MacBook Air M4 (2025) Review: Finally, Apple Got the Price Right

After watching Apple charge premium prices for what felt like incremental updates year after year, I honestly didn’t expect much from the 2025 M4 MacBook Air. Then Apple did something shocking – they actually lowered the price while doubling the base RAM to 16GB. Three weeks into daily use, I can confidently say this might be the best laptop value Apple has ever offered.

Quick Verdict

The MacBook Air M4 is the sweet spot laptop that most people should buy. If you’re coming from an M1 Air or any Intel Mac, this is a no-brainer upgrade that delivers significantly better performance at a lower price point. M3 Air owners can probably skip this generation unless you desperately need that dual external display support or are drawn to the new Sky Blue color.

This laptop excels for students, professionals doing everyday computing tasks, content creators working with moderate workloads, and anyone who values portability without sacrificing performance. It’s not ideal for heavy video editing, gaming, or users who need more than two external displays.

Key features: With the return of the MagSafe 3 charging port, both Thunderbolt 4 ports are available for other devices.

Performance & Quality: The M4 Difference is Real

I’ll be honest – I was skeptical about how much of a difference the M4 chip would make in real-world use. After all, the M3 Air was already plenty fast for most tasks. But after running my usual workflow of 20+ browser tabs, Slack, multiple productivity apps, and occasional photo editing, the performance bump is noticeable.

The M4’s 10-core CPU handles multitasking without breaking a sweat. I regularly have Figma running alongside Final Cut Pro for light video editing, plus my usual arsenal of productivity apps, and everything stays responsive. Apple claims it’s up to 2x faster than the M1 model, and while that sounds like marketing speak, I can actually feel the difference when working with larger files or complex spreadsheets.

What impressed me most is how the fanless design never becomes a limitation. Even during extended video calls or when exporting 4K footage, the laptop stays cool and quiet. The build quality remains exceptional – the aluminum construction feels premium and the fit and finish are flawless after three weeks of daily transport in my backpack.

User Experience: Refinement, Not Revolution

Apple didn’t reinvent the wheel here, and honestly, they didn’t need to. The keyboard remains one of the best laptop keyboards I’ve used – tactile, quiet, and comfortable for long typing sessions. The trackpad is massive and responsive, making gesture navigation effortless.

Setup was typical Apple simplicity – I had everything transferred from my old laptop within an hour using Migration Assistant. The new dual external display support is a game-changer for my home office setup. I can now run two 4K monitors alongside the laptop display, something that required workarounds with previous Air models.

Battery life consistently delivers 12-14 hours of mixed use, including video calls, document editing, and light media consumption. During a recent cross-country flight, I worked for nearly 6 hours straight and still had 40% battery remaining. The MagSafe charging is convenient, and the laptop charges from 0-80% in about 90 minutes.

The new Sky Blue color deserves mention – it’s subtle and sophisticated, though honestly less “blue” than I expected. It’s more of a pale blue-gray that photographs beautifully but appears almost silver in many lighting conditions.

Let’s see what MKBHD has to say about it

Value Analysis: Apple Finally Listened

Here’s where Apple really surprised me. The base model now starts with 16GB of RAM instead of 8GB, and the price dropped $100 from the previous generation. This addresses one of my biggest complaints about MacBooks – having to pay premium prices for adequate specifications.

Comparing it to Windows alternatives in the same price range, the MacBook Air M4 holds its own remarkably well. While you can find cheaper Windows laptops, few match the combination of build quality, battery life, display quality, and performance. When you factor in macOS stability and the broader Apple ecosystem integration, the value proposition becomes compelling.

The base 256GB storage might feel limiting for some users, but with cloud storage being so prevalent, it’s manageable for most people. Power users will want to upgrade to 512GB, which keeps the price competitive with premium Windows ultrabooks.

Real-World Testing: Three Weeks of Daily Use

I’ve put this laptop through my typical workflow as a content creator and consultant. My daily routine includes:

Morning routine: Email, calendar management, and social media scheduling (2-3 hours)
Client work: Video calls, document creation, and presentation design (4-5 hours)
Content creation: Photo editing in Lightroom, occasional video editing in Final Cut Pro (1-2 hours)
Evening use: Streaming, casual browsing, and personal projects (2-3 hours)

The MacBook Air M4 handled everything without complaint. Video calls remained smooth even with multiple apps running in the background. Photo editing was responsive, though I did notice some lag when working with particularly large RAW files – something where the MacBook Pro’s additional GPU cores would help.

The display remains excellent for productivity work. Colors are accurate, text is sharp, and the brightness is sufficient for outdoor use. The 13.6-inch size hits the sweet spot between portability and usability, though I sometimes miss having a larger screen for detailed work.

Pros & Cons

What I Love:

Exceptional value: More RAM, better performance, lower price than last generation
Outstanding battery life: Consistently 12+ hours of real-world use
Silent operation: Fanless design that never gets hot or noisy
Dual display support: Finally can drive two external monitors with laptop open
Build quality: Premium materials and construction that justify the price

What Could Be Better:

Limited ports: Only two Thunderbolt 4 ports means dongles for some users
Storage pricing: Upgrades beyond base storage are still expensive
Sky Blue disappointment: The new color is more subtle than promotional photos suggest
Gaming performance: Still not great for anything beyond casual games
Single external display limitation: Still limited to one external display with laptop closed

Bottom Line

After three weeks of daily use, the MacBook Air M4 has earned its place as my primary laptop recommendation for most people. Apple finally addressed the value equation by including adequate RAM at a lower starting price, while the M4 chip provides meaningful performance improvements over older models.

If you’re using an M1 Air or older MacBook, this is an easy upgrade recommendation. The performance improvement, additional RAM, and new features like dual display support make it worthwhile. M3 Air owners should probably wait unless you specifically need the new capabilities.

For anyone in the market for a premium ultrabook, I’d suggest checking the current price on Amazon – Apple’s aggressive pricing makes this one of the best laptop values available today. Whether you’re a student, professional, or creative looking for a reliable daily driver, the MacBook Air M4 delivers the performance and portability that made this line famous, now at a price point that actually makes sense.

The MacBook Air M4 proves that sometimes the best upgrade isn’t revolutionary – it’s simply giving customers more value for their money. After years of feeling like Apple was nickel-and-diming customers, this feels like the company finally listening to what people actually want: great performance, all-day battery life, and a fair price.