MacBook Air M4 live updates — the new MacBook is official
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06 Mar 2025 01:59:00 am.
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Apple'sTim Cook teased "Something in the air,"and now the first of those "somethings" has revealed itself as a newiPad Air with an M3 chip.
There are also some nifty upgrades to the base iPad 11 (without a price increase).
While Apple's first announcement has dropped, we don't expect this to be the end of the new goodies from Cupertino. As expected a newMacBook Air with an M4processor followed.
And who knows — it's Apple, so there could be additional surprises along the way.
We expected the M4 MacBook to kick off Apple's announcements, but the company threw us in a loop by dropping the iPad first. Perhaps it wanted to build to the MacBook Air as the main event, or it just wanted to trick everyone who said the iPad would arrive later.
Either way, it's an exciting week to be a fan of Apple and the devices it releases.
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<time class="no-wrap live-feed-date" datetime="2025-03-05T20:52:32+00:00">6 March 2025 at 04:52</time>That's a wrap<figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check="">
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As of now, it seems that's all Apple will announce, at least for this news cycle.
Of course, there's always a chance the company surprises us with something new tomorrow. If they do, we'll be here to bring you every new piece of hardware (or software) the Cupertino firm bestows upon us.
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<time class="no-wrap live-feed-date" datetime="2025-03-05T20:13:08+00:00">6 March 2025 at 04:13</time>Which iPad is for you?<figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check="">
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With the iPad Air M3, Apple closed the gap between the Air and Pro variants of its laptop. In so doing, Apple made the decision between the two tablets a bit more difficult. If you're as perplexed by the decision as we are, we're going to help you decide. For the full picture, give ouriPad Air M3 vs iPad Pro M4piece a look.
But if you don't want to read all that, have a look at the specs table below to help you choose.
iPad Air M3 | iPad Pro M4 | |
Price | $599 (11-inch) | $799 (13-inch) | $999 (11-inch) | $1299 (13-inch) |
Display | 11-inch Liquid Retina display (2360 x 1640) | 13-inch Liquid Retina display (2372 x 2048) | 11-inch Tandem OLED (2420 x 1668 pixels) | 13-inch Tandem OLED (2752 x 2064 pixels), ProMotion support |
Rated brightness | 500 nits (11-inch) | 600 nits (13-inch) | 1000 nits (SDR) | 1600 nits (HDR) |
Rear camera | 12MP main (ƒ/1.8) | 12MP main (ƒ/1.8) |
Front camera | 12MP (f/2.0) | 12MP (f/2.0) |
Chipset | Apple M3 | Apple M4 |
Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB |
Battery | 28.93 wH (11-inch) | 36.59 wH (13-inch) | 31.29 wH (11-inch) | 38.99 wH (13-inch) |
Size | 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches (11-inch) | 11.04 x 8.46 x 0.24 inches (13-inch) | 9.83 x 6.99 x 0.21 inches (11-inch) | 11.09 x 8.48 x 0.2 inches (13-inch) |
Weight | 1.01 pounds (11-inch) | 1.36 pounds (13-inch) | 0.98 pounds (11-inch) | 1.28 pounds (13-inch) |
Colors | Blue, Purple, Starlight, Space Gray | Silver, Space Black |
<time class="no-wrap live-feed-date" datetime="2025-03-05T18:41:09+00:00">6 March 2025 at 02:41</time>I want a Sky Blue MacBook Air<figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check="">
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While Apple doesn't usually get too crazy with the colors for MacBook, the Sky Blue M4 MacBook Air is a little more interesting than the subdued colors the company usually offers. It's not too bright, but it'll stand out in the crowd of gray and silver MacBooks you typically see out and about, which is precisely why I want one.
The other colors look nice, too, but after digging into the photos onApple's pre-order page, I'm fully sold on the Sky Blue color, and I might just have to add one to my shopping cart.
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<time class="no-wrap live-feed-date" datetime="2025-03-05T17:55:43+00:00">6 March 2025 at 01:55</time>How to preorder the M4 MacBook Air<figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check="">
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The MacBook Air powered by the M4 chip is finally here with a new sky blue finish and starting at $999 with 16GB of RAM for both the 13- and 15-inch models.
For those interested in picking up Apple's latest you can preorder the MacBook Air M4 now at theApple Store.
The laptops will officially launch next on Wednesday, March 12.
Apple is also offering extra trade-in credits through April 2, 2025 when you trade an eligible Mac for a new "Apple device." So, it's not just for the new MacBook Airs.
As an example, if you trade in a MacBook Air, you could get up to $410 toward your next device.
<time class="no-wrap live-feed-date" datetime="2025-03-05T16:00:11+00:00">6 March 2025 at 00:00</time>Goodbye 64GB<figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check="">
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Apple did away with 64GB of storage for good with the new iPad models starting at 128GB. With the size of files and apps nowadays, 64GB just didn't make sense anymore, and we couldn't be happier to see Apple moving on.
