Apple Unveils New MacBook Air Featuring M4 Chip, Sky Blue Color, and Affordable Starting Price of $999

After much anticipation, Apple has officially unveiled the latest iteration of its MacBook Air, now powered by the innovative M4 chip. Although the external design remains consistent, the upgraded processor breathes new life into the device. Alongside the chip, notable enhancements have been made to the display and various components, which will be explored in detail below.

Features of the New M4 MacBook Air

Upon first inspection, the M4 MacBook Air retains the same sleek aesthetics as its predecessor, the M3 model. Given that a redesign was recently implemented, this is an acceptable choice. The M4 MacBook Air boasts a slim profile and includes an efficient thermal solution, ensuring it maintains the same dimensions as before. The device continues to offer two display size options: 13.6 inches and 15.3 inches, echoing the sizes available in the previous release. However, there are exciting new features that set this model apart.

Apple today announced the new MacBook Air, featuring the blazing-fast performance of the M4 chip, up to 18 hours of battery life, a new 12MP Center Stage camera, and a lower starting price. It also offers support for up to two external displays in addition to the built-in display, 16GB of starting unified memory, and the incredible capabilities of macOS Sequoia with Apple Intelligence — all packed into its strikingly thin and light design that’s built to last. The new MacBook Air now comes in an all-new color — sky blue, adding to the array of midnight, starlight, and silver. It is available at a starting price of just $999 — $100 less than before — and $899 for education, presenting an incredible value for students, business professionals, or anyone seeking a blend of performance, portability, and design. With two size options, the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air models are now available for pre-order, with delivery starting Wednesday, March 12.

In addition to the new chip, the M4 MacBook Air features an upgraded 12MP Center Stage camera that allows users to be followed during video calls, enhancing the experience for users in meetings or content creation. This camera upgrade also introduces the Desk View functionality, which is particularly beneficial for content creators and live streamers. Users can now connect two 6K external displays along with the built-in screen simultaneously, offering plenty of flexibility for multitasking.

The performance capabilities of the M4 chip are noteworthy, although it’s important to clarify that the MacBook Air will not match the performance benchmarks of the MacBook Pro due to its lack of sophisticated thermal management. This could potentially lead to thermal throttling under heavy workloads, thus limiting the device’s peak performance. Nevertheless, Apple boasts that the M4 MacBook Air delivers a significant boost—approximately 20 percent improvement—over the previous M3 version.

With the M4 chip comes an increase in base RAM to 16GB, doubling the amount from the M3. Users can further upgrade to 32GB, hinting at future enhancements with Apple Intelligence coming later this year. However, specific details on upcoming features remain speculative at this stage.

Notably, Apple has lowered the price of the M4 MacBook Air significantly, with the base model now priced at $999 and the 15-inch version available for $1, 099. Pre-orders for the M4 MacBook Air begin today, with deliveries expected to commence on March 12. Keep an eye on our coverage for more updates surrounding this exciting launch.

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