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Apple MacBook Air 15 M4 review - The fanless M4 SoC is years ahead of the competition

More power, lower price.

Apple has given its MacBook Air 15 the lightning-fast M4 SoC, which is still cooled passively. It also features a new 12 MP webcam and a new colorway. However, its 60 Hz display remains unchanged and there is no matte option—but the Air is now $100 cheaper.
Andreas Osthoff, 👁 Andreas Osthoff (translated by Daisy Dickson) Published 🇩🇪 🇫🇷 ...
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Verdict - The MacBook Air 15 M4 offers more power for less money

Even with the new M4 processor, the MacBook Air 15 is still a very good overall package for everyday use, and its high CPU performance in combination with its passive cooling is particularly impressive. Even under constant load, the processor is still faster than Intel's Lunar Lake chips, for example, and in terms of single-core performance, the M4 generation is at least two generations ahead of the competition. There is simply no other device in the Windows world that is nearly as fast without a fan.

Other new features include Thunderbolt 4 support, including the use of two external displays, and an improved 12 MP webcam with Center Stage. Apple has also lowered its entry-level price by $100, but the high surcharges for RAM and SSD storage remain unchanged—as do the lack of available maintenance options.

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Nothing has changed about its display either, which will likely disappoint some customers. If you want a matte screen or 120 Hz, you'll still have to switch to the bulkier and more expensive MacBook Pro. Even so, its IPS display still delivers excellent image quality without PWM. The IPS screen needs quite a lot of power—especially at high brightness levels—and overall, the laptop's battery life is still as good as ever. However, some competitors such as the ThinkPad X9 now have the upper hand in terms of both image quality and battery life.

The MacBook Air could certainly be even better, but you also have to consider its position in the lineup, as it is Apple's most affordable series. Plus, a MacBook Air 15 with a matte display and 120 Hz would naturally affect the sales figures of the MacBook Pro 14 M4.

Pros

+ high-quality and slim case
+ super fast M4 SoC
+ good input devices
+ permanently silent operation
+ bright display with P3 coverage and without PWM
+ great speakers
+ long battery runtimes at 150 nits
+ improved 12-MP webcam

Cons

- no Wi-Fi 7 or 120 Hz
- only 2x USB-C & no card reader
- power supply is too weak (35 watts)
- no maintenance options & expensive upgrades

Price and availability

You can order the new MacBook Air 15 M4 directly from Apple, with prices for the 15-inch model starting at $1,199. It's also available to purchase from other major online retailers such as Amazon.

Table of Contents

  1. Verdict - The MacBook Air 15 M4 offers more power for less money
  2. Specifications
  3. Case & connectivity
  4. Input devices
  5. Display - IPS at 60 Hz
  6. Performance - The MacBook Air now with up to 32 GB RAM
  7. Emissions & energy
  8. Notebookcheck total rating

Apple has updated its MacBook Air lineup, now installing M4 processors into its laptops. The old M3 generation's RAM was already increased to at least 16 GB last year, but the M4 MacBook Air is now available with up to 32 GB RAM. Somewhat surprisingly, Apple has lowered the entry-level prices for both variants by $100 each; with 16 GB RAM and a 256-GB SSD, the MacBook Air 15 now starts at $1,199. Our test device with a 1 TB SSD and 16 GB RAM has an MRSP of $1,599.

Specifications

Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Processor
Apple M4 (10 cores) 10 x 2.9 - 4.5 GHz, 20.5 W PL2 / Short Burst, 9 W PL1 / Sustained
Graphics adapter
Apple M4 10-core GPU
Memory
16 GB 
, LPDDR5-7500, onboard
Display
15.30 inch 16:10, 2880 x 1864 pixel 224 PPI, IPS, glossy: yes, 60 Hz
Storage
Apple SSD AP1024Z, 1024 GB 
, 955 GB free
Connections
2 USB 4.0 40 Gbps, 2 Thunderbolt, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), 2 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm Stereo, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor
Networking
Broadcom 0x14E4, 0x4388 WiFi 6E AirPort (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/ Wi-Fi 6E 6 GHz), Bluetooth 5.3
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 11.5 x 340.4 x 237.6 ( = 0.45 x 13.4 x 9.35 in)
Battery
66.5 Wh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Apple macOS 15 Sequoia
Camera
Webcam: 12 MP Center Stage
Primary Camera: 12 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Six-speaker sound system, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 35W Dual-USB-C PSU, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.52 kg ( = 53.62 oz / 3.35 pounds), Power Supply: 188 g ( = 6.63 oz / 0.41 pounds)
Price
1999 Euro
Links
Apple homepage
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case & connectivity

The MacBook Air 15 M4 in Sky Blue (left) vs. the MacBook Air 13 M1 in Space Gray (right)
The MacBook Air 15 M4 in Sky Blue (left) vs. the MacBook Air 13 M1 in Space Gray (right)

Apple hasn't changed anything about the MacBook's case design and its slim, 11.5-mm design is still particularly impressive when it comes to how it feels to hold. The quality of its aluminum unibody case is still great, but at 1.52 kg, the Air 15 is no lightweight either. There has been a change in the available colors, as Space Gray has been dropped and replaced by Sky Blue.

We still have nothing to complain about its build quality and stability, but its connectivity situation remains limited to MagSafe and 2x USB-C. Thankfully, however, these now support Thunderbolt 4 and the M4 SoC can control two external displays in addition to the internal panel. Maintenance options are not available.

The Mac's Wi-Fi module still supports Wi-Fi 6E including Bluetooth 5.3 and its transfer rates were very stable during our test using our reference router from Asus. There has been a significant upgrade to its webcam, as a 12 MP sensor is now installed, which supports a desktop view in addition to image tracking (Center Stage).

