Apple has launched its first M4 Macs, but the most popular Mac wasn’t among them. The MacBook Air has not yet received an M4 chip. But here’s everything we know about when that upgrade’s coming, and what else to expect from the new model.
Release date for M4 MacBook Air
Following this week’s MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini debuts, Apple’s Mac lineup is locked in for the remainder of 2024.
So when will the new MacBook Air launch?
Reports indicate early 2025 is the M4 MacBook Air’s release date.
To get more specific, March is likely the month it will launch.
Last year, the M3 Air debuted in March. Apple also historically holds more product launches in March than in January or February.
New features to expect
Rumors on new MacBook Air features have been minimal. However, Apple’s just-launched new Macs give us a lot of hints as to what’s coming with the new MacBook Air.
Here’s what to expect:
- an M4 chip for faster performance
- 16GB base RAM
- Neural Engine capable of 38 trillion operations per second
- a 12MP Center Stage camera
- improved battery life
- likely a nano-texture display option
All of this adds up to a device optimized for Apple Intelligence, but also giving Air users more of what they love.
The M4 MacBook Air will still come in the same 13-inch and 15-inch versions. Which leads us to the things that are not changing with the new model.
What not to expect
The MacBook Air was redesigned with the M2 model in 2022, and Apple isn’t expected to change that core design any time soon.
As a result, the M4 MacBook Air won’t get a new design, but instead will stick with the existing look of the M2 and M3 models, and the same 13-inch and 15-inch sizes.
Also, even though Apple just debuted the new M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, they’re not likely to be available in any MacBook Air configs.
One way Apple differentiates its laptops is by keeping the MacBook Air on the base M-series chip only, while the MacBook Pro comes with the more powerful Pro and Max variants.
The M4 Air will likely also keep the existing $1,099 starting price, following the pattern of Apple’s other M4 Macs to date.
M4 MacBook Air: Wrap-up
The new MacBook Air isn’t expected to radically change the game, but it should come with a variety of strong upgrades—like the other M4 Macs—that make it a compelling buy.
Are you interested in the M4 MacBook Air? What features do you hope to see? Let us know in the comments.
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