Apple MacBook Air Apple 13" MacBook Air (M4, 70W Power Adapter, Sky Review

The 13-inch MacBook Air with the M4 chip is a study in contradictions. It weighs just 1.2kg, putting it in the 93rd percentile for compactness, but its CPU lands in the 66th percentile, which is solid but not chart-topping. You're getting a machine that's incredibly reliable—96th percentile there—and has a bright, sharp screen, but it's built for a very specific kind of user who values portability and the Apple ecosystem above raw power.

Let's talk about what the M4 can and can't do. That 10-core CPU is fast for everyday tasks. It'll breeze through web browsing, office apps, and even some light photo editing without breaking a sweat. But with the GPU sitting in the 18th percentile, this isn't a machine for creators or gamers. Our gaming score is a brutal 16.1 out of 100. The 16GB of RAM is fine for now, but it's only in the 32nd percentile, and that 256GB SSD is a real bottleneck, ranking in the bottom 20%. For basic work and student life, it's more than enough. Just don't expect to render a 4K video on it.

At $999, this MacBook Air is priced as an entry point into the Apple laptop world. You're paying a premium for that design, portability, and macOS, not for top-shelf specs. The value is all about the user experience. If you need more storage or RAM, the price jumps quickly, and you might be better off looking at a Windows machine with more hardware for the money.

Compared to the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 Max, it's night and day. The Pro has a much more powerful GPU, more ports, and a better screen, but it's heavier and costs a lot more. Against a Windows ultrabook like the ASUS Zenbook Duo, you lose the dual-screen versatility and likely get more storage for the price, but you gain macOS and that Apple build quality. And compared to any gaming laptop like the MSI Vector, there's no contest for performance—the Air gets left in the dust—but you'd never want to carry a 16-inch gaming laptop to a coffee shop.

This MacBook Air is a fantastic laptop if your needs are simple. You want something light, reliable, and that just works for school, basic business tasks, or everyday life. But you have to be honest about what you're buying. It's not a powerhouse. If you need to edit videos, play games, or store a large media library, look elsewhere. For everyone else who lives in a browser and a word processor, it's a nearly perfect machine.