Apple MacBook Air 2025 Review: M4 Chip, AI Features, Battery Life & Buying Guide

Apple’s MacBook Air has long been the gold standard for ultraportable laptops, and the Apple MacBook Air 2025 continues this legacy with meaningful upgrades that make it one of the best laptops of the year. Launched in March 2025, the new MacBook Air introduces the powerful M4 chip, a stunning Sky Blue color option, and deep integration with Apple Intelligence features. With a starting price of $999, it’s also $100 cheaper than its predecessor, making it an attractive choice for students, creators, and professionals seeking a balance of portability, performance, and value.

The MacBook Air 2025 is designed for a wide audience, from college students needing a reliable machine for note-taking and multitasking to creators dabbling in photo and video editing. But does it live up to the hype? In this in-depth MacBook Air 2025 review, we’ll explore its specs, performance, design, and more to help you decide if this is the right laptop for you.

What’s New in the Apple MacBook Air 2025?

The MacBook Air 2025 introduces several key upgrades over the M3 model:

• M4 Chip: Up to 21% faster than the M3, with a 16-core Neural Engine for AI tasks.
• Sky Blue Color: A fresh, metallic hue joins Silver, Starlight, and Midnight.
• 12MP Webcam: Enhanced Center Stage for sharper video calls.
• Dual Display Support: Now supports two 6K external displays (lid closed).
• 16GB Base RAM: A future-proof upgrade from 8GB, ideal for multitasking.
• Lower Price: Starts at $999, making it more accessible than ever.

These changes make the Air a standout in the ultraportable category, but how do they translate to real-world use? Let’s break it down.

MacBook Air 2025 (M4) Specifications

The MacBook Air 2025 comes in two sizes—13-inch and 15-inch—with slight differences in hardware. Below is a comparison of the MacBook Air 2025 specs for both models:

	13-inch MacBook Air 2025 Check on Amazon	15-inch MacBook Air 2025 Check on Amazon
Chip	M4 (10-core CPU, 8/10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine)	M4 (10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine)
Memory	16GB (up to 32GB)	16GB (up to 32GB)
Storage	256GB SSD (up to 2TB)	256GB SSD (up to 2TB)
Display	13.6-inch Liquid Retina (2560×1664, 500 nits)	15.3-inch Liquid Retina (2880×1864, 500 nits)
Battery Life	Up to 18 hours	Up to 18 hours
Weight	2.7 lbs (1.2 kg)	3.3 lbs (1.51 kg)
Ports	2x Thunderbolt 4/USB-C, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm jack	2x Thunderbolt 4/USB-C, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm jack
Webcam	12MP Center Stage	12MP Center Stage
Colors	Sky Blue, Silver, Starlight, Midnight	Sky Blue, Silver, Starlight, Midnight
Price (Starting)	$999	$1,199

Both models are fanless, support two external displays (6K at 60Hz), and run macOS Sequoia 15.4 with Apple Intelligence optimizations.

Apple M4 Chip: How Much Faster Is It Than M2 or M3?

The M4 chip MacBook Air is a game-changer, built on a 3nm process with a 10-core CPU (4 performance, 6 efficiency cores), up to a 10-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. Compared to the M2 and M3, the MacBook Air M4 performance offers:

• M4 vs M2: ~40% faster single-core, ~45% faster multi-core, ~50% better GPU performance.
• M4 vs M3: ~20% faster single-core, ~21% faster multi-core, ~25% better GPU performance.

MacBook Air M4 Benchmarks

In Geekbench 6:

• Single-core: ~3,818 (M3: ~3,157; M2: ~2,707)
• Multi-core: ~15,049 (M3: ~12,404; M2: ~10,368)
• GPU (Metal): ~14,942 (M3: ~11,934; M2: ~9,876)

Real-world tests confirm the M4’s prowess. Editing a 4K video in Final Cut Pro took 2 minutes and 58 seconds, compared to 3:45 for the M3 and 4:20 for the M2. For gaming, Shadow of the Tomb Raider hit 36–37 fps at 1080p (high settings), up from 31 fps (M3) and 26 fps (M2). The fanless design occasionally throttles under sustained loads, but for most tasks—coding, photo editing, or multitasking—the M4 feels blazingly fast.

Apple Intelligence Integration: Is It Worth the Hype?

Apple Intelligence features elevate the MacBook Air 2025 into a productivity powerhouse. Running on macOS Sequoia 15.4, these AI tools include:

• Writing Tools: Rewrite, summarize, or proofread text across apps like Notes and Mail.
• Siri 2.0: More conversational, with ChatGPT integration for complex queries.
• Photo Clean Up: AI-driven object removal in Photos.
• Notification Summaries: Condenses email and message notifications.

