The MacBook Air M4 uses a 60Hz display. The 120Hz ProMotion display remains exclusive to MacBook Pro models. This is a deliberate product differentiation decision.
Why Apple withholds ProMotion:
- Product differentiation: Justifies Pro's $600+ premium over Air with same M4 chip
- Battery optimization: 60Hz extends battery life to 14-15 hours
- Cost management: ProMotion panels are more expensive to manufacture
What the Air's display offers:
- 2560 x 1664 resolution
- 500 nits brightness
- P3 wide color gamut
- True Tone technology
The display is genuinely good. For typical work, 60Hz is smooth and responsive.
Where 120Hz matters:
- Scrolling through long documents
- Video editing timeline scrubbing
- Gaming at high frame rates
- General UI animation fluidity
Will you notice?
If you've never used 120Hz regularly: unlikely to miss it.
If coming from 120Hz phones/tablets: noticeable for a week or two, then you'll adapt.
If using external monitors: many support 120Hz+, so built-in limitation matters less.
The alternative:
MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 includes ProMotion for $1,599 ($600 more than 13-inch Air).
Perspective:
The 60Hz display is a calculated trade-off enabling better battery life and lower pricing. For the vast majority of users, it's an imperceptible limitation rather than a meaningful compromise. Only display-critical professionals (video editors, motion designers) might justify the Pro's premium specifically for ProMotion.
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How we researched this
Where this comes from: this answer draws on the product's published specifications and the reviews ShopSavvy collected for it, alongside prices from ShopSavvy's price data.
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