MacBook Air M4 (2025) review - Laptop battery Shop in Singapore

MacBook Air M4 (2025) Review: A Refined Powerhouse for Everyday Excellence
The 2025 MacBook Air, powered by Apple’s M4 chip, solidifies its position as a top contender in the ultraportable laptop market. Balancing performance, portability, and design, it caters to students, professionals, and creatives seeking a lightweight yet capable machine. Here’s an in-depth look at its strengths and limitations:

1. Design & Portability: Sleek, Lightweight, and Vibrant

The MacBook Air retains its iconic wedge-shaped design, weighing just 1.24 kg (13-inch) and 1.51 kg (15-inch)17, making it ideal for on-the-go use. The standout addition is the Sky Blue color, featuring a subtle metallic finish that shifts tones under different lighting conditions16. While the chassis remains unchanged from previous models, its durability is reinforced with 100% recycled aluminum.

2. Performance: M4 Chip Delivers a Leap Forward

The 10-core M4 chip (4 performance + 6 efficiency cores) and 10-core GPU offer significant gains over the M3:

Geekbench 6 scores: 3,680 (single-core) and 14,924 (multi-core), marking 42% and 53% improvements, respectively.
AI capabilities: The 16-core Neural Engine (38 TOPS) accelerates machine learning tasks like image denoising and voice recognition.
Real-world use: Handles multitasking (Office apps, browsers, light video editing) smoothly, but sustained heavy workloads (e.g., 4K video rendering) may trigger thermal throttling due to the fanless design.

For casual gaming, titles like League of Legends run at 60 FPS on low settings, but AAA games like Cyberpunk 2077 struggle.

3. Display & Connectivity: Crisp and Versatile

Liquid Retina Display: The 13.6-inch (2560×1664) or 15.3-inch (2880×1864) IPS panels boast 500 nits brightness, P3 wide color, and True Tone adjustments17. Colors are vibrant, and text appears razor-sharp.
Dual 6K external displays: A major upgrade from prior models, enabling multi-monitor setups without closing the lid
Ports: Two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, MagSafe 3 charging, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

4. Battery Life: All-Day Endurance

With up to 18 hours of video playback and 15 hours of web browsing, the M4 Air excels in battery life. In real-world testing, it lasted over 8 hours under mixed office workloads and nearly 19 hours streaming videos17. The 70W fast charger restores 50% charge in 30 minutes.

5. Camera & Audio: Enhanced for Hybrid Work

12MP Center Stage camera: Automatically frames users during video calls and introduces a desktop view mode to showcase objects on a desk.
Six-speaker system: Supports spatial audio with dynamic head tracking (using compatible AirPods), while the three-mic array ensures clear voice pickup.

6. Software & Ecosystem: macOS Sequoia & AI Integration

Running macOS Sequoia, the Air supports features like iPhone Mirroring and window tiling. Apple Intelligence enhances productivity with AI-driven tools for writing, image generation, and Siri upgrades68. Pre-installed apps like Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro leverage the M4’s power for creative tasks.

7. Pricing & Configurations

Starting at ¥7,999 (13-inch, 16GB/256GB), with education discounts dropping prices to ¥6,999 for 16GB/512GB models.
Upgradable to 32GB RAM and 2TB storage, though the SSD is soldered, limiting post-purchase upgrades.

8. Drawbacks to Consider

No user-upgradeable storage: The SSD is permanently attached to the logic board5.
Limited thermal headroom: Prolonged intensive tasks may slow performance.
Wi-Fi 6E, not Wi-Fi 7: Falls behind cutting-edge connectivity standards.

Verdict: Who Should Buy It?

The M4 MacBook Air is perfect for:

Students and professionals needing portability and battery life.
Casual creators editing photos or 1080p videos.
Ecosystem users valuing seamless integration with Apple devices.

Avoid if: You require sustained high performance (e.g., 4K/8K video editing) or future-proof connectivity (Wi-Fi 7).

In a market crowded with ultrabooks, the M4 Air stands out for its balance of power, design, and value—especially with subsidies and discounts36. While not revolutionary, it’s a polished iteration that refines an already winning formula.