Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) Review
MacBook Air · 2025 · Released 2025-03-12 · Tested 2025-11-02 · Test Bench 1.2 · published
Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4)
Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4)
Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4)
Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4)
8.5/10
Overall · Test Bench 1.2
- Best for
- School, remote work, everyday use
- Not ideal for
- Gaming and port-heavy desk setups
- Tested config
- Apple M4 (10-core), 16GB, 512GB
- Current price
- $1,649
- MSRP
- $1,899
- Warranty
- 1-year limited (AppleCare+ available)
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BestLaptop.ca Test Team
Reviewed and tested in-house · Updated 2025-11-02 · Test Bench 1.2
How we test →Featured in our rankings: Best Student Laptops in Canada, Best College & University Laptops in Canada, Best MacBooks in Canada, Best Laptops for Working From Home in Canada, Best 15-Inch Laptops in Canada, Best Laptops for University Students in Canada.
Quick Verdict
The MacBook Air 15 with M4 is the laptop most students and remote workers should consider. It pairs excellent battery life with silent, fanless performance and a large screen. The main trade-offs are limited ports and a 60Hz display.
Pros
- Outstanding battery life
- Silent, fanless design
- Large, comfortable screen
- Strong everyday and light creative performance
Cons
- Only two USB-C ports
- 60Hz display
- RAM and storage not upgradeable
- Limited gaming support
Score Breakdown
Each sub-score is weighted to produce the overall score. How scoring works.
Use-Case Scores
How this laptop performs for specific needs. Each score weights our test categories differently.
School9.3
Measures how well the MacBook Air 15 (M4) suits school use, weighting the most relevant test categories. Methodology.
Business8.6
Measures how well the MacBook Air 15 (M4) suits business use, weighting the most relevant test categories. Methodology.
Gaming4.2
Measures how well the MacBook Air 15 (M4) suits gaming use, weighting the most relevant test categories. Methodology.
Multimedia8.6
Measures how well the MacBook Air 15 (M4) suits multimedia use, weighting the most relevant test categories. Methodology.
Workstation6.8
Measures how well the MacBook Air 15 (M4) suits workstation use, weighting the most relevant test categories. Methodology.
Programming8.4
Measures how well the MacBook Air 15 (M4) suits programming use, weighting the most relevant test categories. Methodology.
Travel8.6
Measures how well the MacBook Air 15 (M4) suits travel use, weighting the most relevant test categories. Methodology.
Battery9.4
Measures how well the MacBook Air 15 (M4) suits battery use, weighting the most relevant test categories. Methodology.
Value7.8
Measures how well the MacBook Air 15 (M4) suits value use, weighting the most relevant test categories. Methodology.
Design, Build & Portability
The MacBook Air 15 (M4) uses a aluminium chassis, weighs 1.51 kg, and measures 340 x 238 x 11.5 mm. It earned a build score of 9.0 and a portability score of 8.4 in our testing.
Students and professionals who want long battery life and a quiet, large-screen laptop.
Display
The 15.3-inch IPS (Liquid Retina) panel runs at 2880 x 1864 (16:10) and 60Hz. We measured 482 nits of brightness, 100% sRGB and 96% DCI-P3 coverage, and a colour accuracy of Delta E 1.
It does not have a touchscreen. See full display measurements →
Keyboard, Touchpad, Webcam & Speakers
The keyboard scored 8.6 in our typing tests. The webcam, speakers, and microphone feed the multimedia score of 8.6, which matters most for video calls and media.
Ports & Connectivity
Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm audio. Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3. Connectivity earned a score of 5.6.
Performance, Gaming & Creative Work
With the Apple M4 (10-core) and Apple M4 GPU (10-core), the MacBook Air 15 (M4) scored 8.2 for performance. It posted a Geekbench multi-core score of 14,900, a Cinebench multi-core score of 11,200, and averaged 38 FPS across our 1080p gaming suite. Our 4K video export test finished in 6.8 minutes.
SSD read/write speeds measured 3,100 / 3,300 MB/s.
Battery Life & Charging
In our fixed-brightness tests, the MacBook Air 15 (M4) lasted 18.4 hours of web browsing and 21 hours of video playback, earning a battery score of 9.4. It charged to 80% in about 64 minutes.
Thermals & Noise
Under sustained load we measured 0 dB of fan noise (0 dB at idle), a CPU temperature of 92°C, and a keyboard surface temperature of 39°C. Thermals and noise scored 9.2.
Software, Configuration & Upgradeability
It runs macOS. RAM (16GB Unified LPDDR5x) is soldered and not upgradeable, so size up at purchase. Storage (512GB PCIe SSD) is not user-replaceable.
Canadian Pricing & Availability
The MacBook Air 15 (M4) carries an MSRP of $1,899 and currently sells for around $1,649 in Canada. It represents solid value at current pricing.
Compared to Similar Laptops
| Laptop | Overall | Battery (web) | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) | 8.5 | 18.4 h | 1.51 kg | $1,649 |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 | 8.4 | 11.8 h | 1.09 kg | $2,199 |
| ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) | 8.1 | 8.6 h | 1.5 kg | $2,699 |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | 8.0 | 15.2 h | 1.19 kg | $1,499 |
Final Verdict
The MacBook Air 15 with M4 is the laptop most students and remote workers should consider. It pairs excellent battery life with silent, fanless performance and a large screen. The main trade-offs are limited ports and a 60Hz display.
Buy it if: Students and professionals who want long battery life and a quiet, large-screen laptop. Skip it if: Gamers and anyone who relies on Windows-only software.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) worth it?
The MacBook Air 15 with M4 is the laptop most students and remote workers should consider. It pairs excellent battery life with silent, fanless performance and a large screen. The main trade-offs are limited ports and a 60Hz display.
Who should buy the MacBook Air 15 (M4)?
Students and professionals who want long battery life and a quiet, large-screen laptop.
What is the battery life of the MacBook Air 15 (M4)?
In our web browsing test at a fixed brightness, it lasted 18.4 hours; video playback lasted 21 hours.
How much does the MacBook Air 15 (M4) cost in Canada?
It currently starts around $1,649 in Canada, down from an MSRP of $1,899.
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