New M4 MacBook Air fixes the line's biggest problem

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AppleInsiderAppleInsider
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in Current Mac Hardware edited March 5

The new M4 MacBook Air fixes what's been a key problem with the line, and now supports up to two external monitors -- and does so without the limitations of the previous M3 edition.

Person working at a desk with a smartphone and multiple computer monitors displaying documents, graphs, and presentation slides.
Using two external displays plus the MacBook Air's own screen



The newly launched MacBook Air brings with it a significant improvement for users of multiple monitors. While the previous M3 model featured support for two monitors, it was only possible to use both when the MacBook Air's lid was closed.

So while users gained the wider screen real estate of two external monitors, they lost the use of their MacBook Air internal display. Now the M4 MacBook Air supports two monitors of up to 6K resolution each, plus the built in 13.6-inch or 15.3-inch screen.

That 6K resolution is also an improvement. The previous model did support two external monitors, but only one could be 6K.

The other could be driven at up to 5K resolution at 60Hz. Either screen could be run at 4K resolution at 144Hz.

For comparison, the current M4 MacBook Pro introduced in October 2024, has the same 6K two-monitor option as the MacBook Air, without the lid shut. But the MacBook Pro with M4 Max processor can drive up to three 6K monitors at 60Hz, and a fourth at 4K up to 144Hz.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 6
    randominternetpersonrandominternetperson Posts: 3,195member
    I feel bad for that dude in the picture. His only input device is the trackpad on the MacBook off to the side. Someone get him a mouse or Magic Trackpad.
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 2 of 6
    jeffharrisjeffharris Posts: 892member
    randominternetperson said:
    I feel bad for that dude in the picture. His only input device is the trackpad on the MacBook off to the side. Someone get him a mouse or Magic Trackpad.
    For multiple monitors a trackball is the way to go!

    The Kensington Expert Mouse trackball is perfect. The flick of a finger and the cursor flies across multiple monitors.
    jas99watto_cobra
     1Like 1Dislike 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 6
    randominternetpersonrandominternetperson Posts: 3,195member
    jeffharris said:
    randominternetperson said:
    I feel bad for that dude in the picture. His only input device is the trackpad on the MacBook off to the side. Someone get him a mouse or Magic Trackpad.
    For multiple monitors a trackball is the way to go!

    The Kensington Expert Mouse trackball is perfect. The flick of a finger and the cursor flies across multiple monitors.
    Only if you can point me to a good Missile Command implementation. Or Centipede, I suppose, but MC was more my jam.
    appleinsideruserzeus423lukeiwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 4 of 6
    seanie248seanie248 Posts: 182member
    randominternetperson said:
    I feel bad for that dude in the picture. His only input device is the trackpad on the MacBook off to the side. Someone get him a mouse or Magic Trackpad.
    the mouse is under the desk, upside-down , on charge  :D /s
    muthuk_vanalingamwilliamlondonappleinsideruserzeus423lukeiwatto_cobra
     5Likes 1Dislike 0Informatives
  • Reply 5 of 6
    swat671swat671 Posts: 169member
    My 2017 15” Intel MacBook Pro could do 2 5k, or 4 external 4K monitors, and the newer models (2019 I think) could do 2 6k or 4 4K monitors. Why are the Apple Silicon models a downgrade in that department?
    watto_cobra
     0Likes 1Dislike 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 6
    thttht Posts: 5,899member
    swat671 said:
    My 2017 15” Intel MacBook Pro could do 2 5k, or 4 external 4K monitors, and the newer models (2019 I think) could do 2 6k or 4 4K monitors. Why are the Apple Silicon models a downgrade in that department?
    It was just marketing segmentation. Or perhaps a limitation due to needing to support 5K and 6K monitors, and they needed the M4 GPU to do that.

    Your experience is with MacBook Pro models, The M Pro MBPs are able to support 2 external 6K monitors, or one external 8K one. The M Max models support 4 external monitors or 3 external ones if one of them is an 8K monitor.

    The article is talking about the Macbook Air or devices with M1, M2, or M3 SoCs. Prior to the M4 model, they only supported 1 external display, or in the case of the M3, 2 external displays if the laptop is closed. The M4 model can support the internal display as well as 2 external displays.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
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