Apple's new M4 MacBook Air has a lot going for it, starting with the M4 chip itself. A full look at the new release plus one thing I wish Apple had fixed.

Apple rarely offers you more for less, especially in its most popular products with the broadest appeal. It has perfected the measured, iterative year-over-year product cycle. But for the 13- and 15-inch M4 MacBook Airs, Apple has put new chips in its established design while shoring up the device’s biggest flaws and dropping the price by $100.

I thought I had this figured out. I was making a hard-headed decision to buy a refurbed M1 MacBook Air with 16GB RAM for half the price of a new M4 one, for reasons I’ll explain in a moment. But, ironically,

The M4 version continues that same trend. It’s fast, efficient, and lightweight—the three hallmark characteristics of the MacBook Air. The fact that it excels at all three is why it’s the most delightful laptop you can buy.

It's important to know the differences between the new MacBook Air M4 and the older M3 and M2 models to help you make an informed purchase decision.