NEW M4 MacBook Air | The Ultimate Budget Laptop for Creatives (Honest Review)

Summary

In this detailed review, Grayson explores the M4 MacBook Air from a professional designer's perspective, highlighting its key features, including the powerful M4 chip, impressive battery life, and lightweight design. He compares the M4 MacBook Air to older Intel-based and M1/M2 models, emphasizing its superior performance and value for creative professionals. Grayson discusses the display, battery life, and practical features such as the Mac ecosystem, the trackpad, and preview mode. Ultimately, he recommends the M4 MacBook Air for creatives on a budget or those upgrading from older laptops, while advising current M-chip users to hold off on upgrading.

Takeaways

• 😀 The M4 MacBook Air is a great option for graphic designers and creatives, offering excellent performance at a lower price point than the MacBook Pro.
• 😀 The M4 chip is the major upgrade, providing power and efficiency, especially for those using creative software like Adobe programs, without the need for a MacBook Pro.
• 😀 If you're a first-time buyer or upgrading from an old Intel MacBook or a Windows Surface, the M4 MacBook Air is an excellent choice.
• 😀 For those already using a MacBook with an M chip (M1, M2, or M3), the M4 chip's performance improvements might not justify an upgrade.
• 😀 The MacBook Air is thin, light, and fanless, offering quiet and efficient operation, making it highly portable for daily creative tasks.
• 😀 The 13-inch model of the MacBook Air is highly recommended due to its portability and lighter weight, though the 15-inch model might be better for video editors.
• 😀 The M4 MacBook Air features a high-quality display with 500 nits of brightness and a billion colors, providing great color accuracy for creative work.
• 😀 The MacBook Air offers excellent battery life (up to 18 hours), which is ideal for creatives working on the go, though intensive software usage may reduce battery life.
• 😀 The MacBook Air is priced at $999, but with an Apple Education discount and trade-in offers, you can get it for as low as $899.
• 😀 Macs are known for their efficiency, trackpad quality, and seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem (e.g., iMessage, AirDrop, iPad as a second display), making them attractive for designers and creatives.
• 😀 The M4 MacBook Air is a fantastic deal, offering better performance than many other laptops in the market, especially if you're a designer on a budget.

Q & A

Why is the M4 MacBook Air considered a great choice for designers and creatives?

The M4 MacBook Air is equipped with the powerful M4 chip, making it ideal for handling creative tasks like graphic design, video editing, and working with Adobe software. Its performance is impressive without the need for a MacBook Pro, making it a more affordable option for most designers.

What is the difference between the M4 MacBook Air and earlier Intel-based MacBooks?

The M4 MacBook Air is powered by Apple's custom M4 chip, offering much better performance and efficiency compared to older Intel-based MacBooks. Apple's M-series chips are specifically designed for the hardware, leading to faster processing and a quieter, fanless experience.

What are the storage and RAM specifications of the M4 MacBook Air?

The M4 MacBook Air comes with 16 GB of RAM as standard. The base model starts at 256 GB of storage, but users can upgrade to a 1 TB storage option for more space, which is highly recommended for video, photo, and graphic design work.

How does the M4 MacBook Air handle battery life during heavy usage?

Despite being thin and light, the M4 MacBook Air offers an impressive 18 hours of battery life during light usage such as browsing or emails. However, with more intensive applications like Adobe software, the battery drains faster, but it still performs well for several hours before needing a charge.

What is the significance of the M4 chip in terms of performance for creatives?

The M4 chip enhances the MacBook Air's performance, allowing it to run demanding creative applications like Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, and After Effects smoothly. The chip's efficiency ensures that designers can complete their tasks without lag or performance issues, even with heavy workloads.

What color options are available for the M4 MacBook Air, and which one is recommended?

The M4 MacBook Air comes in four colors: silver, sky blue, starlight (goldish), and midnight. The midnight color is prone to heavy fingerprint marks, which might not be ideal for some users. The silver option is generally recommended for its clean and timeless look.

Is the M4 MacBook Air a good option for users who currently own an M1, M2, or M3 MacBook Air?

If you already own an M1, M2, or M3 MacBook Air, upgrading to the M4 MacBook Air may not offer a huge performance boost for most users. The difference in everyday tasks is minimal, and unless you're experiencing specific issues, the older models still provide excellent performance.

What are some of the underrated features of the M4 MacBook Air for designers and creatives?

The M4 MacBook Air includes several underrated features like a world-class trackpad, which is ideal for design tasks, and the Preview Mode, allowing you to quickly view files and scrub through videos without opening the entire program. Additionally, seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem, such as AirDrop and iMessage, adds significant convenience for creatives.

How does the M4 MacBook Air compare in price, and are there any discounts available?

The M4 MacBook Air is priced at $999, but it can be purchased for $899 with the Apple Education discount. Apple also offers trade-in credits, which can further reduce the price. It's a great deal for the performance you get, especially when compared to other laptops on the market.

Why is the M4 MacBook Air considered better than the MacBook Pro for most designers and creatives?

The M4 MacBook Air is thinner, lighter, and fanless, making it a more portable and quieter option than the MacBook Pro. For most creative work, such as graphic design or video editing in Adobe software, the M4 chip offers more than enough power, making the Air a better fit for everyday use and mobility.