MacBook Air M4 Early 2025: In-Depth Review

Apple consistently updates the MacBook Air with a new System on a Chip (SoC) each year, and 2025 is no exception. The latest MacBook Air 15, powered by the M4 chip, continues to be the epitome of a sleek and portable laptop ideal for office work, boasting impressive battery life and a stunning display. While it may not be the best choice for PC gaming, the MacBook Air excels as a reliable, everyday device for getting things done efficiently on the go.

Purchasing Guide

The MacBook Air (M4, Early 2025) is now available, with the 13-inch model starting at $999 and the 15-inch model, which I reviewed, at $1,199. As is typical with Apple, you have the flexibility to customize your system for an additional cost. For example, you can configure a 15-inch MacBook Air with 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD for $2,399.

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Design

The MacBook Air has become synonymous with the term "laptop" for many, and it's easy to see why. Despite its unchanged appearance from recent models, it remains an exceptionally thin and light device, weighing just 3.3 pounds—a remarkable feat for a 15-inch laptop. This lightweight is achieved through its slim unibody aluminum chassis, measuring less than half an inch thick.

Unlike the MacBook Pro, which features visible speaker grilles, the MacBook Air cleverly integrates its speakers within the hinge, directing sound towards the display. This innovative approach not only maintains the laptop's sleek design but also enhances sound quality by utilizing the lid as a natural amplifier. The fanless M4 configuration contributes to this clean aesthetic, eliminating the need for air vents and resulting in a seamless, visually appealing build.

The MacBook Air continues to impress with its comfortable keyboard, offering deep key travel despite the laptop's slim profile. The TouchID sensor, located in the top right corner, provides quick and reliable access. The touchpad, expansive and responsive, maintains Apple's reputation for crafting top-notch touchpads, ensuring smooth navigation and excellent palm rejection.

While the MacBook Air excels in design, its port selection is somewhat limited. The left side houses two USB-C ports and a MagSafe connector, while the right side only includes a headphone jack. Although the inclusion of a headphone jack is appreciated, the absence of additional ports like an SD card reader or another USB-C port on the right side is noticeable, particularly when compared to slightly thicker models like the MacBook Pro.

Display

The MacBook Air's display, while not as advanced as that of the MacBook Pro, is still exceptional. It offers vibrant colors, good brightness, and reasonable glare resistance, making it a standout in its class. The 15.3-inch, 1880p display covers 99% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and 100% of sRGB, which is impressive for a versatile laptop. It achieves a peak brightness of 426 nits, slightly below the advertised 500 nits but sufficient for most indoor environments.

Though it doesn't match the quality of an OLED display, the MacBook Air's screen is more than adequate for everyday use. My experience watching shows, such as my rewatch of "The Clone Wars," was enhanced by the display's excellent color performance.

Performance

Benchmarking a MacBook can be challenging due to the limited compatibility of traditional tests with macOS. However, the MacBook Air's fanless M4 chip prioritizes efficiency over high-end gaming performance. In games like Total War: Warhammer 3 and Assassin’s Creed Shadows, it struggled at 1080p, achieving only 18 fps and 10 fps respectively on Ultra settings. Even with settings adjusted to medium, performance remained suboptimal for gaming.

Despite its gaming limitations, the MacBook Air excels as a productivity tool. With 32GB of RAM, it handled multitasking seamlessly, managing numerous Safari tabs and background music without a hitch, even on battery power. Light Photoshop work was manageable, though heavier tasks like noise filtering in Lightroom posed a challenge. The MacBook Air's ability to handle daily tasks efficiently, coupled with its impressive battery life, makes it an ideal companion for professionals on the move.

Battery

Apple boasts that the MacBook Air can last up to 18 hours for video streaming and 15 hours for web browsing. In my testing, which involved looping video in VLC Media Player, the MacBook Air exceeded expectations, lasting 19 hours and 15 minutes. This was based on local video playback, which is slightly less taxing than streaming, but the results are still impressive.

During multiple 4-5 hour work sessions, I found the MacBook Air's battery life to be exceptional, allowing for days of use without needing a recharge. Its long-lasting battery makes it perfect for travelers, as few flights exceed 15 hours. The compact charger included in the box adds to its portability, ensuring you stay productive without being tethered to a power outlet.