Apple may have only revealed the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air with M4 yesterday, March 5, 2025, but I’ve been given an early preview that has put my eyes and hands on the latest laptop from the Cupertino-based tech giant.
While the leading feature is in the name – the M4 chipset – two other things bubbled up in my mind: the new Sky Blue Shade that has a unique quality for it and that the more affordable price.
I didn’t get to make a formal practical in itself, but here are my thoughts after watching the new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air in all four colors along with some photos and videos of them in action.
Sky Blue really looks awesome
I didn’t expect a whole new color to MacBook Air, but I’m excited to see Apple expanding the lineup. Of course, I just wish that a few more shades were started, potentially some more lively colors like the pink and orange of iMac. One can dream.
Personally, Sky Blue Shade is really nice and almost an optical illusion. Depending on how the light hits it, it can sometimes look silver. It is not a pulsating blue or a darker as midnight, but rather it sticks out like a light, pastel-y-shade of turquoise.
Further, as much as I would love a Punchy Ultramarin MacBook Air like iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, that’s not the case here.
While Apple is introducing Sky Blue to MacBook Air Color Options, it replaces space gray. So if you don’t want the new color, your options are Starlight, Silver or Midnight – you can see them in the gallery below.
Apple added its special anodization process to midnight with the M2 model to help reduce and remove fingerprints – mileage varied at times here. It’s unchanged with M4, but there’s no such finish on Sky Blue MacBook Air.
Picture 1 of 6
Still, Sky Blue does a pretty good job of hiding fingerprints and smudging on the outer shell. It is a natural feature of this shade and the materials here.
If I had to buy a MacBook Air right now I would choose Sky Blue for both sizes. It’s an amazing shade – not too poppy or vibrant, just the right amount of color to add flair. Do not snap a plastic box on the outside of it; However, stickers are fine.
I hope that with what’s coming next – maybe it’s the M5 MacBook Air? – Apple rolls out some extra shades.
A return to form for price
In the US, the 13-inch MacBook Air starts at $ 999 for M4-Chip, 16 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. The same model is £ 999 in England or $ 1,699 in Australia, which is actually a price cut, and Apple really stretches the value here. It’s even better than when the MacBook Air M1 rolled out.
Although I didn’t spend much time playing with macos on these MacBook Airs, I have zero doubts about the M4 Chip’s performance. I saw demos of it playing a game and performing some masking in the Pixelmator Pro without skipping a beat or dropping frames.
When I reviewed the iMac as well as Techradar’s Matthew Hanson with Mac Mini and Lance Ulanoff with the 14-inch MacBook Pro last October-all with variations of M4-Var speeds and performance fast.
I have a feeling that MacBook Air for the price will be the obvious choice for most people-self for 15-inch starting at $ 1,199 / £ 1,199 / AU $ 2,099, which also got a price cut.
@Techradar ♬ Pretty (Sped up) – Meyy
Alongside the new color and M4 chip, Apple also made another change of MacBook Air: Upgrading the FaceTime camera to a 12-megapixel lens with support from center stage.
I quickly tested this. As I moved the MacBook Air up or down, the camera frame moved quickly to keep me in the video (this does this via a crop of a much wider 12MP video). It’s great to have, and given the center stage also arrives at the MacBook Pro with M4, it’s a good shape to fool it down to the MacBook Air.
I wish Apple had at least offered the nano text tour setting here as it works well on the MacBook Pro. While I’m on it, it would also be nice to increase the base storage to 512 GB. As it says, I think this is one of the best MacBook broadcasts, yet from the price cut to the M4 chip to the shiny blue hue.
Be sure to check out our first look video with MacBook Air below and stay up to date on a review when we get our hands on it as there is plenty to test here.
If you are already sold, the M4 MacBook Air is ready for pre -order now and will be formally launched on March 12, 2025.
- 13-inch MacBook Air with M4 starting at $ 999 / £ 999 / AU $ 1,699 from Apple or Amazon
- 15-inch MacBook Air with M4 starting at $ 1,199 / £ 1,199 / AU $ 2,099 from Apple or Amazon
@Techradar ♬ Original Sound – Techradar
