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Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) vs Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) ($580) vs Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) ($803) — side-by-side specs, weight, pros and cons to help you pick the right ultraportable laptop.
Spec-by-spec
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) | Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $580 | $803 |
| Weight | 1240g | 1240g |
| Chip | M2 | M4 |
| Display | 13.6" Liquid Retina | 13.6" Liquid Retina |
| Ports | MagSafe 3, 2x Thunderbolt, headphone | MagSafe 3, 2x Thunderbolt, headphone |
| Cooling | Fanless | Fanless |
| Battery | Up to 18 hours | — |
| Weight | 1240g (Apple published) | 1240g (Apple published) |
| Camera | — | 12MP Center Stage |
Pros & Cons
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M2)
- Completely silent, there is no fan
- 1240g and 11.3mm thin
- MagSafe 3 returned, so a tripped cable does not take the Mac with it
- Cheapest modern Apple silicon laptop
- Base model has a 256GB SSD that reads slower than the 512
- 8GB base memory is tight in 2026
- Throttles under sustained load
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)
- M4 performance in a fanless 1240g body
- 12MP Center Stage camera
- Launched cheaper than the M3 did
- Excellent battery life
- Still throttles on sustained heavy work
- No ProMotion display
- Holds value, so used discounts are modest
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) is the better value at $580. Both are part of our curated ultraportable laptop index — tap through to check current pricing.
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