Apple MacBook Air Apple 13" MacBook Air (M4, Starlight) Review
The MacBook Air M4 is the best ultraportable for most people, but its weak GPU makes it a terrible choice for gamers. Here's who should buy it.
Overview
The MacBook Air M4 is the best laptop for almost everyone, but it's not for gamers. That's the one thing you need to know. It's impossibly thin, light, and reliable, scoring in the 96th percentile for dependability. It's the perfect machine for students, business travelers, or anyone who just wants a laptop that works perfectly and disappears into a bag. But if you're buying this for anything more than casual gaming, you're looking at the wrong tool for the job.
Performance
The M4 chip is plenty fast for everyday tasks, but the numbers tell a clear story. Its CPU lands in the 66th percentile, which is solid for an ultraportable. The real surprise is the GPU, sitting in the 18th percentile. That means it's fine for streaming and basic tasks, but it's not a graphics powerhouse. The 32GB of RAM and 2TB SSD are overkill for most people, but they're nice to have if you're a power user who needs to keep a hundred browser tabs open.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong reliability (96th percentile) 99th
- Strong storage (93th percentile) 95th
- Strong compact (91th percentile) 95th
- Strong screen (81th percentile) 89th
Cons
- Below average gpu (18th percentile) 19th
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | Apple M4 |
| Cores | 10 |
Graphics
| GPU | Apple (10-Core) |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 32 GB |
| Storage | 2 TB |
| Storage Type | NVMe SSD |
Display
| Size | 13.6" |
| Resolution | 2560 (QHD) |
| Panel | IPS |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Brightness | 500 nits |
Connectivity
| Thunderbolt | Thunderbolt |
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 6E |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 |
Physical
| Weight | 1.2 kg / 2.7 lbs |
| Battery | 53 Wh |
| OS | macOS |
Value & Pricing
At $2199, it's expensive. You're paying a premium for the Apple ecosystem, the ultra-portable design, and that massive 2TB SSD. If you need a super reliable, lightweight laptop and money isn't a huge concern, it's worth it. If you're on a budget or need more graphical power, there are better values out there.
Price History
vs Competition
Compared to the 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max, the Air wins on portability and price, but the Pro smokes it in performance, especially for creative work. Against a Windows machine like the ASUS Zenbook Duo, you lose the innovative dual-screen setup and likely get more ports for your money, but you gain Apple's seamless software integration. The gaming laptops like the Lenovo Legion or MSI Vector are in a completely different league for power, but they're also much heavier and have worse battery life.
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air Apple 13" MacBook Air (M4, Starlight) | Apple MacBook Pro Apple 14" MacBook Pro (M4 Max, Space Black) | ASUS ROG Flow ASUS ROG Flow - AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 AMD Radeon | Lenovo ThinkPad Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 16" UHD+ OLED Touchscreen | MSI Creator MSI Creator M14 A13V A13VF-081US 14" 2.8K Laptop, | HP ZBook HP 14" ZBook Ultra G1a Multi-Touch Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Apple M4 | Apple M4 Max | AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 | Intel Core Ultra 7 165H | Intel Core i7 13620H | AMD Ryzen AI Max+ Pro 395 |
| RAM (GB) | 32 | 36 | 128 | 64 | 32 | 128 |
| Storage (GB) | 2048 | 1024 | 1024 | 2048 | 2048 | 2048 |
| Screen | 13.6" 2560x1664 | 14.2" 3024x1964 | 13.4" 2560x1600 | 16" 3840x2160 | 14" 2880x1800 | 14" 2880x1800 |
| GPU | Apple (10-Core) | Apple M4 Max 32-core | AMD Radeon 8060 | NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 | AMD Radeon |
| OS | macOS | macOS | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Pro, English | Windows 11 Home (MSI recommends Windows 11 Pro for business) | Windows 11 Pro |
| Weight (kg) | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 2.5 |
| Battery (Wh) | 53 | 72 | 70 | 90 | - | 74 |
Verdict
Buy the MacBook Air M4 if you want the ultimate portable, reliable, and easy-to-use laptop for school, work, or travel. It's nearly perfect for that job. Do not buy it if gaming or professional video editing is a priority. For those tasks, get a MacBook Pro or a dedicated Windows gaming laptop.