Apple’s M4 MacBook Air comes with several nice upgrades, but it isn’t packed with tons of new features.Yet despite the limited revisions on paper, the new MacBook Air stands out from Apple’s lineup as a rare product I can heartily recommend to just about anyone.Here’s why.
Apple’s broad product lineup makes recommendations complicated Apple has grown significantly as a company since products like the iPhone and iPad first launched.And certainly it’s a night and day different entity than the Mac’s early days.There used to be one iPhone, for example.
You could configure storage options of your choice, but everyone was still getting the same basic iPhone model.Currently, visiting Apple’s website you’ll be greeted by a whopping seven different models to choose from: iPhone 16 iPhone 16 Plus iPhone 16 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Max iPhone 16e iPhone 15 iPhone 15 Plus This expanding array of options is meant to better serve Apple’s massive global user base.It can make product recommendations especially hard, though.
Which iPhone should you buy? It depends on what you’re looking for.The same problem applies to the iPad.If you’re looking for a new iPad, I can’t make a recommendation until I hear what your needs are, how you want to use the device, and so on.
But with the Mac? It’s easy.The new M4 MacBook Air is a no-brainer recommendation for just about anyone.Why the MacBook Air stands alone in Apple’s lineup There are several reasons why it’s easy to recommend the M4 MacBook Air above all other Macs.
First, there’s the laptop vs.desktop equation.The majority of Mac models Apple sells are desktops.
There’s the Mac mini, iMac, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro—as opposed to just MacBook Air and MacBook Pro on the laptop side.But as you might already know, almost all Mac buyers prefer laptops.Desktops make up a very tiny fraction of Apple’s Mac sales.
Thus, it’s easy to assume that if someone wants a new Mac, they want a laptop.So four out of six options are immediately ruled out.When it comes to the MacBook Air vs.
MacBook Pro debate, things are more complicated—but only slightly.Typically if a MacBook Pro is the best device for someone, they tend to already know that.Either they do the kind of work that really benefits from the Pro’s extra power, or they really need some of the extra ports it offers.
Again, the number of MacBook Pros sold is way smaller than the number of MacBook Airs.That’s because the Pro model serves a relatively niche market.MacBook Air, however, is the computer for everyone.
From Apple’s M4 announcement: Not that Apple’s going to say this out loud, but “by far” includes selling a lot more than the MacBook Pro.So the MacBook Air is an easy recommendation because it’s one of Apple’s only products with tremendously broad appeal.With iPhones and iPads, there’s no single model that is so universally right for most people.
Benefits of the M4 MacBook Air make it more of a no-brainer Much of what I’ve argued so far applied to the MacBook Air even before today’s M4 update.But it’s now even more true thanks to the new model.The M4 MacBook Air starts at just $999, making it easily one of the best value products in Apple’s lineup.
And for $999 you get 16GB of RAM, so it’s not like Apple achieved a low starting price by making cuts that nobody can live with.Will some want to upgrade the 256GB of storage? Sure, but that’s not a necessity for the average person.The M4 also lets you drive two external displays while keeping your MacBook Air’s lid open, for three screens total.
That feature used to be exclusive to higher end MacBook Pros.Until today, Apple made a MacBook Air recommendation more difficult by keeping two models in the lineup.The M3 started at $1,099 while the M2 stuck around at $999.
Both were solid options, but it was tricky sorting out whether the M3 was worth the extra $100.Now, Apple just has one MacBook Air model to choose from, and it’s an easy choice.If you’re looking to buy a Mac, I’m going to recommend the new M4 MacBook Air.
Do you think the M4 MacBook Air is an easy recommendation? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.Best Mac accessories 100W USB-C power adapter for fast charging Twelve South aluminum laptop stand for MacBooks Anker USB-C 8-in-1 hub with Ethernet, HDMI, SD, more Baseus 10ft USB-C cable for extended reach AirPods Pro 2 (now only $199 for limited time) You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day.Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop.
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