Reliance Digital is ending this year with a deal that will tempt those who have been waiting to switch to a Mac without stretching their budget. The MacBook Air M1, the model that pushed Apple’s laptops into a new era of performance in 2020, is selling for Rs 51,990 on the retailer’s website. The deal doesn’t stop here, once you apply the ongoing bank offers (Rs 2,000) from Axis, IDFC and HSBC, the effective cost drops to closer to Rs 50,000. This is one of the lowest prices for this machine in India since its launch.

This offer becomes even more interesting when you remember that Apple has officially stopped selling the Air M1. The company usually retires older models when a new generation arrives, and with the Air M4 now available on Vijay Sales at a price of around Rs 91,900, the Air M1 has become a “value Mac” for those who want the ecosystem but don’t need extreme performance. And at this price, it’s hard to argue against.

But is the MacBook Air M1 still worth buying in late 2025? Yes absolutely. Here are 4 clear reasons why it remains a smart buy, and one reason why you might want to skip it.

4 reasons to buy MacBook Air M1

1. The M1 chip is still powerful

The biggest advantage of MacBook Air M1 remains its processor. Apple’s first-generation ARM-based chip shocked the industry for a reason — it still hovers around many Windows laptops in this price bracket. For everyday tasks, content creation, browsing, scripting, editing photos, or handling multiple apps at once, the M1 chip delivers an experience that feels quick and stable. The old Intel Air struggled with intensive tasks, but the M1 completely changed that.

2. Excellent battery life

Battery life is another big win. Apple claims up to 18 hours of battery life on a single charge, and in real-world use, the numbers aren’t too far off. With a mix of writing, light editing, YouTube and OTT streaming, users still get a comfortable 1.5 to 2 days of usage on a single charge. This level of endurance is still rare among thin and light Windows laptops today.

3. Lightweight design

Portability is where the Air has always excelled, and the M1 model keeps that reputation strong. With a thin profile of 1.29kg and a maximum height of 16.1mm, it is one of the lightest full-power laptops you can carry. Whether you’re a student roaming around campus or a professional traveling between meetings, it’s easy to keep in a backpack.

4. Sharp and color-rich Retina display

Its 13.3-inch Retina display adds to the appeal. Colors look rich, the 2560×1600 resolution keeps everything sharp, and 400 nits of brightness with True Tone support makes the screen easy on the eyes indoors. For casual editing, watching shows or just working for long periods of time, the display is one of the best in this segment.

Overall, this deal makes a lot of sense for anyone who wants a reliable Mac for daily work, study, travel or general productivity, but doesn’t want to spend close to a lakh on newer models.

1 reason to ditch the MacBook Air M1

That said, this is still a four-year-old design, and those who want a more modern experience may feel the shortcomings. The MacBook Air M2 brought a completely new design. It offers thinner bezels, a slightly larger screen, a 1080p webcam, MagSafe charging, a brighter panel, and better speakers. It supports better memory bandwidth, and brings features like ProRes engine that helps with heavy video work.

So if you’re someone who frequently participates in video calls, works with large media files, or simply wants a laptop that looks and feels fresh, the Air M2 will be a better choice for the future. It costs more (Rs 81599), but the improvements are worthwhile for some users. However, those who think that can spend that much should choose the MacBook Air M4 model for better speed and overall experience as they can get it at the price of M2 with some flat discounts and bank offers available on e-commerce sites.

grassroots level?

If your usage revolves around browsing, writing, entertainment, light editing and productivity, the MacBook Air M1 at around Rs 50,000 is a deal that’s hard to beat. It still performs great, lasts a long time on a charge, and offers a great Mac experience at a price rarely seen. But if you want the new design or rely heavily on video work and long video calls, moving to the M4 model may be worth the extra money.