Key Differences
Advantages of Apple MacBook Air 13 (M1, 2020)
Advantages of Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 (2025)
Specifications
Performance
| RAM | - 8GB16GB | - 16GB24GB32GB |
| Storage | - 256GB512GB1024GB2048GB | - 256GB512GB1024GB2048GB |
| Base frequency | 3.2 GHz | 4.46 GHz |
| Cores | 8 (4P + 4E) | 10 (4P + 6E) |
| Threads | 8 | 10 |
| Integrated GPU | Apple M1 GPU | Apple M4 GPU (10-core) |
| Fabrication process | 5 nm | 3 nm |
| TGP | 15 W | 18 W |
| GPU base clock | 450 MHz | 500 MHz |
| GPU boost clock | 1278 MHz | 1700 MHz |
| FLOPS | 2.6 TFLOPS | 4.4 TFLOPS |
| Memory size | System Shared | System Shared |
| Memory type | LPDDR4X | LPDDR5X |
| Memory bus | 128 bit | 128 bit |
| Memory speed | 4.27 Gbps | 7.5 Gbps |
| Shading units (cores) | 1024 | 1280 |
| Texture mapping units (TMUs) | 64 | 80 |
| Raster operations pipelines (ROPs) | 32 | 40 |
Display
| Size | 12.1 x 8.1 cm | - |
| Type | LPDDR4X | LPDDR5X |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Adaptive refresh rate | No | No |
| PPI | 227 ppi | 225 ppi |
| Aspect ratio | 16:10 | 16:10 |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1600 pixels | 2560 x 1664 pixels |
| HDR support | Yes, HDR10 | Yes, Dolby Vision |
| Sync technology | No | No |
| Touchscreen | No | No |
| Coating | Glossy (Antireflective) | Glossy (Antireflective) |
| Ambient light sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Contrast | 1069:1 | 1494:1 |
| sRGB color space | 99.8% | 99.9% |
| Adobe RGB profile | 85.9% | 93.4% |
| DCI-P3 color gamut | 98.6% | 99.4% |
| Response time | 35 ms | - |
Battery
| Full charging time | 2:23 hr | 2:40 hr |
| Battery type | Li-Po | Li-Po |
| Replaceable | No | No |
| Fast charging | Yes | Yes |
| Charging via USB (Power Delivery) | Yes, 65 W | Yes, 70 W |
| Charging port position | Left | Left |
| Charge power | 30 W | 30 / 35 / 70 W |
| Weight of AC adapter | 172 grams | 170 / 183 / 207 grams |
| Voltage | 11.4 V | - |
Design
| Weight | 1.29 kg (2.84 lbs) | 1.24 kg (2.73 lbs) |
| Dimensions | 304.1 x 212.4 x 16.1 mm 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.63 inches | 304.1 x 215 x 11.3 mm 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches |
| Area | 646 cm2 (100.1 inches2) | 654 cm2 (101.3 inches2) |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~79.4% | ~82% |
| Side bezels | 8.8 mm | 5.6 mm |
| Colors | Silver, Gold, Gray | Black, Silver, Gold, Blue |
| Material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Transformer | No | No |
| Opening angle | 130° | 130° |
Cooling
| Cooling system | Passive | Passive |
| Vapor chamber | Yes | No |
| Liquid metal | - | No |
Storage Details
| Channels | 2x128 GB | 1x256 GB |
| Clock | 4266 MHz | 7500 MHz |
| Upgradable | No | No |
| Bus | Custom | Custom |
| Storage type | SSD (M2) | SSD (M2) |
| NVMe | Yes | Yes |
Audio
| Speakers | 2.0 | 2.2 (2 tweeters and 2 woofers) |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes |
| Loudness | ~79.6 dB | ~77 dB |
| Microphones | 3 | 3 |
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi standard | v6 | v6E |
| Bluetooth | v5 | v5.3 |
| Fingerprint | Yes | Yes |
| Infrared sensor | No | No |
| Optical drive | No | No |
| Webcam | Above the display | Above the display |
| Webcam resolution | 1280 x 720 | 1920 x 1080 |
Ports
| USB-A | No | No |
| USB Type-C | 2x USB 3.1 | 2x USB 4.0 |
| Thunderbolt | Thunderbolt 3 | Thunderbolt 4 |
| HDMI | No | No |
| DisplayPort | No | No |
| VGA | No | No |
| Audio jack (3.5 mm) | Yes | Yes |
| Ethernet (RJ45) | No | No |
| SD card reader | No | No |
| Proprietary charging port | No | Yes |
Input
| Keyboard type | Island | Island |
| Numpad | No | No |
| Backlight | Yes | Yes |
| Key travel | 1 mm | 1 mm |
| Surface | Glass | Glass |
| Windows Precision | No | No |
Other
| Cable length | 2 meters | 2 meters |