M4 MacBook Air Benchmark Suggests GPU on Par With M4 iPad Pro

[Mike Boreham]

Your also forgetting the beautiful screen, promotion, real hdr and now q-dot on the m4 MacBook pros.

Not forgetting those at all. Lots of reasons why the Pro is a better machine, but also reasons why Air is chosen by people for whom it's particular strengths are priorities.

 

[chars1ub0w]

The Air is significantly thinner at the keyboard than the 14" MacBook Pro (MBP). The screen side is the same thickness. If they could just up the max memory beyond 24GB, it's worth upgrading to from a 14" older generation base MBP for improved weight and portability.

 

[mrhansolo]

Yes 24 GB is definitely not overkill if you're doing all that. I also hesitated between a MBA and a MBP, I ended up with a MBP with 16GB of RAM and that's definitely the limiting thing. Not that I feel it's outdated already obviously, but it might not last as many years as I wished. I'll probably wait until that computer is outdated to upgrade, probably to a lighter MBA.
I'm still curious why you updated so early to get a machine "to last just as long" if you think that 16 GB of RAM is not preventing you from what you're trying to achieve - but you probably had other reasons.

I have several presentations coming up this year that I needed a laptop for. I just used this excuse to replace the M1 Mini. Outside of those presentations, a vacation, or work trip, this thing will be used in clamshell mode at my desk.

 

[subjonas]

Is a shame it’s taken Apple so long to get these to the airs seeing as they were in the wild coming up to a year ago.

I’m tempted by a new air but don’t like the idea the tech is already so old!

So no more MBA for you? Unless Apple changes the release schedule/order, its chip will always be “old”.

 

[SpanishAppleNerd]

M2 Air still feeling awesome

 

[MacBH928]

There are many reasons why people might want to get 24GB of RAM - and lots more - such as large Photoshop projects, same with audio or even a large book in InDesign that has hundreds of large image files. Or video. Or serious rendering or compiling. It may not fit YOUR usage scenarios, but 16GB is not enough for many people who create things.

I understand but outside of 4K and 8K , all other video editing and media printing was done since like late 90s. Building size posters were around for a long time. I may be a simpleton, and I understand the more the RAM the better, but I also come from a time when 1GB ram is consider "super computer" .

 

[MacBH928]

M4 iPad Pro not the base iPad.

still i can't believe the GPU in an ipad is on par with a laptop

 

[chars1ub0w]

still i can't believe the GPU in an ipad is on par with a laptop

Still can't believe they won't allow macOS on an iPad

 

[batmanofvietnam]

I had a 2018 Core i9 MBP and have an M3 Air (and an M3 Max MBP). The Air is leaps and bounds ahead of the Intel MBP. My Intel MBP fried itself within a year because of thermal issues. I also had an additional two keyboard replacements. No issues with the Air.

Thanks, great comparison.

 

[phenom1984]

I'm coming from a 2017 Intel MBP that is dying a horrible death. I check multiple times a day for release news on an M4 Air. Hurry, Apple!!