Apple 13.6" Midnight Review
The new M4 MacBook Air sets the standard for portable laptops, with killer battery life and a flawless design. Just don't expect to game on it.
The 30-Second Version
The 13-inch M4 MacBook Air is the gold standard for hassle-free, portable computing. Buy it for everything except gaming.
Overview
The new 13-inch MacBook Air with the M4 chip is the ultimate 'good at everything, great at being portable' laptop. It's not the most powerful machine you can buy, but it's the most polished one for the vast majority of people who just need a reliable, fast, and incredibly light computer. The one thing to know? This is the laptop you buy when you want to stop thinking about your laptop. It just works, all day, and fits in any bag.
Performance
The M4 chip is plenty fast for everyday tasks, and our database shows its CPU lands in the 68th percentile, which is solid for an ultraportable. The real surprise is how Apple manages to make it feel even faster than that in real use, thanks to macOS optimization. The only real letdown, as expected, is gaming. That 18th percentile GPU score tells the whole story. This isn't a machine for anything more demanding than casual titles.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong reliability (95th percentile) 95th
- Strong compact (90th percentile) 90th
- Strong screen (79th percentile) 79th
- Strong cpu (75th percentile) 75th
Cons
- Below average gpu (21th percentile) 21th
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| Cores | 10 |
Graphics
| GPU | Apple M4 10-core |
| Type | integrated |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 24 GB |
| RAM Generation | Not provid |
| Storage | 512 GB |
| Storage Type | SSD |
Display
| Size | 13.6" |
| Resolution | 2560 (QHD) |
Connectivity
| Thunderbolt | 2x Thunderbolt |
Physical
| Weight | 1.2 kg / 2.7 lbs |
| OS | macOS Sequoia 15.1 |
Value & Pricing
At $1299, it's not cheap, but you're paying for a complete, no-compromise experience in a portable package. For someone who values simplicity, battery life, and a premium feel over raw specs, it's absolutely worth it. You're buying the ecosystem and the polish, not just the components.
Price History
vs Competition
If you need more power for pro apps, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M4 Pro chip is the obvious step up, but you'll pay for it. For a Windows alternative, the ASUS ProArt PX13 is a fascinating rival. It packs a dedicated RTX 4050 GPU, more RAM, and a stunning OLED screen, making it a beast for creative work, but its battery life and build quality won't match the Air's. The Lenovo Legion and MSI Vector are in a different league for gaming, but they're thick, heavy, and have terrible battery life. They're not even in the same conversation for portability.
| Spec | Apple 13.6" | ASUS ROG Flow ASUS ROG Flow - AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 AMD Radeon | Lenovo Yoga Lenovo - Yoga Slim 9i - Copilot+ PC - 14" 4K 120Hz | Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro Samsung - Galaxy Book5 Pro - Copilot+ PC - 14" 3K | MSI Prestige MSI - Prestige 13”AI+ - Ukiyoe Edition 13.3"OLED | Microsoft Surface Laptop Microsoft - Surface Laptop - 13.8" 2K Touchscreen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | M4 | AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 | Intel Core Ultra 7 258V | Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 | Intel Core Ultra 7 258V | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100 |
| RAM (GB) | 24 | 128 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
| Storage (GB) | 512 | 1024 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Screen | 13.6" 2560x1664 | 13.4" 2560x1600 | 14" 3840x2400 | 14" 2880x1800 | 13.3" 2880x1800 | 13.8" 2304x1536 |
| GPU | Apple M4 10-core | AMD Radeon 8060 | Intel Arc Graphics | Intel Arc Graphics | Intel Arc Graphics | Qualcomm X1 |
| OS | macOS Sequoia 15.1 | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
| Weight (kg) | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1 | 1.3 |
| Battery (Wh) | - | 70 | 75 | - | - | - |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Cpu | Gpu | Ram | Port | Screen | Compact | Storage | Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple 13.6" | 75.1 | 20.6 | 68.5 | 56.9 | 79.4 | 90.2 | 49.1 | 94.8 |
| ASUS ROG Flow GZ302EA-XS99 Compare | 95.5 | 80.9 | 99.5 | 98.9 | 89.8 | 93.4 | 76.6 | 55.7 |
| Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14" Compare | 65.7 | 66.6 | 94.6 | 90.5 | 99.9 | 84.7 | 72.4 | 75.6 |
| Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro Galaxy Book5 Pro 14" 3K Compare | 69 | 66.6 | 86.9 | 90.5 | 93.5 | 84.9 | 72.4 | 75.6 |
| MSI Prestige 13”AI+ Ukiyoe Edition 13.3"OLED Compare | 65.7 | 66.6 | 86.9 | 98.3 | 90.6 | 95.5 | 72.4 | 55.7 |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8" 2K Touchscreen Compare | 95.1 | 42 | 86.9 | 94.7 | 81.2 | 87 | 72.4 | 75.6 |
Common Questions
Q: Is 24GB of RAM overkill?
For most people, yes. 16GB is the sweet spot. But if you regularly have dozens of browser tabs open while running a couple of professional apps, the 24GB config future-proofs you nicely. It's a luxury, not a necessity.
Q: Can it really handle video editing?
For light 1080p or 4K editing in iMovie or Final Cut Pro, absolutely. It'll be smooth. For heavy, multi-stream 8K editing or complex motion graphics, you'll want the thermal headroom and extra GPU cores of a MacBook Pro.
Q: How bad is the gaming, really?
It's fine for indie games, older titles, or casual stuff. Think Stardew Valley, not Starfield. The integrated GPU just isn't built for modern, demanding AAA games. If gaming is a priority, look elsewhere.
Who Should Skip This
If your primary goal is gaming or hardcore 3D rendering, this isn't it. The GPU isn't up to the task. Go get a dedicated gaming laptop like the Lenovo Legion instead. Also, if you need to connect a ton of peripherals without a dongle, the two-port life will frustrate you.
Verdict
We're recommending it. For students, business travelers, writers, and anyone who just needs a supremely competent and portable daily driver, the M4 MacBook Air is the default choice. It nails the fundamentals of battery life, performance, and design better than anything else in its class. Just don't buy it to play Cyberpunk.