<time class="no-wrap live-feed-date" datetime="2025-03-05T14:59:08+00:00">5 March 2025 at 22:59</time>In case you missed it<figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check="">
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We're all excited about the new MacBook Air and its $100 price drop. Perhaps lost in the shuffle for some is that Apple discontinued the M2 and M3 MacBook Air.
As soon as the announcement for the M4 MacBook Air hit, Apple pulled both existing models from its online store. This will allow the company to focus on the newest device with the latest and greatest processor technology.
Because it has so many upgrade options and two different screen sizes, you can configure the M4 MacBook Air in a way that makes sense for your needs.
<time class="no-wrap live-feed-date" datetime="2025-03-05T14:31:28+00:00">5 March 2025 at 22:31</time>So. Many. Cores.<figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check="">
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While most people will rightfully be talking about the exciting new M4 MacBook Air, the computing power geeks among us will be discussing the Mac Studio with M3 Ultra. Apple said this chip has a 32-core CPU and 80-core GPU.
That's 112 cores in total, which seems excessive. At the same time, though, are there ever too many cores?
<time class="no-wrap live-feed-date" datetime="2025-03-05T14:13:41+00:00">5 March 2025 at 22:13</time>But wait, there's more!<figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check="">
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Not content to announce a new M4 MacBook Air, which would have been plenty exciting, Apple also announced a newMac Studio M4 Max with Thunderbolt 5 and Mac Studio M3 Ultra with a crazy 80-core GPU.
The specs of both of these computers are truly staggering, and anyone who wants to perform intense tasks like video editing or 3D gaming will be thrilled with the results these beasts bring to the table. Apple says the Mac Studio M4 Max is up to 3.5x faster than Mac Studio with M1 Max and up to 6.1x faster than the previous Intel-based 27-inch iMac.
While demoing the new desktops with Apple, we saw the Mac Studio M4 Max handle intense video editing by quickly adding 5K buildings to the background of a nighttime sky. The editor then quickly added smoke to the scene and even controlled the size of the smoke.
We saw a demo of Cyberpunk 2077 on the new hardware, and it was nothing short of impressive. "With all the settings turned on high and the frame rate locked to 60 fps, the Mac Studio with M4 Max delivered gorgeous-looking graphics and super smooth gameplay.
<time class="no-wrap live-feed-date" datetime="2025-03-05T14:01:18+00:00">5 March 2025 at 22:01</time>M4 MacBook Air official<figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check="">
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As rumored, Apple announced abrand new M4-toting MacBook Air. The new laptop has more power, a vibrant 12MP Center Stage camera and a dynamic new color.
Many aspects of the MacBook Air are expected, such as the 13 and 15-inch display sizes and powerful M4 chip. Less expected is the price, as Apple announced a $100 price cut on the base model with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, down to $999. In today's economic climate, everything is getting more expensive, so Apple's announcement of a new device that costs less than its predecessor is exciting.
The larger 15-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,199, a $100 price cut.
Apple's M4 chip, which is the main event of the laptop, features a 10-core CPU, up to a 10-core GPU and support for up to 32GB of unified memory.
To go along with the new, cheaper model launch, Apple also announced that it's phasing out the MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Air M2.
The new color mentioned above is Sky Blue, which joins Silver, Starlight and Midnight from previous generations of MacBook Air laptops. Outside of the new color, Apple is offering the same super light 2.7-pound design for the 13-inch model and a profile that's under 0.5 inches thick
<time class="no-wrap live-feed-date" datetime="2025-03-05T13:41:19+00:00">5 March 2025 at 21:41</time>Will it happen soon?<figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check="">
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Yesterday, Appleannounced its new products at 9 a.m. ET, and we're rapidly approaching that time today.
Will Apple announce an M4 MacBook Air, as speculated? Will the company have any surprises? We'll find out soon!
<time class="no-wrap live-feed-date" datetime="2025-03-05T13:03:55+00:00">5 March 2025 at 21:03</time>Should you get an iPad Air M3?<figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check="">
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If we're to see a MacBook Air M4 reveal today, it may not be much longer until Apple makes an announcement, seeing as the iPad Air M3 was announced not too long from now yesterday.
While we wait, you might want to check out whether it's worth nabbing the new iPad Air M3 or trying out the iPad Pro M4 if you're looking at getting one of Apple's tablets.
The M3-powered iPad Air looks to offer great performance upgrades over its predecessor, and the updated Magic Keyboard is a plus.
<time class="no-wrap live-feed-date" datetime="2025-03-05T12:14:00+00:00">5 March 2025 at 20:14</time>Even longer battery life?
Apple's MacBooks are some of thebest laptops for battery life, with the MacBook Pro M4 delivering a whopping 18 hours and 31 minutes in our tests. If that's the case, the MacBook Air M4 should see some impressive battery life improvements, too.
