check out the OWC Envoy Pro Elektron. This portable drive packs the same consistently high speeds of the Envoy but in an ultra-durable enclosure that is crushproof, dustproof and waterproof IP67 rated while still being small enough to fit in a pocket. Envoy Pro Elektron starts at only $99 and is available in capacities all the way up to 4TB. Click here to learn more about Envoy Pro Elektron.
OWC Express 1M2
Wrapping up the list on great storage companions for your M4 MacBook Air is the OWC Express 1M2. This drive isn’t quite as compact as the Envoy siblings above, but where it lacks in compactness, it more than makes up in speed, versatility, and capacity.
The Express 1M2 is a USB4 drive capable of speeds up to a blazing fast 3151MB/s. Plus, it’s large enough to not get knocked around when on a desk but small enough to easily stash in a bag while on the go. Beyond that, the Express 1M2 can be configured as an empty enclosure. If you’ve already got your own M.2 SSD blade, you can easily install that blade into the Express 1M2 and be up and running in minutes. The Express 1M2 enclosure starts at only $119 but can be configured with pre-installed storage up to 8TB. Click here to learn more about the Express 1M2. (Side note: Express 1M2 is a great companion for the Mac mini as well. Here’s how to upgrade your Mac mini’s internal storage using the Express 1M2.)
M4 MacBook Air Configuration Recommendations
For those on a budget:
M4 MacBook Air: 15-inch display; 10-core CPU/10-core GPU; 16GB RAM; 256GB storage.
$1199
External storage: 1TB OWC Envoy
If you’re on a budget but still want a laptop that feels nice in every way, we recommend you go with the 15-inch screen and stick with the base specs for everything else. (Again, the screen size is subjective, but my feeling for an overall recommendation here is that more people feel more comfortable on a 15-inch display versus a 13-inch display. But if you know you like a 13-inch display, save the $200 and go with that one.) Plus, as I mentioned earlier, opting for the 15-inch model means you get the slightly more powerful M4 chip included. But be sure to grab a 1TB OWC Envoy for extra storage space.
For those who want to future proof their purchase:
M4 MacBook Air: 13-inch display; 10-core CPU/10-core GPU: 32GB RAM; 1TB storage
$1799
External storage: 4TB Envoy Elektron
This is quite a lot of machine for under $2,000 and given the capability of the M4 chip coupled with 1TB of internal storage and 32GB of RAM, this laptop should last you at least five years. For extra future proofing, backup your data with the 4TB Envoy Elektron and rest easy in the fact that your SSD is nearly indestructible.
For those who want to game or edit photos/video:
M4 MacBook Air 15-inch display; 10-core CPU/10-core GPU: 32GB RAM; 512GB storage
$1799
External storage: 8TB Express 1M2 or 4TB Envoy Elektron
Even though this is the base model M4 chip inside this MacBook Air, this should be a very capable editing rig for someone who is only going to be editing 4K footage and below. To augment this, grab a high capacity SSD like the 8TB Express 1M2 or the amazingly compact 4TB Envoy Elektron.
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Many thanks for the great! overview from someone who doesn’t follow Apple’s every move… but I do read about growing numbers and capabilities of ‘threat actors’.
Since Apple has a major OS update about every year, and provides security coverage for only the three most-recent OS versions, what are your thoughts about how much future-proofing is warranted — or can be done?
Am I placing too much importance over Apple security updates? Or am I over-reacting to threats?
I can understand external storage for a desktop computer like the mini, but for a portable, I would pay the extra to get what I need so I can always carry it with me.