Is the M4 worth the extra money over the M1?

Yes if you need 16GB of RAM or do photo and video editing; the M4 is clearly faster there. For email, web and documents, the M1 at $419.99 does the job for far less.

Which is better for college students?

The M1 is the safer buy on price and comes new with a full warranty. Pick the M4 if your major involves design, video or heavy multitasking and you are comfortable buying a used unit.

Can I upgrade the RAM later?

No. Memory is soldered on both, so the 8GB on the M1 and 16GB on the M4 are fixed for the life of the machine.

The M4 has more headroom because of its 16GB of RAM and newer chip, so it should stay useful longer. The M1 is fine for light use but 8GB will feel tight sooner.

Do both have the same battery life?

Apple rates both at up to 18 hours. Real use is usually shorter, and the M4's larger, brighter screen can draw more power at high brightness.

Is the M4 listing new?

No. It is listed as used in Good condition with an Apple Limited Warranty until November 26, 2026. The M1 listing is a new retail unit.

Apple Macbook Air MGN63LL/A 13.3 inch M1 Octa-Core 8GB RAM 256GB Storage vs Apple MacBook Air 13" M4 8C GPU 16GB RAM 256GB SSD A3240

Buy the M1 Air if budget is the deciding factor: it is $419.99 at the listed store, roughly $470 less than the M4 at $889.99. Buy the M4 Air if you want 16GB of memory, a faster chip and a newer design, and you accept that the M4 listing is a used unit in Good condition. The M1 is the better value for light school and office work. The M4 is the better machine for heavy multitasking and longer useful life.

Ask our shopping agent