Today I gave myself the pleasure: I opened a MacBook Air M4 and brought it to the battle desk to see if it really is “the” computer for developers in 2025. I did a very simple unboxing and focused on the first thing that defines your daily life: the keyboard. Sensations? I have opinions.
Why I went for an Air (and not a Pro)
I have been prioritizing portability, silence and battery over raw power. For web dev work, light backend and some Web3, the Air seems to be the sweet spot: fanless, lightweight and, in theory, an autonomy that allows you long days without a plug. I was also interested to see how much the ecosystem matured at Apple Silicon for the tools we use every day.
Unboxing and first impressions
* Solid construction, zero flex. She feels “new cool” but ready to put away backpacks and spilled coffees (I hope not).
* Clear and bright screen: for many hours of coding, it adds up.
* Ports: as expected in an Air (few). I already know that I'm going to live with a hub/adapter.
* Weight: ideal for moving it around the house or taking it to cowork without complaining.
And the keyboard?
Here is the novel. The keyboard feels firm, with short but defined travel. The keys do not “dance”, and that gives you confidence to type quickly. The little inverted T arrows are still a goal for navigating code. The full size feature row helps too.
The negative? If you come from keys with more travel or mechanics, at first you feel a “flat” touch. In long sessions, your pulse appreciates if you elevate your backside a little or use a wrist rest. Anyway, for me, after a while you get into the rhythm and you fly.
Trackpad: large, precise, and the haptic “click” is very well done. To select blocks of code and move through Tmux, it works like a charm.
Mini setup dev that I am going to build
I haven't gone deep yet, but this is what I plan to get ready in the next few days:
* Homebrew to install everything quickly.
* Zsh + tmux + neovim (or VS Code when necessary).
* asdf to handle Node, Python and Ruby versions without headaches.
* Rust with rustup, Go with its installer.
* Docker/Colima for containers on Apple Silicon.
* Karabiner-Elements to remap Caps to Ctrl and convenient shortcuts.
I'm also going to test how it behaves with Web3 tools (Foundry/Hardhat/Anvil) and lightweight VMs when necessary.
Performance I expect (and what I will measure)
I'm not throwing numbers because I just took it out of the box, but this is what I plan to test and bring to the channel:
* Raise Node/Next projects with hot reload and see consumption.
* Build Rust/Go cold and incremental.
* Run a local chain + backend + frontend and see battery/temperature.
* Workflows with Tmux and multiple panes/servers at the same time.
* Export builds and CI times locally.
Things I loved vs. things to look at with a magnifying glass
*What I liked:
+ Silent and cold for everyday use.
+ Top-notch screen and trackpad.
+ Solid keyboard for long sessions.
+ Real portability without sacrificing too much.
*What worries me:
+ Few ports: hubs, always.
+ RAM/storage configuration: be careful not to fall short if your stack is heavy.
+ Occasional compatibility of some x86 tools (if Rosetta has to be used, we'll see how much it affects).
Watch the unboxing and the first keyboard test
Closing
I'm excited to have a machine that prioritizes focus and autonomy. If the keyboard continues to convince me and the stack runs without drama, it could be my main computer for 2025. Tell me in the comments what you want me to try first: Docker/Colima? Foundry and company? Vim/Tmux setup from scratch? More videos are coming with the complete setup and tips to get the most out of it in dev. We read each other and... rub shoulders with mate at our side.
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> Original article in Spanish: Unboxing MacBook Air M4 para programar – ¿y ese teclado?