Size comparison

❌
352.6 mm / 13.9 in 226.9 mm / 8.93 in 15.9 mm / 0.626 in 1.4 kg3.15 lbs340 mm / 13.4 in 228.5 mm / 9 in 17.7 mm / 0.697 in 1.4 kg3.1 lbs343.8 mm / 13.5 in 235.4 mm / 9.27 in 13.9 mm / 0.547 in 1.5 kg3.38 lbs340.4 mm / 13.4 in 237.6 mm / 9.35 in 11.5 mm / 0.4528 in 1.5 kg3.35 lbs340.4 mm / 13.4 in 237.6 mm / 9.35 in 11.5 mm / 0.4528 in 1.5 kg3.31 lbs329 mm / 13 in 237 mm / 9.33 in 18.29 mm / 0.72 in 1.7 kg3.67 lbs297 mm / 11.7 in 210 mm / 8.27 in 1 mm / 0.03937 in 5.7 g0.01257 lbs
Left: MagSafe, 2x USB-C 4.0 with Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbit/s, DisplayPort ALT mode 1.4, Power Delivery)
Left: MagSafe, 2x USB-C 4.0 with Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbit/s, DisplayPort ALT mode 1.4, Power Delivery)
Right: 3.5-mm audio
Right: 3.5-mm audio
Networking
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Broadcom 0x14E4, 0x4388 WiFi 6E AirPort
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
1762 (min: 1689) MBit/s ∼100%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
1618 (min: 1588) MBit/s ∼92%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel BE201 320MHz
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
1656 (min: 1540) MBit/s ∼94%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
1568 (min: 1525) MBit/s ∼89%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
 
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
1243 (min: 1139) MBit/s ∼71%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
1602 (min: 1438) MBit/s ∼91%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
1029 (min: 963) MBit/s ∼68%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1656 (min: 836) MBit/s ∼100%
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Intel BE201 320MHz
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
1280 (min: 1203) MBit/s ∼73%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
1405 (min: 1272) MBit/s ∼80%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
1516 (min: 1367) MBit/s ∼100%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1613 (min: 1567) MBit/s ∼97%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Qualcomm FastConnect 7800
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
1595 (min: 1475) MBit/s ∼91%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
1740 (min: 1673) MBit/s ∼99%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Broadcom 0x14E4, 0x4388 WiFi 6E AirPort
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
1698 (min: 1601) MBit/s ∼96%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
1756 (min: 1717) MBit/s ∼100%
05010015020025030035040045050055060065070075080085090095010001050110011501200125013001350140014501500155016001650170017501800Tooltip
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4; iperf3 transmit AXE11000: Ø1762 (1689-1816)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4; iperf3 receive AXE11000: Ø1618 (1588-1651)
ColorChecker
17.6 ∆E
13.7 ∆E
17.6 ∆E
18.7 ∆E
16.9 ∆E
14.3 ∆E
10.1 ∆E
14.4 ∆E
14.3 ∆E
13.6 ∆E
9.7 ∆E
9 ∆E
9.1 ∆E
11.6 ∆E
17 ∆E
7 ∆E
16.1 ∆E
17.4 ∆E
5.9 ∆E
8.8 ∆E
14.2 ∆E
17.4 ∆E
16.8 ∆E
6.8 ∆E
ColorChecker Apple MacBook Air 15 M4: 13.25 ∆E min: 5.86 - max: 18.74 ∆E

Sustainability

Apple provides a detailed environmental report on its website. The device consists of 55% recycled materials.

Input devices

There are no changes to its input devices compared to the previous model. The laptop's keyboard is comfortable, but could benefit from a little more travel. The ThinkPad X9, for example, has a clear advantage in this respect. The haptic touchpad continues to work excellently, but competitors from Honor or Huawei are following suit and offer additional gestures at the edges, for example, which are supported by vibration motors. So Apple no longer has an advantage here.

Input devices
Input devices
Keyboard backlighting
Keyboard backlighting

Display - IPS at 60 Hz

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array
Practically no backlight bleeding
Practically no backlight bleeding

Now that the MacBook Pro is available with a matte display, lots of users will certainly have been hoping for an update to the MacBook Air—but this is unfortunately not the case. It still uses a familiar IPS screen and continues to offer very good picture quality without any PWM flickering. Both its brightness and color temperature can be adjusted automatically. Its frequency is also still the same at 60 Hz, which makes itself noticeable during movements. Some of the competitors are better positioned in this aspect.

Its brightness is over 500 cd/m² and we don't have much to criticize about its black level or contrast. Its factory calibration is very good and the P3 color space is fully covered. There is practically no backlight bleeding, even at maximum brightness, and its response times are fine.

476
cd/m²		501
cd/m²		513
cd/m²
503
cd/m²		525
cd/m²		517
cd/m²
509
cd/m²		546
cd/m²		525
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 546 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 512.8 cd/m² Minimum: 1.9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 525 cd/m²
Contrast: 1641:1 (Black: 0.32 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.7 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.88
ΔE Greyscale 2.7 | 0.5-98 Ø5.1
88.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
100% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
98.7% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.2
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
IPS, 2880x1864, 15.3", 60 Hz		Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
IPS, 2880x1664, 15.6", 60 Hz		Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
ATNA53JB01-0, OLED, 2880x1800, 15.3", 120 Hz		Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Sharp LQ150P1JX61, IPS, 2496x1664, 15", 120 Hz		Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
CSOT T3 MNF307ZB1-1, IPS, 2880x1800, 15.3", 120 Hz		Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
ATNA56AC03-0, OLED, 2880x1620, 15.6", 120 Hz
Display
-0%
3%
-0%
Display P3 Coverage
98.7
98.7
0%
100
1%
98.8
0%
sRGB Coverage
100
99.9
0%
100
0%
100
0%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
88.3
87.8
-1%
94.6
7%
87.5
-1%
Response Times
-6%
97%
-70%
-2%
97%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
33.2 ?(10.5, 12.7)
35.3 ?(16.4, 17.9)
-6%
1.46 ?(0.7, 0.76)
96%
44.4 ?(21.3, 23.1)
-34%
27 ?(13, 14)
19%
0.61 ?(0.3, 0.31)
98%
Response Time Black / White *
14.7 ?(4.6, 10.1)
15.6 ?(5.2, 10.4)
-6%
0.44 ?(0.24, 0.2)
97%
30.3 ?(15.9, 14.4)
-106%
17.9 ?(8.7, 9.2)
-22%
0.67 ?(0.34, 0.33)
95%
PWM Frequency
1200 ?(77)
240 ?(100)
Screen
8%
403%
20%
-4%
155%
Brightness middle
525
526
0%
509
-3%
579.9
10%
509
-3%
378
-28%
Brightness
513
506
-1%
508
-1%
576
12%
479
-7%
379
-26%
Brightness Distribution
87
92
6%
97
11%
92
6%
90
3%
98
13%
Black Level *
0.32
0.37
-16%
0.01
97%
0.34
-6%
0.32
-0%
0.02
94%
Contrast
1641
1422
-13%
50900
3002%
1706
4%
1591
-3%
18900
1052%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
1.7
1.4
18%
1.1
35%
0.96
44%
2.47
-45%
1
41%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
4
2
50%
2.5
37%
2.39
40%
4.73
-18%
2.6
35%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.7
2.1
22%
1.5
44%
1.4
48%
1.5
44%
1.2
56%
Gamma
2.2 100%
2.23 99%
2.28 96%
2.13 103%
2.19 100%
2.19 100%
CCT
7010 93%
6865 95%
6294 103%
6407 101%
6790 96%
6460 101%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
0.6
1.06
Total Average (Program / Settings)
1% / 4%
168% / 263%
-25% / 2%
-2% / -3%
126% / 143%

