Tim Cook just gave us the biggest MacBook Air M4 clue we've seen yet

Something coming in the air tonight and methinks its a new MacBook Air. (Image credit: Apple)

Looks like that M4 MacBook Air could be right around the corner.

In a post on X, Apple CEO, Tim Cook, just gave us the biggest teaser of Apple's rumored MacBook Air refresh we've seen yet.

This week. pic.twitter.com/uXqQaGNkSkMarch 3, 2025

Apple's MacBook Air M4: What we think we know

While Cook didn't specify which of its "Air" products would be getting an update this week, all signs point to the MacBook Air, which is expected to get an M4 upgrade.

We don't know exactly what that update will look like, but we've already gotten some clues on the performance side of things.

In February, benchmarks for the MacBook Air M4 showed up online, suggesting Apple's new Air MacBooks may bring impressive performance, while remaining lighter and more affordable than the MacBook Pro.

Leaked benchmarks showed a Geekbench Metal score of 54,806 for the upcoming MacBook. That would put it well ahead of the MacBook Air 13 (M3, 2024) and its 41,045 score and only slightly behind the MacBook Pro 14 (M4, 2024) with its score of 57,479. The MacBook Pro 16 (M4 Pro, 2024) still retains a decisive advantage, with a score of 112,261.

Despite leaks, there are still lots of questions that I'm sure we'll have answers to soon. For one, there's the price.

When the MacBook Air M3 launched last year, it debuted at $1,099 for the base model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. In October of 2024, Apple moved to a base of 16GB in all of its laptops and desktops. Despite this, we've still seen the M3 MacBook Air sold brand-new for $899 in our tracking of the best MacBook deals. Whether the M4 maintains that price point, however, is anyone's guess — especially with tariffs threatening to raise laptop prices across the board.

There's a chance that Apple could avoid those tariff price hikes, however. TSMC is reportedly producing Apple's A16 chips in Arizona, which might be just enough to get around any proposed tariffs. The semiconductor company also has an eye on buying manufacturing plants currently owned by Intel.

An iPad Air M4 surprise?

That's not the only Air product rumored to be getting an update soon.

The iPad Air is also rumored to be the recipient of a chip upgrade, getting a bump up to the M3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Fueling an imminent iPad rumor, according to Gurman, are stock levels of Apple's 10th-gen iPads, which are currently running low — a usual indicator that a new iPad is about to arrive.

While the iPad Air M4 could be soon, Gurman says this week will be all about the MacBook Air and that an iPad announcement might be in the coming weeks.

Keep a look out

While we don't have a specific date for when Apple's MacBook Air M4 will arrive, we can expect — outside of performance — for the update to be fairly incremental.

That being said, the prospect of a light, reasonably priced laptop that rivals the base MacBook Pro M4 in performance is an enticing one and could make the Air a no-brainer pick for anyone who's looking for a more budget-friendly new laptop that still pulls its weight.

Either way, we'll have answers soon enough, and if you've been waiting for a new Air upgrade that's really worth the price, this may be your time to strike.

James is Senior News Editor for Laptop Mag. He previously covered technology at Inverse and Input. He's written about everything from AI, to phones, and electric mobility and likes to make unlistenable rock music with GarageBand in his downtime. Outside of work, you can find him roving New York City on a never-ending quest to find the cheapest dive bar.