I went from a base M1 Air to a mid-spec’d M4 Pro. My main reasons were the 14” screen size, and the lack of a wedge shape for the new Airs (I loved the wedge). IMO, 14” is the perfect size for a laptop that actually sees time in your lap. My 13” Air was fine, but the extra inch is just enough to make a difference, while not feeling overly bulky.

Re: refresh rate, it’s nice, but I wouldn’t miss it most of the time. I have my external monitor for my work M3 running at 120 Hz because I can, not because I need it.