MacBook Air M4 Early 2025: A Comprehensive Review

Apple continues its tradition of annual updates with the 2025 MacBook Air 15, featuring yet another upgrade to its System on a Chip (SoC). This year's model, powered by the M4 chip, maintains its reputation as a sleek and efficient laptop, perfect for office work with exceptional battery life and a stunning display. While it may not be the best choice for PC gaming, the MacBook Air excels in its primary role as a versatile, portable workhorse.

The MacBook Air is designed for those who need a reliable laptop for everyday tasks. It's the perfect companion for professionals and students who need to get things done on the go, without the bulk and power demands of a gaming laptop.

Purchasing Guide

The MacBook Air (M4, Early 2025) is now available, with the 13-inch model starting at $999 and the 15-inch model, which I reviewed, at $1,199. As with all Apple products, you have the option to customize your laptop with additional RAM and storage. For example, a 15-inch MacBook Air with 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD will cost you $2,399.

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Design

The MacBook Air epitomizes the modern laptop, maintaining its iconic thin and light profile. Weighing just 3.3 pounds, it's remarkably lightweight for a 15-inch device. The unibody aluminum chassis is less than half an inch thick, yet robust enough for daily use. Its sleek design is further enhanced by the absence of visible speakers, which are cleverly integrated into the hinge, allowing the lid to amplify the sound. This fanless design not only contributes to a cleaner aesthetic but also eliminates the need for air vents, resulting in a seamless look.

The keyboard remains a standout feature, offering deep travel and reliable TouchID integration. The spacious touchpad is another highlight, providing excellent palm rejection and smooth navigation. However, the port selection is somewhat limited, with two USB-C ports and a MagSafe connector on the left, and only a headphone jack on the right. While the inclusion of a headphone jack is appreciated, the lack of additional ports like an SD card reader or another USB-C on the right side is noticeable.

Display

The MacBook Air's display is a key asset, delivering vibrant colors and good brightness. It covers 99% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and 100% of sRGB, making it suitable for a wide range of tasks. Although it doesn't match the OLED quality of higher-end models, it's more than adequate for most users, providing an enjoyable viewing experience for both work and entertainment.

Performance

Benchmarking a MacBook can be challenging due to the limited availability of compatible tests. However, the fanless M4 chip ensures that the MacBook Air performs admirably for productivity tasks. It may struggle with demanding games, but for everyday use, such as browsing, streaming, and light photo editing, it's more than capable. With 32GB of RAM, multitasking is smooth and efficient, even on battery power.

Battery

Apple's claims of up to 18 hours of video streaming and 15 hours of web browsing are impressive, and my testing confirmed these numbers. The MacBook Air lasted over 19 hours on local video playback, making it ideal for long work sessions or travel. Its long battery life and compact charger make it a perfect travel companion, allowing you to stay productive without constant recharging.