With the MacBook Pro M3 reaching 17 hours and 25 minutes, there's around an hour of improvement between the two Pro models. As tested, the MacBook Air M3 13-inch model lasts over 15 hours. With the M4 chip now powering it, could we see the next MacBook Air 13-inch come with over 16 hours of battery life or more? We certainly hope so.
Apple rates its M3-powered MacBook Air with up to 18 hours of battery life, and there's reason to believe that number will be bumped up once the MacBook Air M4 is revealed. Only time will tell, so stay tuned for further updates.
<time class="no-wrap live-feed-date" datetime="2025-03-05T11:15:01+00:00">5 March 2025 at 19:15</time>M4 GPU performance gains look promising<figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check="">
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We've seen the power of M4 in the latestMacBook ProandiPad Pro, but how well will it perform in a MacBook Air? Well, if theseleaked benchmarksare anything to go by, there may only be a 5% difference in GPU performance between a MacBook Air M4 and its Pro sibling.
According to aGeekbenchbenchmark, an M4-powered MacBook Air achieved a Metal score of 55,516. That already beats theMacBook Air M3, which reached 41,045 on Geekbench, but it also wasn't far behind the M4-equipped Pro model with a 57,603 Metal score.
This leaked model comes with 24GB of Unified Memory, and results can vary in testing. We won't know accurate benchmarks until we test it for ourselves, but still, considering the MacBook Air's usual price compared to its Pro counterpart, and throwing in the fact it comes with a fan-less design, the MacBook Air M4 is already looking like a promising upgrade.
Now, we just have to wait for its possible launch soon.
<time class="no-wrap live-feed-date" datetime="2025-03-05T10:14:42+00:00">5 March 2025 at 18:14</time>Will we see the MacBook Air M4 soon?<figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check="">
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With theiPad Air M3already getting the big announcement, we're hoping to see Apple continue its "Something in the Air" tease by revealing the anticipatedMacBook Air M4— and soon.
We've heard rumors of itsimminent launchover the past few weeks, with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claiming the Cupertino tech giant is "gearing up" for the big release this March. Now that the iPad Air is out of the way, and with CEO Tim Cook's tease of Air announcements this week, it should only be a matter of time until we finally see what the next-gen MacBook Air M4 delivers.
We know we can expect the M4 chip, and a leaked benchmark gave us a hint that it mayoffer near-MacBook Pro M4 performance. Will Apple have other surprises up its sleeve? Here's hoping today's the big day, and we'll be here to let you know the latest.
<time class="no-wrap live-feed-date" datetime="2025-03-04T22:22:58+00:00">5 March 2025 at 06:22</time>More than just a new chip
While we doubt the M4 MacBook Air will look different than previous iterations, we are expecting to seea number of internal upgrades.
These include the ballyhooed M4 chip.
Plus, we expect a nano-textured display, extended battery life, more RAM and more.
As mentioned, the rumor network claims Apple will announce the new MacBook Air tomorrow.
<time class="no-wrap live-feed-date" datetime="2025-03-04T21:27:46+00:00">5 March 2025 at 05:27</time>MacBook Air M4 performance speculation<figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check="">
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Apple hasn't officially announced M4 MacBook Airs, but given all the chatter we've heard from reputable sources like Apple tipster Mark Gurman, we won't be surprised when these laptops manifest. The question is, will they offer enough upgrades over their M3-powered counterparts?
We can't say for sure, but if you'll indulge some speculation, we could see similar performance and battery boosts between the M2 and M3 MacBook Pros. To be specific, the MacBook Air M4 could presumably be 15-20% faster than the current model. Battery life should also be better.
However, since the MacBook Air has a fan-less design, it's possible we won't see major differences. We'll just have to wait and see.
<time class="no-wrap live-feed-date" datetime="2025-03-04T20:16:45+00:00">5 March 2025 at 04:16</time>M3 iPad Air expected battery life<figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check="">
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Battery life is a major concern when buying a new tablet. You want to ensure you will get enough juice from each charge to get you through the day and beyond. Unfortunately, with Apple, we rarely get any exact battery size for its devices until the YouTube contingent does teardowns, so we mostly have to speculate based on other devices with M4 chips and previous iPad Air devices.
In our2024 M2 13-inch iPad Air review, we got about 11 hours of battery life from a single charge. Because that slate sports an M2 chip, and the new one has an M3, we can reasonably assume there will be a dump, even if it's not huge.
Apple describes it as "all-day battery life," which is a phrase it has used to describe many of its devices. I think the extra performance of the M3 chip will boost the battery by around 30 minutes, but if we're lucky, we could even see 12 hours in our battery test. We'll have to wait to test the new tablet, but all signs point to battery life that meets or exceeds the competition.
Tags: MacBook Air M4
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