MacBook Air is one of the most popular Macs Apple makes, second only to the MacBook Pro in terms of sales. Together, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro make up 90% of Mac sales. So it’s no wonder that Apple is keen to give the Air its latest chips as soon as they are available, and that’s exactly what happened when it launched the M4 MacBook Air in March 2025. In this article, we’ll take a look at what new features will the MacBook Air M4 have and whether it’s worth upgrading.
What new features are expected in the M4 MacBook Air
As you would expect, aside from a more powerful system-on-a-chip in the form of the M4 itself, the new MacBook Air has had a few other improvements.
A new camera
Where previous MacBook Airs had a 1080p FaceTime camera, the M4 MacBook Air gets a 12MP Center Stage camera. As well as an increase in resolution, the new camera supports Apple’s Center Stage feature, which automatically keeps you in the center of the frame during a call, even if you move around the room. It also supports Desk View, which allows you to display an overhead view of your desk during calls, as well as your face.
Better support for external displays
The M4 MacBook Air can support two external displays at 6K and 60Hz, and you can keep the lid open and use the Air’s own screen, too. The M3 MacBook Air also supported two external displays, but only while the lid was shut. And the M1 MacBook Air only allowed you to connect one external display.
Price cut and higher minimum RAM
The M4 MacBook Air, despite its improvements over the M3, is $100 cheaper than its predecessor, starting at $999 for the 13in model. The 15in model remains at $1,199. Both models, however, get 16 GB RAM instead of the 8 GB the M3 launched with. And the starting storage configuration is a 256 GB SSD.
New color
Ok, it’s hardly the most important thing, but the M4 MacBook Air has a new color option, Sky Blue, which replaces Space Gray. Thankfully, my favorite Midnight color is still available. The MagSafe connector also comes in the new color. The other color options are Starlight and Silver.
What features are missing from the M4 MacBook Air?
Among all the improvements in performance, base RAM, and support for more displays, there is one glaring omission — battery life. The M4 MacBook Air has the same battery life as its predecessor. However, given that it is up to 18 hours, according to Apple’s tests, that’s still very good and better than most competitors.
Comparing the M4 MacBook Air with the M4 MacBook Pro, the main differences are that the Pro has an M4 Pro or M4 Max chip instead of the standard M4, a brighter and higher-pixel density screen, slightly better battery life, and three Thunderbolt 5 ports instead of the Air’s two Thunderbolt 4. The Pro also has an HDMI port and an SDXC slot.
How to keep your MacBook running smoothly
Whichever Mac you have, even if it’s the latest M4 MacBook Air, there are a number of things you can do to keep it running smoothly. These include:
- Get rid of junk files and clutter
- Review login items and background extensions
- Carry out maintenance tasks like reindexing Spotlight and flushing DNS cache
- Keep macOS and your applications up to date
- Scan for malware
Doing all that yourself is a big ask. It’s time-consuming and not easy to do. But you don’t need to do it yourself. CleanMyMac has your back. Its Smart Care feature scans your Mac looking for junk files and clutter, scanning for malware, finding what maintenance tasks need to be carried out, and checking what updates are available for your apps and macOS. Once it’s finished, you can run everything it recommends with one click or review its findings and decide for yourself what to do next. The best part? You can test it for 7 days at zero cost — get your free trial here.
When will the M5 MacBook Air be released?
Predicting when Apple will release a new Mac is very difficult, and it’s no different for the MacBook Air. The M2 model was launched 21 months after the M1; the M3 19 months after the M2; and the M4 only 12 months after the M3. There are a whole host of factors that influence the decision. However, it’s a fairly safe bet that the M5 MacBook Air won’t appear before March 2026, and it could wait until WWDC in June 2026, or even beyond that into fall 2026. Given its popularity, though, it would seem likely that Apple will want to have a new model ready for the back-to-school season in 2026.
The M4 MacBook Air has a few significant improvements over its predecessor. It’s faster and more powerful, thanks to the M4 chip, supports two external displays with the lid open and has a new Center Stage camera. There’s never been a better time to buy a MacBook Air.
