Rating: 9.5/10
Engizmo Pros
- Excellent performance with the M4 chip
- Stunningly thin and light design
- Support for two external displays
- Long battery life
- Improved audio on the 15-inch model
- More streamlined lineup
Cons
- Port placement could be better
- Storage upgrades are expensive
- Fanless design can lead to thermal throttling under extreme loads
The 15-inch MacBook Air M4 is like that cool friend who got a glow-up and now owns the room. Previously stuck in an awkward middle ground between the 13-inch Air and 14-inch Pro, this laptop finally feels like a star. With the Apple M4 chip’s serious power boost, a slick new color, and a price that doesn’t sting as much, it’s ready to win hearts. In this 15-inch MacBook Air M4 review, I’ll spill the tea on why this fanless wonder is a game-changer for work, play, and everything in between.
How We Test Laptops
We gave the MacBook Air M4 a week-long workout, testing everything from video editing to gaming marathons. Our reviews lean on years of tech-testing know-how, comparing it to rivals with zero manufacturer meddling.
Design & Build: Still the Hottest Laptop Around
Apple didn’t mess with the MacBook Air’s design since 2022, and why would they? At 0.45 inches thin, it’s still the slimmest laptop in its class, making other machines look clunky. The new Sky Blue color is the big news—think light silver with a flirty blue shimmer in the right light. It’s not in-your-face like those iMac neons, and I’m here for the subtlety. RIP Space Grey, though; you were my vibe.
The 15.3-inch LED display (60Hz) is crisp and gorgeous, the keyboard feels like typing on clouds, and the trackpad is pure precision. My only beef? All the ports—two USB-Cs and MagSafe—are crammed on the left, with just a headphone jack chilling on the right. For a laptop this sleek, one USB-C on the right would’ve been a clutch move.
Performance & Features: M4 Muscle and Dual-Screen Swagger
The M4 chip is the MacBook Air M4’s secret sauce, cranking out a 22% faster GPU, 31% multi-core, and 18% single-core boost over the M3 (Cinebench R24). The 15-inch model starts with a 10-core GPU (the 13-inch offers an 8-core option) and now supports up to 32GB of RAM—perfect for power users. Storage upgrades? Typical Apple tax: $200 for 512GB, $400 for 1TB, $800 for 2TB. Grab an external drive and save your wallet.
The killer feature is dual external display support—no lid-closing nonsense like the M3. This makes the MacBook Air M4 a dream for hybrid workers or small business folks who need extra screens without splurging on a MacBook Pro. It’s a $300 savings, and I’m all about that.
Fanless and silent, this laptop handles heavy tasks like a champ. I fired up Baldur’s Gate 3 at medium settings, and it ran smoothly without a whisper. The CPU can hit 102°C under stress, but the chassis stays cool enough to avoid sweaty-palm vibes.
Apple Intelligence: AI That’s Actually Useful
The M4’s 16-core Neural Engine (38 TOPS) brings Apple Intelligence to the party, powering slick features like auto-formatting tables in Bear or summarizing reports. The upgraded Siri with ChatGPT integration and Image Playground are fun additions, though still a work in progress. Compared to Intel’s Lunar Lake (48 TOPS) or Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X (45 TOPS), the M4 holds its own. Plus, older Macs can tap Apple’s Private Cloud Compute for AI, but local processing feels snappier.
Battery Life: Keeps Going Like a Champ
Apple says 18 hours, but I squeezed out over 20 hours of video playback. Heavy tasks like installing games dropped it to about 4.5 hours, but for emails, Zoom, and Netflix, it cruised through a workday without needing a plug. That’s the kind of freedom I live for.
13-inch vs. 15-inch: Big Screen, Big Win
The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air M4 are neck-and-neck in performance and battery life. The 15-inch pulls ahead with its 15.3-inch display, making split-screen work or movie nights a breeze. Its six-speaker system pumps out richer sound than the 13-inch, though it’s not quite as bassy as the 14-inch MacBook Pro. If you want a bigger, bolder experience for just $100 more, the 15-inch is the move.
15-inch MacBook Air M4 Review Verdict: Damn Near Perfect
The 15-inch MacBook Air M4 is a banger—sleek, powerful, and finally priced right at $1,199. It outshines the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition with better speakers, a sharper webcam, and a thinner frame, even if it misses out on a 120Hz display. With Apple ditching the M2 and M3 Airs, the M4 lineup feels clean and focused. The port placement bugs me, but the dual-display support and silent M4 power make this laptop a no-brainer for productivity pros.
Technical Specifications
- Display: 15.3-inch LED (60Hz)
- Processor: Apple M4 (10-core GPU option)
- RAM: Up to 32GB
- Storage: 256GB–2TB
- Battery Life: Up to 20 hours
- Weight: ~3.3 lbs
Where to Buy