Apple has a staggering marketing claim for the new MacBook Air with the M4 chip.Specifically, Apple says the new MacBook Air is up to 23x faster than the last Intel-based model.However, there are some details in the fine print to be aware of.
First, Apple said it compared a new 2025 MacBook Air with a 10-core M4 chip and 32GB of RAM to a 2020 MacBook Air with a quad-core Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM.Both of the MacBook Air models were configured with a 2TB SSD.These are the best specifications that are or were available for each of these MacBook Air models.
Second, Apple said its test consisted of using the Super Resolution feature on a 4.4MB image in image editing app Pixelmator Pro — which it now owns.The feature uses machine learning to increase the resolution of images, while preserving sharpness and details.So, the up to 23x faster performance claim is tied to quite a specific task.
Here is what Apple's fine print says in full: What about other tasks? Apple provided some more comparisons: Those claims seem more realistic for most users.Ultimately, while the 23x claim might be overselling things a bit, it is true that any MacBook Air with an M1 chip or newer is dramatically faster than any Intel-based model.If you have been holding off on upgrading, you are in for a treat.
You can pre-order the new MacBook Air now on Apple's online store, and it will begin arriving to customers on Wednesday, March 12.
