While the MacBook Pro is the place to go for the latest and greatest tech, Ive always been drawn to the MacBook Air for one key reason: portability. Theres just something really nice about the thinness and lightness of the MacBook Air, one that makes me willing to compromise on miniLED, ProMotion, additional ports, and so on. The MacBook Air isnt a perfect computer by any means, but there are some simple upgrades that Id like to see Apple make with the M4 MacBook Air this year. Any of these upgrades would make it a much better package in my book.600 nit displayApples recently been bumping the standard brightness on a bunch of their newer displays. M4 MacBook Pros got a bump to 1000 nits of standard brightness (vs 600 nits on M3 and 500 nits on M2), and the new M2 iPad Air also got a bump from 500 nits to 600 nits, at least on the 13-inch variant.So, reasonably speaking, Apple could bump the next generation MacBook Air from 500 nits to 600 nits if they wanted to. Itd be in line with some of its other device upgrades, and itd provide a solid usability upgrade to MacBook Air buyers. Itd be quite a compelling upgrade to a number of users, since the M4 model is expected to just be a spec bump.Improved thermalsApple has also been improving thermals across the board in devices that rely on passive cooling, most notably the iPhone 16 Pro and M4 iPad Pro. Both of these devices boasted improved thermals, whether that be graphite sheets, copper heatsinks, or an improved internal design.A number of people have complained about thermals in the MacBook Air, which has been passively cooled ever since the Mac transitioned to Apple Silicon. Im not here to say whether or not MacBook Air thermals are good enough, but I do notice my machine getting a little toasty under moderate workflows. Apple could definitely improve the thermals in the next MacBook Air, and Im sure itd make a lot of people happy.Some users have even modified their MacBook Airs to extend peak performance before thermal throttling. While this is a safe and reversible mod, it most definitely violates your warranty if you need your MacBook serviced. Center Stage cameraWhile this upgrade is likely a given, since the M4 iMac and M4 MacBook Pro already have it Id also really like to see Center Stage on the next MacBook Air. It makes for some really cool features, and better webcams are something that everyone can appreciate. Center Stage makes FaceTime more fun, and features like Desk View are decently useful.Wrap upThese three upgrades would make MacBook Air a far more compelling package, at least to me. MacBook Pro (especially the 16 model) is quite thick and heavy, and I really value having a nice thin-and-light laptop that I can just easily throw in a bag and not worry about. Thats ultimately why I stopped using a MacBook Pro.The thing that annoys me most about the MacBook air is only having thunderbolt ports on one side. I dont actually need more than 2 ports, Id just like one on each side. View all commentsEven if Apple made none of these changes, Id still far prefer MacBook Air but this is my wishlist. I currently use an M2 13-inch MacBook Air, and would like to take the jump up to a 15-inch. However, Apple will need to do more than a chip upgrade to convince me.Itd be easy to ask for things like a 120Hz display, or even OLED like the new iPad Pro. However, this is also Apples cheapest laptop, so I prefer to be a bit more moderate with my suggestions.My favorite Mac accessories on Amazon:Follow Michael:X/Twitter,Bluesky,InstagramAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel