Apple 2025 MacBook Air

Despite maintaining the same design language introduced back in 2022, the MacBook Air continues to turn heads. Even in 2025, its impossibly slim 0.45-inch profile remains impressive—especially for anyone upgrading from an older, bulkier laptop. After several years on the market, this design still holds its ground as the sleekest in its class. Whether you’re looking at the original 13-inch or the larger 15-inch variant that arrived a year later, no competitor has yet matched its elegant minimalism.

If you’re already familiar with the current look, the only fresh visual twist is the addition of a new Sky Blue finish. Some have found it too subtle, expecting a bolder shade, but it strikes a tasteful balance—delicate and almost silvery under most lighting, with a soft blue shimmer when it catches the sun just right.

Personally, I like the understated vibe, especially after the louder color palette Apple rolled out with the iMac. That said, I can’t help but mourn the loss of the beloved Space Grey, which is no longer an option. It had a timeless, professional feel, and its absence is definitely felt.

The 15.3-inch LED display with its 60Hz refresh rate, along with the superb keyboard, responsive trackpad, and the familiar premium build, all remain unchanged. So, let’s shift focus to what has been updated this time around.

One of the standout upgrades this year is the ability to connect two external monitors—without needing to close the laptop lid. Thanks to the enhanced capabilities of the M4 chip, this flexibility addresses a key limitation of the previous M3 version. Now, users can enjoy true multi-display support right out of the box, making the MacBook Air a much more appealing choice for a wider range of professionals.

It’s especially beneficial for remote workers, freelancers, and small business owners who crave that dual-screen setup but don’t necessarily require the raw power or advanced display tech of a MacBook Pro. And with this improvement, there’s no longer a need to shell out an extra $300 for the 14-inch Pro model just to expand your screen real estate—a big win for productivity and your wallet.

If there’s one lingering gripe I have about the port layout, it’s the placement. All power-related connections—including the two USB-C ports and the MagSafe charging port—are clustered on the left side. The right side? It only hosts the lone headphone jack. With such a minimal number of ports overall, it would’ve made a lot of sense to position at least one USB-C port on the right for more flexible charging options, especially when working in tight spaces or depending on desk setup.

Leap Ahead

Unquestionably, the headline feature of this year’s 15-inch MacBook Air is the introduction of the M4 chip. If you caught the MacBook Pro update last fall, you’ll recall that the M4 delivered impressive gains in both single-core processing and graphics performance—and those improvements carry over here.

Consistent with previous generations, there’s no notable performance difference between the 13-inch and 15-inch Air models aside from their default configurations. The 13-inch version still offers a base option with an 8-core GPU and 10-core CPU, while the 15-inch variant now starts with a 10-core GPU by default. As a result, the 8-core GPU configuration is no longer available on the larger model—but to be fair, it never was to begin with.

This year’s most notable shift in configurations comes in the memory department. While the M3 MacBook Air raised the base RAM to 16 GB, the M4 model takes it even further—now allowing upgrades up to 32 GB, surpassing the previous 24 GB ceiling. However, when it comes to storage, Apple still sticks to its notoriously steep pricing structure. Jumping to 512 GB will set you back $200, while 1 TB costs $400, and 2 TB skyrockets to $800. For most users, investing in a high-quality external SSD remains the more budget-friendly route.

The M4 chip also ushers in a new era of AI capability for the MacBook Air, thanks to Apple Intelligence. With its upgraded 16-core Neural Engine capable of delivering 38 trillion operations per second (TOPS), the M4 starts closing the performance gap between Apple and its silicon competitors—getting close to the 48 TOPS found in Intel’s upcoming Lunar Lake chips and the 45 TOPS of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X series.

Evaluating the real-world impact of this AI power is tricky, though, as Apple Intelligence is still in its early stages. That said, Apple is already highlighting third-party apps like Bear, a popular note-taking tool, that tap into these AI features from day one. Tasks like automatic text formatting, table generation, and content summarization are now just a click away. The M4 MacBook Air also comes bundled with new AI-driven tools like Image Playground, a smarter Siri powered by ChatGPT, and a growing collection of creative and productivity enhancements. Still, it’s worth noting that Apple Intelligence doesn’t require this kind of high-speed on-device processing—older Macs can access many of these features via Apple’s secure Private Cloud Compute backend.

In terms of raw performance, the M4 MacBook Air delivers noticeable gains over its M3 predecessor—boasting a 22% increase in GPU speed, a 31% jump in multi-core processing, and an 18% improvement in single-core performance, according to Cinebench R24 benchmarks. Those are impressive leaps for a single generation, especially in single-core tasks where Apple Silicon continues to outpace much of the competition. On the graphics side, the M4 more than doubles the output of the M2, making it a compelling upgrade for anyone working with photo editing, graphic design, or light 3D work.

True to the Air’s lineage, this machine is entirely fanless—and that silent operation is still one of its standout qualities. Whether you’re browsing or loading up a demanding app like a game, the system stays whisper-quiet. I fired up Baldur’s Gate 3 for a test run, and while performance isn’t on par with high-end gaming rigs, the experience was surprisingly smooth. Running it at 1200p with medium settings and some upscaling produced a great balance between visuals and responsiveness—all without a single fan spinning. No other ultraportable laptop today can pull that off.

