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Apple is set to launch the Macbook Air M4 much earlier than many expected. So, if you have been considering upgrading your old MacBook, air you should consider saving sooner rather than later.
Once released, every MacBook will be running on the same M4 chip, a move that also coincides with the staggered rollout of Apple intelligence.
The news of another MacBook Air comes just six months after the release of the M3 MacBook Air. So what can we expect from a new generation?
What is the Macbook Air M4?
The Macbook Air M4 is Apple’s latest entry-level notebook.
The updated model is expected to have the same design as the M3 model released this year, but the M4 chip will fuel AI capabilities and bring much-needed memory improvements.
Macbook Air M4 Release Date
Expected Release Date: January March, 2025
The Macbook Air M4 release date is expected to be in the first quarter of 2025.
Display analyst Ross Young recently shared with a locked subscriber tweet on X/Twitter that Apple suppliers will ship the panels for the new M4 MacBook Air in October, with a release expected early next year.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman supports these rumors, stating that the new MacBook Air will be available between January and March 2025.
This timing lines up for the MacBook Air, which is now scheduled for calendar Q1. January – March. https://t.co/PeiR2WLHDN https://t.co/05qJCCon29
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) September 19, 2024
Macbook Air M4 Features
Inbuilt AI Likely the Main Selling Point
The current MacBook Air design was first introduced in 2022, and design-wise, the form factor is expected to be around for a while. Exploring Macbook Air M4 rumors out there, analysts agree that the updated model will feature an incremental spec increase and that we shouldn’t expect much else from the update — although artificial intelligence may be a selling point for some potential buyers.
Ultimately, the new version will look and feel the same as the M3 Macbook Air.
Predictably, Apple is more focused on Apple Intelligence than changing any hardware’s appearance or design.
M4 Chip
Although online tests show that the M4 chip is around 20% faster than the M3, there is no hiding from the fact that the M4 chip will be coming to the MacBook Air nearly a year after it was added to the iPad Pro.
This is a long time in computing, especially with the M5 chip expected in the second half of 2025. Still, better late than never!
Hopes for 16GB RAM?
After being increasingly teased for releasing expensive laptops with only 8GB of RAM, we hope that even the entry-level new MacBook Airs will come with at least 16 Unified Memory.
The fact that in 2024, the entry level Macbook comes with 256GB storage and 8GB is not right. Should be at least 2x that. My 10 year old MacBook came with that spec. Seriously considering jumping ship. @AppleSupport
— Healy Hynes (@HealyHynes) September 30, 2024
M4 MacBooks will apparently finally start with 16gb ram on the base models pic.twitter.com/B0ZkarCymb
— Anthony (@TheGalox_) August 25, 2024
Wi-Fi 7 Support
An incremental spec upgrade on a new MacBook Air is nothing to get too excited about, with little room for improvement outside of RAM and processing power. However, with a Q1 2025 release, Wi-Fi 7 support is possible.
Macbook Air M4 vs Macbook Pro M4: Specs Comparison
| Features/Specs | M3 MacBook Air | M4 MacBook Air (Expected) |
|---|---|---|
| SoC | Apple M3 chipset | Apple M4 chipset
(20% faster) |
| Transistor Count | 25 billion transistors | 28 billion transistors |
| Neural Engine | 16-core | 16-core |
| CPU | 8-core | 8-core |
| GPU | Up to 10-core | Up to 10-core |
| Memory | 8GB – 24GB | 16GB – 24GB |
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 6 Support | WiFi 7 Support |
| Starting Price | Starts at $1,099 | Starts at $1,099 |
Apple Macbook Air M4 Price
Expected Price: $1,099 for the 13-inch & $1,299 for 15-inch MacBook Air M4
The Macbook Air M4’s price is expected to be around $1099 for the 13-inch version and the 15-inch model with a launch price of $1299.
This would mirror the pricing strategy of the M3 MacBook Airs that were released in 2024 (which in turn, would likely see a price drop when the new model arrives).
The Bottom Line
We expect to see an M4-powered Macbook Pro, Mac Mini, and iMac in the next few weeks. Although the MacBook Air M4 is not a groundbreaking update, it’s the final piece of Apple’s AI jigsaw.
In under a year, Apple will have succeeded in overhauling its entire Mac lineup with its AI-focused M4 chips and finally laid to rest the debate around whether 8GB is enough RAM for a laptop in 2025.
Apple Intelligence will be rolling out through to March 2025, and the M4 chip aims to make the experience smoother across Apple’s entire range of Macs.
That said, if you look beyond the AI features, users may struggle to find many other reasons to upgrade.
But if you are looking for a light, attracting, AI-enabled and latest and greatest Macbook — the Air should be on your list when it arrives.
