- The MacBook Air M4 is rumored to be announced this week
- Sources claim it will feature similar functionality to M4 MacBook Pro
- No estimated pricing has been given at this time
According to the latest industry insider information, the Apple MacBook Air M4 could be announced within the next few days. It’s been long-awaited, seeing as the company’s latest silicon is already available inside MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac Mini machines.
Mark Gurman, Bloomberg’s Managing Editor and Chief Correspondent, took to X to say: “I expect the M4 MacBook Air to be introduced as early as this week. Inventory has significantly wound down and Apple is preparing a Mac-related announcement in the next few days. iPads are seeing shortages but are probably not launching until later.”
It’s believed that the upcoming MacBook Air M4 model will feature a 12MP camera, 16GB unified memory by default, a longer battery life, and potential configurations of a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU combo. As with the jump between M3 and M4 seen in the MacBook Pro line, it is expected that there will be a rough performance jump of around 25%. No pricing estimates have been released, however, the MSRPs will likely be similar to last year’s models, beginning at $1,099 and up to $1,499.
Other rumors circulating the MacBook Air M4 include a total of three Thunderbolt 4 ports, up from the two currently available in previous models. Centre Stage, which uses machine learning to keep you in the frame when using FaceTime and other video conferencing apps, is rumored to be featured, thanks to the implementation of Apple Intelligence that launched in October 2024.
It’s taken a long time for the Apple M4 chip to make its way to the MacBook Air; the SoC originally launched back in May of last year with three configurations. The standard M4 debuted on May 15, 2024 inside the iPad Pro, with the M4 Pro and M4 Max releasing later on November 8, 2024.
The most recent MacBook Air 2024 model was released on March 8 of that year with the M3 chip, and is available in 13-inch and 15-inch configurations. Additionally, it’s currently available in three major variants either directly from Apple or major retailers: 8-Core CPU and GPU with 16GB Unifed Memory and 256GB SSD, 8-Core CPU and 10-Core GPU with 16GB Unified Memory and 512GB SSD, and 8-Core CPU with 10-Core GPU, 24GB Unified Memory and 512GB SSD.
The MacBook Air line is finally catching up to the rest of the family
It was a curious decision for Apple to delay the M4 chip in its entry-level MacBook computers until nearly a full year after the tech was already implemented in everything else. The M4 made its debut not in a computer, but in the iPad Pro 13-inch, before it ever arrived in the aforementioned MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini hardware.
We gave the MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 model a near-perfect 4.5-star review when we covered it back in November 2024, citing the powerful performance jump afforded by the M4 chip. Specifically, the newly-implemented Apple Intelligence functionality, combined with the powerful redesigned GPU baked onto the silicon, allowed for AAA gaming at 60fps in titles like Lies of P and Shadow of the Tomb Raider, among others.
However, in our testing, we found that the new Center Stage 12MP camera was temperamental outside of Apple’s FaceTime and Zoom. While it worked, it was not ideal for broadcast situations, and we couldn’t even get it working with Google Meet. We’re hopeful that these teething problems could be fixed when the MacBook Air M4 model comes, especially as it’s been a long time coming.
Despite having weak base specs, we gave the MacBook Air M3 a perfect 5-star review back in July 2024, citing excellent performance, its market-leading fan-less design, lower price compared to the previous model, and an all-day battery life. Provided the M4 iteration follows suit, we could see a performance jump of around 25%, improving on the base functionality for the cheapest iteration while implementing some of the MacBook Pro features that fans have been clamoring for. It would be a welcome change for one of the best laptops in 2025.
