The Apple M4 chip going into the new MacBook Air version brings a considerable performance boost. Early benchmark scores show the 2025 version of the macOS notebook runs over 50% faster than the 2024 version.
Steady annual improvements in Apple’s M series chips continue to demonstrate the advantages of the switch away from Intel. If you’re considering an upgrade, checking out the MacBook Air price can help you decide if the latest model is worth the investment. If you’re looking for a breakdown of the latest Mac M4 and whether it’s worth upgrading, this guide has everything you need to know. If you’re comparing the latest models, check out this detailed M4 MacBook Pro comparison to see how it stacks up.
2025 MacBook Air: It’s all about the M4 performance boost
The 2025 MacBook Air announced on Wednesday uses the same design as the previous version, including identical 13-inch and 15-inch display options. That makes the move from Apple’s M3 processor to the M4 critical — it’s arguably the only significant change. Fortunately, it seems the new chip really delivers.
A benchmark score posted Thursday by Primate Labs Geekbench 6 showed the M4 in the new MacBook Air earned 14924 in the multi-core test. The M3 version of the same notebook scored 9728 — which means the new processor performed 53% better.
On the single-core test, the M4 MacBook Pro scored 3680, compared to 2596 for the M3 version. That’s a 42% improvement. The rest of the speed boost in the SoC comes from an increase in the number of CPU cores in the M4: 10 instead of the eight CPU cores in the M3.
Those using an M1 MacBook Air from 2020 can expect a 79% performance increase.
What’s more, the M4 chip brings other benefits. The 2025 MacBook Air can drive two external screens at the same time as the built-in display, a trick beyond any Air released since 2019.
But really, the significantly improved performance provided by Apple’s latest processor shouldn’t surprise anyone. The same M4 went into the Mac mini and iMac in autumn 2024, where it’s every bit as speedy.
Nomenclature
To be clear, the computer referenced in the Primate Labs database is called Mac16,13, not 2025 MacBook Air. But there are enough clues to be confident that it’s Apple’s new notebook.
First off, there is no other Apple computer with the model identifier Mac16,13. But last year’s 15-inch MacBook Air was the Mac15,13.
Also, the macOS computer listed runs the “base” version of the Apple M4. The only others using that same chip are the aforementioned Mac mini (model identifiers Mac16,11, Mac16,10) and iMac (Mac16,3).
Plus, the first listing ever for the Mac16,13 came on Thursday, the first day reviewers got their hands on the M4 MacBook Air to test its performance.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh Classic II (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer. He’s written for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview, and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
