Apple's 2025 M4 MacBook Air: What to Expect

[MacRumors]

Apple is working to introduce a new fourth-generation Apple silicon chip across the Mac lineup, and while the first M4 Macs are coming in 2024, the MacBook Air won't get updated until 2025.

This guide highlights everything that we know about the next-generation MacBook Air so far.

M4 Chips

The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models were just updated with M3 chips in March 2024, so it's no surprise that they're not going to be the first devices to get the M4 chip. Apple plans to wait until 2025, so there will be about a year between the M3 and M4 chip lineups.

Rumors suggest that the M4 chip will have a focus on artificial intelligence to support AI features that are coming with the next round of software updates. Most AI talk has been about iOS 18, but Apple is expected to roll out AI integrations across its platforms. The M4 chip is expected to have a Neural Engine with more cores, with the Neural Engine handling AI and machine learning tasks. The M3 chip has a 16-core Neural Engine.

While Apple is working on M4, M4 Pro, M4 Max, and M4 Ultra chips, the MacBook Air models are expected to get only the standard M4 chip. There will likely be at least two variants of the M4, with the difference being the number of GPU cores. For the current MacBook Air, for example, the base M3 chip has an 8-core GPU, but there is also a 10-core GPU option. The M3 CPU is the same for all versions, and that should be the case with the M4 as well.

The M4 will be built on Apples 3-nanometer process, much like the M3. There won't be as big of a performance improvement between M3 and M4 as there was between M2 and M3 because there's no change in node size, but we can still expect modest GPU and CPU speed boosts.

Design

Apple overhauled the MacBook Air design in 2022, and we're not expecting the design to be tweaked with the 2025 refresh. Apple often waits several years between design changes, and there are no rumors that there will be a refreshed look.

Apple is likely to stick with the 15.3 and 13.6-inch size options, and we can expect to see the same flat, MacBook Pro-style body with Force Touch trackpad, and display with notch. As of now, it looks like the 2025 MacBook Air refresh will be focused on internal updates.

Launch Date

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the MacBook Air will get an update in the spring of 2025. Spring starts on March 20, 2025, and ends on June 20, 2025.

Article Link: Apple's 2025 M4 MacBook Air: What to Expect

 

[xxray]

All that to say the M4 MacBook Airs will stay the exactly same as the M3 MacBook Airs but have... wait for it... M4.

 

[Fuzzball84]

Ill probably keep my M2 air until a redesign comes…

Battery life, screen and keyboard improvements are higher on my list than AI or extra processing power.

 

[picpicmac]

the MacBook Air won't get updated until 2025.

But it is important to talk about it now!

 

[Realityck]

Apple is working to introduce a new fourth-generation Apple silicon chip across the Mac lineup, and while the first M4 Macs are coming in 2024, the MacBook Air won't get updated until 2025.

Kinda safe predictions, fall 2024 and next spring 2025. But delays can happen as we get closer to those times.

 

[nutmac]

The AI on M4 probably means the usual increase in GPU and neural cores, perhaps a bit more than usual. But the most interesting side effect maybe the increase base RAM from 8GB to 12GB or 16GB, as on-device LLM needs about 4GB or more to function well.

 

[jz0309]

I am continue to very happy with my M1 MBA, it has the superior wedge design ...

 

[Shaggymax]

What you expect to what to expect, still rockin an M1, we'll see if there are any leaps in features...

 

[JPack]

Funny how M3 went from hype in 2022 to meh in 2023. And now double meh in 2024. When will people realize transistor scaling has slowed significantly?

Realistically, M4 probably completed major design shortly after ChatGPT launched in 2022. Tape out probably occurred this quarter. The chance of it being some AI monster is fairly low. We're looking at M5 at the earliest as a true response to AI.

 

[npmacuser5]

Me, love to see a MacBook with a removable screen that uses two OS‘s. Keyboard and screen attached, Mac OS. Remove screen use iPad OS. Why, two worlds need different OS’s. Nice to have the solution in one device. Microsoft tried and failed. Apple needs to succeed.

 

[dumastudetto]

Funny how M3 went from hype in 2022 to meh in 2023. And now double meh in 2024. When will people realize transistor scaling has slowed significantly?

Realistically, M4 probably completed major design shortly after ChatGPT launched in 2022. Tape out probably occurred this quarter. The chance of it being some AI monster is fairly low. We're looking at M5 at the earliest as a true response to AI.

If a lot of what Apple announces in the coming weeks requires M4, then people will regard it as an AI monster regardless and must-buy.

 

[AppliedMicro]

If a lot of what Apple announces in the coming weeks requires M4, then people will regard it as an AI monster regardless and must-buy.

There’s a good chance it will require M4 - without actually requiring M4. (if you catch the drift)

 

[dumastudetto]

There’s a good chance it will require M4 - without actually requiring M4. (if you catch the drift)

Yes.

 

[edwrap]

The AI on M4 probably means the usual increase in GPU and neural cores, perhaps a bit more than usual. But the most interesting side effect maybe the increase base RAM from 8GB to 12GB or 16GB, as on-device LLM needs about 4GB or more to function well.

Yep. If there’s one undeniable bright spot amidst all this AI hype, it’s that Apple will finally be forced to stop being so stingy about RAM

 

[Elmo1938]

it will most certainly be launched in the 2024 iMac27🍄

 

[JPack]

Yep. If there’s one undeniable bright spot amidst all this AI hype, it’s that Apple will finally be forced to stop being so stingy about RAM

Apple wants AI to run directly on its hardware instead of in the cloud

iPhone maker wants to catch up to its rivals when it comes to AI.

arstechnica.com

 

[suchnerve]

120Hz Mini-LED (or ideally OLED), WiFi 7, more RAM, second-gen Ultra Wideband chip, 4TB SSD option, H.266 VVC hardware decoding, Bluetooth 6, and a smaller notch, please! (In that order of importance.)

 

[sw1tcher]

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the MacBook Air will get an update in the spring of 2025.

...but obviously things can still theoretically change

 

[ccsicecoke]

M4 with 8GB RAM. Sounds about right

 

[sw1tcher]

M4 with 8GB RAM. Sounds about right

Or 16GB in Apple-speak.

 

[Spock]

256 gig storage, 16 gig ram, best MacBook Air they ever made. They will be excited for us to get our hands on it.

 

[G5isAlive]

256 gig storage, 16 gig ram, best MacBook Air they ever made. They will be excited for us to get our hands on it.

and we can count on at least 20 more articles before it’s released

 

[MacLawyer]

Got the M1 model and I might go for this one. The M2 and M3 models don't interest me.

 

[elliotmoore91]

The redesign that came with the M2 is arguably worse than the M1.

Build quality feels less solid, keyboard has less travel, superior top firing speakers were removed and then they added useless rubber feat that let the machine slide about all over the place.

I couldn't care about minor chip updates, they need to make a better laptop first.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

still 60hz though?

if it had 120hz i wouldnt hesitate so hard betwen 15" and 14