Apple’s M4 MacBook Air: More Power, Lower Price
Apple has just announced the latest iteration of its beloved MacBook Air, now boasting the formidable M4 chip, a fresh sky blue finish, and a more accessible starting price of RM4,499. This update promises a significant leap in performance, enhanced features, and greater value for consumers.
The new MacBook Air, available in 13-inch and 15-inch models, is designed to cater to a broad audience, from students to professionals. Apple’s Greg Joswiak, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, highlighted the enhancements, stating, “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 Centre Stage camera, and a beautiful new sky blue colour.”
Performance Surge with M4
The M4 chip is at the heart of this upgrade, delivering substantial performance gains. Featuring a 10-core CPU, up to a 10-core GPU, and support for up to 32GB of unified memory, the new MacBook Air is touted to be up to 2x faster than the M1 model and a staggering 23x faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Air. Users can expect smoother multitasking, faster photo and video editing, and improved AI-driven tasks, thanks to the M4’s powerful Neural Engine.
Key Performance Improvements:
- Spreadsheet calculation in Microsoft Excel up to 4.7x faster than Intel-based models.
- Video editing in iMovie up to 8x faster than Intel-based models.
- Photo editing in Adobe Photoshop up to 3.6x faster than Intel-based models.
- Web browsing up to 60% faster compared to Intel Core Ultra 7 PC laptops.
A Splash of Sky Blue and Enhanced Features
The new sky blue color option adds a refreshing aesthetic to the MacBook Air lineup, joining midnight, starlight, and silver. Additionally, the device now supports up to two external 6K displays, enhancing productivity for users requiring multi-monitor setups.
Other notable features include:
- A 12MP Centre Stage camera for improved video call quality.
- Up to 18 hours of battery life.
- macOS Sequoia with Apple Intelligence, offering new AI-powered capabilities.
- Enhanced connectivity with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
Built for Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence unlocks new creative tools, including Image Playground and Genmoji, and enhances existing features like Siri and Writing Tools. The integration of ChatGPT into these tools offers users access to advanced AI capabilities while maintaining privacy.
Pricing and Availability
The 13-inch MacBook Air with M4 starts at RM4,499 (RM4,069 for education), while the 15-inch model starts at RM5,499 (RM5,069 for education). Both models will be available for order soon on the online Apple Store, the Apple Store app, and through authorised resellers.
Apple continues to emphasise its commitment to environmental sustainability, with the new MacBook Air featuring over 55% recycled content and aiming for carbon neutrality by 2030.
