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MacBook Air 15" (M4) — M4 · 15.3″ · Fanless · $1,199
Apple

MacBook Air 15" (M4)

M4 · 15.3″ · Fanless · $1,199

93
/ 100
From $1,199
VS
MacBook Air 15" (M4) wins by 4
ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 — Core Ultra 7 · 14″ OLED · 1.09 kg
Lenovo

ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13

Core Ultra 7 · 14″ OLED · 1.09 kg

89
/ 100
From $2,399
Specdex verdict

MacBook Air 15" (M4) takes it — here’s why.

In our weighted Specdex score, MacBook Air 15" (M4) lands at 93 and ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 at 89. That puts MacBook Air 15" (M4) ahead by 4 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 ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 if…

  • ✓Featherweight 1.09 kg
  • ✓MIL-STD durability
  • ✓Legendary keyboard
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Winner by scenario

Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate test

Performance

MacBook Air 15" (M4)

CPU + GPU muscle for demanding work

MacBook Air 15" (M4) leads on gpu (84 vs 70).

Battery life

MacBook Air 15" (M4)

Unplugged endurance for travel and campus

MacBook Air 15" (M4) leads on battery (96 vs 90).

Portability

ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13

Weight, size, and carry-everywhere comfort

ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 leads on portability (98 vs 94).

Display

ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13

Panel quality for creative and media work

ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 leads on display (92 vs 88).

Value for money

MacBook Air 15" (M4)

Specdex score per dollar at MSRP

MacBook Air 15" (M4) more score per dollar ($1,199 vs $2,399).

MacBook Air 15" (M4) 93
vs
89 ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13

Score breakdown

MacBook Air 15" (M4)
93
cpu 92
gpu 84
display 88
battery 96
portability 94
ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13
89
cpu 88
gpu 70
display 92
battery 90
portability 98

Specs side-by-side

MacBook Air 15" (M4) versus ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 — full spec comparison
Spec MacBook Air 15" (M4) ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13
Chip
Apple M4 (10C CPU / 10C GPU)
—
RAM
16/24/32 GB
16/32 GB LPDDR5X
Storage
256 GB – 2 TB
▲ 512 GB – 2 TB
Display
▲ 15.3″ Liquid Retina 2880×1864
14″ OLED 2880×1800 120Hz
Weight
1.51 kg
▲ 1.09 kg
CPU
—
Intel Core Ultra 7 268V (Lunar Lake)
Battery
—
57 Wh

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

ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13

Pros
  • +Featherweight 1.09 kg
  • +MIL-STD durability
  • +Legendary keyboard
Cons
  • −Expensive in top trim
  • −Integrated graphics only
  • −Port layout compromises

FAQ: MacBook Air 15" (M4) vs ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13

Which is better, MacBook Air 15" (M4) or ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13? +

MacBook Air 15" (M4) scores 93 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 4. 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 ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 worth the price? +

At $2,399, ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 delivers a Specdex score of 89 — strongest in portability.

Does MacBook Air 15" (M4) or ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 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.

Which is better for performance, MacBook Air 15" (M4) or ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13? +

MacBook Air 15" (M4) — leads on gpu (84 vs 70). CPU + GPU muscle for demanding work.

Which is better for battery life, MacBook Air 15" (M4) or ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13? +

MacBook Air 15" (M4) — leads on battery (96 vs 90). Unplugged endurance for travel and campus.