🚀 M4 MacBook Air Long-Term Review – 6 Months of Coding, Teaching & Daily Use 💻
After using the M4 MacBook Air daily for 6 months as a computer science teacher and developer, I’ve put it through coding projects, teaching, video editing, and even local AI testing. Here’s my honest long-term review — covering what impressed me, what surprised me, and what I’d do differently if I had to choose again. In this video, you’ll learn: ✅ First impressions, design & build quality ✅ Performance in real developer workflows – VS Code, Next.js, Python, Docker, databases ✅ Battery life after 6 months (with real stats from CoconutBattery) ✅ Storage limitations & why I rely on an external SSD ✅ Ports, hubs, and my essential accessories for a developer workflow ✅ Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth, and daily connectivity experience ✅ Thermals & fanless design under stress workloads ✅ Display quality, eye comfort, and privacy filter drawbacks ✅ Benchmarks: Geekbench, Cinebench, Sysbench, database tests ✅ Running local AI models with Ollama ✅ Daily workflow as a developer and teacher ✅ Portability & travel experience — from classrooms to Alpine trips ✅ Cost, value analysis & student discounts ✅ Future-proofing: will the M4 Air last 4–5+ years? Whether you’re a student, teacher, developer, or digital nomad, the MacBook Air M4 offers an incredible mix of portability, silence, and power under €1,000. But it’s not perfect — and in this video, I’ll break down the pros, cons, and real-world performance to help you decide if it’s the right MacBook for you. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 0:17 Unboxing, First Impressions & Design (and the Midnight color problem) 1:05 Specs & Performance 1:55 Battery Life (with real stats) 3:38 Storage & External SSDs 5:09 Ports & Hubs 6:12 Connectivity 7:00 Thermals & Fanless Experience 8:29 Display, Eye Comfort & Privacy Filter 9:46 Benchmarks (Geekbench, Cinebench, Sysbench) 12:11 Local AI & LLMs 12:51 Accessories & Daily Setup 14:18 Portability & Travel Use 14:57 Tools I Use Daily 15:54 Cost & Value Analysis 17:04 Upgrade SSD or RAM? 18:09 Future-Proofing 18:59 What I’d Do Differently 19:28 Outro & Next Steps 🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into developer workflows, AI on macOS, and productivity tips. 👉 / @code.gainers 💬 Got questions about the M4 Air? Drop them in the comments — I’ll test them in upcoming videos. 📁 Follow-up videos on developer tools for macOS and my Everyday Carry: Developer & TeacherEdition are coming soon. #MacBookAirM4 #LongTermReview #MacForDevelopers #AppleSilicon #MacTips
