Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch (2025, M4) Review
Table of Contents
PROS
- Lower starting price than the previous-generation 13-inch Air
- Faster M4 processing
- RAM gets a boost, even in the base model
- Improved Center Stage camera
- Quiet, fan less design
CONS
- Some ultraportable Windows laptops outpace it
- Battery life falls off a little versus 2024 model
- Display tech remains solid, but is starting to appear dated alongside OLED
Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch (2025, M4) Specs
| Class | Ultraportable |
| Processor | Apple M4 |
| RAM (as Tested) | 16 GB |
Apple’s 2025 refresh of its MacBook Air lineup enters a market filled with strong competition from high-performance AMD- and Intel-powered Windows laptops. To stay ahead, Apple made an unusual move—dropping prices. The latest MacBook Air models are now $100 cheaper at launch, making them more appealing than ever. Additionally, Apple has boosted the base RAM to 16GB, ensuring a smoother experience across the board. When you consider the bundled macOS software and lower upgrade costs, the 13-inch MacBook Air emerges as one of the best value picks in computing this year.
Earning the title of Editors’ Choice for being the best MacBook for most users, the 13-inch Air offers more power at a lower cost while exceeding Apple’s battery life estimates. Powered by the new M4 chip, it remains a compelling option for those seeking a balance of portability and performance. However, despite these improvements, its rating doesn’t surpass last year’s M3 Air. Why? The competition from premium Windows ultraportables has only grown fiercer.
Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch (2025, M4)$999.00 at amazon
Configurations: Better Chips, More Memory for $100 Less
For those acquainted with the intricacies of procuring a MacBook Air—or those who routinely explore Apple’s online catalog with a sense of longing—the 2025 iteration’s setup choices will likely present a familiar landscape. What might, however, spark a moment of genuine surprise are the revised price points. The 13-inch variant now boasts a starting price of a mere $999, while its 15-inch counterpart begins at $1,199. Notably, both figures represent a $100 reduction compared to their 2024 predecessors.
Across the entire spectrum of 13-inch MacBook Air models, users will find a consistent visual experience: a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina LED display, rendered with a crisp 2,560 by 1,664 pixel resolution. This display delivers a standard 60Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 500 nits. Furthermore, every model in this lineup benefits from an enhanced 12-megapixel Center Stage camera, ensuring clearer and more engaging video calls
Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch (2025, M4) Review
| Pros | Cons |
|---|
| Lower Starting Price – The 13-inch MacBook Air now starts at just $999, making it more budget-friendly than before. | Maxed-Out Configuration Is Costly – A fully upgraded version reaches $2,199, making it a significant investment. |
| Better Value for Upgrades – The $1,199 model includes both a 10-core GPU and 512GB SSD, offering a strong balance of performance and price. | Upgrade Pricing Can Be Misleading – Apple bundles the 10-core GPU upgrade with SSD or memory increases, making individual upgrades less flexible. |
| Standard 16GB RAM – Apple now includes 16GB of memory as the default, improving multitasking without extra charges. | Higher RAM and Storage Still Expensive – Upgrading beyond 16GB RAM or 512GB SSD quickly raises the overall cost. |
| Big Price Drop Compared to M3 Model – A similar M3 version previously cost $1,599, meaning the M4 model is $400 cheaper for the same specs. | Display Limited to 60Hz – Unlike some Windows rivals, the screen refresh rate remains at 60Hz. |
| Encourages Market Competition – Apple’s price reduction could pressure competitors to offer better deals. | Base Storage Still Low – The entry-level model comes with 256GB SSD, which may not be enough for some users. |
Design: Still Groovy, But the Screen Is Getting On
Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch (2025, M4)$999.00 at amazon
The 2025 MacBook Air introduces two notable updates: a 12MP Center Stage camera and a new Sky Blue color. The improved webcam, borrowed from the M4-powered MacBook Pro and iMac, features a wide-angle lens and the M4’s 16-core Neural Engine to track your movement within the camera’s extended field of view.
Sky Blue is a fresh addition to the Air’s usual silver, gold, and black options. While I still prefer the black model, Sky Blue offers a subtle, two-tone effect that shifts between silver and pale blue depending on lighting. Plus, there’s no extra charge for the new color.
n
Aside from these updates, the 2025 model maintains the same design as the 2022 version—0.44 inches thick and weighing 2.7 pounds. This makes it slimmer but slightly heavier than some recent competitors like the Dell Pro 14 Premium and the Asus ZenBook S 14.
The MacBook Air still features the divisive display notch, which houses the webcam. While I don’t mind it much, an OLED screen would be a welcome improvement, especially with OLED panels becoming more common in sub-$ 1,000 PCs. The keyboard and haptic trackpad remain unchanged, which is a good thing, as both offer smooth, reliable input, with Touch ID still proving useful.
Using the 13-Inch Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch (2025, M4) Review: That Familiar Apple Feel
While the MacBook Air’s internals have evolved, the overall experience remains familiar to anyone who’s used one in the past few years. From the screen’s look to the typing feel and portability, the design is well-established.
The Liquid Retina display is still a pleasure, though many users, including myself, might wish for an OLED upgrade to improve color and contrast. While the MacBook Pro features a superior Mini LED screen, an OLED panel would be a nice step forward for the Air at its price.
The keyboard and trackpad remain unchanged and continue to provide a smooth typing and navigation experience. I still hit my usual 67 words per minute with high accuracy. Although I miss the dedicated backlight keys, the typing experience is as enjoyable as ever.
The port selection—two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a MagSafe charging port, and a headphone jack—works fine, but it could be improved. A USB-C port on the right side would be helpful, especially since the new MacBook Air supports two connected displays.
Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch (2025, M4) Review
Apple’s new 12MP Center Stage webcam is a standout, especially for group FaceTime calls. The wide-angle lens and automatic adjustments from the Neural Engine keep everyone in the frame. The four speakers deliver decent sound for casual movie watching or video calls.
With the launch of Apple Intelligence and its Neural Engine, this is Apple’s first MacBook Air incorporating advanced AI features. However, my experience with the Image Playground tool was underwhelming, as it often produced quirky images that didn’t match expectations. While the tool has potential, it’s still a work in progress, though it’s fun to create animated images or comic-style illustrations.
For more on Apple Intelligence and its capabilities, check out my review of the 2024 Mac mini. We’re still awaiting the much-anticipated Siri overhaul later this year.
Testing Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch (2025, M4) Review: Lean and Mean Enough
The MacBook Air now offers more memory at a lower price, but competition in the ultraportable market is tougher than ever. The M4 chip outperforms the M3 with two extra CPU cores, delivering strong test results. However, upgrading from the M3 may not justify the cost.
Rival laptops like the Acer Swift AI 14, powered by an AMD Ryzen AI 9 365, surpassed the M4 in some benchmarks, while the Dell Pro 14 Premium nearly matched it but comes at a much higher price. The Asus Zenbook S 14, featuring an Intel Core Ultra 200V, also proved to be a solid contender.
Among these, the Zenbook stands out with a sharper display and a smoother 120Hz refresh rate—features that even outshine the MacBook Air. However, it lacks Apple’s True Tone color adjustment, making display preferences a key consideration.
Productivity, Content Creation, and AI Tests
Since macOS doesn’t support PCMark tests, we focused on CPU performance using Cinebench 2024 for rendering, Geekbench 6.3 Pro for real-world app simulations, and HandBrake 1.8 for video conversion. We also tested content creation with PugetBench for Photoshop and evaluated AI processing using Geekbench AI.
The MacBook Air (2025) with the M4 chip handled all tasks well but wasn’t the top performer in every category. The Acer Swift AI 14, powered by the Ryzen AI 9 365, outperformed it in video encoding and image rendering. However, the MacBook Air excelled in Geekbench Pro and dominated in Photoshop performance.
When it comes to AI processing, the M4 MacBook Air showed a noticeable leap from the M3, delivering the best results among tested systems in Geekbench AI, particularly in quantized precision for on-device AI tasks.
other articles
The Rise of Specialized Learning
Graphics and Gaming Tests
Since macOS doesn’t support PCMark tests, we focused on CPU performance using Cinebench 2024 for rendering, Geekbench 6.3 Pro for real-world app simulations, and HandBrake 1.8 for video conversion. We also tested content creation with PugetBench for Photoshop and evaluated AI processing using Geekbench AI.
The MacBook Air (2025) with the M4 chip handled all tasks well but wasn’t the top performer in every category. The Acer Swift AI 14, powered by the Ryzen AI 9 365, outperformed it in video encoding and image rendering. However, the MacBook Air excelled in Geekbench Pro and dominated in Photoshop performance.
When it comes to AI processing, the M4 MacBook Air showed a noticeable leap from the M3, delivering the best results among tested systems in Geekbench AI, particularly in quantized precision for on-device AI tasks.
Battery Test
We test battery life by playing a 720p video (Tears of Steel) on loop at 50% brightness and full volume, with Wi-Fi and keyboard backlighting turned off.
Apple claims the 13-inch MacBook Air lasts up to 18 hours of video playback, but in our test, it nearly hit 20 hours. Surprisingly, the older M3 model lasted about 90 minutes longer. Additionally, similarly sized AMD and Intel-based laptops outperformed the M4 in battery life. While the MacBook Air still delivers strong endurance, Apple no longer holds the top spot in laptop battery longevity.
Verdict: A Better Air Than Ever, But Here Come the PC Laptops
With the M4 chip, more baseline memory, and a lower price, the 2025 MacBook Air reaches new heights. Offering more for less earns it an Editors’ Choice award, though upgrading from the M3 model isn’t necessary.
However, the competition is catching up. Windows laptops, once trailing behind the Air, are now faster and more efficient, thanks to AMD and Intel’s advancements. The MacBook Air is no longer the undisputed leader in battery life or display quality, with some rivals offering higher refresh rates and better panel technology.
While this year’s model remains a top choice, Apple may need a design and display overhaul for its next iteration.
Final Verdict
With a lower price and improved performance, the 13-inch MacBook Air remains one of the top choices in the ultraportable laptop market.