Apple launches the MacBook Air with M4, cuts $100 from the starting price
I love it when a product update gets a price cut, while boosting performance and new colours like the M4 MacBook Air does.
Hot off the back of yesterday's iPad Air update, Apple has today also given its iconic MacBook Air an overhaul.
Central to this update is the upgrade of the processor to the M4, which we first saw arrive in Apple's MacBook Pro and iMac lineup late last year.
As a quick refresher, the M4 is a beast of a chip, with a powerful 10-core CPU, up to 10-cores in the GPU, and support for up to 32GB of unified memory. That allows it to deliver performance up to twice that of the M1 MacBook Air.
The new model also delivers up to 18 hours of battery life, support for two external displays and – of course – Apple Intelligence built in.
“MacBook Air is by far the world’s most popular laptop, and today we’re giving everyone even more reasons to love it, including a big boost in performance with the M4 chip, a new Center Stage camera, and a beautiful new sky blue colour.
“Combined with its thin and light, fanless design, all-day battery life, and the incredible capabilities of macOS Sequoia with Apple Intelligence, MacBook Air is unlike any other laptop. And with a new lower starting price of RRP A$1,699 inc. GST, MacBook Air delivers more value to consumers than ever before, making this the perfect moment to upgrade or experience the Mac for the first time.”
– Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing
New Centre Stage camera
Look, most annual updates are iterative at best, so the introduction of a new "Center Stage" camera with the new MacBook Air lineup is worth talking about.
The 12 MP camera offers improved video quality and automatically keeps the user centred in the frame as they move around.
This can be useful for anything from FaceTime calls with toddlers to giving a presentation while working from home.
The camera also supports something called "Desk View", which simultaneously shows the user and a top-down view of their desk, making it great for product demonstrations.
Pricing and availability
The best news about the new MacBook Air arrival is that it starts at $100 cheaper than last year's MacBook Air with M3.
The 13-inch MacBook Air with M4 starts at RRP A$1,699, while the 15‑inch MacBook Air with M4 starts at RRP A$2,099.
Both models come in the standard midnight, starlight, and silver colour options, as well as a new "Sky Blue" option.
Pre-orders for the new MacBook Airs are open now, with shipping and in-store availability from 12 March.
Consider showing your support with a donation.
Nick Broughall
