Analyst(s): Olivier Blanchard
Publication Date: March 17, 2025
Apple has introduced the latest MacBook Air, featuring its powerful M4 chip, a 12MP Center Stage camera, and a lower starting price of $999. The refreshed Mac Studio debuts with M4 Max and M3 Ultra configurations, offering up to 512GB of unified memory and Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. Both products are available for pre-order and will be in stores on March 12.
What is Covered in this Article:
- Apple launches the new MacBook Air with the M4 chip, enhanced performance, and a price cut.
- The MacBook Air now supports two external displays, features a new sky blue color, and comes with a 12MP Center Stage camera.
- Apple also introduced the new Mac Studio, powered by M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips. It supports high-end workflows with up to 512GB of unified memory.
- The Mac Studio features Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, significantly faster memory and storage, and AI-focused performance capabilities.
- Both devices are available for pre-order and will be released on March 12.
The News: Apple has officially introduced the latest MacBook Air, now powered by the M4 chip, delivering enhanced performance for both everyday tasks and AI-powered applications. Available in 13-inch and 15-inch models, this updated MacBook Air now supports two external displays when used alongside its built-in screen—a long-awaited feature for users needing expanded workspace. Another notable upgrade is its 12MP Center Stage camera, offering improved video call quality. Perhaps the most surprising update is the price drop, with the new MacBook Air starting at $999, or $899 for students through Apple’s education pricing. The device is optimized for macOS Sequoia and integrates Apple Intelligence features like Image Playground, Genmoji, and an enhanced Siri to boost productivity and creativity.
Apple has also introduced the latest Mac Studio, now available in two configurations: the M4 Max and M3 Ultra. Designed for professional users, the Mac Studio offers substantial performance gains, featuring up to 512GB of unified memory—the highest ever in a personal computer. The M4 Max variant includes a 16-core CPU and 40-core GPU, while the M3 Ultra model boasts a 32-core CPU and an 80-core GPU, delivering powerful AI processing and high-performance computing capabilities. The Mac Studio also supports Thunderbolt 5, enabling data transfer speeds of up to 120Gb/s and allowing multiple high-resolution display connections. Apple has integrated Apple Intelligence into the system, streamlining AI-driven workflows for creatives, developers, and professionals in data-heavy industries. Pricing starts at $1,999 for the M4 Max model and $3,999 for the M3 Ultra, with pre-orders opening on March 5 and in-store availability beginning March 12.
Apple Pushes AI and Performance with New MacBook Air and Mac Studio
Analyst Take: Apple’s latest MacBook Air and Mac Studio refreshes signal a deeper commitment to performance and AI-driven computing. However, the company’s launch strategy also highlights a shift in pricing, product positioning, and its long-term chip roadmap.
MacBook Air: AI-Enhanced Performance with a Price Adjustment
Introducing the M4 chip while reducing the starting price to $999 is a strategic move designed to drive adoption. The new chip is up to twice as fast as the M1 model and boasts a staggering 23x improvement over old Intel-based MacBook Airs, making it an enticing upgrade for those still using older hardware. The added support for two external displays enhances usability for professionals and students alike.
Apple Intelligence is also a key focus, powering features like Image Playground, Writing Tools, and ChatGPT integration. This, Apple hopes, will better position it against AI-enabled Copilot+ PCs, but its extremely low pricepoint strategy suggests that Apple is looking to win on value and brand cachet rather than on agentic AI capabilities and features. It is also unclear whether Apple’s new AI features offer a compelling enough reason for M2 or M3 MacBook Air users to upgrade just yet. One feature that may stand out alongside price is the new MacBook Air’s incredible battery life, which may, in fact, offer an advantage over even Arm-based Copilot+ PC’s already exceptional battery efficiency.
Mac Studio: M3 Ultra Brings Performance Leadership While M4 Max Raises Questions
The latest Mac Studio models bring significant performance improvements, particularly with the M3 Ultra, which is 2.6 times faster than the M1 Ultra and supports an unprecedented 512GB of unified memory. This makes it Apple’s most powerful high-performance desktop, surpassing even the Mac Pro in raw computing capability.
However, Apple’s decision to introduce the M4 Max alongside the M3 Ultra raises questions about its silicon roadmap: While the M3 Ultra is Apple’s most powerful chip to date, the MacBook Air has already moved to the M4, creating an unusual generational gap between those products. This suggests that Apple may shift to a staggered transition, where new architectures debut in consumer products before rolling out to professional workstations. This raises the question of when an M4 Ultra will appear and whether Apple is altering its chip release cycle.
One of the most notable enhancements in the Mac Studio is the introduction of Thunderbolt 5, allowing 120Gb/s data transfers and expanded multi-display support. These features further solidify the Mac Studio as the go-to workstation for video professionals and AI developers, while the Mac Pro remains geared toward modularity rather than outright power.
Apple’s Competitive Positioning: AI and Market Strategy
Apple is leaning heavily into AI, but its approach contrasts with Microsoft’s Copilot+ initiative. While Windows AI PCs emphasize cloud-driven AI with dedicated Neural Processing Units (NPUs), Apple keeps AI workloads on-device through the Neural Engine and Private Cloud Compute. This approach enhances privacy but may limit AI scalability compared to cloud-based alternatives.
From a pricing standpoint, Apple’s decisions are strategic. The MacBook Air’s price cut comes as speculation grows that PC manufacturers may increase prices due to tariffs. Meanwhile, the Mac Studio’s $1,999 starting price signals that Apple continues to cater to professionals rather than mainstream consumers in the high-performance desktop segment.
With these updates, Apple reinforces its AI-first vision while making key moves in pricing and product positioning. The question now is how this strategy will evolve as competition in AI-powered computing continues to heat up.
What to Watch:
- The $100 price cut on the MacBook Air could drive higher adoption among students and professionals, but it remains to be seen if buyers will wait for more significant hardware changes.
- Apple’s emphasis on on-device AI rather than cloud-integrated AI like Microsoft’s Copilot+ could appeal to privacy-conscious users, but the lack of cloud-enhanced AI features may limit its competitiveness.
- The M4 chip is already in the MacBook Air, while the Mac Studio remains on the M3 Ultra, creating an unusual generational gap. It is unclear if Apple will accelerate its chip refresh cycles for professional desktops or maintain a longer gap before the M4 Ultra debuts.
- Apple has maintained competitive pricing on the MacBook Air and Mac Studio despite new U.S. import tariffs. It remains to be seen if this pricing stability will continue across future Mac models or if component costs will force price adjustments later this year.
See the complete press releases on the MacBook Air and Mac Studio launches on the Apple website.
Disclosure: The Futurum Group is a research and advisory firm that engages or has engaged in research, analysis, and advisory services with many technology companies, including those mentioned in this article. The author does not hold any equity positions with any company mentioned in this article.
Analysis and opinions expressed herein are specific to the analyst individually and data and other information that might have been provided for validation, not those of The Futurum Group as a whole.
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Author Information
Research Director Olivier Blanchard covers edge semiconductors and intelligent AI-capable devices for Futurum. In addition to having co-authored several books about digital transformation and AI with Futurum Group CEO Daniel Newman, Blanchard brings considerable experience demystifying new and emerging technologies, advising clients on how best to future-proof their organizations, and helping maximize the positive impacts of technology disruption while mitigating their potentially negative effects. Follow his extended analysis on X and LinkedIn.