* ... smaller is better

CalMAN grayscale
CalMAN grayscale
CalMAN saturation
CalMAN saturation
CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN ColorChecker

Display Response Times

ℹ
Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
   ↔    Response Time Black to White
14.7 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 4.6 ms rise
↘ 10.1 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 33 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.8 ms).
   ↔    Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
33.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 10.5 ms rise
↘ 12.7 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 42 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (32.6 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ
To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8553 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured.

In the sun
In the sun
Outdoors (bright day without direct sunlight)
Outdoors (bright day without direct sunlight)
Viewing angle stability
Viewing angle stability

Performance - The MacBook Air now with up to 32 GB RAM

Processor - M4 SoC

We are already familiar with the M4 SoC from the current MacBook Pro 14, and its overall performance is once again very good. The M4 can consume a maximum of 20.5 watts inside our test device but during our test, this was quickly reduced and finally settled at 9 watts after 20 minutes of continuous load (~15.5 watts after 1 minute; 12 watts after 5 minutes). As a result, its multi-core performance was slightly lower than that of the MacBook Pro, but still very good overall, especially considering how long it ran the Cinebench 2024 multi-test (several minutes). After 30 minutes, its performance of 776 points was only 11% lower and therefore still better than the Lunar Lake competitors. Its performance was even better in the shorter Geekbench test.

The true highlight, however, is its enormous single-core performance, and the M4 doesn't have to hide from its larger siblings, the M4 Pro/Max. Depending on the benchmark, we are talking about an advantage of 30-45% over the current Lunar Lake or fast Snapdragon models with dual-core Turbo. As usual, its performance remains absolutely stable in battery mode.

CPU Performance Rating: Percent
Cinebench 2024: CPU Multi Core | CPU Single Core
Geekbench 6.4: Multi-Core | Single-Core
CPU Performance Rating
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP0512Z
99.5 pt
Average Apple M4 (10 cores)
 
98.8 pt
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP1024Z
96 pt
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-78-100, Micron 2400 MTFDKBA1T0QFM
79.7 pt
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
M3 10-Core GPU, M3, Apple SSD AP0512Z
76.4 pt
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
72 pt
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 256V
69.2 pt
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
68.7 pt
Cinebench 2024 / CPU Multi Core
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP0512Z
986 Points +13%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-78-100, Micron 2400 MTFDKBA1T0QFM
956 Points +9%
Average Apple M4 (10 cores)
  (874 - 986, n=4)
947 Points +8%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
926 Points +6%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP1024Z
874 Points
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 256V
630 Points -28%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
M3 10-Core GPU, M3, Apple SSD AP0512Z
598 Points -32%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
574 Points -34%
Cinebench 2024 / CPU Single Core
Average Apple M4 (10 cores)
  (173 - 177, n=4)
174.5 Points +1%
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP0512Z
174 Points +1%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP1024Z
173 Points
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
M3 10-Core GPU, M3, Apple SSD AP0512Z
142 Points -18%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
123 Points -29%
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 256V
120 Points -31%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
119.7 Points -31%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-78-100, Micron 2400 MTFDKBA1T0QFM
108 Points -38%
Geekbench 6.4 / Multi-Core
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP0512Z
15128 Points +2%
Average Apple M4 (10 cores)
  (14690 - 15173, n=5)
14993 Points +1%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP1024Z
14901 Points
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-78-100, Micron 2400 MTFDKBA1T0QFM
14256 Points -4%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
14220 Points -5%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
7596 Points -49%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
7596 Points -49%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
M3 10-Core GPU, M3, Apple SSD AP0512Z
12066 Points -19%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
11037 Points -26%
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 256V
10952 Points -27%
Geekbench 6.4 / Single-Core
Average Apple M4 (10 cores)
  (3655 - 3838, n=5)
3733 Points +2%
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP0512Z
3673 Points 0%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP1024Z
3655 Points
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
M3 10-Core GPU, M3, Apple SSD AP0512Z
3130 Points -14%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
2812 Points -23%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
1896 Points -48%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
1896 Points -48%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
2795 Points -24%
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 256V
2680 Points -27%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-78-100, Micron 2400 MTFDKBA1T0QFM
2454 Points -33%
Power Consumption: Cinebench 2024 Single Power Efficiency - external Monitor | Cinebench 2024 Multi Power Efficiency - external Monitor
Power Consumption / Cinebench 2024 Single Power Efficiency - external Monitor
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP0512Z
13.6 Points per Watt +1%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP1024Z
13.5 Points per Watt
Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 8C GPU
M3 8-Core GPU, M3
12.7 Points per Watt -6%
Asus ZenBook A14 UX3407QA
Adreno X1-45 1.7 TFLOPS, SD X1-26-100, Micron 2500 1TB MTFDKBA1T0QGN
8.28 Points per Watt -39%
Asus Vivobook S 14 OLED S5406SA
Arc 130V, Core Ultra 5 226V, Micron 2500 MTFDKBA512QGN
6.04 Points per Watt -55%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8 Copilot+
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung MZ9L4512HBLU-00BMV
5.89 Points per Watt -56%
Honor MagicBook Art 14 Snapdragon
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Micron MT001TAYAX8U40
5.86 Points per Watt -57%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
5.25 Points per Watt -61%
Asus ZenBook Duo OLED UX8406CA
Arc 140T, Ultra 9 285H, Western Digital PC SN5000S SDEQNSJ-1T00
3.9 Points per Watt -71%
Xiaomi RedmiBook 14 2025
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, Core 5 220H, YMTC PC411-1TB
3.68 Points per Watt -73%
Asus Zenbook S 16 UM5606-RK333W
Radeon 890M, Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, Micron 2400 MTFDKBA1T0QFM
3.64 Points per Watt -73%
Asus ROG Flow Z13 GZ302EA-RU073W
Radeon RX 8060S, Ryzen AI Max+ 395, Kioxia BG6 KBG60ZNS1T02
2.62 Points per Watt -81%
Power Consumption / Cinebench 2024 Multi Power Efficiency - external Monitor
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP1024Z
33.7 Points per Watt
Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 8C GPU
M3 8-Core GPU, M3
28.3 Points per Watt -16%
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP0512Z
24.8 Points per Watt -26%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8 Copilot+
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung MZ9L4512HBLU-00BMV
22.2 Points per Watt -34%
Asus Zenbook S 16 UM5606-RK333W
Radeon 890M, Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, Micron 2400 MTFDKBA1T0QFM
19.7 Points per Watt -42%
Asus ZenBook Duo OLED UX8406CA
Arc 140T, Ultra 9 285H, Western Digital PC SN5000S SDEQNSJ-1T00
18.5 Points per Watt -45%
Asus ZenBook A14 UX3407QA
Adreno X1-45 1.7 TFLOPS, SD X1-26-100, Micron 2500 1TB MTFDKBA1T0QGN
17.9 Points per Watt -47%
Honor MagicBook Art 14 Snapdragon
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Micron MT001TAYAX8U40
17.1 Points per Watt -49%
Asus ROG Flow Z13 GZ302EA-RU073W
Radeon RX 8060S, Ryzen AI Max+ 395, Kioxia BG6 KBG60ZNS1T02
14.7 Points per Watt -56%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
14.1 Points per Watt -58%
Xiaomi RedmiBook 14 2025
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, Core 5 220H, YMTC PC411-1TB
12.9 Points per Watt -62%
Asus Vivobook S 14 OLED S5406SA
Arc 130V, Core Ultra 5 226V, Micron 2500 MTFDKBA512QGN
12.3 Points per Watt -64%
Power Consumption: Cinebench 2024 Single Power Efficiency - external Monitor | Cinebench 2024 Multi Power Efficiency - external Monitor
Cinebench R23 Multi Core
12335 Points
Cinebench R23 Single Core
2165 Points
Cinebench 2024 CPU Single Core
173 Points
Cinebench 2024 CPU Multi Core
874 Points
Help

