How do Apple’s latest laptops stack up? Our M3 vs. M4 MacBook Air comparison shows the differences between the two models. Spoiler alert: Adding the new M4 chip steals the spotlight, although a lower starting price tag comes as a welcome change.
So, how does the M4 MacBook Air stack up against its M3 predecessor? Are the upgrades game-changing or just incremental? Find out in our in-depth comparison.
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M3 vs. M4 MacBook Air comparison
The M4 MacBook Air seems like a typical annual refresh from Apple. The new laptop brings no major changes or upgrades beyond quality-of-life enhancements designed to improve everyday usability.
More importantly, a lower starting price of just $999 ensures the M4 MacBook Air delivers more value than its predecessor. But how exactly is the M4 MacBook Air better than the 2024 M3 variant?
Table of contents: M3 vs. M4 MacBook Air
Design and display: Same package, with a sky blue twist
Image: Apple
There are no design and display differences between the M3 and M4 MacBook Airs. They both come with either 13.6-inch or 15.3-inch display sizes. The sleek design remains among the lightest and slimmest laptops on the market.
The Liquid Retina panel remains the same across the two generations, with a 60Hz refresh rate, 500 nits peak brightness and P3 Wide color gamut support. The port layout remains unchanged, too, with two USB-C ports and a MagSafe connector on the left. The right side only houses a 3.5mm audio jack.
Both the M3 and M4 MacBooks come in four color options, but there’s a slight change. The M4 MacBook Air introduces a new sky blue shade, replacing the M3’s space gray. The other three colors — silver, starlight and midnight — remain unchanged.
M3 vs. M4 MacBook Air performance: New chip brings big gains
Photo: Apple
- M3 MacBook Air: 8-core CPU, up to 10-core GPU, 16GB unified memory (configurable with up to 24GB), 100GB/s memory bandwidth, configurable with up to 2TB storage, 16-core Neural Engine (18 trillion operations/s)
- M4 MacBook Air: 10-core CPU, up to 10-core GPU, 16GB unified memory (configurable with up to 32GB), 120GB/s memory bandwidth, configurable with up to 2TB storage, 16-core Neural Engine (38 trillion operations/s)
The M4 chip shines as the main highlight of the M4 MacBook Air upgrade. Apple first used this SoC in the 2024 iPad Pro, which launched in May 2024, and then in the MacBook Pro lineup in late October 2024.
Based on TSMC’s N3E node, the M4 chip brings a notable leap in performance and efficiency over previous Apple silicon SoCs. Compared to the M3’s 8-core CPU, the M4 boasts two additional cores, bringing the total to 10. That’s four performance and six efficiency cores — two more than the M3 — for enhanced power and efficiency.
In its press release announcing the new laptop, Apple does not directly compare the M4 MacBook Air’s performance to that of its predecessor. Instead, it says the new model is up to 4.7x faster than the Intel-powered MacBook Air and 1.6x faster than the M1 Air. Early benchmarks indicate the M4 runs more than 50% faster than the M3.
The 16-core Neural Engine on the M4 chip brings a notable step-up in performance, too. It can process 38 trillion operations per second, making it more than twice as fast as the M3’s Neural Engine.
Besides the faster SoC, you can configure the M4 MacBook Air with a maximum of 32GB system memory — 8GB more than the M3. Memory bandwidth also gets a 20% boost to 120GB/s, ensuring the M4 Air will remain smooth even under heavy load.
When comparing the M3 MacBook Air vs. the M4 model, there’s one more useful upgrade: The M4 MacBook Air can drive up to two external displays at once. And unlike its M3 model, it can do so with the lid open, which means you can use three displays simultaneously.
Camera: M4 MacBook Pro gets a Center Stage upgrade
Screenshot: Apple
- M3 MacBook Air: 1080p FaceTime HD camera
- M4 MacBook Air: 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View support, 1080p HD video recording
A minor but useful quality of life improvement on the M4 MacBook Air is the 12MP Center Stage camera. A big upgrade over the 1080p FaceTime HD camera found on the M3 model, it delivers sharper image quality and some advanced features.
Thanks to Center Stage, the M4 MacBook Air will keep you in frame while on a video call. Desk View support utilizes the laptop’s wide-angle lens to “simultaneously show the user and a top-down view of their desk,” according to Apple. This will be useful if you use your MacBook to take online classes.
Both MacBook Air models sport a three-mic array with Voice Isolation and Wide Spectrum modes. The four-speaker sound system also remains unchanged between the two generations, delivering fantastic sound quality for its size.
M3 vs. M4 MacBook Air price: Surprise! A lower starting price!
- MacBook Air with M3 chip: Started at $1,099 (13-inch) and $1,299 (15-inch)
- MacBook Air with M4 chip: Starts at $999 (13-inch) and $1,199 (15-inch)
In a rare move for Apple, the company reduced the price of the M4 MacBook Air by $100 to $999. Likewise, the 15-inch model now costs $100 less than its predecessor, starting at $1,199.
The lower starting price comes despite the minor yearly upgrades outlined above, including switching to the faster and more efficient M4 chip. The new model’s faster 16-core Neural Engine should help future-proof the laptop as Apple adds more Apple Intelligence features to macOS Sequoia and its successors.
At their new, lower starting prices, the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air are superior picks over their competition in both performance and battery life.
Conclusion: No real reason to upgrade
Besides the above aspects, the M4 MacBook Air retains the same specs as its predecessor. So, you get the same 18-hour battery life, MagSafe connector for fast charging, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity.
If you own the M3 MacBook Air, there’s almost no compelling reason to upgrade to the M4 model. Even for M2 MacBook owners, switching to the new M4-powered Air makes little sense. However, if you currently use an Intel-based MacBook, switching to an M4 MacBook Air would be well worth the money spent. You will notice a significant jump in performance and enjoy all-day battery life.
Buy M4 MacBook Air: Amazon | Apple
Powered by Apple's M4 chip, this 13-inch laptop delivers excellent performance and extreme efficiency in the same gorgeous design as last year's model. It packs two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a MagSafe connector for fast charging, with Wi-Fi 6E connectivity. It comes in four colors, including an interesting new sky blue.
- Outstanding Apple design
- 18-hour battery life
- Supports Apple Intelligence
- Limited ports
