In a week of surprise announcements, Apple has recently launched its latest MacBook Air series.
Considering the new MacBook Air runs on the M4 chip that’s also found in the latest MacBook Pro, what really separates the two laptops?
While we haven’t reviewed the new MacBook Air M4 yet, we have reviewed the MacBook Pro M4 and not only gave the laptop a near-perfect 4.5-star rating but also hailed it as the best MacBook for most people.
Read on to learn more about the differences between the two in MacBook Air M4 vs MacBook Pro M4. To know what’s new with the MacBook Air M4 compared to its predecessor, then check out our MacBook Air M4 vs M3 guide.
Pricing and Availability
The MacBook Air M4 is currently available to pre-order in 28 countries and regions, including the UK and US, ready for its official launch on the 12th March 2025. Available in two sizes, the smaller 13-inch has a starting RRP of £999/$999 while the larger 15-inch iteration starts at £1199/$1199.
Launched last year, the MacBook Pro M4 is unsurprisingly a more expensive option, with the smallest “entry-level” 14-inch model starting at £1599/$1599. Opting for the 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max or M4 Ultra models start from a whopping £2499/$2499.
MacBook Pro comes with different M4 chip variants
While you can buy the MacBook Pro with the standard M4 chip, which is the variant we reviewed, there are options to upgrade to either the M4 Pro or M4 Max chip instead. In a nutshell, the latter chipsets sport higher CPU and GPUs which results in much faster processing speed, with the M4 Max chip boasting double the memory of even the M4 Pro.
For a more in-depth look at the differences between the three, visit our Apple M4 vs M4 Pro and M4 Pro vs M4 Max versus.
Even so, we still found the MacBook Pro M4 to be a “seriously capable machine for everyday tasks” however, if you’re “really going to be pushing this machine” then you’ll be better off with either the Pro or Max chip instead.
The MacBook Air M4 series is much more straightforward in comparison, as it comes with just one M4 chip option. Apple explains that the MacBook Air M4 is up to 2x faster than the MacBook Air M1, while its Neural Engine is up to 3x faster too, which means powering Apple Intelligence should be seriously speedy.
Speaking of Apple Intelligence, both the MacBook Air M4 and MacBook Pro M4 series support the entire generative AI toolkit which includes Image Playground, Writing Tools and ChatGPT integration.
MacBook Air M4 is lighter
The MacBook Air is available in two size choices: 13- and 15-inch. As its name suggests, the Air iteration is naturally lighter than the Pro, starting at just 1.24kg while the MacBook Pro starts at 1.55kg.
While the MacBook Pro M4 series is technically also available in two different sizes, the larger 16-inch model can only be found running the pricier M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. If you don’t need such grunt then you’ll have to suffice with the 14-inch version.
MacBook Pro M4 has a Liquid Retina XDR display
In terms of display technology, the MacBook Pro M4 manages to pack a lot of key features in. Not only does it sport a Liquid Retina XDR display that can reach up to 1600 nits peak brightness (HDR), but it also has an optional nano-texture display too, which is what we tested.
We found the difference between a standard and nano-texture screen to be huge, with a reduction in glare that made it feel more like paper than a screen. However, at an additional £150/$150, this is another cost to factor in.
The display also supports ProMotion technology, which means it benefits from a 120Hz refresh rate, which is unfortunately missing from the MacBook Air M4. In addition, the MacBook Air M4 has a Liquid Retina display that can only reach up to 600 nits peak brightness.
Although we haven’t reviewed the MacBook Air M4 ourselves yet, it’s worth pointing out that we stated that “compared to the MacBook Air M3, the screen on the MacBook Pro M4 is a step up in every possible way.” In fact, we went as far as to suggest “it’s probably worth paying the premium in price for the better display alone”.
MacBook Pro M4 has a longer battery life
Apple hailed the MacBook Pro M4 series as boasting the longest ever battery life in a Mac, as it sports up to a whopping 24 hours, which we were able to verify in our review. It also benefits from faster charging, with 70W support while the MacBook Air M4 only supports 35W. However, to see speedier charging you’ll need to purchase a 96W charger separately.
The MacBook Air M4 benefits from up to 18 hours of battery life, which is unchanged from last year’s MacBook Air M3, but promises a significant upgrade for Intel-based users who will see up to six additional hours of charge.
MacBook Pro M4 has a HDMI port
With just two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, a headphone jack and MagSafe port, the MacBook Air M4 doesn’t boast a huge array of connectivity options. While this may suffice for many in day to day use, you may want to consider investing in an additional dock.
In addition to the four ports found in the MacBook Air M4, the MacBook Pro M4 boasts a few handy extras, including an additional Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, a HDMI and SDXC. Plus, upgrade to the MacBook M4 Pro or Max and, in lieu of a third Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port, you’ll benefit from a Thunderbolt 5 instead.
Early Verdict
Considering we’ve hailed the MacBook Pro M4 as the best MacBook, and last year’s MacBook Air M3 as one of the best laptops, the MacBook Air M4 has a lot to live up to. However, with its updated chip, lightweight design and solid battery life, it promises to be a worthy successor.
Having said that, if you are currently sporting the MacBook Pro M4 or need a laptop with stronger power, more ports, and a better screen, then the MacBook Air M4 might not be the best choice for you.
We’ll update this versus once we review both the MacBook Air M4 and MacBook Pro M4.