System performance

AmorphousMemoryMark
AmorphousMemoryMark

The new MacBook Air 15 M4 is a very fast laptop and its results in the synthetic benchmarks were impressive. In the cross-platform CrossMark test, the MacBook outperformed the entire Windows competition. 16 GB RAM is installed as standard and a maximum of 32 GB RAM can now be selected ($400 surcharge).

CrossMark: Overall | Productivity | Creativity | Responsiveness
WebXPRT 3: Overall
WebXPRT 4: Overall
Mozilla Kraken 1.1: Total
CrossMark / Overall
Average Apple M4 (10 cores), Apple M4 10-core GPU
  (1944 - 2066, n=4)
2010 Points +2%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP1024Z
1978 Points
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
M3 10-Core GPU, M3, Apple SSD AP0512Z
1857 Points -6%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
1742 Points -12%
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 256V
1663 Points -16%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (365 - 1978, n=64, last 2 years)
1568 Points -21%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
1385 Points -30%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-78-100, Micron 2400 MTFDKBA1T0QFM
978 Points -51%
CrossMark / Productivity
Average Apple M4 (10 cores), Apple M4 10-core GPU
  (1797 - 1933, n=4)
1881 Points +1%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP1024Z
1871 Points
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
M3 10-Core GPU, M3, Apple SSD AP0512Z
1728 Points -8%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
1684 Points -10%
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 256V
1612 Points -14%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (364 - 1875, n=64, last 2 years)
1508 Points -19%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
1303 Points -30%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-78-100, Micron 2400 MTFDKBA1T0QFM
913 Points -51%
CrossMark / Creativity
Average Apple M4 (10 cores), Apple M4 10-core GPU
  (2298 - 2420, n=4)
2365 Points +3%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP1024Z
2298 Points
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
M3 10-Core GPU, M3, Apple SSD AP0512Z
2210 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
1977 Points -14%
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 256V
1862 Points -19%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (372 - 2298, n=64, last 2 years)
1727 Points -25%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
1496 Points -35%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-78-100, Micron 2400 MTFDKBA1T0QFM
1090 Points -53%
CrossMark / Responsiveness
Average Apple M4 (10 cores), Apple M4 10-core GPU
  (1393 - 1569, n=4)
1505 Points +1%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP1024Z
1490 Points
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
M3 10-Core GPU, M3, Apple SSD AP0512Z
1367 Points -8%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (312 - 1899, n=64, last 2 years)
1333 Points -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
1322 Points -11%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
1320 Points -11%
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 256V
1301 Points -13%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-78-100, Micron 2400 MTFDKBA1T0QFM
869 Points -42%
WebXPRT 3 / Overall
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP1024Z
479 Points
Average Apple M4 (10 cores), Apple M4 10-core GPU
  (430 - 479, n=4)
464 Points -3%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
M3 10-Core GPU, M3, Apple SSD AP0512Z
448 Points -6%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
444 Points -7%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-78-100, Micron 2400 MTFDKBA1T0QFM
419 Points -13%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (156 - 479, n=64, last 2 years)
311 Points -35%
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 256V
306 Points -36%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
291 Points -39%
WebXPRT 4 / Overall
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP1024Z
348 Points
Average Apple M4 (10 cores), Apple M4 10-core GPU
  (315 - 348, n=4)
333 Points -4%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
M3 10-Core GPU, M3, Apple SSD AP0512Z
315 Points -9%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
313 Points -10%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-78-100, Micron 2400 MTFDKBA1T0QFM
285 Points -18%
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 256V
284 Points -18%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
281 Points -19%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (132 - 348, n=64, last 2 years)
261 Points -25%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 / Total
Average of class Subnotebook
  (278 - 1104, n=71, last 2 years)
516 ms * -85%
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 256V
474 ms * -70%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
471 ms * -69%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-78-100, Micron 2400 MTFDKBA1T0QFM
454.4 ms * -63%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
399.4 ms * -43%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
M3 10-Core GPU, M3, Apple SSD AP0512Z
363.1 ms * -30%
Average Apple M4 (10 cores), Apple M4 10-core GPU
  (262 - 319, n=4)
281 ms * -1%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP1024Z
278.4 ms *

* ... smaller is better

Storage device

AmorphousDiskMark
AmorphousDiskMark

Its RAM is now at least 16 GB, but the MacBook's SSD capacity still starts at 256 GB. The 1-TB SSD (onboard) in our test device raises its total price by a whopping $600. Its transfer rates aren't particularly fast at a maximum of 3 GB/s, but this is good enough for everyday use. After first starting up the device, users have 955 GB at their disposal.

