The MacBook Air has been the best laptop for most people since the M1 redesign in 2020. The MacBook Air M4 continues that streak with a faster chip, improved display, and the same $1,099 starting price. But is it still the best choice in 2026, when Windows laptops have caught up?
We tested the MacBook Air M4 for 2 weeks — writing, browsing, video editing, coding, and light gaming. Here’s our honest verdict.
Design & Build
Rating: ★★★★★
The MacBook Air’s design hasn’t changed significantly since 2022, and it doesn’t need to. It’s still the best-looking laptop at any price point. The aluminum unibody is rigid, the wedge shape is iconic, and at 2.7 lbs, it’s light enough to carry all day.
What’s new for M4: The Midnight color is slightly lighter (less prone to fingerprint smudges). That’s it for design changes — Apple clearly believes the form factor is already optimal, and they’re right.
Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), MagSafe charging, 3.5mm headphone jack. The 2-port limitation is the Air’s biggest design flaw. If you use more than 2 USB-C devices simultaneously, you need a hub.
Display
Rating: ★★★★★
The 13.6″ Liquid Retina display (2560×1664, 500 nits) is excellent. Text is sharp, colors are accurate (P3 wide color gamut), and brightness is sufficient for outdoor use in shade. The notch is still there — you stop noticing it after 10 minutes.
What’s new for M4: 500 nits brightness (up from 400 nits on M2/M3). Noticeable improvement for outdoor use. Still not OLED (the Dell XPS 14 has OLED) but the Liquid Retina IPS panel is excellent for most work.
Performance
Rating: ★★★★★
The M4 chip (10-core CPU, 10-core GPU) is a meaningful upgrade over M3. In our tests:
- Everyday tasks (browsing, email, documents): Instant. No lag, no waiting.
- Video editing (4K DaVinci Resolve): 30% faster export than M3. Handles 4K timeline smoothly.
- Code compilation (large Node.js project): 25% faster than M3.
- Photo editing (Lightroom, 50MP RAW): Smooth with 16GB RAM. 8GB struggles with large batches.
RAM configuration: The base model has 16GB RAM (finally — M2/M3 base was 8GB). This is the most important spec change. 8GB was barely enough in 2024; 16GB is comfortable for most users through 2028+.
Battery Life
Rating: ★★★★★
The best battery life in any laptop. We measured:
- Web browsing (Safari): 18 hours
- Video playback: 20 hours
- Light productivity (writing, email): 16 hours
- Heavy productivity (video editing, coding): 8-10 hours
No Windows laptop comes close. The Dell XPS 14 gets 13 hours of web browsing. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon gets 14 hours. The MacBook Air M4 gets 18. If battery life matters, this is the laptop.
Keyboard & Trackpad
Rating: ★★★★★
Apple’s Magic Keyboard is the best laptop keyboard. Key travel is 1mm — shallow but precise. The force touch trackpad is enormous (best in class) and perfectly responsive. After using it, every Windows laptop trackpad feels small and imprecise.
Audio & Webcam
Audio: ★★★★★ — The best speakers in any laptop. Four speakers with spatial audio support. Loud enough for a small room, clear enough for music and podcasts. No laptop at any price sounds better.
Webcam: ★★★★☆ — 12MP Center Stage camera with 1080p video. Good for video calls. Not as good as the Studio Display’s camera but far better than most Windows laptop webcams. Still no Face ID (inexplicable at this price).
Gaming
Rating: ★★★☆☆
The M4 GPU handles light gaming well: Civilization VI, Stardew Valley, Minecraft, and Apple Arcade games run at 60fps. Heavier games (Cyberpunk 2077, Baldur’s Gate 3) run at 30-40fps on low settings via CrossOver or native ports.
If gaming is important, get a Windows laptop. The MacBook Air is not a gaming machine. See our laptop guide for gaming recommendations.
vs Windows Alternatives
MacBook Air M4 vs Dell XPS 14 (2026)
| MacBook Air M4 | Dell XPS 14 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,099 | $1,399 |
| Display | Liquid Retina IPS | OLED (better) |
| Battery | 18h (better) | 13h |
| Weight | 2.7 lbs (lighter) | 2.8 lbs |
| Ports | 2x TB4 + MagSafe | 2x TB4 |
| Performance | M4 (better efficiency) | Core Ultra 7 (better multi-core) |
| Gaming | Limited | Better (more games) |
Winner: MacBook Air for battery life and value. Dell XPS 14 for display quality and Windows compatibility.
MacBook Air M4 vs ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2026)
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is the best business laptop — better keyboard, more ports, LTE option, and enterprise management. But it costs $1,500+ and gets 14 hours of battery. The Air is $1,099 with 18 hours. For most people, the Air wins on value.
Verdict
Who should buy the MacBook Air M4
- Students — best battery, light weight, great for writing and research
- Writers and bloggers — best keyboard, silent operation, all-day battery
- Business professionals — premium build, reliable, excellent for presentations
- Casual creators — handles photo editing and light video editing well
- Anyone who values battery life above all else
Who should NOT buy it
- Gamers — get a Windows gaming laptop
- Professional video editors — get a MacBook Pro (M4 Pro/Max)
- People who need many ports — 2x USB-C is limiting
- Windows-only software users — AutoCAD, some enterprise tools
Which configuration to buy
- Best value: 16GB / 256GB / M4 — $1,099. Enough for most people.
- Best for creators: 24GB / 512GB / M4 — $1,499. Handles heavy multitasking and larger projects.
- Avoid: 16GB / 512GB upgrade ($200). Buy a $60 external SSD instead — same speed, more storage, removable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the MacBook Air M4 worth it over the M3?
Yes, for two reasons: (1) 16GB base RAM — the M3 base had 8GB which was barely enough. 16GB is comfortable. (2) 30% faster GPU — noticeable for video editing and gaming. If you have an M2 or M3 Air with 16GB+ RAM, the upgrade isn’t necessary.
Is 16GB RAM enough for the MacBook Air?
Yes for most people. 16GB handles browsing with 20+ tabs, office apps, photo editing, and light video editing. Get 24GB if you: edit 4K video regularly, run Docker/VMs, or keep 30+ apps open simultaneously.
MacBook Air or MacBook Pro?
Air if: battery life and weight are your priorities. Pro if: you edit 4K+ video, run heavy 3D/rendering workloads, or need more than 24GB RAM. The Pro has active cooling (sustained performance), a better display (mini-LED, ProMotion 120Hz), and more ports. Most people don’t need the Pro.
Conclusion
The MacBook Air M4 is still the best laptop for most people. The M4 chip is fast, battery life is class-leading (18 hours), the build quality is premium, and at $1,099 with 16GB RAM, it’s excellent value. The only significant downsides are the 2-port limitation and no Face ID.
If you’re in the Apple ecosystem, this is your laptop. If you need Windows, the Dell XPS 14 is the closest alternative — but it costs $300 more and gets 5 hours less battery.
Continue reading: