Performance. Price. Battery. No B.S. Just the facts.
If you’re debating between the MacBook Air M4 and the MacBook Pro M4, you’re not alone. In 2025, both machines pack Apple’s blazing-fast new silicon, but they cater to very different power needs, workflows, and budgets. One’s built for light, fast everyday use. The other’s made to grind through pro-level workloads without breaking a sweat. So which one should you actually buy?
Let’s break it down—without the tech jargon, sales fluff, or recycled marketing lingo.
Speed Test: MacBook M4 Chip Showdown
Both machines run the new M4 chip, but Apple didn’t give them identical engines.
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MacBook Air M4: Comes with an 8-core or 10-core GPU, depending on the configuration. Fanless design. Silent. Surprisingly fast even under pressure, but throttles slightly under extended load.
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MacBook Pro M4: Starts with the full-fat M4 Pro or M4 Max chips. Includes active cooling (fans) and sustains peak performance far longer—ideal for video rendering, code compiling, or heavy multitasking.
Winner: Pro, if performance headroom matters. Air, if you want silence and speed without thermal stress.
Memory & Storage: No More Bare-Bones Specs
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Air M4 (2025) starts with 16GB RAM, finally ditching the underpowered 8GB base model. Configurable up to 32GB.
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Pro M4 starts at 18GB RAM, configurable to 36GB or 96GB for workstation-class needs.
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Both offer SSDs from 256GB to 2TB+, but remember: these are soldered. What you buy is what you’re stuck with.
Winner: Air for casual users. Pro for devs, designers, and anyone touching 4K timelines or machine learning workflows.
Battery Life: It’s Not Even Close
Apple nailed battery optimization again, but the Air wins here:
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MacBook Air M4: 16–18 hours on light workloads, 10+ hours under medium pressure. That’s two workdays on one charge.
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MacBook Pro M4: 12–14 hours under average loads, but dips under 8 if you’re pushing Final Cut or Xcode.
Winner: MacBook Air. It sips power like a monk in a desert.
Display & Ports: What You See (and Plug In) Matters
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MacBook Air: 13.6″ Liquid Retina, 60Hz, sharp but not stunning. Two Thunderbolt/USB4 ports + MagSafe. No HDMI. No SD card.
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MacBook Pro: Mini-LED XDR, 120Hz ProMotion, up to 1600 nits. Real HDR. Comes with HDMI, SD card, three Thunderbolt ports, and MagSafe.
Winner: Pro, hands down. But you’re paying for every pixel and port.
Webcam & Audio: Work From Home-Ready?
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Air M4: 12MP Centre Stage webcam. Solid. Much better than the old 720p joke.
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Pro M4: Same 12MP cam, but better mic array and louder speakers with more bass.
Winner: Pro—especially if you’re Zooming into boardrooms or podcasting in your closet.
Thermal Design & Longevity
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Air: Fanless. Sleek. But under stress, it throttles.
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Pro: Cooled. Sustains load without blinking. Built to last in heavy-duty use cycles.
Winner: Pro for creatives and engineers. Air for everyday warriors.
Pricing: Value vs. Premium
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MacBook Air M4 (13”) starts at £999 / $999, and it’s honestly a steal for what it offers now.
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MacBook Pro M4 starts at £1,599 / $1,599, and climbs fast with upgrades.
Price-to-performance winner? MacBook Air. No question. It’s cheaper, lighter, and punches way above its weight.
Which One Should You Buy?
Ask yourself this:
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Do you edit 4K video, build software, or crunch big datasets? Get the MacBook Pro M4.
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Do you browse, email, Zoom, write, or do creative work without pushing GPU limits? The MacBook Air M4 is more than enough—and $600 cheaper.
The Air M4 is the best all-around laptop Apple’s ever made for students, freelancers, and remote workers.
The Pro M4 is built for professionals who make money from every second of render time.
Quick Specs Comparison
| Spec | MacBook Air M4 | MacBook Pro M4 |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 13.6″ Retina (60Hz) | 14″/16″ XDR (120Hz) |
| CPU | Apple M4 (8/10-core GPU) | M4 Pro / M4 Max |
| RAM | 16–32GB | 18–96GB |
| Battery | Up to 18h | Up to 14h |
| Webcam | 12MP Centre Stage | 12MP Centre Stage |
| Ports | 2x USB-C + MagSafe | 3x USB-C + HDMI + SD |
| Weight | 1.24kg | 1.55kg–2.15kg |
| Price | From $999 | From $1,599 |
FAQ: MacBook Air M4 vs Pro M4
Q: Is the MacBook Air M4 good enough for coding?
Yes—for most developers, yes. Unless you’re compiling massive projects, the M4 flies. If you’re doing iOS dev or AI work, the Pro might be smarter.
Q: Can the MacBook Air M4 handle 4K video editing?
Light edits, yes. Heavy timelines? Not ideal. Go Pro if video is your job.
Q: Is there any reason to get the Pro if I don’t use Final Cut or Logic?
Not really. You’ll just be overpaying for horsepower you won’t tap into.
Q: Does the Air overheat?
Nope. It runs cool and silent 95% of the time. It’ll only throttle if pushed beyond its thermal ceiling—and even then, it stays responsive.
Q: Are either of them upgradable later?
No. What you buy is what you live with. Upgrade RAM and storage now—or regret it later.
Bottom line:
Unless you’re working in a creative or technical field that demands raw horsepower, the MacBook Air M4 is the smarter buy in 2025. It’s sleek, fast, efficient, and now finally starts with proper specs.
The Pro M4 is a beast—but not everyone needs a beast to check their emails or edit a few photos.
Choose based on your workflow, not the logo.
Joyce Lewis is a talented journalist at 3Zebras, known for her insightful coverage of technology, gaming, and privacy issues. Her work delves into the human aspects of tech, from the politeness of virtual assistants to the security risks of smart toys. Joyce’s articles are engaging and informative, making complex topics accessible to a wide audience.