Blackmagic Disk Speed Test: 5GB Read | 5GB Write
Blackmagic Disk Speed Test / 5GB Read
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2024 M4 Pro
Apple SSD AP2048Z
5401.3 MB/s +86%
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4 Pro Entry
Apple SSD AP1024Z
5175 MB/s +78%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 M4 Max
Apple SSD AP1024Z
5060.9 MB/s +74%
Average Apple SSD AP1024Z
  (2797 - 5175, n=8)
3667 MB/s +26%
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
Apple SSD AP0512Z
3028 MB/s +4%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple SSD AP0512Z
2947.8 MB/s +2%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple SSD AP1024Z
2904 MB/s
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2848 - 2948, n=4, last 2 years)
2901 MB/s 0%
Apple Mac Mini M4
Apple SSD AP0256Z
1326.6 MB/s -54%
Blackmagic Disk Speed Test / 5GB Write
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2024 M4 Pro
Apple SSD AP2048Z
6713.2 MB/s +122%
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4 Pro Entry
Apple SSD AP1024Z
6431 MB/s +113%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 M4 Max
Apple SSD AP1024Z
6242.8 MB/s +106%
Average Apple SSD AP1024Z
  (2873 - 6431, n=8)
4218 MB/s +39%
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
Apple SSD AP0512Z
3426 MB/s +13%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple SSD AP0512Z
3217.8 MB/s +6%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2873 - 3243, n=4, last 2 years)
3089 MB/s +2%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple SSD AP1024Z
3023.9 MB/s
Apple Mac Mini M4
Apple SSD AP0256Z
1927.7 MB/s -36%

Graphics card

During our test, the performance of the M4 GPU with 10 cores was very good, especially in direct comparison with the Lunar Lake iGPU. Its performance was also comparable with the M4 MacBook Pro—at least during short benchmarks. Under longer load, the GPU's performance dropped by around 22%. Its gaming performance also proved to be quite good, although the availability of native titles (such as Baldur's Gate 3 in this case) is still the limiting factor here.

3DMark: Steel Nomad Light Score | Wild Life Extreme | Wild Life Extreme Unlimited
GFXBench: 3840x2160 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | 2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
Geekbench 6.4: GPU Metal | GPU OpenCL
3DMark / Steel Nomad Light Score
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 (10 cores)
3932 Points +2%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 (10 cores)
3839 Points
Average Apple M4 10-core GPU
  (3583 - 3989, n=5)
3787 Points -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Arc Graphics 140V, Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
3227 Points -16%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (1034 - 3839, n=16, last 2 years)
2429 Points -37%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100
2000 Points -48%
3DMark / Wild Life Extreme
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 (10 cores)
9162 Points +5%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 (10 cores)
8735 Points
Average Apple M4 10-core GPU
  (7335 - 9162, n=4)
8480 Points -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Arc Graphics 140V, Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
7331 Points -16%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
6303 Points -28%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (659 - 8735, n=16, last 2 years)
5244 Points -40%
3DMark / Wild Life Extreme Unlimited
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 (10 cores)
9628 Points +6%
Average Apple M4 10-core GPU
  (8457 - 9636, n=5)
9140 Points +1%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 (10 cores)
9092 Points
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3 10-Core GPU, Apple M3
8286 Points -9%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Arc Graphics 140V, Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
7068 Points -22%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100
6323 Points -30%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2798 - 9092, n=28, last 2 years)
6002 Points -34%
GFXBench / 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 (10 cores)
59.8 fps +7%
Average Apple M4 10-core GPU
  (48.6 - 63.1, n=5)
56.5 fps +1%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 (10 cores)
55.9 fps
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3 10-Core GPU, Apple M3
52.6 fps -6%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100
49.6 fps -11%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (16.3 - 88.9, n=15, last 2 years)
41.6 fps -26%
GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 (10 cores)
136.6 fps +11%
Average Apple M4 10-core GPU
  (105.4 - 144, n=5)
124.8 fps +1%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 (10 cores)
123.3 fps
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3 10-Core GPU, Apple M3
120 fps -3%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100
105.7 fps -14%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (37.4 - 123.3, n=14, last 2 years)
84.4 fps -32%
Geekbench 6.4 / GPU Metal
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 (10 cores)
57998 Points +6%
Average Apple M4 10-core GPU
  (53465 - 57998, n=4)
56075 Points +2%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 (10 cores)
54887 Points
Average of class Subnotebook
  (45460 - 54887, n=4, last 2 years)
48933 Points -11%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3 10-Core GPU, Apple M3
47699 Points -13%
Geekbench 6.4 / GPU OpenCL
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 (10 cores)
38291 Points +6%
Average Apple M4 10-core GPU
  (36135 - 38291, n=3)
37441 Points +4%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 (10 cores)
36135 Points
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3 10-Core GPU, Apple M3
30470 Points -16%
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Intel Arc Graphics 140V, Intel Core Ultra 7 256V
29175 Points -19%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Arc Graphics 140V, Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
27248 Points -25%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (9516 - 52427, n=62, last 2 years)
26491 Points -27%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100
20551 Points -43%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
20104 Points -44%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
15316 Points -58%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
15316 Points -58%
3DMark Steel Nomad Light Score
3839 points
3DMark Steel Nomad Light Unlimited Score
3851 points
Help
Blender: v3.3 Classroom METAL | v3.3 Classroom CPU | v3.3 Classroom oneAPI/Intel
Blender / v3.3 Classroom METAL
Average of class Subnotebook
  (103 - 237, n=4, last 2 years)
150.8 Seconds * -46%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3 10-Core GPU, Apple M3
129 Seconds * -25%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 (10 cores)
103 Seconds *
Average Apple M4 10-core GPU
  (n=1)
103 Seconds * -0%
Blender / v3.3 Classroom CPU
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
593 Seconds * -46%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Arc Graphics 140V, Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
584 Seconds * -44%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (241 - 1127, n=68, last 2 years)
565 Seconds * -40%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100
545 Seconds * -35%
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Intel Arc Graphics 140V, Intel Core Ultra 7 256V
533 Seconds * -32%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3 10-Core GPU, Apple M3
491 Seconds * -21%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 (10 cores)
405 Seconds *
Average Apple M4 10-core GPU
  (n=1)
405 Seconds * -0%
Blender / v3.3 Classroom oneAPI/Intel
Average of class Subnotebook
  (210 - 368, n=7, last 2 years)
258 Seconds *
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Intel Arc Graphics 140V, Intel Core Ultra 7 256V
210 Seconds *

* ... smaller is better

Baldur's Gate 3 | Cyberpunk 2077 2.2 Phantom Liberty | Total War Pharaoh | Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Baldur's Gate 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4 Pro Entry
Apple M4 Pro (12 cores), Apple M4 Pro 16-Core GPU
50.3 (43min) fps +80%
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
Apple M4 (10 cores), Apple M4 10-core GPU
31.6 fps +13%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 (10 cores), Apple M4 10-core GPU
27.9 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V
25.5 fps -9%
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Intel Core Ultra 7 256V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V
24.1 fps -14%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (12.1 - 31.1, n=40, last 2 years)
22.3 fps -20%
Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU
Apple M3, Apple M3 10-Core GPU
19 fps -32%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS
17.1 fps -39%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS
16.9 fps -39%
Cyberpunk 2077 2.2 Phantom Liberty - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset (FSR off)
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4 Pro Entry
Apple M4 Pro (12 cores), Apple M4 Pro 16-Core GPU
35.7 (29min) fps +98%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V
28.2 (23.1min) fps +57%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (8.48 - 31.4, n=43, last 2 years)
20.7 fps +15%
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
Apple M4 (10 cores), Apple M4 10-core GPU
20.4 fps +13%
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Intel Core Ultra 7 256V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V
18.3 (14.1min) fps +2%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 (10 cores), Apple M4 10-core GPU
18 fps
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS
14.4 (11.2min) fps -20%
Total War Pharaoh - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4 Pro Entry
Apple M4 Pro (12 cores), Apple M4 Pro 16-Core GPU
51.4 (42min) fps +46%
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
Apple M4 (10 cores), Apple M4 10-core GPU
39.9 fps +13%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 (10 cores), Apple M4 10-core GPU
35.2 fps
Average of class Subnotebook
  (16.7 - 50, n=8, last 2 years)
31.7 fps -10%
Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU
Apple M3, Apple M3 10-Core GPU
28 fps -20%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider - 1920x1080 Highest Preset AA:T
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4 Pro Entry
Apple M4 Pro (12 cores), Apple M4 Pro 16-Core GPU
76 (56min) fps +124%
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
Apple M4 (10 cores), Apple M4 10-core GPU
41 fps +21%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 (10 cores), Apple M4 10-core GPU
34 fps
Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU
Apple M3, Apple M3 10-Core GPU
30 fps -12%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (22.4 - 34, n=5, last 2 years)
28.3 fps -17%

Cyberpunk 2077 ultra FPS diagram

No graph data
lowmed.highultra
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 106 43 39 34
Baldur's Gate 3 (2023) 44.7 34.2 29.8 27.9
Cyberpunk 2077 2.2 Phantom Liberty (2023) 32.5 26.1 21.9 18
Total War Pharaoh (2023) 51.1 45.7 44.5 35.2

Emissions & energy

Noise emissions

The MacBook Air 15 continues to be passively cooled and, as a result, is completely silent in every situation, which is simply a huge advantage over its Windows competitors.

Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP1024Z		Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
M3 10-Core GPU, M3, Apple SSD AP0512Z		Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00		Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ		Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 256V		Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-78-100, Micron 2400 MTFDKBA1T0QFM
Noise
off / environment *
24.4
23.3
23.2
24.3
Idle Minimum *
24.4
23.3
23.2
24.3
Idle Average *
24.4
23.3
23.2
24.3
Idle Maximum *
24.4
23.3
26.1
26.2
Load Average *
35.8
25.7
30.9
32.5
Cyberpunk 2077 ultra *
39.4
31.1
34.1
35.2
Load Maximum *
45
33.2
44.3
39.8

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Despite its passive cooling, the laptop's surface temperatures were uncritical during our test, with us measuring a maximum of 45 °C even under full load. So during normal everyday use, the MacBook Air will always stay very cool. Even its 35-watt power supply didn't get excessively warm at a maximum of 43 °C. During the stress test under combined CPU/GPU load, the SoC initially consumed 29 watts, but this quickly dropped to around 9 watts.

Max. Load
 42 °C
108 F		44.9 °C
113 F		37.4 °C
99 F		 
 39.4 °C
103 F		38.7 °C
102 F		35.4 °C
96 F		 
 33.4 °C
92 F		29.7 °C
85 F		31.8 °C
89 F		 
Maximum: 44.9 °C = 113 F
Average: 37 °C = 99 F
39.1 °C
102 F		43.9 °C
111 F		41.2 °C
106 F
38.2 °C
101 F		40.2 °C
104 F		39 °C
102 F
32.2 °C
90 F		33.5 °C
92 F		33.7 °C
93 F
Maximum: 43.9 °C = 111 F
Average: 37.9 °C = 100 F
Power Supply (max.)  43.1 °C = 110 F | Room Temperature 21 °C = 70 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated), Voltcraft IR-900
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 37 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 30.8 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 44.9 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 43.9 °C / 111 F, compared to the average of 39.3 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.1 °C / 74 F, compared to the device average of 30.8 °C / 87 F.
(±) 3: The average temperature for the upper side is 37.3 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 30.8 °C / 87 F for the class Subnotebook.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (35.5 °C / 95.9 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.2 °C / 82.8 F (-7.3 °C / -13.1 F).
Surface temperatures stress test (top)
Surface temperatures stress test (top)
Surface temperatures stress test (bottom)
Surface temperatures stress test (bottom)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 (10 cores), Apple M4 10-core GPU		Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3, Apple M3 10-Core GPU		Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V		Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS		Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Intel Core Ultra 7 256V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V		Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS
Heat
1%
2%
6%
-21%
-12%
Maximum Upper Side *
44.9
44.3
1%
42.1
6%
45.4
-1%
46.2
-3%
43.6
3%
Maximum Bottom *
43.9
43.4
1%
39.5
10%
37.2
15%
41
7%
53.1
-21%
Idle Upper Side *
23.4
23.1
1%
24.5
-5%
22.4
4%
34
-45%
26.7
-14%
Idle Bottom *
23.5
23.3
1%
24.4
-4%
22
6%
33.8
-44%
27.2
-16%

* ... smaller is better

05101520Tooltip
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4 M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP1024Z; Cinebench R23 Multi + 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test CPU Power: Ø4 (3.391-14.396)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3 M3 10-Core GPU, M3, Apple SSD AP0512Z; Cinebench R23 Multi + 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test CPU Power: Ø3.02 (2.13-17.607)
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4 M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP0512Z; Cinebench R23 Multi + 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test CPU Power: Ø13.8 (9.944-20.067)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4 M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP1024Z; Cinebench R23 Multi + 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test GPU Power: Ø5.15 (3.976-15.028)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3 M3 10-Core GPU, M3, Apple SSD AP0512Z; Cinebench R23 Multi + 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test GPU Power: Ø9.82 (7.515-15.154)
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4 M4 10-Core GPU, M4 (10 cores), Apple SSD AP0512Z; Cinebench R23 Multi + 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test GPU Power: Ø15.4 (14.797-18.184)

Speakers

The Mac's sound system is unchanged, still consisting of 6 speakers whose overall quality is very good—but the competition has since caught up and is on a comparable level.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2040.541.32531.532.53128.730.84036.335.65031.134.66328.739.78021.349.510021.754.412520.161.916018.856.420017.96425019.56831516.171.240013.270.750012.170.863012.27080011.368100010.868.412501172.6160011.174200011.472.4250011.669.4315012.172.5400012.377.1500012.677.1630012.776800012.876.9100001372.11250012.970.51600012.360.9SPL24.585.8N0.670median 12.6median 70.7Delta2.42.540.440.93140.530.138.233.538.732.137.534.539.323.94422.549.120.456.218.559.218.665.820.466.616.96913.167.611.768.811.175.810.480.51075.510.672.110.673.911.172.411.373.511.974.112.176.912.273.212.476.612.578.612.57812.975.212.164.724.487.50.678.2median 12.2median 73.52.94.631.428.331.424.322.524.319.720.819.722.42322.427.922.427.928.124.128.135.22235.24017.74046.518.246.553145356.813.956.862.414.262.464.516.464.565.113.165.169.311.269.367.310.367.366.210.166.270.19.570.170.79.370.771.29.471.270.29.770.267.810.167.87310.4736810.96867.511.567.561.211.961.262.412.162.465.612.565.665.312.165.360.412.560.48123.28151.30.551.3median 65.6median 11.9median 65.641.9433.63233.625.421.725.421.721.221.722.718.722.724.619.524.633.922.533.954.520.254.559.917.859.962.316.762.368.513.868.567.815.667.868.514.868.572.516.772.572.913.672.972.611.472.671.711.871.773.29.873.271.69.271.669.99.669.969.89.669.870.61070.675.310.375.373.110.873.169.211.269.271.111.371.166.411.466.468.511.768.568.911.768.970.411.570.467.21167.283.523.283.563.80.563.8median 69.9median 11.4median 69.92.21.82.236.242.428.534.227.53031.729.629.529.727.529.221.332.125.241.618.951.617.158.317.562.118.165.31563.612.562.911.364.711.969.310.771.810.769.110.767.410.864.911.167.511.865.112.167.412.463.312.569.212.767.112.969.413.271.91368.312.559.524.379.90.651median 12.5median 65.32.74.3hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseApple MacBook Air 15 M4Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura EditionMicrosoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X EliteLenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 AuraAsus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 8.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 1.6% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (2.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 2% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 98% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 1% of all tested devices were better, 0% similar, 98% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%

Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (87.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 12.5% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (9.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 0% of all tested devices in this class were better, 0% similar, 99% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 21%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%

Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (11.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 2% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 97% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 21%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 6% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 92% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(+) | good bass - only 4.2% away from median
(+) | bass is linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 1.7% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (1.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (5.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 1% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 98% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 0% of all tested devices were better, 0% similar, 100% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%

Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (79.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 8.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.7% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (9.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 10% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 89% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 4% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%

Power consumption

Its consumption values are practically identical to those of the predecessor model. The IPS panel still requires a relatively high amount of power at full brightness, and the Air consumes more than its rivals. During the stress test, the 35-watt power supply was only the limiting factor for a few seconds and was sufficient in total—but there didn't seem to be much reserve for charging the battery at the same time. An optional 70-watt power supply can be selected at no extra charge.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.17 / 0.3 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.2 / 11.5 / 11.6 Watt
Load midlight 34.5 / 37.5 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 (10 cores), M4 10-Core GPU, Apple SSD AP1024Z, IPS, 2880x1864, 15.3"		Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
M3, M3 10-Core GPU, Apple SSD AP0512Z, IPS, 2880x1664, 15.6"		Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00, OLED, 2880x1800, 15.3"		Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ, IPS, 2496x1664, 15"		Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Core Ultra 7 256V, Arc 140V, , IPS, 2880x1800, 15.3"		Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
SD X Elite X1E-78-100, Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Micron 2400 MTFDKBA1T0QFM, OLED, 2880x1620, 15.6"
Power Consumption
1%
-16%
-28%
-42%
-30%
Idle Minimum *
2.2
2.15
2%
2.4
-9%
3
-36%
3.4
-55%
4.4
-100%
Idle Average *
11.5
11.2
3%
3.9
66%
8.3
28%
8.8
23%
6.2
46%
Idle Maximum *
11.6
11.5
1%
5.1
56%
8.4
28%
9.3
20%
7.5
35%
Load Average *
34.5
35.8
-4%
42.5
-23%
34.3
1%
45.4
-32%
33.6
3%
Cyberpunk 2077 ultra *
24.4
43.5
-78%
45.8
-88%
49.4
-102%
39
-60%
Cyberpunk 2077 ultra external monitor *
26.2
40.2
-53%
41
-56%
44.8
-71%
38.9
-48%
Load Maximum *
37.5
37.2
1%
64.4
-72%
65.2
-74%
66.3
-77%
69.3
-85%
Witcher 3 ultra *
29.6
29.9

