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Apple is working to introduce a new fourth-generation Apple silicon chip across the Mac lineup, and the M4 MacBook Air models are coming in the next few weeks.

macbook-air-m2-13-inch.jpg

This guide highlights everything that we know about the next-generation MacBook Air so far.

M4 Chips

The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models were just updated with M3 chips in March 2024, so the next update will come right around the year mark.

M4-AI-Optimized-Feature-Teal.jpg

The M4 chips a focus on artificial intelligence to support the Apple Intelligence features added in macOS Sequoia. The M4 chip has a 16-core Neural Engine with more efficient cores, with the Neural Engine handling AI and machine learning tasks.

While Apple is working on M4, M4 Pro, M4 Max, and M4 Ultra chips, the MacBook Air models are expected to get only the standard M4 chip.

The M4 is built on Apple's 3-nanometer process, much like the M3. There won't be as big of a performance improvement between M3 and M4 as there was between M2 and M3 because there's no change in node size, but we can still expect modest GPU and CPU speed boosts.

Design

Apple overhauled the MacBook Air design in 2022, and we're not expecting the design to be tweaked with the 2025 refresh. Apple often waits several years between design changes, and there are no rumors that there will be a refreshed look.

macbook-air-m3-green.jpg

Apple is expected to stick with the 15.3 and 13.6-inch size options, and we can expect to see the same flat, MacBook Pro-style body with Force Touch trackpad, and display with notch. As of now, it looks like the 2025 MacBook Air refresh will be focused on internal updates.

Launch Date

Apple CEO Tim Cook on March 3 teased a new product announcement coming this week, and his teaser video says "There's something in the air." The wording suggests the MacBook Air will be refreshed imminently.


Article Link: Apple's 2025 M4 MacBook Air: What to Expect
 
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Apple is working to introduce a new fourth-generation Apple silicon chip across the Mac lineup, and while the first M4 Macs are coming in 2024, the MacBook Air won't get updated until 2025.
Kinda safe predictions, fall 2024 and next spring 2025. But delays can happen as we get closer to those times. :eek:
 
The AI on M4 probably means the usual increase in GPU and neural cores, perhaps a bit more than usual. But the most interesting side effect maybe the increase base RAM from 8GB to 12GB or 16GB, as on-device LLM needs about 4GB or more to function well.
 
Funny how M3 went from hype in 2022 to meh in 2023. And now double meh in 2024. When will people realize transistor scaling has slowed significantly?

Realistically, M4 probably completed major design shortly after ChatGPT launched in 2022. Tape out probably occurred this quarter. The chance of it being some AI monster is fairly low. We're looking at M5 at the earliest as a true response to AI.
 
Me, love to see a MacBook with a removable screen that uses two OS‘s. Keyboard and screen attached, Mac OS. Remove screen use iPad OS. Why, two worlds need different OS’s. Nice to have the solution in one device. Microsoft tried and failed. Apple needs to succeed.
 
Funny how M3 went from hype in 2022 to meh in 2023. And now double meh in 2024. When will people realize transistor scaling has slowed significantly?

Realistically, M4 probably completed major design shortly after ChatGPT launched in 2022. Tape out probably occurred this quarter. The chance of it being some AI monster is fairly low. We're looking at M5 at the earliest as a true response to AI.

If a lot of what Apple announces in the coming weeks requires M4, then people will regard it as an AI monster regardless and must-buy.
 
The AI on M4 probably means the usual increase in GPU and neural cores, perhaps a bit more than usual. But the most interesting side effect maybe the increase base RAM from 8GB to 12GB or 16GB, as on-device LLM needs about 4GB or more to function well.
Yep. If there’s one undeniable bright spot amidst all this AI hype, it’s that Apple will finally be forced to stop being so stingy about RAM
 
The redesign that came with the M2 is arguably worse than the M1.

Build quality feels less solid, keyboard has less travel, superior top firing speakers were removed and then they added useless rubber feat that let the machine slide about all over the place.

I couldn't care about minor chip updates, they need to make a better laptop first.
 
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