MacBook Air M4 (2025) Is Here, But Is It Worth ₹99,900?

All new Apple’s MacBook Air M4 looks good on paper, but a deeper dive reveals some cracks.

Slick, Silent, and... Still the Same?

Here’s the Apple MacBook Air M4 (2025). and the launch is starting with all the usual fanfare—glossy product images, spec slides, AI pitches—but look under that familiar aluminum lid and not much has changed. If you thought this would be a big step up, it’s time to manage your expectations. This isn’t a dig at Apple’s engineering; this is a reality check for the everyday user considering spending ₹99,900 (or more) on a laptop that may not move the needle where it matters.

1. Same Design, Slightly Faster Chip—Is That Enough?

At first glance, the M4 MacBook Air could pass off as an M2 or M3. That’s because the design hasn’t changed—same ports, same chassis, same display—and the M4 chip is 25% faster than the M3, but that kind of boost is only noticeable during demanding workloads like 3D rendering or video editing. Actual everyday browsing, note-taking, light coding, etc., and you probably won’t notice the difference.

2. Repair Nightmares Continue

Despite the pressure around Right to Repair, Apple hasn’t backed down. According to teardown experts, the MacBook Air M4 still has glued batteries, soldered storage, and restricted parts pairing. So:

• DIY repairs are a pain.

• Swapping parts will disable True Tone.

• Your repair options are limited to Apple-authorized centers, which are expensive.

This is not good for long-term device sustainability, especially as environmental marketing ramps up.

3. Thermal Throttling in a Fanless Body

Silence has a cost. The M4 MacBook Air is fanless and quiet, but it throttles performance when it gets hot. Benchmarks show noticeable slowdowns during long workloads—think video exports, game sessions, or running large datasets.

“The Air is fast… until it gets warm. Then the slowdown kicks in hard.” — TechRadar, April 2025

4. Two Ports and a Dongle Problem

The port situation hasn’t changed. You still get:

• 2 x Thunderbolt/USB 4

• 1 x MagSafe 3 charging port

That’s it.

No USB-A, no SD card reader, no HDMI. If you’re a student or pro juggling external drives, projectors, or accessories, you’ll need to buy a hub. Again.

5. 256GB Base Storage Is No Longer Enough

The base model has 16GB RAM but 256GB SSD—an odd decision in 2025. To make matters worse, that SSD is a single NAND chip setup, which is much slower than the 512GB version in real-world read/write speeds.

This will affect app loading, file transfers, and even multitasking fluidity.

“You’re paying a premium but the base model still underdelivers on speed and capacity.” — Mashable, April 2025

6. Display Still Lags Behind

The MacBook Air’s display is great, but it’s missing:

• ProMotion (120Hz)

• HDR

• Anti-reflective coatings (on standard models)

All of these are now standard on many Windows laptops in this price range. Apple saves its best display tech for the Pro line—again.

7. Unfixable Security Flaws Remain

Security researchers have found low-level vulnerabilities in Apple Silicon—M1 through M3 and likely M4 as well. These are baked into the chip and can’t be patched via software. If you handle sensitive data, this is a big deal.

8. The Competition Offers More—for Less

You don’t have to look far to find better:

• Dell XPS 13: More ports, higher refresh rate, OLED options.

• HP Spectre x360: Convertible, stylus, great battery life.

• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon: Durable, customizable, business-focused.

• Microsoft Surface Laptop 6: Native AI, sharper display.

These laptops offer flexibility and upgradability—two things Apple won’t.

The M4 Isn’t a Must-Have

The Apple MacBook Air M4 is not a bad product at all; it just lacks a groundbreaking new option. If you already have the M2 or M3, or you are buying your first computer and those all matter to you, moving forward, it wouldn't hurt to have one open to the competition. The Air M4 is only slightly improved versus the new and improved experience, and for a lot of people, it wouldn't justify their price point.

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