* ... smaller is better

Power consumption Cyberpunk / stress test

05101520253035Tooltip
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4; 1280x720 Prime95 28.10 and Furmark 1.25: Ø36.4 (34.7-37.5)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø4.76 (4.73-4.92)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4; Cyberpunk 2077 FHD ultra no FSR 150cd: Ø24.4 (23.2-28.1)

Power consumption with external monitor

05101520253035Tooltip
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4; Cinebench R23 Single (external Monitor): Ø11.9 (11.2-16.5)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4; Cinebench R23 Multi (external Monitor): Ø29.7 (26.6-37.3)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4; Idle 1min (external Monitor): Ø2.81 (2.77-2.91)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4; Cyberpunk 2077 FHD ultra no FSR (external Monitor): Ø26.2 (22.7-31.6)

Runtimes

There are only minimal changes to its battery life compared to the old model. During the WLAN test at 150 cd/m², we noted a runtime of 16.5 hours and at full brightness, it was only 6:45 hours—this matches its consumption values. The Air achieved almost 19 hours in the video test. Considering the battery's capacity, these are good results, but the ThinkPad X9 lasted longer during all scenarios (especially at maximum brightness). Its charging time using the 35-watt power supply is a long 02:44 hours.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
16h 28min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness
6h 45min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
18h 54min
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 (10 cores), M4 10-Core GPU, 66.5 Wh		Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
M3, M3 10-Core GPU, 66.5 Wh		Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V, 80 Wh		Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, 64 Wh		Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Core Ultra 7 256V, Arc 140V, 70 Wh		Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
SD X Elite X1E-78-100, Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, 70 Wh		Average of class Subnotebook
 
Battery Runtime
1%
14%
-10%
-5%
-22%
-20%
H.264
1134
1116
-2%
1378
22%
976
-14%
885
-22%
955 ?(527 - 1425, n=32, last 2 years)
-16%
WiFi v1.3
988
1016
3%
1048
6%
889
-10%
1025
4%
783
-21%
752 ?(389 - 1585, n=68, last 2 years)
-24%

Notebookcheck total rating

Apple MacBook Air 15 M4 - 03/11/2025 v8
Andreas Osthoff

Chassis
88 / 98 → 90%
Keyboard
91%
Pointing Device
99%
Connectivity
65 / 74 → 87%
Weight
69 / 20-77 → 86%
Battery
91%
Display
86%
Games Performance
58 / 75 → 78%
Application Performance
92 / 92 → 100%
Temperature
88%
Noise
100%
Audio
91 / 91 → 100%
Camera
48 / 75 → 64%
Average
75%
91%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average
CO2 Emissions
77.4%
Materials
50%
Packaging
100%
Power Use
90.4%
Repairability
0%
Software Updates
50%
Recycle Logo Total Sustainability Score: 61.3%

Possible alternatives compared

Image
Model / Review
Price
Weight
Height
Display
1.
91.2%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 (10 cores) ⎘
Apple M4 10-core GPU ⎘
16 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD		Amazon:
1. $1,149.00
Apple 2025 MacBook Air 15-in...
2. $1,099.00
Apple 2024 MacBook Air 13-in...
3. $10.99
EooCoo Case Compatible with ...
List Price: 1999€		1.5 kg11.5 mm15.30"
2880x1864
224 PPI
IPS
2.
90.1%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V ⎘
Intel Arc Graphics 140V ⎘
32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD		Amazon:
1. $39.99
Smatree Hard EVA Protective ...
2. $43.99
Smatree Hard Laptop Sleeve f...
3. $49.99
Smatree 15.3 inch Laptop Sle...
List Price: 1989€		1.4 kg17.7 mm15.30"
2880x1800
222 PPI
OLED
3.
84.3%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 ⎘
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS ⎘
16 GB Memory, 256 GB SSD		Amazon: $1,399.99
List Price: 1100 USD		1.7 kg18.29 mm15.00"
2496x1664
200 PPI
IPS
4.
84.3%
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9 Aura
Intel Core Ultra 7 256V ⎘
Intel Arc Graphics 140V ⎘
16 GB Memory		Amazon:
1. $10.99
KEANBOLL 3 Pack Designed for...
2. $15.88
MUBUY-GOL Anti Blue Light Sc...
3. $869.97
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Copilot ...
List Price: 1380 USD		1.5 kg13.9 mm15.30"
2880x1800
222 PPI
IPS
5.
83.3%
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Snapdragon
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 ⎘
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS ⎘
16 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD		Amazon:
1. $849.99
ASUS Vivobook S 15 Laptop; C...
2. $729.00
ASUS Vivobook S 15 Business ...
3. $1,199.99
ASUS Vivobook S 15 Laptop; C...
List Price: 1299€		1.4 kg15.9 mm15.60"
2880x1620
212 PPI
OLED
6.
91.6% v7 (old)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3 ⎘
Apple M3 10-Core GPU ⎘
16 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD		Amazon:
List Price: 2059€		1.5 kg11.5 mm15.60"
2880x1664
IPS

Transparency

The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was provided to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or retailer for the purpose of this review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. We never accept compensation or payment in return for our reviews. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.

This is how Notebookcheck is testing

Every year, Notebookcheck independently reviews hundreds of laptops and smartphones using standardized procedures to ensure that all results are comparable. We have continuously developed our test methods for around 20 years and set industry standards in the process. In our test labs, high-quality measuring equipment is utilized by experienced technicians and editors. These tests involve a multi-stage validation process. Our complex rating system is based on hundreds of well-founded measurements and benchmarks, which maintains objectivity. Further information on our test methods can be found here.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Apple MacBook Air 15 M4 review - The fanless M4 SoC is years ahead of the competition
Andreas Osthoff, 2025-03-11 (Update: 2025-03-11)