2025 M4 MacBook Air 15″ Unboxing and Hands-On Review: Is It Worth the Hype?

Apple fans, rejoice! The 2025 M4 MacBook Air has officially landed, and it’s already making waves in the tech world. With its sleek design, upgraded M4 chipset, and a surprising price drop in the U.S., this latest release is poised to be one of the most popular laptops of the year. I recently got my hands on the 15-inch version. In this detailed unboxing and hands-on review, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about the M4 MacBook Air, from its stunning Sky Blue finish to its real-world performance. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just a tech enthusiast, this review will help you decide if this is the right MacBook for you. Let’s dive in!

Unboxing the M4 MacBook Air: A Premium Experience

The moment you get your hands on the M4 MacBook Air, you’re greeted with Apple’s signature packaging perfection. The outer sleeve slides off to reveal a pristine white box that screams quality. Inside, the MacBook Air sits snugly, its ultra-thin profile immediately catching your eye. Apple has always nailed the unboxing experience, and this time is no exception. The packaging is designed to highlight the laptop’s razor-thin design—measuring just 0.45 inches thick—and it’s a satisfying reveal every time.

Underneath the laptop, you’ll find the usual suspects: a color-matched Sky Blue MagSafe charging cable, a 35W dual USB-C power adapter (more on that later), and some paperwork. The attention to detail is impeccable—everything feels clean, sleek, and premium. As I lifted the lid, the MacBook powered on automatically, a feature I’ve always loved about Apple laptops. It’s a small touch, but it makes the first impression unforgettable.

Now, let’s talk about that Sky Blue color. I’ll be honest—I wasn’t sure what to expect when I ordered it. In Apple’s promo images, it looks vibrant and bold, but in person? It’s subtler than I imagined. Think 85% silver with a faint 15% blue tint. In dim lighting, the blue hue pops a bit more, but under bright café lights, it could easily pass for silver. It’s reminiscent of the Sky Blue iPad (4th Gen) from years back, but don’t expect a pastel explosion. If you’re on the fence about this color, I strongly recommend seeing it in person before committing. That said, I’m a fan—it’s understated yet fresh.

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Pricing and Availability: A Mixed Bag

Given the rising exchange rates, I’m relieved Apple didn’t hike the price, though it’s a bummer we didn’t see a reduction in the U.S., where the starting price dropped by $100 to $999 (13-inch) and $1,199 (15-inch). This adjustment makes the M4 MacBook Air an incredible value stateside, but for international buyers, it’s more of a status quo deal.

I snagged the base 15-inch model with a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD for $1,199. One exciting upgrade this year is the option to bump the RAM to 32GB (up from 24GB max on the M3), though it’ll cost you. Jumping to 24GB adds $200 USD, and 32GB tacks on a hefty $400 USD, pushing the price to $1,599 USD. At that point, you’re creeping into MacBook Pro territory, which offers a 120Hz display and better cooling. For most users, the base config strikes the perfect balance of performance and affordability.

Design and Build: Familiar Yet Refined

If you’ve seen an M3 MacBook Air, you’ve basically seen the M4. The design hasn’t changed—same 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, same 1.51kg (3.3 lbs) weight, same port layout (MagSafe, two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, and a headphone jack). It’s still one of the thinnest and lightest laptops in its class, especially compared to the chunkier MacBook Pro. I’ve been carrying it around without a case, and while it’s not featherlight, it’s manageable for daily commutes.

One big shake-up this year is the color lineup. Apple axed Space Gray—a staple choice for years—leaving us with Silver, Starlight, Midnight, and the new Sky Blue. This shift might ruffle some feathers among Space Gray loyalists, but I predict Silver will take the crown as the most popular pick, followed by Sky Blue, Midnight, and Starlight. Durability-wise, the recycled aluminum chassis holds up well. My two-year-old Silver MacBook Pro has some light scratches (no case, rough use), but they’re subtle. If resale value matters to you, a case or skin is a smart investment.

Performance: M4 Brings the Heat (Quietly)

The star of the show is the M4 chipset. Compared to the M3, it boasts two extra efficiency cores (four performance cores, six efficiency cores), slightly higher memory bandwidth, and improved GPU performance despite the same 10-core count. I ran some benchmarks, and the results speak for themselves: single-core and multi-core CPU scores beat the M3 15-inch MacBook Air, and the GPU edged out its predecessor too. But numbers only tell half the story—how does it feel in real life?

For everyday tasks like web browsing, I pushed the M4 to its limits: 10+ Chrome tabs, Safari windows, music streaming, and Adobe apps running in the background. No lag, no stutters, no dreaded “force quit” warnings. This is with a fresh install—performance might dip as data piles up, so keeping your Mac tidy is key. Photo editing in Photoshop was a breeze, with 13MB RAW files adjusting instantly. For video editing, I rendered a 7.3GB 4K video in 23 minutes—decent, but not MacBook Pro territory (an M2 Max did it in 8 minutes). If you’re a casual creator, the M4 MacBook Air is more than enough; pros should look elsewhere.

Battery Life and Charging: Solid but Not Stellar

Apple rates the M4 MacBook Air at up to 18 hours of battery life, and it delivers. For light tasks like email and document editing, I could stretch it across two days. Draining it to 0% took effort, a testament to those extra efficiency cores. However, charging speed disappointed with the base 35W dual USB-C adapter—28% in 40 minutes, 44% in an hour. The optional 70W adapter (50% in 35 minutes) is a must if you’re often on the go. The Sky Blue MagSafe cable is a nice touch, though I’d kill for a matching adapter.

Display, Keyboard, and Sound: Top-Notch

The 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display (2880×1864) is sharp and vibrant, with 500 nits of brightness and P3 color support. The notch housing the 12MP Center Stage camera is still here—great for video calls, though Desk View feels gimmicky. The backlit scissor-switch keyboard is quiet and satisfying, and the oversized trackpad (bigger than the 13-inch, close to the 16-inch MacBook Pro) is a dream for gestures.

Sound-wise, the six-speaker system with woofers delivers immersive audio. Bass is punchy, mids are clear, and it fills a room effortlessly. Compared to the MacBook Pro, it’s a step down in volume and detail, but for casual use—think Netflix or Spotify—it’s fantastic.

The Triple Monitor Game-Changer

Here’s the M4 MacBook Air’s ace in the hole: support for two external displays (up to 6K at 60Hz) with the lid open. The M3 required a closed lid for dual monitors, limiting its appeal. Now, you can run a triple-screen setup (laptop + two externals), making this a productivity powerhouse. For multi-monitor enthusiasts, this alone might justify the upgrade.

Should You Buy the M4 MacBook Air?

The 2025 M4 MacBook Air is a refined evolution, not a revolution. It’s faster, more efficient, and packs a killer feature in triple monitor support—all while maintaining last year’s price, Apple dropped $100. The Sky Blue color adds flair, though it’s subtler than advertised. For students, remote workers, or anyone needing a reliable daily driver, it’s a no-brainer. If you’re on an M2 or M3 and don’t need extra displays, stick with what you’ve got—especially if you can snag a discounted older model.

At $1,199 for the 15-inch base model, it’s a solid investment for years of smooth performance. Pair it with a 70W adapter and an external SSD, and you’ve got a versatile machine that won’t break the bank. So, is it worth the hype? For most, absolutely. What do you think—Sky Blue or Silver? Let me know in the comments!