tldr; Reddit overwhelmingly recommends the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4). With 94% positive sentiment across 199 mentions, this is a clear community favorite.
$899.00 on AmazonScores based on sentiment analysis of topic-related comments
Best praise vs top criticism for Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)
“I wouldn't recommend buying a gaming laptop. You'll have classes and will need to carry your laptop everywhere, and a gaming laptop will be very difficult to carry around. Your bag is going to be heavy. I suggest getting the ASUS ZenBook S14 — it's very thin and has amazing battery life. Alternatively, you could get the MacBook Air with the M4 chip. I recently switched from a gaming laptop to the M4 MacBook Air, and I have no regrets. It's super lightweight and the battery easily lasts a full day, even with heavy use — something you won’t get with a gaming laptop.”
“That MacBook will be obsolete as soon as the M4 is plopped in. Also, it is my personal recommendation to suggest a ThinkPad, as they're built like tanks, easy to find, and quite nice to use.”
199 Reddit opinions analyzed • Last updated 4/4/2026