Our first look at Apple’s sky blue MacBook Air

Apart from a new color, the M4 MacBook Air closely resembles last year's model. We have hands-on experience and pictures to validate this.

Apple has introduced five main updates for its 2025 refresh of the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Airs. First, they feature a similar M4 chip to the base 14-inch MacBook Pro, starting with a 10-core CPU and 8-core GPU. Additionally, the Airs now incorporate the 12-megapixel Center Stage webcam from the MacBook Pros, which is wider and offers improved tracking within the frame. Users can now also utilize two external monitors while keeping the lid open, essentially creating a sophisticated triple-monitor setup with the MacBook Air.

Regarding the new color option, sky blue replaces space gray. Starlight, silver, and midnight are still available from last year. The new blue has a very pale metallic finish, resembling silver when viewed side-by-side. It can be compared to a 2003 Toyota Matrix blue. In other words, it's pleasant but not distinctly blue. Perhaps Apple should name it non-committal blue.

The fifth notable update for the MacBook Air, and one that many will appreciate, is the reduced starting price. The 13-inch model now begins at $999, while the 15-inch starts at $1,199. This marks a return to the original starting price for the 13-inch model, which saw an increase during the M2 generation. Despite the M4 Air being a subtle chip upgrade with a new metallic finish, the $100 discount is significant.

In addition to our hands-on experience with the MacBook Air, we also got a glimpse of the new Mac Studio duo, featuring the M4 Max chip and the all-out M3 Ultra. While the Studios' appearance remains unchanged, the internal enhancements are substantial, catering to professionals engaged in intensive creative work or local AI projects.

As for the new iPad Air with M3 chip, it's essentially an iPad. Exciting? Perhaps.

Apple's latest Macs and iPads are set to launch next week and are already available for pre-order. Be sure to check out our collection of photos.

MacBook Air M4

Mac Studio M4 Max / M3 Ultra

iPad Air

Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge