The Apple MacBook Air with M4 silicon bottomed out at an all‑time low of $749, a sizable 25% off its $999 sticker price and the best discount we’ve seen yet for Apple’s latest fanless laptop. If you’ve been holding out for a significant price drop on Apple’s latest‑generation Air, this is the deal that makes it go from “nice to have” to “must consider.”
The Deal’s Fine Print: Specs and What to Expect
This deal is for the 13.6‑inch MacBook Air, which features an M4 chip and a Liquid Retina display, along with MagSafe charging, two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, a 1080p camera, Wi‑Fi 6E, and Touch ID. Listings currently spotlight a configuration with unified memory and 256GB of SSD storage to handle day‑to‑day work and creative apps while being travel‑friendly. Before checking out, verify the exact memory spec in the retailer’s cart (due to inventory differences between sales).
Thanks to the new M4 platform, you get a 30%+ faster GPU with hardware‑accelerated ray tracing and a redesigned, faster CPU based on leading‑edge 3nm process technology. The Neural Engine turbocharges on‑device machine learning performance by as many as tens of trillions of operations per second, enabling powerful creative features like Image Playground and systemwide writing tools, with no need to go online.
Why This $749 Price Matters for the MacBook Air
At $749, the MacBook Air M4 is priced well below most mid‑range Windows ultrabooks and delivers class‑leading battery life and a premium design. Independent lab tests conducted by publications like Laptop Mag and Consumer Reports consistently see the MacBook Air lasting well beyond a full workday on a charge, while Apple claims up to 18 hours for video playback. And 25% off makes that level of durability and build quality accessible to students, remote workers, and frequent flyers who might otherwise suffer through the compromises of older‑generation hardware.
Real‑World Performance: How the M4 Air Feels Daily
Synthetic benchmarks such as Geekbench and Cinebench can quantify those improvements, but the more compelling story is speed of workflow. On the M4 Air, timeline scrubbing in FCPX is buttery smooth for 4K footage with light effects, final RAW photo exports in Lightroom Classic are snappy, and Xcode or VS Code builds end up being faster than all prior‑gen Airs. Thanks to the fanless design, the new GPU architecture keeps graphics and video fast in everyday use.
Neural Engine performance is amplified for AI‑assisted tasks. Local image generation and text tools are faster than ever. That’s more relevant than ever as productivity suites and app stores rely on on‑device models for privacy and responsiveness (some bending U‑turns, others in the right direction, according to analysts), a trend you see behind the many updates across widely used applications enabling AI features optimized for Apple silicon.
How It Stacks Up on Value Against Windows Rivals
Similar ultraportables with Intel Core Ultra or AMD Ryzen 7 silicon generally go for $899–$1,199 when configured with the same memory and storage. The Air’s pros remain steady: top‑tier trackpad and keyboard feel, a durable aluminum chassis, excellent iPhone and iPad integration, and strong resale value. For years, trackers of resale values and firms like IDC have said that the rate of depreciation has been slower on recent Mac laptop models when it comes to total cost of ownership over three or four years.
Considerations Before You Buy the MacBook Air M4
Storage is the primary trade‑off at this price. The 256GB SSD can get cramped quickly if you have large photo libraries or shoot in 4K, and you may need to budget for a fast external SSD over Thunderbolt for big files. The choice of ports is still minimalist, and the Air’s display is capped at 60Hz, so creators depending on high‑refresh panels or multiple external monitors will need to make sure this specific M4 model supports external displays before they buy.
If you’re willing to stretch a bit, springing for a 512GB configuration is the better long‑term play. But for the great majority of users—web, Office, messaging, light creative work—the $749 model is a nice sweet spot.
Bottom Line: Should You Grab the $749 MacBook Air?
A $749 price tag on the MacBook Air M4 is an odd one, and actually pretty forward for Apple’s latest generation. With an efficient processor in the form of the M4 chip, marathon battery life, and a design that has become the go‑to recommendation across the spectrum from beginner to ultra‑pro, this record low is exactly the kind of limited‑window deal that justifies pulling out your wallet quickly—after you double‑check the configuration and return policy.