Is the MacBook Air M4 worth upgrading from the M3?

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For most M3 MacBook Air owners, upgrading to the M4 MacBook Air isn't necessary. The improvements matter, but they're incremental rather than transformational.

Performance gains:

• 17-24% faster in general benchmarks
• 10 CPU cores versus 8 on the M3
• Neural Engine runs twice as fast (38 trillion operations per second)
• Memory bandwidth increased 20% to 120GB/s
• Maximum RAM now 32GB (up from 24GB)

The standout upgrade: External display support

This is the headline change. The M3 only supported two external monitors with the lid closed. The M4 can drive two 6K displays while keeping the built-in screen active. Three screens total, laptop open.

If the clamshell-only limitation frustrated you on the M3, this alone might justify upgrading.

Other notable changes:

• 12MP Center Stage camera (up from 1080p)
• Price dropped $100 to $999 starting
• New Sky Blue color replaces Space Gray

Upgrade if you:

• Need dual external monitors with laptop open
• Require more than 24GB RAM
• Rely heavily on Apple Intelligence features
• Own an M1, M2, or Intel MacBook Air

Skip if you:

• Are satisfied with M3 performance
• Don't use multi-monitor setups
• Don't work with AI-heavy applications

The real opportunity:

Coming from an M1, M2, or Intel Mac? The M4 delivers substantial improvements in performance, display flexibility, and camera quality at a lower price than the M3 launched. That's a compelling package.

Coming from an M3? Unless you need that dual-monitor fix, your current machine will serve you well for years.