Is the MacBook Air M4 good for gaming? FPS in 35 games
The MacBook Air M4 (Apple M4, 8-core GPU) runs 33 of the 35 Mac games we track. 14 go past 60 FPS at 1080p High and 27 stay above 30.
It is a fanless laptop: it matches its same-chip siblings for a few minutes, but in long sessions of demanding games it lowers clocks to stay cool. Our figures already account for that loss.
Data reviewed October 1, 2026
13
Gaming score (0-100)
- Chip
- Apple M4
- GPU
- 8 cores
- Memory
- 16 / 24 / 32 GB
- Cooling
- Passive (fanless)
- Year
- 2025
Average gaming performance (2026)
1080p
56FPS
36/100 vs the most powerful Mac
1440p
35FPS
23/100 vs the most powerful Mac
4K
18FPS
15/100 vs the most powerful Mac
At 56 FPS on average at 1080p High, the MacBook Air M4 is a good gaming Mac: demanding games need a setting or two lowered, or MetalFX.
Average on High, no MetalFX, across the games this Mac runs.
MetalFX on the MacBook Air M4
Average of the 10 games with MetalFX at 1440p High.
Native
27FPS
Quality
33FPS
Balanced
40FPS
Performance
45FPS
What FPS does the MacBook Air M4 get in your game?
Games on the MacBook Air M4
EstimateFPS at 1080p High, and the highest setting that holds 60 FPS.
| Game | 1080p High | Verdict | For 60 FPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assassin's Creed Shadows | Needs Apple M1 Max | — | — |
| Crimson Desert | Needs Apple M2 Pro | — | — |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 15FPS | Too slow | Not reached |
| Baldur's Gate 3 | 26FPS | Struggles | Not reached |
| Control Ultimate Edition | 25FPS | Struggles | Not reached |
| Death Stranding Director's Cut | 48FPS | Smooth | 1080p Low |
| Hitman World of Assassination | 52FPS | Smooth | 1080p Medium |
| Lies of P | 70FPS | Excellent | 1440p Low |
| Metro Exodus | 40FPS | Playable | Not reached |
| Resident Evil 4 | 35FPS | Playable | 1080p Low + MetalFX Quality |
| Resident Evil Village | 36FPS | Playable | 1080p Low + MetalFX Quality |
| Total War: PHARAOH | 23FPS | Struggles | Not reached |
| Total War: WARHAMMER III | 21FPS | Struggles | Not reached |
| Frostpunk 2 | 52FPS | Smooth | 1080p Medium |
| GRID Legends | 67FPS | Excellent | 1080p High |
| No Man's Sky | 52FPS | Smooth | 1080p Medium |
| Resident Evil 2 | 52FPS | Smooth | 1080p Medium |
| Resident Evil 3 | 40FPS | Playable | 1080p Medium + MetalFX Quality |
| Resident Evil 7 biohazard | 52FPS | Smooth | 1080p Medium |
| Rise of the Tomb Raider | 61FPS | Excellent | 1080p High |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 44FPS | Playable | 1080p Low |
| XCOM 2 | 52FPS | Smooth | 1080p Medium |
| Cities: Skylines | 77FPS | Excellent | 1440p Low |
| Civilization VI | 77FPS | Excellent | 1440p Low |
| Civilization VII | 67FPS | Excellent | 1080p High |
| Crusader Kings III | 77FPS | Excellent | 1440p Low |
| Divinity: Original Sin 2 | 77FPS | Excellent | 1440p Low |
| Final Fantasy XIV | 77FPS | Excellent | 1440p Low |
| Myst | 40FPS | Playable | Not reached |
| Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous | 77FPS | Excellent | 1440p Low |
| Stellaris | 77FPS | Excellent | 1440p Low |
| Stray | 29FPS | Struggles | Not reached |
| Valheim | 77FPS | Excellent | 1440p Low |
| World of Warcraft | 109FPS | Excellent | 1440p High |
| World of Warcraft: Forever | 109FPS | Excellent | 1440p High |
Calculated with 16 GB, or with the game's minimum memory when higher (if the MacBook Air M4 was sold with it).
Compare it with
Similar Macs
MacBook Neo
MacBook Pro M4
Mac mini M4
iMac M4MacBook Air M4 FAQ
Is the MacBook Air M4 good for gaming?
At 56 FPS on average at 1080p High, the MacBook Air M4 is a good gaming Mac: demanding games need a setting or two lowered, or MetalFX.
Which games run at 60 FPS on the MacBook Air M4?
14 of 35 games go past 60 FPS at 1080p High. Among the most demanding: Lies of P (70), GRID Legends (67), Rise of the Tomb Raider (61), Cities: Skylines (77), and Civilization VI (77).
Which games do not run on the MacBook Air M4?
Assassin's Creed Shadows and Crimson Desert: they need a stronger chip or more memory.
How much memory should I get on the MacBook Air M4 for gaming?
It ships with 16, 24, 32 GB. For gaming, 24 GB leaves headroom for years; 16 GB is the sensible minimum.
Does the MacBook Air M4 throttle while gaming?
It has no fan: in long sessions of demanding games it lowers clocks and loses up to 20% of sustained performance. Our figures already account for it.