M4 MacBook Air Release Continues to Appear Imminent

[surferfb]

Unless you have some demanding tasks, or you just want the MBP, the Air will serve you very nicely. Especially the M4. You won't have the ports of the MBP (I am guessing) on the Air as that would put it too close to MBP territory. And that would harm sales of the MBP.

I'm on the border. I got the M1 Pro because I needed to be running Parallels for one specific piece of Windows software while often sharing my screen (that caused my old Mac to beachball half the time). I don't have that use case anymore (although, in theory, it could come back - but probably not likely, and I could always just buy and remote into a cheap n100 box for that use case). We're also investigating AI at work, but I'm high enough up the chain at this point its unlikely to be my machine doing the heavy lifting; and because of that I probably don't need the Pro. But not sure M1 Pro -> regular M4 is actually a significant enough change to warrant an upgrade. But Apple is giving me $925 for the current machine on trade-in, so now seems to be a good time to make a trade.

Wife would certainly be happy if I held onto the M1 for another year or two.

 

[dmr727]

Maybe WiFi 7.

Of all the rumors out there, this one seems to be the least likely. I can't imagine Apple releasing it on the Air before it does the Pro.

 

[Dulcimer]

I hate that the release of M4 and Macbook Air M4 are so far apart.

What, you don’t like buying a brand new product at premium pricing with a 9-month old chip???

 

[andiwm2003]

Waiting patiently for the M4 MBAir in 15" to come out. I would want a 24GB 1TB version. Would be cool if they would release them in iMac colors. I hope they release them soon so that I can wait a few weeks to see if they have any issues (I don't expect that as it's really just a chip swap) and then buy at full price 🥺 but sales tax free 😁. My 2015 MBP is getting unreliable and I can't want to wait too long anymore. I expect it to be only moderately faster than the M3 and I don't expect any additional features although a third USB would be nice.

 

[mansplains]

Still mad in my little corner that the Air takes this long to get a chip upgrade… I needed one asap a couple months ago so I had to go M3

The product update cycle is pretty annoying but I doubt you'll be missing much of anything. If you needed better performance the M4 was available [I'm assuming] in the MBP when you bought your MBA. The M3 added raytracing over the M2, that's something that I could see bothering someone more than the extra product lifetime of a newer machine.

 

[4k78]

If they’d release at 15” with 4TB storage, would be a day one purchase.

 

[usersince86]

3... 2... 1... release >> purchase!

Looking forward to replacing my 2019 MB Pro.

 

[mrhansolo]

My laptop is used in clamshell mode 90% of the time, so the screen isn't a huge deal for me. I honestly probably should wait for the new studios, but there is a pretty decent chance I'll be going back into an office sometime this year, and will need portability if that happens.

I currently have an M1 mini and am looking at the M4 Air (or M4 Pro) to replace it. Like you, I would be in clamshell mode 90% of the time. Right now, I don’t see much gain from going with a MBP. Are you currently running an air or MPB?

 

[verdi1987]

Apple inadvertently confirmed the upcoming M4 MacBook Air machines back in December when the macOS Sequoia 15.2 release included files for unreleased "Mac16,12" and "Mac16,13" machines. The files referenced the "‌MacBook Air‌ (13-inch, M4, 2025)" and the "‌MacBook Air‌ (15-inch, M4, 2025)."

Given that this happens with nearly every new Mac, it’s likely not inadvertent. If Apple really cared about the identifiers leaking, they wouldn’t be there. Apple is making a conscious decision not to remove them.

 

[lancastor]

I'm hoping for a 120Hz Display in the Macbook Air in a few years.

 

[raythompsontn]

I needed to be running Parallels

Parallels version 19 will not run on the M4 chip. It is necessary to upgrade to version 20.

 

[thenahon]

I'm really hoping the launch is soon. I had to buy a M3 MBA last week and would love to return it for an M4 if possible!

 

[TechRunner]

I'm pulling the trigger on a new Mac soon, leaning Pro, but maybe the Air will surprise me.

Same. I've been waiting on purchasing an M4 Pro to see what compelling things might pop up on the M4 Air. Then I'll be upgrading from my M1 Mini.

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

Tomorrow works

Should just be a chip swap ... let's get 'em out the door!

Very true.

It’s just going to be that.

I think Apple will do one its “silent drop” weeks, this week or the following, where they release one new product every other day or so.

I think SE 4 will get a short video. Like the very short ones they’ve done for previous SEs.

But new iPads, Air and 11, and MacBooks Air will just get a press release (at most) and then be available for purchase.

Probably also new Watch bands and a new iPhone 16 color. But that’s those will probably launch later, maybe in March or early April.

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

I'm really hoping the launch is soon. I had to buy a M3 MBA last week and would love to return it for an M4 if possible!

I really want a MacBook Air with an M4 Pro chip.

Would be perfect for my needs.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I really want a MacBook Air with an M4 Pro chip.

Would be perfect for my needs.

I think that's unlikely w/ a fanless model

M4 Mini Pro runs hot apparently, and that's with active cooling in a better thermal chassis situation (not jammed in a laptop)

 

[now i see it]

Nowadays, the lowest spec Mac is plenty adequate for most casual users- so the Air is an important product

 

[macbookj0e]

I hate that the release of M4 and Macbook Air M4 are so far apart.

Same. I’m looking to get an M4 Air but don’t like the chip came out nearly a year ago on the iPad Pro.

 

[dalestrauss]

I know Apple won't let it encroach too much on the M4 MacBook Pro, but M4 with dual external screen support and improved camera would be a dream machine.

 

[Reason077]

I wouldn't get too excited
I'll be stunned if this anything more than "M4 powered"

Pretty likely we’ll get the new Center Stage camera, IMO. The MacBook Pros, iPads, and iMacs all have it so its omission from the Air is starting to seem odd.

 

[Reason077]

Still mad in my little corner that the Air takes this long to get a chip upgrade…

It’s the curse of being Apple’s most popular Mac model. The better it sells, the less of a hurry Apple is in to upgrade it!

 

[Astuces iOS]

Unless you have some demanding tasks, or you just want the MBP, the Air will serve you very nicely. Especially the M4. You won't have the ports of the MBP (I am guessing) on the Air as that would put it too close to MBP territory. And that would harm sales of the MBP.

My personal opinion is the upgrade to the Air will mostly be the chip to the M4. Maybe an improvement in the camera. Maybe WiFi 7. I don't see screen upgrades, port upgrades, or any items that push the boundary of the MBP.

I would really like to see Apple release a laptop with built-in cellular capabilities. I currently tether to my iPhone as I have trust issues with publicly available networks. To be able to connected to the web without that tethering would be nice. But, I would probably have to pay for another cellular plan and being the cheap slob that I am, I probably would not use it anyway.

I think the same but no WiFi 7 (the MacBook Pro doesn’t even have it) Apple will release what you want with cellular probably in 2026

 

[Mr. Heckles]

I wonder if they fixed the vulnerability in these M4’s going into the new Airs.

 

[Astuces iOS]

If they’d release at 15” with 4TB storage, would be a day one purchase.

So there is no 4tb in the base model MacBook Pro so they might need to release a new MacBook Pro 4tb option and a new MacBook Air with 4tb but I don’t see the utility of 4tb…

 

[Astuces iOS]

I wonder if they fixed the vulnerability in these M4’s going into the new Airs.

No since they are not releasing a new chip.