MacBook Air M4 Early 2025: In-Depth Review

Apple's annual refresh of the MacBook Air continues into 2025, with the latest iteration featuring an updated system on a chip (SoC), the M4. The new MacBook Air 15 remains the epitome of a sleek, portable laptop, ideal for everyday office tasks, boasting impressive battery life and a stunning display. While it may not be the go-to choice for PC gaming enthusiasts, the MacBook Air excels in its role as a reliable, portable workhorse.

The MacBook Air is designed for those who need a laptop to effortlessly handle daily tasks on the go. Its lightweight and compact form factor make it the perfect companion for professionals and students alike, ensuring you can stay productive anywhere.

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, priced at $1,199. Apple offers various upgrade options, allowing you to customize your device to suit your needs. For example, you can configure the 15-inch MacBook Air with 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD for $2,399.

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Design

The MacBook Air has become synonymous with the term "laptop" due to its iconic design. The 2025 model retains the familiar sleek profile, weighing just 3.3 pounds and measuring less than half an inch thick, thanks to its unibody aluminum chassis. This thinness is a hallmark of the MacBook Air and a refreshing change from bulkier laptops.

The design is not only thin but also remarkably clean, with speakers integrated into the hinge, allowing sound to project towards the display. This innovative approach, combined with the fanless M4 configuration, enhances the laptop's aesthetics and functionality, using the lid as a natural amplifier for improved audio quality.

The fanless design contributes to a seamless look, with only four small rubber feet visible on the bottom to protect the aluminum surface. The top features the same excellent keyboard with deep key travel and a reliable TouchID sensor for quick, secure access. The spacious touchpad offers excellent palm rejection, ensuring smooth navigation during extended use.

However, the port selection could be more robust. The left side houses two USB-C ports and the MagSafe connector, while the right side only features a headphone jack. While it's commendable that Apple includes a headphone jack, additional ports like an SD card reader or another USB-C port would enhance the laptop's versatility.

Display

The MacBook Air's display, while not as advanced as the MacBook Pro's, is still exceptional for a general-purpose laptop. The 15.3-inch, 1880p screen offers vibrant colors and good glare resistance, covering 99% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and 100% of sRGB. It reaches a peak brightness of 426 nits, slightly below Apple's 500-nit claim but still sufficient for most environments.

Though not an OLED display, the MacBook Air's screen is more than adequate for everyday use. Whether you're working on documents, browsing the web, or streaming your favorite shows, the display delivers a satisfying visual experience.

Performance

Benchmarking a MacBook can be challenging due to limited compatibility with standard tests. However, the MacBook Air's fanless M4 chip is optimized for productivity rather than gaming. In gaming tests, it struggles, achieving only 18 fps in Total War: Warhammer 3 at Ultra settings and 10 fps in Assassin’s Creed Shadows at 1080p.

Despite its gaming limitations, the MacBook Air excels in productivity tasks. With 32GB of RAM, it handles multitasking effortlessly, keeping up with numerous open tabs and background applications on battery power. It also manages light Photoshop work, though it may struggle with more demanding tasks like noise filtering in Lightroom.

The MacBook Air's strength lies in its ability to handle everyday tasks efficiently, making it an ideal choice for users who prioritize portability and battery life over high-performance computing.

Battery

Apple claims the MacBook Air can last up to 18 hours for video streaming and 15 hours for web browsing. In my testing, using local video playback in VLC Media Player, the laptop surpassed this claim, lasting 19 hours and 15 minutes. While streaming might slightly reduce this duration, the MacBook Air's battery life is impressive, allowing for multiple days of use without needing a recharge.

This extended battery life makes the MacBook Air an excellent choice for frequent travelers. Its compact charger and long-lasting battery ensure you stay powered up, whether you're working from a coffee shop or on a long flight.

Overall, the MacBook Air (M4, Early 2025) continues to be a top choice for users seeking a stylish, portable, and efficient laptop for everyday productivity.