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Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) vs Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4)
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) ($580) vs Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) ($989) — 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 15-inch (M4) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $580 | $989 |
| Weight | 1240g | 1510g |
| Chip | M2 | M4 |
| Display | 13.6" Liquid Retina | 15.3" 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) | 1510g (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 15-inch (M4)
- Large silent laptop at 1510g
- M4 performance
- Six-speaker audio
- 1510g is real weight in a daypack
- No ProMotion
- Costs close to a 14-inch Pro used
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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