While the MacBook Pro showcases cutting-edge technology, I’m consistently attracted to the MacBook Air for one primary reason: its portability. The sleekness and lightweight nature of the MacBook Air appeals to me, making me willing to sacrifice features like miniLED, ProMotion, and extra ports.
The MacBook Air, though not flawless, certainly has room for improvement, and I have a few straightforward upgrades in mind that I hope Apple will implement in this year’s M4 MacBook Air. Any of these enhancements would significantly elevate its overall appeal in my opinion.
600 nit Display
Apple has recently enhanced the standard brightness on many of its newer displays. The M4 MacBook Pro, for instance, features a boost to 1000 nits of standard brightness (up from 600 nits in the M3 and 500 nits in the M2), while the new M2 iPad Air has also seen an increase from 500 nits to 600 nits, at least in the 13-inch model.
Therefore, it’s reasonable to suggest that Apple could upgrade the brightness of the upcoming MacBook Air from 500 nits to 600 nits if they choose to. This would be consistent with their other device enhancements, providing a noticeable usability improvement for MacBook Air purchasers. This upgrade would certainly attract a wide array of users, especially since the M4 model is anticipated to be primarily a spec upgrade.
Enhanced Thermals
Apple has been working on improving thermal performance across its devices that utilize passive cooling, particularly the iPhone 16 Pro and M4 iPad Pro, both of which feature better thermals thanks to innovations like graphite sheets, copper heatsinks, and refined internal designs.
There have been numerous complaints regarding the thermals of the MacBook Air, which has relied on passive cooling since the transition to Apple Silicon. While I’m not here to judge whether the current thermal performance is sufficient, I’ve noticed my device tends to heat up during moderate workloads. It’s clear that Apple has an opportunity to enhance the thermal management of the next MacBook Air, a change that would likely please many users.
Some users have even altered their MacBook Airs to prolong peak performance before hitting thermal throttling. While this modification is reversible and generally safe, it does invalidate your warranty if your MacBook needs servicing.
Center Stage Camera
While the inclusion of this feature seems probable, considering the M4 iMac and M4 MacBook Pro already have it, I’m eager to see Center Stage on the next MacBook Air. This feature enhances the functionality of video calls and provides better webcam performance, which is universally appreciated. Center Stage adds a fun dimension to FaceTime, plus features like Desk View are quite handy.
Conclusion
The suggested upgrades would certainly make the MacBook Air an even more enticing option for me. The MacBook Pro, particularly the 16-inch variant, tends to be bulky and heavy, and I prioritize having a lightweight laptop that seamlessly fits into my bag without a second thought. This preference ultimately led me to part ways with my MacBook Pro.
Even if Apple doesn’t implement any of these enhancements, I would still favor the MacBook Air—this is just my wishlist. I’m currently using an M2 13-inch MacBook Air and am considering upgrading to a 15-inch model, but Apple will need to offer more than just a chip upgrade to sway my decision.
While I could wish for features such as a 120Hz display or even an OLED screen akin to the latest iPad Pro, I recognize that this is Apple’s most affordable laptop, so I prefer to keep my suggestions grounded.
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