Apple MacBook Air Apple 13" MacBook Air (M4, Sky Blue) Review

The MacBook Air M4 is a 1.24kg machine that nails the basics. It scores a 98.5 out of 100 for compactness, putting it in the 91st percentile for portability. That's the headline. You're getting 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, which lands in the 70th and 78th percentiles respectively. It's built for students and business users, scoring over 92 in both categories, and its reliability sits in the top 4% of all laptops. But it's not a gaming machine, scoring a flat 20 in that area.

The M4's 10-core CPU lands in the 66th percentile. That's solid for everyday tasks and professional apps, but it's not a chart-topper. The integrated GPU, however, is the real story here. It's in the 18th percentile, which explains the gaming score. This isn't a machine for rendering or serious gaming. But for what it's designed to do—web, office work, media consumption—it's more than enough. The 53Wh battery is small, but Apple's efficiency usually makes up for it, though you won't be getting Pro-level endurance.

At $1549, you're paying for the portability, build quality, and ecosystem. The specs are good, not amazing, for the price. You can find Windows machines with faster CPUs and dedicated GPUs for similar money, but they won't be this thin and light, or have macOS. It's a premium for a specific experience.

Compared to the 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max, you're trading massive CPU/GPU power and a 120Hz screen for extreme portability and a lower price. The Pro is a workstation; this is an ultraportable. Against something like the ASUS Zenbook Duo, you lose the innovative dual-screen setup but gain Apple's reliability and macOS simplicity. And next to a Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, there's no contest in gaming—the Legion destroys it—but the Air is half the weight and runs silent.

If you need the ultimate portable Mac and don't care about gaming or heavy graphics work, this is a fantastic choice. The reliability and portability scores are exceptional. But if your work involves 3D rendering, video editing, or you just want to play games, look at the MacBook Pro or a Windows machine. The data is clear: this is a specialist, not a generalist.