Apple
MacBook Air 15" (M4)
M4 · 15.3″ · Fanless · $1,199
93
/ 100
From $1,199
VS
Mac Studio (M2 Ultra) · 16GB wins by 3
Apple
Mac Studio (M2 Ultra) · 16GB
M2 Ultra · 16GB · desktop
96
/ 100
From $3,999
Specdex verdict
Mac Studio (M2 Ultra) · 16GB takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, MacBook Air 15" (M4) lands at 93 and Mac Studio (M2 Ultra) · 16GB at 96. That puts Mac Studio (M2 Ultra) · 16GB ahead by 3 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick MacBook Air 15" (M4) if…
- ✓Silent fanless M4
- ✓Excellent battery
- ✓Huge bright display
Pick Mac Studio (M2 Ultra) · 16GB if…
- ✓Silent compute
- ✓Unified memory architecture
- ✓Best-in-class perf-per-watt
MacBook Air 15" (M4) 93
vs 96 Mac Studio (M2 Ultra) · 16GB
Score breakdown
MacBook Air 15" (M4)
93 cpu 92
gpu 84
display 88
battery 96
portability 94
Mac Studio (M2 Ultra) · 16GB
96 cpu 96
gpu 93
display 60
battery 100
portability 60
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | MacBook Air 15" (M4) | Mac Studio (M2 Ultra) · 16GB |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | Apple M4 (10C CPU / 10C GPU) | M2 Ultra |
| RAM | 16/24/32 GB | 16GB |
| Storage | 256 GB – 2 TB | — |
| Display | 15.3″ Liquid Retina 2880×1864 | — |
| Weight | 1.51 kg | — |
| Form | — | Desktop |
| Release year | — | 2023 |
MacBook Air 15" (M4)
Pros
- +Silent fanless M4
- +Excellent battery
- +Huge bright display
Cons
- −Only 2 TB3 ports
- −Single external display (M4 base)
- −No ProMotion
Mac Studio (M2 Ultra) · 16GB
Pros
- +Silent compute
- +Unified memory architecture
- +Best-in-class perf-per-watt
Cons
- −Memory non-upgradable
- −Limited to macOS
- −High-end tiers expensive
FAQ: MacBook Air 15" (M4) vs Mac Studio (M2 Ultra) · 16GB
Which is better, MacBook Air 15" (M4) or Mac Studio (M2 Ultra) · 16GB? +
Mac Studio (M2 Ultra) · 16GB scores 96 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 3. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is MacBook Air 15" (M4) worth the price? +
At $1,199, MacBook Air 15" (M4) delivers a Specdex score of 93 — strongest in battery.
Is Mac Studio (M2 Ultra) · 16GB worth the price? +
At $3,999, Mac Studio (M2 Ultra) · 16GB delivers a Specdex score of 96 — strongest in battery.
Does MacBook Air 15" (M4) or Mac Studio (M2 Ultra) · 16GB last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.