MacBook Air M4 vs MacBook Air M1: 7 biggest upgrades
The MacBook Air M4 has arrived and promises to be the best MacBook Air yet. Not only does it come equipped with the Apple M4 chip, but it also features a new 12MP Center Stage camera, 16GB of RAM, dual external monitor support, and the latest Apple Intelligence features. It also costs $100 less than the MacBook Air M3.
Right now, the 13-inch $999 MacBook Air M4 is the cheapest MacBook available on Apple’s online store. However, it’s not the most affordable Air out there, as Walmart is still selling the MacBook Air M1 for $699.
Given the price difference, you might be tempted to buy the MacBook Air M1. And I wouldn’t blame you, given that it’s still a fantastic laptop for everyday use. However, while the new MacBook Air costs $300 more, it offers better overall value.
Here are 7 upgrades the MacBook Air M4 offers over the MacBook Air M1.
Modern design
The most obvious upgrade between the laptops is their respective designs.
The MacBook Air M4, like its M3 and M2-powered predecessors, features a sleek and minimalist square design. In contrast, the M1 Air’s once-inconic tapered design now appears ancient.
Other design differences include thinner bezels that allow for more screen real estate (13.6 inches versus 13.3). The M4 Air also features MagSafe charging. The only upside for some folks is that the M1 Air doesn’t have a notch in the top center of the screen.
The MacBook Air M4 comes in four colors: Silver, Starlight, Midnight and the new Sky Blue. Meanwhile, the M1 Air only comes in three hues: Gold, Silver and Space Gray.
Lastly, the MacBook Air M4 is available in 13- and 15-inch models while there is only one available size for the M1 Air, 13 inches.
Better display
We haven’t tested the MacBook Air M4’s display yet. However, since it hasn’t been updated from the previous model, we expect similar results.
Like the MacBook Air M3, the MacBook Air M4 has a 13.6-inch (2,560 x 1,664) Retina display. In our lab tests, the Air M3 averaged 476 nits of brightness and peaked at 498 nits with HDR content. It also registered 109.8% of the sRGB color gamut and 77.8% of the more demanding DCI-P3 color space.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
MacBook Air M3 |
MacBook Air M1 |
|
Nits (brightness) |
476 (SDR) | 498 (HDR) |
365.8 |
|
sRGB |
109.8% |
110.6% |
|
DCI-P3 |
77.8% |
77.7% |
|
Delta-E |
0.21 |
0.21 |
The MacBook Air M1 has a 13.3-inch (2,560 x 1,600) Retina display. Based on the same test, it produced 110.6% of the sRGB spectrum and delivered up to 365.8 nits of brightness.
While both laptops have similar color reproduction and color accuracy, the Air M3 can get much brighter. It also has a higher pixel count due to its larger screen.
The M1 Air still has a great display, but the M4 model has an advantage.
M4 vs. M1: Performance
The new MacBook Air M4 sports an Apple M4 chip, which is three generations ahead of the M1 chip of 2020’s MacBook Air.
We’ve yet to test the M4-driven laptop’s performance, but based on our testing of the MacBook Pro 14-inch M4, we expect the new Air laptop to run laps around the M1 Air.
According to Apple, the MacBook Air M4 is up to two times faster than the MacBook Air M1. Based on our testing, we can say Apple’s claims likely aren’t off base.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
MacBook Air Pro M4 |
MacBook Air M1 |
|
Geekbench (single-core) |
3807 |
1728 |
|
Geekbench (multi-core) |
15114 |
7581 |
|
Photoshop (mins:secs) |
11.74 (secs) |
6:57 |
|
Handbrake (mins:secs) |
4:27 |
9:07 |
On Geekbench 6, which tests overall CPU performance, the MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 performed almost twice as fast as the M1-powered MacBook Air.
However, it’s important to note that we’re comparing Geekbench 6 scores for the M4 Pro to older Geekbench 5 scores for the M1 Air since we switched versions a little while back. And unlike the M1 Air, the M4 Pro also has fans, which help with better sustained performance.
Though Geekbench 5 results aren’t directly comparable to Geekbench 6 scores, the scores you see above say it all. If the MacBook Air M4 has performance on par with the M4 MacBook Pro, it will deliver significantly better performance than the MacBook Air M1.
The M4 Pro also completed tasks in Photoshop and Handbrake much faster than the M1 Air. Like with the former Geekbench tests though, keep in mind that we’re comparing different versions of these programs in tests we conducted years apart.
Battery life
We’ve yet to test the MacBook Air M4’s battery life. But if it’s anywhere close to either the MacBook Air M3 or MacBook Pro M4, the laptop could last longer than the M1 Air.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Time (hours:mins) |
|
MacBook Pro M4 |
18:31 |
|
MacBook Air M1 |
13:19 |
Apple says the MacBook Air M4 has up to 18 hours of battery life. If accurate, that would place it on par with the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro, which lasted for 18 hours and 31 minutes in our battery test. That would also be nearly 5 hours longer than the M1 MacBook Air and 3 hours longer than the M3 Air.
Again, we’ll know the full story once we’ve conducted our battery test. Hopefully, the new M4 Air laptop can last as long as Apple says.
Camera and audio
The MacBook Air M4 sports a new 12MP Center Stage camera, which is a big upgrade from the MacBook Air M1’s 720p FaceTime camera.
Thanks to the updated camera, you should look sharper during video calls on the M4 Air. In addition, the camera follows you around and crops in to keep you centered in the frame. The built-in Desk View feature can show your face and what’s on your desk at the same time during calls.
Audio-wise, the MacBook Air M4 has a four-speaker system that supports Spatial Audio, whereas the M1 Air packs stereo speakers and no Spatial Audio. Also, the M4 Air has Voice Isolation, which isn’t featured on the M1 Air.
Connectivity
The MacBook Air M4 has more and better connectivity options than its M1-powered ancestor.
The M4 Air supports fast charging with a 70W (or higher) USB-C adapter. It also has MagSafe charging, which not only frees up one of the two available Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports but is a safe means of charging the laptop.
Whereas the M1 Air only supports one external display, the M4 Air supports dual external monitors at the same time, even when you have the lid of the laptop open.
Lastly, the MacBook Air M4 supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Both are upgrades to the MacBook Air M1’s Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0, respectively.
Faster Apple Intelligence
According to Apple, the M4 Air has a Neural Engine that’s over 3 times more powerful than in the M1 Air.
Though we’ve yet to test these features on the new laptop, we expect overall faster AI performance given its beefier processor.
Outlook
While the MacBook Air M1 is still a great laptop, it’s decidedly outclassed by the new MacBook Air M4’s features and potential performance and efficiency boosts.
Even if it costs $300 more than the M1 Air, the higher sticker price is worth it for a laptop that should last you for many years to come.
If you’re ready to upgrade from the M1 Air, the MacBook Air M4 should be worth considering. Stay tuned for our full review coming soon!
