MacBook Air M4 Review: How good is the new Apple notebook?

The new M4 MacBook Air is here, and the first reviews paint a clear picture: It's not a revolutionary update, but it's still the Mac that most people should buy. The starting price of 1,199 euros makes the MacBook Air more attractive than ever - and that with 16 GB of RAM as standard. According to the testers, the M4 MacBook Air offers a strong combination of performance, battery life and mobility. However, there are also points of criticism, especially regarding the high memory upgrade costs and the barely visible new blue color. But who is the new model really worth it for?

The MacBook Air is considered one of the best all-round laptops on the market. Apple has repeatedly made small but useful improvements in recent years. In 2022, the Air got a new design, then the M3 upgrade followed. Now a new generation has been released with the M4 MacBook Air, which improves especially in terms of price and storage capacity. Testers from various magazines and websites have already taken a close look at the new model. Their opinions show that Apple has not reinvented the MacBook Air, but has made decisive improvements.

Design and colors

Visually, the M4 MacBook Air remains largely unchanged. Jason Snell from Six Colors welcomes the fact that Apple is keeping the tried and tested design. The device remains slim, light and of high quality. Apple now offers the MacBook Air in four colors, including a new blue variant. Kyle Barr from Gizmodo However, notes that this blue is hardly recognizable as such. It looks almost like silver - anyone who was looking forward to a striking color might be disappointed.

Price: Apple relies on an attractive offer

The biggest change is the price. Jason Snell from Six Colors points out that Apple is finally offering the MacBook Air with 16 GB RAM for 999 US dollars. (Available in Germany from 1,199 euros!) This means: no more resorting to older models to save money. David Phelan from The Independent particularly praises the new price of the 15-inch model, which could be an even better choice for many users. For a large display of this quality, the MacBook Air is now one of the best deals on the market.

performance and M4 chip

The new M4 chip brings more performance, but not huge leaps compared to the M3. Joshua Goldman from CNET emphasizes that the MacBook Airs of the M series are already amazingly powerful. The M4 provides even more speed, but remains energy-efficient. The device still works without a fan, so it remains absolutely quiet. Andrew Freedman from Tom's Hardware finds that the MacBook Air is impressively powerful despite its thin chassis. However, he notes that the high premiums for more storage or RAM remain a nuisance.

Battery life

As usual, Apple delivers a strong battery life. According to Joshua Goldman of CNET, the MacBook Air lasts over 15 hours - even more depending on usage. This makes it one of the most durable laptops on the market.

connections and equipment

There are no surprises here. The MacBook Air still offers two Thunderbolt ports, a headphone jack and MagSafe for charging. Brenda Stolyar from Wired criticized that Apple continues to rely on a limited number of ports. Anyone who wants to use many external devices still needs adapters.

Is the M4 MacBook Air worth it?

Testers agree: The M4 MacBook Air is the best choice for most users. It combines high performance, long battery life and a slim design at a fair price. Brenda Stolyar of Wired says that the device retains all the strengths of its predecessors and improves on the main criticisms - with the exception of the variety of ports. Andrew Freedman of Tom's Hardware calls the MacBook Air with M4 one of the best offers Apple has made in a long time. But he continues to criticize the expensive memory upgrades. Kyle Barr of Gizmodo thinks the device is a solid buy, even if the new blue color looks more like silver.

M4 MacBook Air: A well thought-out upgrade with a strong price-performance ratio

If you're looking for a new MacBook, the M4 MacBook Air is the best choice. With 16GB of RAM as standard, a lower price and the usual strong performance, there's little reason to opt for an older model. If you already have an M3 MacBook Air, an upgrade isn't necessarily worth it, as performance has only improved slightly. But for anyone with an Intel Mac or an M1 MacBook Air, the switch makes sense. With the M4 MacBook Air, Apple hasn't delivered a spectacular update, but it is a well-thought-out one. The price-performance ratio is now better than ever. (Image: Apple)