MacBook Air 2025: Apple laptop now with M4 chip and cheaper
Apple is bringing its popular laptop series up to date and at the same time removing an annoying restriction. The price is going down.
Baby blue completes the color palette of the MacBook Air.
(Image: Apple)
The MacBook Air M4 is here: Apple is now offering the laptop series with the faster processor that made its debut in the first Macs last fall. The M4 also combines four high-performance cores with six efficiency cores in the MacBook Air – two more than in the predecessor M3. The 10-core CPU is joined in the more expensive configurations by a 10-core GPU with a slightly faster RAM connection of now 120 GByte/s (previously 100 GByte/s in the M3). It now supports up to 32 GB of RAM for the first time. Apple still promises a battery life of "up to 18 hours".
Better support for external monitors
Compared to the predecessor model with M3, a performance leap of well over 20 percent is to be expected – similar to the current MacBook Pro M4. Apple has now also removed an annoying limitation in the control of monitors on the MacBook Air: The M4 model variant can control two external screens with up to 6K resolution in parallel to the active integrated display, according to the manufacturer. Users still have to close previous models for this.
The design and size of the new MacBook Air, which was relaunched in 2022, will not change; the manufacturer will continue to offer the new MacBook Air with a 13", 13.6" and 15" screen. Also new in the Air M4 is the improved 12-megapixel webcam with center-stage mode – where the camera image follows the user as far as possible and also offers a desktop view.
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Prices of the MacBook Air M4
There are no changes to the number of ports, but there are now two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports on board instead of Thunderbolt 3 – alongside MagSafe as an additional power supply option.
Although Apple recently presented its first C1 cellular modem with the iPhone 16e, this is not to be found in the new MacBooks – there is still no 5G option. Wi-Fi support remains at Wi-Fi 6E.
In the USA, the entry-level price for the MacBook Air M4 is now 1000 US dollars (excluding tax), in Germany 1200 euros (including VAT). Apple continues to equip the 13-inch base model with 8-core GPU with 16 GB RAM and 256 GB SSD – a subsequent upgrade is not possible. The variant with 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, 16 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD costs 1450 euros. The 15" model is available from the manufacturer from 1500 euros. The maximum configuration with 32 GB RAM and 2 TB SSD costs 3000 euros. The new MacBooks go on sale on March 12.
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