That's the one thing keeping Mac at such low user numbers. All they would have to do is support Proton, and a lot of people would replace their Windows machines the next time they upgrade.
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Apple's M4 MacBook Air Got a Price Cut
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Not sure what it's like elsewhere, but in Canada the component upgrade pricing is 20% higher. This price reduction is really only on the entry level models as any RAM or SSD upgrades are more expensive now.
This is the second component price increase in as many generations. Apple increased component pricing 25% from M2 > M3, and now again from M3 > M4.
At the end of the day, this is smoke and mirrors to advertise a lower entry-level price. I will admit, though, if you don't need more than 16/256 the price is "okay." There are Windows machines with equal build quality and better specs (outside of the SOC's performance-per-watt) for the same or lower price.
This is the second component price increase in as many generations. Apple increased component pricing 25% from M2 > M3, and now again from M3 > M4.
At the end of the day, this is smoke and mirrors to advertise a lower entry-level price. I will admit, though, if you don't need more than 16/256 the price is "okay." There are Windows machines with equal build quality and better specs (outside of the SOC's performance-per-watt) for the same or lower price.
No question you're getting a hell of a lot for a thousand bucks. But only if you need it. I'm typing on an M1 Air with 8GB, and it's more than adequate for everything I want in a laptop. Especially given that I have an M2 Mac Mini in the basement attached to a 4 bay RAID that I use as a network server. Think I'll wait and see what the M5 or 6 has to offer that I can't live witout! Kind of like my 2020 SE iPhone & Apple Watch series 7 (with blood ox app!). And of course my 1st gen Airpod Pros, HomePod Mini & Apple TV! I used to be what they call an early adopter, but that was when I was working at Apple, and got nice discounts for being up to date.
Man, Apple just can’t make up their mind on how to price the Air! Notice the pattern.
2012 $1199
2013 $1099
2014 $999
2018 $1199
2019 $1099
2020 $999
2022 $1199
2023 $1099
2025 $999
(this is only referring to the newest 13” models at the time)
2012 $1199
2013 $1099
2014 $999
2018 $1199
2019 $1099
2020 $999
2022 $1199
2023 $1099
2025 $999
(this is only referring to the newest 13” models at the time)
Very happy to see a reduction in price. Definitely a great computer to buy. Can easily recommend an Air to anyone looking to buy a laptop.
The problem is really that most studios don't want to port their AAA titles to macOS, not that modern Macs aren't capable of running them. Can't blame them really as there's a perception that Apple exerts too much control over the platform and makes life difficult for games developers: just look at the whole Epic Games debacle!
Yes, I also use GeForce Now and it's awesome.
This might come as a shock to you, but in economics there’s something known as inflation - you should learn about this concept.
Yeah it’s $300 to go from 16GB to 24GB in Canada but it also upgrades the processor to 10/10. Something like $150 to go from 10/8 to 10/10 itself.
The display in the MacBook Air is a bit disappointing. It’s like 2016 tech being passed off as new in 2025. I have a 2019 16” Intel MacBook Pro with a similarly-speced display already so not getting a display upgrade is a major thing keeping me away from getting one of these Airs.
The MacBook Pro on the other hand has one of the best available in any laptop at that price point. Better in every way and continues to receive improvements (though recent ones have been fairly minor).
Around here if you remove VAT and the exchange then Apple is asking 1095 USD (or 1249 euros instead of 1139 doing the other way around).
Yeah, a price cut would be nice.
You get a much better warranty in UK & Europe, though, due to consumer protection laws. Arguably that's worth the extra $100 or so.
A whole lot of inflation has happened in the last three years. And these models come with the 16gb of RAM that many buyers paid $200 to get their machines upgraded to. I gave advice in 2021 to a purchaser of an M1 MBA (and a purchaser of modest means) to spend the $200 for 16gb of RAM. It was good advice then and it is keeping that machine humming along now in 2025 without any need for an upgrade. But boy these machines at $999 seem like very attractive prices. And the mid-priced $1,199 version with 512gb SSD, the slightly better chip with two more GPU cores, and the slightly more useful charging bricks might be the Mac that I recommend to anyone as the laptop you first consider.
Price cut? The prices for RAM and storage upgrades are INSANE.
The price cut makes a lot of sense to me from the perspective that Apple shall keep worldwide competitiveness lowering the price, so that way they could offset the upcoming tariffs that seems almost every country in the world are going to face.
Screen quality vs. size is definitely one of the things I'm considering, especially where a percentage of its use will be for light photo editing on the go.
Seems like a pretty decent deal. Granted maybe right now the market hasn't reset some of the prices yet. But I went to a local Best Buy yesterday and saw an open box 15" M2 Macbook Air 16GB/512GB for $999.
I can get a completely new M4 Macbook Air for $1399 in that configuration. But I think I will wait for more discounts on the M2/M3 before I buy though.
I can get a completely new M4 Macbook Air for $1399 in that configuration. But I think I will wait for more discounts on the M2/M3 before I buy though.
The price jumps generally correspond to a chassis design update, as occurred in 2012, 2018, and 2022. I would expect whenever the Air gets another redesign it will pop back up to $1199.