Why I Highly Recommend The M4 Macbook Air To Most People (and Now It's On Sale)

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• Apple's MacBook Air M4 (13-inch) is connected waste astatine Amazon for $850, a competitory value for Apple's latest ultraportable.
• The M4 Air supports up to 2 outer monitors pinch nan lid open, and scales up to 32GB of unified memory.
• There are still only 2 USB-C ports connected nan near side, and I wish location were a nano-texture show option.

The MacBook Air M4 (13-inch) is connected waste astatine Amazon, starting astatine $850 for nan 16GB version.

Before Apple announced nan MacBook Air M4 successful early 2025, rumors abounded connected what caller features nan ultraportable would travel with. 

Partly because it was nan past of Apple's halfway statement of devices to get nan M4 chip, and partially because, well, past year's MacBook Air M3 was (and still is) 1 of nan champion laptops we've tested -- a future-proofed "AI machine for nan masses" that could beryllium seen arsenic a successful culmination of Apple's design. 

Also: The fastest laptops you tin buy: Expert tested

At nary constituent tin nan Apple instrumentality extremity producing, however, truthful pinch nan MacBook Air M4, it was evident it would beryllium an incremental upgrade, refining what made past year's type awesome while offering a small spot much for little costs to nan consumer.  

The MacBook Air M4, for example, starts astatine $999 for nan 13-inch configuration pinch 16GB of representation -- $100 little than past year's M3. At nan aforesaid time, nan hardware expands connected some nan debased and precocious end, pinch nan lowest-tier configuration of nan M4 equipped pinch a 10-core CPU and 8-core GPU, successful opposition to nan 8-core M3 spot from past year.

Also: Every Mac exemplary that supports MacOS 26 Tahoe (and which aren't compatible)

On nan different hand, nan high-end configuration offers 32GB of unified memory, which was antecedently capped retired astatine 24GB connected past year's M3. This operation of improvements for guidelines components and a little starting costs is strategical positioning connected Apple's portion to incentivize nan caller devices and enactment competitory successful an progressively crowded market. 

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

The MacBook Air M4 is simply a awesome device, but it's besides a earthy continuation of nan merchandise line, which immoderate mightiness spot arsenic a "boring" update. Depending connected who you ask, that could beryllium a bully aliases a not-so-good thing. You can't hole what isn't broken, but I deliberation location is immoderate room present for a fewer much bold creation choices. 

One of nan astir evident is nan MacBook Air M4's caller colorway, Sky Blue, which is simply a very subtle blue; a very cautious determination erstwhile I was expecting thing a small person to Microsoft's Surface Laptop. All that being said, location are surely immoderate features connected nan M4 MacBook Air that group this year's ultraportable apart. Let's break them down. 

Triple-screen threat

One of nan astir anticipated and sought-after features of nan MacBook Air M4 is its expertise to support 2 outer monitors while nan lid is open. This unsocial opens up caller possibilities for work, productivity, and imaginative tasks and makes nan MacBook Air much competitory pinch 3 moving displays. 

Also: MacOS 26 envy? 4 champion features that Windows PC users tin already use

The laptop's ain show still looks great, arsenic well. Apple's Liquid Retina exertion provides crisp, well-defined text, smooth, vibrant video, and support for 1 cardinal colors. Maxing retired astatine 500 nits of brightness, nan show connected nan Air M4 doesn't get arsenic agleam arsenic nan MacBook Pro, but it's still agleam capable for nan mostly of usage cases. 

I americium a small amazed location isn't an action to upgrade nan M4 Air pinch nan nano-textured solid we saw connected nan M4 MacBook Pro, however. Maybe we're a spot spoiled now, but nan glare is noticeable capable for maine to wonderment why, of each nan imaginable things you tin upgrade this laptop with, that isn't 1 of them. 

The different point astir nan show I don't emotion is nan notch for nan camera, which results successful a chunk of different valuable surface existent property blacked retired wherever nan lens is located. If you support nan toolbar toggled on, it's thing you tin get utilized to, but pinch apps successful full-screen it's decidedly noticeable.

Productivity powerhouse 

While connected nan taxable of productivity, nan MacBook Air M4 excels astatine much than conscionable aggregate displays. For 1 thing, videoconferencing connected nan Air is simply a joy. The webcam's hardware sewage an upgrade, from nan 1080p FaceTime camera from past twelvemonth to a 12MP camera connected nan M4 Air pinch Apple's caller Center Stage feature. 

Also: I traded my business machine for a Lenovo Legion laptop for work, and didn't miss it

We first saw Center Stage connected nan MacBook Pro and iMac past fall, and its summation to nan Air is 1 of nan galore features that bring nan ultraportable a small person to its older Pro sibling. If you're unfamiliar pinch it, Center Stage keeps you focused and centered successful nan framework nary matter really you're positioned, handling nan ocular logistics of nan telephone pinch minimal input from nan user. 

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

To me, it seems little for illustration a standalone characteristic successful its ain correct and much for illustration nan inevitable early of webcam technology. This is really webcams should work, and Apple's invention present presents a polished acquisition that is arsenic enjoyable for activity aliases individual calls connected FaceTime. 

The operation of top-tier hardware, a seamless and well-integrated product, and quality-of-life features conscionable makes nan video telephone acquisition wide amended connected a Mac. 

Also: Prime Day is over, but immoderate of our favourite deals are still unrecorded now

I usage a Windows instrumentality arsenic my regular driver, and though I've utilized Macs for years successful nan past, I forgot really effortlessly nan MacBook Air tin grip multitasking done a operation of nan Launchpad, divided screen, and talking straight to Siri. Additionally, improvements to really windows are tiled are satisfying for those of america who for illustration our desktops arranged successful a peculiar way. 

Reliable, all-day battery

The MacBook Air is still a battery-efficient device, and though Apple's Silicon statement of processors group nan modular for artillery capacity successful ultraportable laptops, nan remainder of nan marketplace has had immoderate clip to drawback up. 

That doesn't mean nan MacBook Air has fallen behind, but it does person immoderate competitors now. During my testing of nan M4, I sewage complete 14 hours of artillery life pinch nan instrumentality moving a 4K video astatine half brightness, which is astir wherever I expected it to beryllium and about nan aforesaid arsenic past year's MacBook Air M3. 

By contrast, Microsoft's Surface Laptop sewage complete 15 hours during nan aforesaid test, and Asus' Zenbook A14 came successful person to 20. The latter, of course, doesn't lucifer nan powerfulness connected committee nan MacBook Air M4, but it is lighter, thinner, and packs a gorgeous display. That unsocial puts it successful title territory. 

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

Yes, nan MacBook Pro M4 will past longer arsenic well, but nan Air is thinner and lighter and overmuch little variable: nan quality successful artillery drain is minimal depending connected what tasks you're putting it done (barring persistent, aggravated workloads).

Also: I replaced my AirPods for an improbable replacement astatine activity - here's why it's my caller favorite

The bottommost statement is that for users who commute into nan agency a fewer times a week, you tin reliably count connected nan MacBook Air M4 to past nan full time if you hide your charger, moreover if you're taking a fewer video calls. 

Benchmarking

Putting each that hardware to nan test, nan MacBook Air M4 performed very good successful our benchmarking, coming successful very adjacent to some nan MacBook Pro M4 and MacBook Pro M3. As these devices time off their predecessors from conscionable a fewer years agone successful nan dust, they get a small spot person to each other. 

So what astir nan things I wish Apple did differently? Well, galore of my gripes astir nan MacBook Air M4 are thing new. For one, location are still only 2 USB-C ports, some of which are connected nan left-hand broadside of nan device. If this felt limiting for you before, not overmuch has changed. 

Also: I yet replaced my M1 MacBook Pro pinch a guidelines exemplary M4 - and nan upgrades were worthy it

Second, Apple's devices stay immoderate of nan astir locked-down erstwhile it comes to repairability, keeping consumers strictly bound to Apple's repair and work exemplary by barring nan usage of salvaged components. The institution has made strides toward a greener business exemplary erstwhile it comes to production, but a loosening of nan strict power complete parts replacement would spell moreover further. 

ZDNET's buying advice

The MacBook Air M4 is still 1 of nan astir complete packages you tin inquire for erstwhile it comes to creativity, productivity, and mundane use. The M4 Air's sleek and lightweight shape facet group nan modular for ultraportables, and not overmuch has changed pinch its creation since, for amended aliases for worse. 

If you person an iPhone and bask Apple's ecosystem of products, nan MacBook Air is simply a coagulated prime arsenic a main driver. If you already person a Mac that's much than a fewer years old, nan MacBook Air M4 will consciousness for illustration a important upgrade. If you person an M2 Pro aliases M3, nan leap will consciousness little noticeable. If you're coming from an older Windows device, well, you'll wonderment really you ever took calls connected your 720p webcam astatine all. 

Considering each of this, nan MacBook Air M4 is simply a humble upgrade from its predecessor but pushes nan statement guardant overall. In fact, pinch burgeoning Apple Intelligence features, nan aforesaid camera exertion arsenic nan MacBook Pro M4, upgraded hardware, and a little starting price, nan MacBook Air seems for illustration nan astir logical prime for a caller Apple laptop successful 2025.