In practice, Writing Tools saved time drafting emails, offering tone adjustments (e.g., professional to friendly) with ease. Photo Clean Up removed unwanted objects from images in seconds, though it’s less precise for intricate edits. Siri’s ChatGPT integration handled general queries well, but features like on-screen context awareness are still rolling out. The M4’s Neural Engine ensures these tasks run locally, prioritizing privacy. While promising, Apple Intelligence feels like a work in progress—exciting but not yet a must-have.

MacBook Air 2025 Display: OLED or Liquid Retina?

The MacBook Air 2025 sticks with a Liquid Retina display (13.6-inch: 2560×1664; 15.3-inch: 2880×1864), not OLED as some hoped. With 500 nits of brightness, full DCI-P3 color, and True Tone, it’s vibrant for photo editing and streaming. However, the 60Hz refresh rate lags behind competitors like the Dell XPS 13 (120Hz OLED), and the glossy finish can reflect light in bright settings. While the display is stunning for most tasks, creators needing deeper blacks or higher refresh rates might look to the MacBook Pro’s mini-LED display.

Design and Build: Thinner, Lighter, and Now in Sky Blue

The MacBook Air 2025 retains its sleek, MacBook Pro-inspired unibody (2.7 lbs for 13-inch, 3.3 lbs for 15-inch). The new Sky Blue MacBook Air color—a subtle, metallic hue—adds flair alongside Silver, Starlight, and Midnight. The keyboard is tactile and comfortable, paired with a spacious haptic trackpad. The 12MP Center Stage webcam delivers crisp video, but the notch design feels dated. Two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports and MagSafe 3 cover most connectivity needs, though power users may want a hub.

Battery Life and Performance Benchmarks (Real-World Tests)

MacBook Air 2025 battery life is rated at 18 hours for video playback and 15 hours for web browsing. In real-world tests, the 13-inch model lasted 15 hours and 14 minutes on a mixed workload (browsing, streaming, light editing) at 150 nits. The 15-inch model hit ~15 hours, despite its larger screen. A two-hour Final Cut Pro session consumed 35–40% of the battery. The 70W fast charging (30W charger included) reaches 50% in ~30 minutes, and MagSafe keeps ports free.

Does the 2025 MacBook Air Have a Fan or Passive Cooling?

Does the MacBook Air 2025 have a fan? No, it uses passive cooling, ensuring silent operation. This makes it ideal for quiet environments like libraries. Under heavy loads (e.g., video rendering), the M4 may throttle slightly to manage heat, but for most tasks—coding, editing, or browsing—this isn’t noticeable. For sustained high-performance tasks, the MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro 2025 comparison favors the Pro’s active cooling.

Is the M4 MacBook Air Good for Students, Creators, or Coders?

The MacBook Air 2025 is the best MacBook for students 2025, thanks to its $899 education pricing, 2.7-lb portability, and M4 power for multitasking and coding. Xcode and Visual Studio Code ran smoothly, with fast compilation. For MacBook Air for creators, the M4 handles photo editing (Photoshop, Lightroom) and light 4K video editing well, though intensive 3D rendering suits the MacBook Pro better. iPhone mirroring and iCloud integration boost productivity for all users.

Comparison: M1 vs M2 vs M3 vs M4 MacBook Air (2020–2025)

The M4 MacBook Air is up to 2x faster than the M1, with 16GB base RAM and dual display support, making it a significant upgrade. M2/M3 owners may not need to upgrade unless they want Apple Intelligence or the webcam.

MacBook Air 2025 Pricing and Where to Buy

The MacBook Air 2025 starts at $999 for the 13-inch (16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) and $1,199 for the 15-inch model. Students can get it for $899 with education pricing. Upgrades like a 512GB SSD or 24GB RAM add around $200 each.

Best Amazon Deals (Live Now)

Where to Buy

Find the MacBook Air 2025 at Amazon, Apple, Best Buy, and P.C. Richard & Son. Get trade-in discounts and fast shipping.

FAQs About the 2025 Apple MacBook Air

Should You Upgrade to the MacBook Air 2025 or Wait?

• From M1/Intel: Upgrade for 2x performance, 16GB RAM, and Apple Intelligence.
• From M2/M3: Skip unless you need dual displays or the 12MP webcam.
• Wait?: If you want OLED or more mature Apple Intelligence, wait for 2026 models.

Conclusion

The Apple MacBook Air 2025 is a stellar ultraportable, blending M4 chip MacBook Air power, MacBook Air 2025 battery life of up to 15 hours, and Apple Intelligence features in a sleek, fanless design. The Sky Blue MacBook Air adds style, and the $999 price makes it the best MacBook for students 2025. While it lacks the MacBook Pro’s advanced display and cooling, it’s ideal for most users. Check out Apple MacBook Air 2025 deals on Amazon or Apple’s store to save. Check Price | Explore deals now.