Apple MacBook Air deals are having a pretty solid moment in the US, with Best Buy dropping prices on two current Air models during its Memorial Day sale.
The headline deal is the 13-inch MacBook Air with Apple’s M4 chip, 24GB of unified memory, and 512GB storage, now listed at $1,099 after a $300 discount. There is also a 15-inch MacBook Air with Apple’s newer M5 chip, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD going for $1,149, which is $150 off its usual $1,299 price.
Both models are available in the same four colours: Midnight, Silver, Sky Blue, and Starlight, with no extra cost depending on colour choice.
Why this matters for Malaysia and SEA buyers
Before anyone rushes to checkout: this is a Best Buy US deal, so it is not the same as a local Malaysia promo. Malaysian buyers still need to think about shipping, warranty coverage, import costs, plug type, and whether the seller will even ship directly here.
But deals like this still matter because they set a useful price reference. At $1,099, the M4 MacBook Air 13-inch is roughly in the RM5,000-plus range before any extra costs, depending on exchange rate. That makes it a strong benchmark against local premium Windows ultrabooks, especially if you care about battery life, quiet performance, and a lightweight daily machine for work, uni, editing, or content creation.
For students, creators, and office warriors in Malaysia, the 24GB RAM M4 model is arguably the more interesting pick. The M5 version is newer, sure, but 24GB unified memory gives the M4 Air more breathing room for multitasking, browser tabs, light video editing, design apps, and AI-assisted workflows. If you keep laptops for four to five years, extra memory can age better than a small chip bump.
M5 Air gets the newer platform
The 15-inch MacBook Air deal is for the M5 model with a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU. According to the source, the M5 brings incremental performance gains over the M4 generation. It also includes Apple’s N1 wireless chip, supporting Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.
That matters if you are upgrading your home setup with newer routers or want better long-term wireless support. In Malaysia, Wi-Fi 7 is still not something every household has, but if you are buying premium gear now, future-proofing is always nice.
The M5 Air also comes with a 15-inch Liquid Retina display, 12MP Center Stage camera, and Touch ID. For people who work in cafes, attend online classes, or jump between calls, this is the more comfortable screen size. The trade-off is that it comes with 16GB RAM instead of the discounted M4 model’s 24GB.
M4 is still far from outdated
Even though the M5 is newer, the M4 MacBook Air is not suddenly weak. Apple silicon remains one of the strongest options for people who want good performance without carrying a charger everywhere. Tom’s Hardware notes that the M4 remains competitive against similar laptops in benchmarks, especially when battery life and efficiency are part of the equation.
For everyday workloads — writing, spreadsheets, Discord, YouTube, light photo edits, web apps, coding, and casual content work — the M4 Air should still fly. It is not a gaming laptop, and Malaysian gamers should not buy it expecting Steam library domination. But for productivity, creator admin, and campus life, it is a very strong machine.
Should Malaysians care?
Yes, but with the right mindset. If you are based in Malaysia, this Best Buy promo is best treated as a pricing signal rather than an automatic buy. Check local Apple Authorised Reseller pricing, education discounts, Shopee/Lazada official store promos, and warranty terms before importing.
Still, seeing a 24GB MacBook Air M4 drop to $1,099 is genuinely interesting. Laptop prices have been painful lately, so any meaningful cut on premium hardware is worth watching.
Source: Tom's Hardware