Upgrade or no?

Is the new M4 MacBook Air worth it?

Author

Leander Kahney
March 07, 2025

I keep seeing complaints on the socials about how Apple compared the new M4 MacBook Air to an older Intel MacBook Air (circa 1843!).

The new machine is 23 times faster than the fastest Intel-based Air, Apple said in its launch press release.

But why is Apple making comparisons to some long-discontinued dinosaur? Is it just to make the numbers look better?

Analyst Ben Bajarin provides the answer. According to his estimates, more than half the MacBook Air installed base is still running on Intel.

Viewed in that light, the comparisons make perfect sense!

What if you own a newer MacBook, though, like one running an M1, M2 or even an M3 chip?

What are the differences, and is it worth the upgrade?

Also in today’s newsletter:

  • I’m no fan of the British royal family, and at first glance, a radio show of King Charles’ favorite tunes being broadcast by Apple Music 1 next week sounds absolutely ghastly. But perhaps it won’t be all military marching bands. Looks like King Chucky has eclectic tastes.

  • While the upcoming iPhone 17 Air promises to be super-slim, its Pro Max sibling might get even max-ier — but for good reason.

  • It’s official: Apple is delaying the smarter Siri. This is a bummer, but sounds wise (although Apple’s rep for AI laggardness is gonna take another hit). Amazon plans to roll out its smarter Alexa this month, btw.

  • I’m a huge fan of the entry-level iPad, which I think offers tremendous value for a great, inexpensive tablet. The newest version is already pretty well-priced (it debuted at $100 cheaper than its predecessor), and this first deal knocks off a few extra bucks.

  • We recap the latest episode of Severance — and there’s a huge plot twist!

  • I’ve already got RSI just looking at the twisty touchpad/split-keyboard config of this off-kilter setup. My neck’s starting to crick, too.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

M3 vs. M4 MacBook Air: Are subtle refinements worth the upgrade?

Apple’s M4 MacBook Air brings subtle yet useful upgrades. Discover them all in our in-depth M3 vs. M4 MacBook Air comparison.

When it comes to making Siri smarter, the struggle is real

Apple says the smarter Siri promised at WWDC24 is delayed, confirming previous rumors. We might see promised upgrades "in the coming year."

iPhone 17 Pro Max might get thicker, but for a good reason

A thicker design for the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro Max might be a price worth paying to be able to use it longer.

A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team

First deal on iPad 11 slices $20 off Apple's new entry-level tablet

A new iPad deal offers big discounts on multiple models of Apple's tablet, including the entry-level iPad 11 with 128GB storage.

What happens when you report a spam text?

How can you report a spam text you get on your iPhone, and what happens when you report it? Where does the report go?

‘Severance’: Wavering Lumon loyalist faces demons, finds revelation [Apple TV+ recap]

In our "Severance" season 2, episode 8 recap, we get a huge plot twist.

A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team

$40 lifetime subscription gives you access to ChatGPT, Mistral AI and more, all in one place

Get an AI tool that brings top AI models like ChatGPT, Mistral AI and more together in one interface. Enter 1minAI, the all-in-one AI tool.

Today in Apple history: Macintosh Portrait Display goes large (and vertical)

On March 7, 1989, Apple introduced the Macintosh Portrait Display, an impressive, 15-inch vertical grayscale monitor for desktop publishing.

Smoothly integrate 2 Macs in 1 workstation [Setups]

When it comes to using 2 Macs in 1 setup, easy integration methods using Mac functionality and one hardware addition can help.

Tweets of the day

Wallpaper of the day

One more thing ...

❝

My heroes: Dave Packard, for example, left all his money to his foundation; Bob Noyce [the late co-founder of Intel] was another. I'm old enough to have been able to know these guys. I met Andy Grove when I was 21. I called him and told him I'd heard he was really good at operations and asked if I could take him out to lunch. I did that with others, too. These guys were all company builders, and the gestalt of Silicon Valley at that time made a big impression on me. There are people around here who start companies just to make money, but the great companies, well, that's not what they're about.

— Steve Jobs, 1998.

Today’s poll

Is Apple being too cautious about smarter Siri?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Results from yesterday’s poll: If you were forced to choose: MacBook Air or iPad Air?

Best reader comments

Subscribe to The Weekender — Get the week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.

Reply

or to participate.