Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 vs Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4): Which Laptop Should You Buy?
Quick Verdict
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) scores 8.5 versus 8.4 for the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12, making it the stronger all-rounder. The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the cheaper option at $1,649. Choose based on the use cases below: the MacBook Air 15 (M4) leads overall, while the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 can still be the better pick for specific needs.
Key Differences
- Faster overall: Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) (Geekbench multi 14,900 vs 9,850).
- Longer battery: Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) (18.4h vs 11.8h web).
- Lighter: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 (1.09 kg vs 1.51 kg).
- Display: OLED (Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12) vs IPS (Liquid Retina) (Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4)).
- Cheaper: Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) (saves about $550 CAD).
ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 vs MacBook Air 15 (M4): Full Breakdown
Performance: the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the stronger performer, posting a multi-core Geekbench score of 14,900 against 9,850 for the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 — roughly 51% faster in CPU-heavy work like exports and compiling. In our 1080p gaming suite, the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) averaged 38 FPS versus 22 FPS. The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better pick if you game or edit video.
Battery and portability: the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) lasts longer away from a charger, running 18.4 hours in our web-browsing test versus 11.8 hours. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is also easier to carry at 1.09 kg versus 1.51 kg, which matters if you commute or travel.
Display: the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 uses a 14-inch OLED panel (2880 x 1800, 120Hz), while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) has a 15.3-inch IPS (Liquid Retina) panel (2880 x 1864, 60Hz). The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) measured brighter at 482 nits, and covered 96% of DCI-P3 — relevant for outdoor use and colour work.
Price and value: the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the cheaper option in Canada, about $550 less than the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12. Weighed against our test scores (8.4 vs 8.5 overall), the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) offers the better value for the money, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the stronger laptop outright if budget is not the deciding factor.
For the complete testing data, read our full Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 review and Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) review.
Where these laptops rank
Both the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 and the MacBook Air 15 (M4) feature in these BestLaptop.ca rankings:
Winner by Use Case
Specs & Scores Comparison
| Spec | ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 | MacBook Air 15 (M4) |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.4 | 8.5 ✓ |
| Price (CAD) | $2,199 | $1,649 ✓ |
| CPU | Intel Core Ultra 7 155U | Apple M4 (10-core) |
| GPU | Intel Graphics (integrated) | Apple M4 GPU (10-core) |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR5x | 16GB Unified LPDDR5x |
| Storage | 512GB | 512GB |
| Display | 14" OLED | 15.3" IPS (Liquid Retina) |
| Brightness | 412 nits | 482 nits ✓ |
| Battery (web) | 11.8 h | 18.4 h ✓ |
| Weight | 1.09 kg ✓ | 1.51 kg |
| Geekbench multi | 9,850 | 14,900 ✓ |
| Gaming (1080p) | 22 fps | 38 fps ✓ |
| OS | Windows 11 | macOS |
| Warranty | 1-year limited (3-year available) | 1-year limited (AppleCare+ available) |
Which Should You Buy?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) scores 8.5 versus 8.4 for the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12, making it the stronger all-rounder. The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the cheaper option at $1,649. Choose based on the use cases below: the MacBook Air 15 (M4) leads overall, while the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 can still be the better pick for specific needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I buy the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 or the MacBook Air 15 (M4)?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) scores 8.5 versus 8.4 for the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12, making it the stronger all-rounder. The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the cheaper option at $1,649. Choose based on the use cases below: the MacBook Air 15 (M4) leads overall, while the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 can still be the better pick for specific needs.
Which is better for school?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for school.
Which is better for business?
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is the better choice for business.
Which is better for gaming?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for gaming.
Which is better for multimedia?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for multimedia.
Which is better for programming?
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is the better choice for programming.
Which is better for travel?
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is the better choice for travel.
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