That said, the lack of active cooling does come with trade-offs. The MacBook Air can’t squeeze out every ounce of the M4’s potential the way the 14-inch MacBook Pro can. Under heavy workloads, the chip has to dial back its performance to stay cool, and I recorded CPU temperatures peaking at 102°C during stress tests. Still, Apple’s thermal design is solid—despite the high internal temps, the outer chassis stayed comfortable to the touch throughout my testing, even during long sessions under full load.

When it comes to battery life, the MacBook Air continues to set the bar high. Apple advertises up to 18 hours of usage on the M4 model, though—as usual—the company doesn’t detail exactly what workload that figure is based on. Since it matches the claim made for the M3 version, you can expect a similarly strong showing in day-to-day use. In my own tests, the M4 Air held up for over 20 hours during continuous local video playback, which is impressive by any standard. Of course, battery life will vary dramatically depending on what you’re doing. For instance, while downloading and installing a large game through Steam, I noticed the battery dropping quickly—projected to last only about four and a half hours. Still, for typical tasks like writing, browsing, and light productivity, I was able to get through an entire workday untethered, with plenty of battery to spare.

Clearing the Lineup

The M4 MacBook Air delivers impressive performance and features on their own—but they shine even brighter when viewed in light of Apple’s refreshed MacBook Air strategy. For the first time since the Apple Silicon transition began in 2020, Apple has streamlined the Air lineup, officially phasing out both the M2 and M3 versions. That leaves the M4 as the new baseline for the Air series moving forward.

The 15-inch variant I tested comes with a modest price bump—$100 more than its M3 predecessor—which subtly widens the gap between it and the 14-inch MacBook Pro. That distinction matters. Previously, the two models were priced so closely that the MacBook Pro often made more sense, especially for creatives needing the Pro’s superior mini-LED display and expanded I/O. Now, with a clearer price difference, the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air stands out as a stronger recommendation for those who want a larger screen and excellent performance without crossing into Pro territory.

Choosing between the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air still comes down to size preference, as both models offer nearly identical performance and battery life. However, the 15-inch version does deliver two key advantages. The first—and most obvious—is the display. While that might sound like a given, the difference in screen real estate becomes striking once you see them side by side. Despite its slim profile, the 15-inch MacBook Air has a noticeably larger footprint than even the 14-inch MacBook Pro, thanks to its 15.3-inch panel. It’s longer and deeper, giving you more space to work without sacrificing portability.

That extra screen space can be a game-changer, especially for users who rely solely on their laptop for daily tasks. Whether you’re multitasking with split windows or just prefer larger text for readability, the added real estate makes a big difference. And because Apple scales the resolution appropriately, you get more room without compromising image sharpness.

Personally, not owning a television, I’ve found the 15-inch model far more enjoyable for watching movies and shows compared to the 13-inch. The immersive experience is enhanced by the six-speaker audio system, which delivers noticeably richer sound than the smaller model. While the speaker setup hasn’t changed since the M2 and M3 iterations, it’s still a standout feature that makes the extra $100 for the larger model feel well worth it. It doesn’t quite reach the bass depth of the 14-inch MacBook Pro, but it easily outperforms the majority of laptops in its class.

About this item

Design and Build

The 2025 MacBook Air retains its iconic slim and lightweight design, measuring just 0.44 inches (11.3 mm) in thickness and weighing approximately 2.7 pounds (1.24 kg) . While the chassis remains unchanged, Apple introduces a fresh Sky Blue color option, adding to the existing palette of Silver, Starlight, and Midnight.

Display

Equipped with a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, the MacBook Air offers a resolution of 2560×1664 pixels, delivering sharp and vibrant visuals. The screen supports 500 nits of brightness, P3 wide color gamut, and True Tone technology, ensuring accurate color reproduction and comfortable viewing in various lighting conditions .

Performance

At the heart of the 2025 MacBook Air lies the Apple M4 chip, featuring:

• 10-core CPU: 4 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores
• 8-core or 10-core GPU: Configurable based on user preference
• 16-core Neural Engine: Enhances machine learning tasks
• 120GB/s memory bandwidth: Facilitates swift data access

This configuration ensures smooth performance for everyday tasks, creative workflows, and multitasking scenarios .

Memory and Storage

The MacBook Air comes standard with 16GB of unified memory, with options to upgrade to 24GB or 32GB. Storage configurations start at 256GB SSD, expandable up to 2TB, catering to various user needs .

Battery Life

Apple claims the MacBook Air can achieve:

• Up to 18 hours of video playback
• Up to 15 hours of wireless web usage

These figures are supported by a built-in 53.8‑watt‑hour lithium‑polymer battery, ensuring all-day productivity .

Connectivity and Ports

The MacBook Air offers:

• MagSafe 3 charging port
• Two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports: Supporting charging, DisplayPort, and data transfer
• 3.5mm headphone jack

Wireless connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, providing fast and reliable connections

Camera and Audio

For video conferencing and media consumption:

• 12MP FaceTime HD camera: Enhanced with Center Stage technology
• Three-mic array: Ensures clear audio capture
• Four-speaker sound system: Supports Spatial Audio for immersive sound .

Operating System and Features

Running on macOS Sequoia, the MacBook Air integrates:

• Apple Intelligence: A suite of AI-driven tools enhancing productivity and user experience
• Advanced security features: Including Touch ID for secure authentication.