Apple MacBook Air 15.3" M4 Midnight 2025

The 15-inch MacBook Air with M4 is a fantastic everyday laptop with a gorgeous screen, all-day battery, and top-tier reliability. At $1,299 with 24GB of RAM, it's a solid value for students and business users. Just don't expect to game on it, the GPU is a weak spot. If you need graphics power, grab a Windows laptop with a dedicated GPU instead.

The M4 chip here is a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, and in our database it lands around the 73rd percentile for CPU performance. That's solid, well above average, but not the kind of number that'll make a MacBook Pro owner jealous. For everyday tasks, though, it's more than enough. Apps open instantly, multitasking feels fluid, and Apple's claim of running on battery just as fast as plugged in holds up in real-world use.

The GPU is where things get honest. At the 14th percentile, it's a weak spot if you're hoping to play modern AAA games at high settings. You'll manage older titles, indie games, and Apple Arcade stuff fine, but this isn't a gaming laptop. The 24GB of RAM sits at the 57th percentile, which is about average for this class, but it's a meaningful upgrade over the base 16GB configs you see on cheaper Airs. For most people, that extra memory means you won't feel the need to upgrade for years.

The most direct competitor here is the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition. It's a similar ultraportable with a premium build and a focus on productivity. The Surface has a slight edge in port selection and some configurations offer more storage, but the MacBook Air's M4 chip and macOS ecosystem keep it ahead for most creative and everyday tasks. If you're deep in Windows or need specific x86 software, the Surface is the better pick.

For anyone who wants to game or do serious GPU work, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 and HP OMEN Transcend 14 are the obvious alternatives. Both pack dedicated GPUs that absolutely crush the M4's integrated graphics. The trade-off is weight and battery life. The G14 weighs more and won't last nearly as long on a charge. The MacBook Air is the better daily driver if your gaming happens on a console or you stick to lighter titles. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i and MSI Raider are even more powerful, but they're in a completely different weight class and price bracket.

At $1,299 USD, this MacBook Air sits in a weird spot. It's not cheap, but it's also not MacBook Pro money. For that price you're getting 24GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, which is a config that'll age well. The screen is genuinely excellent, and the build quality is what you'd expect from Apple. If you're already in the Apple ecosystem, this is a no-brainer upgrade from an older Air or a base MacBook Pro from a few years ago.

But if you're cross-shopping Windows laptops, the value equation shifts. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 and HP OMEN Transcend 14 both offer dedicated GPUs at similar or slightly higher prices, which makes them far better for gaming or GPU-heavy work. You're paying an Apple tax here, but you're also getting Apple reliability, which sits at the 98th percentile in our data. That's hard to put a price on if you've ever dealt with a flaky Windows machine.

The 15-inch MacBook Air has always been the "just right" option for people who want more screen without the weight and price of a MacBook Pro. This M4 version keeps that formula intact, and honestly, it's a pretty easy sell. You get a 15.3-inch display, 24GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD in a package that weighs just 1.51kg. That's the kind of spec sheet that makes you wonder why you'd lug around anything heavier.

Who's this for? Students, business folks, and anyone who lives in a browser, a text editor, or a spreadsheet. The Best Buy category scores back that up: 76.1 for business, 75.2 for students, and 70.2 for entertainment. Gaming lands at a rough 32.8, which is no surprise. Apple's integrated GPUs have come a long way, but they're still not what you'd pick for a serious gaming rig.

What makes this interesting is the M4 chip paired with that 24GB of RAM. That's a lot of memory for an Air, and it means this thing will chew through dozens of browser tabs, light video editing, and even some casual gaming without breaking a sweat. The social proof is off the charts too, sitting at the absolute top of our database with a 4.9 rating across 752 reviews. People really like this laptop.

Gamers should skip this one without a second thought. The GPU sits at the 14th percentile in our database, which means modern AAA titles will run poorly or not at all. If you want to play games on your laptop, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 or HP OMEN Transcend 14 are far better choices at similar prices. They're heavier and have worse battery life, but they'll actually run the games you want to play.

Also skip this if you need lots of ports or storage. Two Thunderbolt ports and a 512GB SSD are fine for light use, but if you're a photographer, videographer, or anyone who juggles external drives and peripherals, you'll be living that dongle life. A MacBook Pro or a Windows laptop with more built-in I/O and storage options will save you a lot of frustration.

If you're a student, a business user, or someone who just wants a big, beautiful screen in a laptop that disappears into your bag, this MacBook Air is an easy recommendation. The 15.3-inch display is a joy for documents, spreadsheets, and video calls, and the M4 chip with 24GB of RAM will keep things snappy for years. Battery life is a genuine highlight, and the reliability track record means you're not gambling on a lemon.

But if you're a gamer or you do heavy video editing, 3D rendering, or anything that leans on the GPU, look elsewhere. The integrated graphics here are fine for casual use, but they're not built for sustained load. A Windows laptop with a dedicated GPU will serve you far better, even if it means carrying a bit more weight. And if you're on a tight budget, a base M2 or M3 Air from last year will get you 90% of the experience for less money.