Apple
Key Takeaways
- Apple released its M4 MacBook Air in the first week of this month. Upgrades are worth it, according to several reviews.
- Reviewers noted that the latest version features a new chip, M4, which improves speed and performance.
- According to many reviewers, the price of this laptop makes it a great entry point into Apple’s eco-system.
Apple's newest laptop has won some admirers.
Apple (AAPL), earlier this month, announced the release its latest laptop, M4 MacBook Air. This laptop features Apple’s most powerful processor yet. The company said the new MacBook also boasts a new FaceTime camera, improved battery life, more base memory—and a starting price of $999 for the base 13-inch model and $1299 for the 15-inch one.
Investopedia scanned a few reviews to get a feel for the early response to the laptop. It was released in stores on March 12. Here's a selection of what we found, along with links to the reviews.
'Impressively Powerful.' But Is It 'Blue Enough' for You?
Several reviews claim that the M4 processor is the biggest upgrade, as it promises faster speeds and a better overall performance. Mashable called it “impressively strong.” Wired’s review stated that the chip could not be used to it’s full potential on a MacBook Air with no fan. The reviewer said that even when using the laptop to play games, the temperature never became “unbearable”.
Wired’s review noted that the M4 MacBook Air has the power to support up to two external displays. This is great news for small businesses and hybrid workers. And while a How-To Geek review said the upgraded chip's capabilities might not be noticeable to everyone, if you have an M1 Air model or older, the jump to M4 would be “a pretty substantial improvement.”
How-To Geek said that this model was “unambiguously the best consumer notebook in its category.”
9to5Mac’s review also points out that the camera, microphone and speaker quality has improved from previous models.
Reviewers’ main concerns with the M4 MacBook Air include its lack of ports, (all on the left, plus a headphone socket on the right), as well as the price for the upgraded storage space. This is true for all Apple laptops. Some people argued that the new color sky blue is not “blue-enough.”
The Verge calls this latest Air model a “little more for a bit less”, which was the consensus among several reviewers. You get a few new bells, whistles, and features (upgraded memory and chip, new camera, and color option in sky blue) for less money than previous models.
