As expected, Apple today announced the M4 MacBook Air. It’s a spec-bump update, with unchanged design aside from a new color, so it’s not a compelling upgrade for existing owners of any Apple Silicon model.
However, if you’ve been considering a MacBook Air purchase as either your first model or a replacement for an older Intel one, this is a really good time to press the button …
The default Mac
The MacBook Air has been one of Apple’s most popular Macs since its launch back in 2008. Indeed, it’s been the default Mac purchase for most of that time, combining the all-in-one convenience of an iMac with a portable form factor that has seen it dominate coffee shops around the world.
The vast majority of computer users spend most of their time doing undemanding tasks like email, web-browsing, writing, and perhaps a little light photo editing. A base model MacBook Air has always been more than good enough for this kind of casual use.
Given the irrelevance of processor power and even RAM for this kind of use, I’ve always said that an older model is a good bet if your budget doesn’t stretch to a new one. It’s not unusual for people to continue using the same model for a decade or more. Indeed, until very recently, I had a 2011 model that was still going strong as a secondary machine.
The M1 model was a strong upgrade
The M1 MacBook Air did, however, make a reasonably strong argument for upgrading from an Intel model, if only for the vastly improved battery life.
The first Apple Silicon model also dramatically closed the difference between the Air and the Pro machines. For the first time, a MacBook Air didn’t seem an unreasonable choice even for some tasks where a MacBook Pro would have been the obvious purchase – up to and including video editing in Final Cut Pro for anyone other than pros with complex projects.
While the M2 and M3 models built on this, the M1 MacBook Air remained a compelling option given the discounted pricing commonly available.
The M4 is another step change
But for anyone who hasn’t yet seen the need to upgrade from an Intel model, or has been holding out for their first MacBook Air purchase, the M4 model is a really good buy.
Even with the least demanding tasks, you’re getting a 50% increase in claimed battery power (up to 18 hours), and the real-world difference will be greater than that.
The base model gets you 16GB RAM with Apple Intelligence support for $999. Provided you’re mostly using cloud storage (as it still comes with just a 256GB SSD), that’s a spec that will likely keep many people going for a decade or more.
In addition to longevity, the M4 model is also reasonably future-proof for those whose computing needs may increase over time. It offers two Thunderbolt 4 ports for high-speed data transfer and support for two external 6K monitors. The new 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View support also means it could meet the needs of many non-pro YouTubers.
If you want a larger screen, the base model 15-inch M4 MacBook Air is stunning value at $1,199.
So yep, I’m sure the reviews will describe it as a relatively minor update, and that’s certainly true when compared to an M1 to M3 model. But if you’re coming from an Intel machine, the M4 MacBook Air is a great buy.
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