Video Review: Two Months With the M4 MacBook Air - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Video Review: Two Months With the M4 MacBook Air

It's been nearly two months since the M4 MacBook Air launched, so we thought we'd take another look at the machine now that it's been out long enough to do some serious testing with it.

Watch on YouTube
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.

Introduced in March, the ‌MacBook Air‌ is equipped with Apple's latest and greatest M4 chip, so it's more than capable of handling day-to-day tasks from web browsing and watching videos to getting work done. It's even powerful enough for photo editing and some light video editing work.

All Macs have a minimum of 16GB RAM now, so the base M4 ‌MacBook Air‌ that starts at $999 is a really good deal for what you get. You can upgrade the RAM and the SSD, which may be worthwhile depending on what you want to do on your Mac.

In terms of design, Apple hasn't changed the look of the M4 ‌MacBook Air‌ compared to the M3 model, but it does come in a subtle blue shade that's new this year. The ‌MacBook Air‌ continues to be Apple's most portable Mac, with the 13-inch model weighing just 2.7 pounds. The 15-inch model is heavier at 3.3 pounds, but both models are lighter than the equivalent MacBook Pro models.

There's an upgraded 12-megapixel front-facing camera for video calls this year, which is a nice upgrade over the prior 1080p camera. The ‌MacBook Air‌ is limited to two USB-C ports and it doesn't have the port selection of the ‌MacBook Pro‌, nor the ability to support as many displays, but it's perfect for on-the-go use and it is the Mac that we recommend for most people.

With the ‌MacBook Pro‌, you're going to get a better mini-LED display, ProMotion support, and the option for nano-texture, but those all come with a much higher price tag.

Make sure to watch our review video for more on our thoughts on the M4 ‌MacBook Air‌ after spending almost two months with it.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Air (Caution)
Related Forum: MacBook Air

Popular Stories

iPad mini 7 Review Thumb 1 sans text

Apple Raises iPad and Mac Trade-In Values

Monday October 26, 2026 8:17 am PDT by
Apple today updated its U.S. trade-in estimates, raising maximum values across the iPad lineup and for most Macs following today's announcement of the new iPad mini. Every iPad category has gained value, although the increases are relatively modest. The iPad mini and standard iPad both rise by $20, while the iPad Air gains $15 and the iPad Pro increases by $10. The revised maximum estimates...
imac holiday

OLED MacBook Air and iMac Remain in Testing

Sunday October 25, 2026 8:40 pm PDT by
Apple is testing OLED displays for future MacBook Air and iMac models, though both upgrades remain some way off, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in his latest "Power On" newsletter. The next refreshes of the devices are expected to retain LCD displays. Gurman anticipates a new iMac to arrive this week and a MacBook Air refresh in early 2027, but offered no time frame for either model's...
Apple MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display family lineup feature

Apple Announces OLED MacBook Pro With Touch Display

Wednesday October 28, 2026 10:11 am PDT by
Apple today announced a new high-end MacBook Pro, which is available in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes. The new device has a PROLED XDR display that supports touch gestures, and a glowing rear Apple logo. Pricing on the MacBook Pro starts at $2,899 for the 14-inch model and $3,399 for the 16-inch model. Apple says the MacBook Pro has the "world's best display in a pro laptop." The PROLED...

Top Rated Comments

19 months ago
at this point the laptops are perfect, its just the OS bugs that hold everything back

compared to 10 years ago when it was the opposite
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nathansz Avatar
19 months ago

But let’s hope macOS gets not just a big sur surface makeover but a profound rethink of what the Mac is in a world where there is the iPhone and iPad.
this is my greatest fear

much prefer macOS be left alone
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
19 months ago

But let’s hope macOS gets not just a big sur surface makeover but a profound rethink of what the Mac is in a world where there is the iPhone and iPad.
NO. leave macOS alone! finder.app, disk utility, having multiple apps open at once, and terminal and all that are the last good things in modern computing

we dont want an iphone or ipad and the reloading full screen app BS. go away!
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
19 months ago
I recently had M2 and M4 MacBook Air side by side - same specs 16GB RAM and 512 SSD. Both Midnight.

