Two days ago, Apple's CEO Tim Cook took it to X to tease an Apple product launch scheduled for this week. He mentioned that "Something is in the AIR", and speculation, even confirmed by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, suggested that it was going to be the refreshed MacBook Air with the M4 chip.

Apple announced the iPad Air M3 less than 24 hours after teasing it, but it turns out that the iPad Air with the M4 chip wasn’t the only product announcement Apple had up its sleeve. The Tim Cupertino giant has just announced the MacBook Air with the M4 chip, and it's cheaper than we expected.

The M4 MacBook Air is a steal, and it starts at $100 less

As announced via a press release on Apple Newsroom, the new MacBook Air, available in both 13.6-inch and 15.3-inch sizes, is now official, powered by the M4 chip. The M4 MacBook Air features a 10-core CPU and is available in configurations with up to a 10-core GPU and 32GB of unified memory. Apple claims the new MacBook Air is twice as powerful as the M1 model and 23 times faster than the fastest Intel-based Mac.

Surprisingly, the more powerful M4 chip doesn’t translate to better battery life. Just like the M2 and M3 MacBook Air, Apple claims the M4 MacBook Air delivers up to 18 hours of battery life. However, it does offer up to six additional hours for Intel-based upgraders, making it a solid option for those looking to switch. Additionally, the M4 chip’s Neural Engine is three times faster than that of the M1 MacBook Air, allowing users to complete AI-heavy tasks, like automatically enhancing photos, much quicker.

As expected, the M4 MacBook Air is built for Apple Intelligence. It also features a new 12MP camera with improved video quality and Center Stage, which automatically keeps users centered in the frame as they move. The latest addition to the MacBook Air family also introduces an all-new sky blue color, complementing the existing midnight, starlight, and silver options.

In a surprising move, Apple has lowered the starting price of the 13-inch MacBook Air with M4 to $999 and the 15-inch model to $1,199—a $100 drop compared to previous entry-level MacBook Air models. Students and educators can receive an additional $100 discount through Apple's Education Store. Both models are available for pre-order starting today via Apple’s website, with wide availability beginning Wednesday, March 12.