MacBook Air M4 for Professional Workflows - Can It Really Replace a Pro?

The Docker Reality Check

Docker on the M4 Air is fast enough for most development work, but you'll hit limits. I regularly run 3-4 containers simultaneously for web development - PostgreSQL, Redis, Node.js backend, and a React frontend. Memory pressure starts around 5-6 containers, but that's more than most developers need locally.

The big win is speed. Container startup times are genuinely fast - PostgreSQL boots in under 3 seconds versus 8-12 seconds on my old Intel machine. Docker Desktop uses about 2GB of RAM baseline, leaving 14GB for your actual work with the standard 16GB configuration.

Platform compatibility gotcha: Some x86-specific Docker images still run slower through emulation. If your team uses ARM-native images, you're golden. If they don't, expect 15-20% performance hits on specific containers.

Docker Desktop randomly stops working and nobody knows why. Restart it, curse at it, restart again. That's the Docker Desktop experience on any platform. x86 Docker images are a pain - half the images on Docker Hub still don't have ARM versions, so you're stuck with slower emulation or hunting for alternatives.

VS Code and IDE Performance

VS Code runs like butter. I keep 20+ tabs open across multiple projects, with extensions for Docker, TypeScript, Python, and Go. The M4 handles it without breaking a sweat. Indexing large codebases is noticeably faster - my 50,000+ line React project indexes in about 30 seconds versus 2+ minutes on Intel.

Extensions break with every update though. Disable auto-update or suffer through random crashes and missing functionality.

IntelliJ IDEA and WebStorm work well but consume more RAM. IDEA with a large Java project uses 4-6GB RAM. Still workable with 16GB, but you'll want 24GB if you're a heavy IntelliJ user. IntelliJ eats RAM like Cookie Monster eats cookies - 24GB recommended if you're serious about Java development.

ARM compatibility: All major IDEs are ARM-native now. No more Rosetta performance hits. Xcode builds are fast, but the simulator crashes more than Windows ME. Android Studio works fine once you get past the initial setup hell.

Node.js and Build Performance

Node.js build times are excellent. My typical React + TypeScript project that took 45 seconds to build on Intel now finishes in 18 seconds. Hot reloading in development is instant. The M4's single-core performance makes JavaScript compilation noticeably snappier.

npm install fails randomly on ARM packages though. Use yarn or pray to the JavaScript gods. Hot reload randomly breaks in React - restart the dev server, curse, repeat.

Database Development

Local PostgreSQL and MySQL perform well. Complex queries that took 200ms on Intel now run in 80-100ms. The unified memory architecture helps with database caching - your entire test dataset often stays in memory.

Redis is particularly fast on Apple Silicon. Simple key-value operations are nearly instant, making development with Redis caching a smooth experience.

Final Cut Pro Performance Reality

Final Cut Pro runs surprisingly well on the M4 Air. I edited a 15-minute 4K video with color grading and transitions - export took 12 minutes versus 35 minutes on my Intel machine. The key is understanding limitations.

What works: 4K footage from modern cameras, basic color correction, standard transitions, multicam editing with 2-3 angles. Timeline scrubbing is smooth, effects preview is real-time for most filters.

What struggles: Heavy motion graphics, complex 3D titles, 4+ multicam angles, or very long projects (60+ minutes). You'll see beach balls with intensive effects stacks.

The 16GB unified memory helps significantly. Final Cut can access the full memory pool for video buffers, unlike discrete GPU setups that partition memory. A 10-minute 4K timeline uses about 6-8GB during editing. Check Apple's optimization guide for performance tips.

Adobe Creative Suite Experience

Adobe Photoshop performance is solid for most work. Files up to 2-3GB with 50+ layers work fine. Complex filters and AI features (Content-Aware Fill, Sky Replacement) run reasonably fast but eat RAM like crazy. The Neural Engine makes Photoshop's AI stuff faster than Intel machines.

Lightroom Classic handles 500+ RAW photo catalogs well. Export times for batch processing are good - 100 24MP RAW files to JPEG export in about 8 minutes. Local adjustments and masking tools are responsive.

Premiere Pro is more demanding than Final Cut. Simple 4K edits work, but anything complex hits thermal and memory limits faster. Premiere is still buggy on ARM - stick with Final Cut for video unless you enjoy crashes and random render failures.

After Effects struggles with complex compositions. Simple motion graphics and text animations are fine, but heavy particle effects or 3D renders will push this machine beyond its comfort zone.

Design and UI/UX Work

Figma runs perfectly - even complex design systems with hundreds of components stay responsive. Browser-based tools benefit from the M4's excellent single-core performance. Large design files that would choke in a browser on Intel run smoothly.

Sketch performance is excellent. Files with 50+ artboards and complex vector graphics handle well. Symbol overrides and style changes are instant.

Adobe XD works fine but Adobe's ARM optimization is inconsistent across their suite. Figma desktop app honestly performs better for UI design work.

Audio Production Capabilities

Logic Pro handles multi-track recording and editing well. I tested 24 tracks of audio with plugins and virtual instruments - CPU usage stayed under 40%. The built-in audio hardware is surprisingly good for monitoring during recording.

Plugin compatibility: Most audio plugins have ARM versions now. Older VST plugins might need Rosetta, adding latency and CPU overhead.

External audio interfaces: All major interfaces work fine. Focusrite Scarlett, PreSonus, RME audio interfaces - standard USB audio class devices just work.

The Thermal Reality

During intensive creative work, the aluminum body gets noticeably warm but never uncomfortable to touch. The passive cooling is adequate for sustained workloads - I've never seen performance throttling during normal creative tasks.

Long video exports (30+ minute timelines) will heat up the machine, but performance stays consistent throughout the process.