What surprised me most is that the M4 display looks much sharper.
M4 midnight color looks different and less prone to finger prints.
And M4 feels quite faster than M2.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
19 months ago

Dual-35W in 2025 should mean all Apple execs get the firing squad. So stingy to make it just 35W in total between both ports. Dual 60W GaN chargers are tiny and affordable. Should be at least 30W per port.
Just curious, why does it matter so much? Modern Mac laptops do so well on battery I never even think about charging specs.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CausticSoda Avatar
19 months ago
I think he rather undersells it, and I'm not sure we learn much from a "2 months in" review compared with the reviews when it was released anyway. Also, it doesn't tell us much about its capabilities given he says he uses it mainly for admin work. The message seems to be, yeah, it's good for basic stuff, it works fine. No S**t Sherlock! Design is a personal preference, but I still prefer the wedge design. I'm still loving my M1 16Gb MBA, but the Devil on my shoulder keeps telling me to upgrade just for the hell of it even though it makes no sense at all.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Top Stories: Apple's Big MacBook Pro, iPad mini and iMac Updates
Top Stories: Apple's Big MacBook Pro, iPad mini and iMac Updates
1 hour ago
'Pluribus' Season 2 Reportedly Starts Production Today
'Pluribus' Season 2 Reportedly Starts Production Today
8 hours ago
iPhone 18 Pro Sales Surge in China, Offsetting Decline in U.S. and Japan
iPhone 18 Pro Sales Surge in China, Offsetting Decline in U.S. and Japan
8 hours ago
HomeView Software 27.2: Wallpapers, Control Center, and More
HomeView Software 27.2: Wallpapers, Control Center, and More
15 hours ago
Apple Alerts Stores to iPhone Duo's Display Cracking Issue
Apple Alerts Stores to iPhone Duo's Display Cracking Issue
16 hours ago
iOS 27.3 Will Enable These Apple Intelligence Features in China
iOS 27.3 Will Enable These Apple Intelligence Features in China
17 hours ago
Apple Says iOS 27.3 Beta Coming Next Week
Apple Says iOS 27.3 Beta Coming Next Week
17 hours ago
Apple's Flash Storage Suppliers Are Finally 'Getting Their Revenge'
Apple's Flash Storage Suppliers Are Finally 'Getting Their Revenge'
18 hours ago
14 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 27.2
14 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 27.2
19 hours ago
iPhone Duo Review: One Week Later
iPhone Duo Review: One Week Later
20 hours ago
Samsung Mocks iPhone Duo Display Cracks in New Ad Campaign
Samsung Mocks iPhone Duo Display Cracks in New Ad Campaign
21 hours ago
The MacRumors Show: OLED MacBook Pro, iPad Mini 8, and More
The MacRumors Show: OLED MacBook Pro, iPad Mini 8, and More
22 hours ago
MacBook Pro With Touch Display: 15 More Details Revealed
MacBook Pro With Touch Display: 15 More Details Revealed
22 hours ago
Russia Places Apple on State Surveillance Registry
Russia Places Apple on State Surveillance Registry
23 hours ago
Halloween Weekend Brings Discounts on Apple Accessories and Pre-Orders
Halloween Weekend Brings Discounts on Apple Accessories and Pre-Orders
1 day ago
Apple Has Released More Than 25 New Products in the Past Two Months
Apple Has Released More Than 25 New Products in the Past Two Months
1 day ago
Local Code Launches as Free, Private AI Assistant Tool for Mac
Local Code Launches as Free, Private AI Assistant Tool for Mac
1 day ago
Apple Acquires Ascend.io
Apple Acquires Ascend.io
1 day ago
HomePod Mini 2 Launches Today: All the New Features
HomePod Mini 2 Launches Today: All the New Features
1 day ago
AirTag 2 4-Pack Drops to New Low Price of $69.99
AirTag 2 4-Pack Drops to New Low Price of $69.99
1 day ago
Rian Johnson's iPhone Camera App Goes Viral
Rian Johnson's iPhone Camera App Goes Viral
1 day ago
Where Did All the iPhone Duos Go? Mostly to Apple's Stores
Where Did All the iPhone Duos Go? Mostly to Apple's Stores
1 day ago
Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Ship 1.5M Units in 2027
Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Ship 1.5M Units in 2027
1 day ago
New Apple TV 4K and iPad Mini: RAM Amounts Revealed
New Apple TV 4K and iPad Mini: RAM Amounts Revealed
2 days ago
Apple Executive Comments on New iPad Mini Lacking 120Hz Display
Apple Executive Comments on New iPad Mini Lacking 120Hz Display
2 days ago
Here's a Hands-On Look at HomePod Mini 2's New Two-Tone Colors
Here's a Hands-On Look at HomePod Mini 2's New Two-Tone Colors
2 days ago
Apple Lowers App Store Fees in Taiwan Starting October 31
Apple Lowers App Store Fees in Taiwan Starting October 31
2 days ago
HomeView Pre-Order Returns to $289.99 on Amazon
HomeView Pre-Order Returns to $289.99 on Amazon
2 days ago
Apple Avoids Showing Pinched Fingers on iPad Mini Page in South Korea
Apple Avoids Showing Pinched Fingers on iPad Mini Page in South Korea
2 days ago
Old 'Popcorn Time' App Left Hundreds of Thousands of Macs at Risk
Old 'Popcorn Time' App Left Hundreds of Thousands of Macs at Risk
2 days ago

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors