The 2026 MacBook Air with M5 keeps the M4’s basic design and everyday features but adds a faster chip, newer wireless standards, more memory bandwidth and a faster SSD. Its most immediately useful change for many buyers is that base storage doubles from 256GB to 512GB. Most M4 owners doing routine work can keep their laptop; the M5 makes more sense for new buyers or people whose work benefits from its specific performance and storage upgrades.
What changes between the MacBook Air M5 and M4?
The M4 is the 2025 generation; the M5 is the 2026 generation. Both are available in 13-inch and 15-inch sizes. The M5 refreshes key internal specifications, but it does not bring a new chassis or port redesign.
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| Feature | MacBook Air M4 (2025) | MacBook Air M5 (2026) | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU and GPU | 10-core CPU; 8-core or 10-core GPU, depending on configuration | 10-core CPU; up to 10-core GPU, with Neural Accelerators in GPU cores | The added acceleration is most relevant to supported AI and graphics workloads. |
| Memory bandwidth | 120GB/s | 153GB/s; Apple describes this as a 28% increase over M4 | More bandwidth can help demanding workloads, but it does not mean general use is 28% faster. |
| Starting and maximum SSD capacity | 256GB starting capacity; configurable up to 2TB | 512GB starting capacity; configurable up to 4TB | The larger base capacity may reduce the need to pay for an initial storage upgrade, and the maximum is higher. |
| SSD performance | Previous-generation SSD | Apple says read/write performance is 2x the previous generation | Potentially useful for large transfers and storage-heavy work; this is Apple’s comparison. |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 | Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 | You need compatible routers and accessories to benefit from the newer standards. |
| Display sizes | 13-inch and 15-inch | 13-inch and 15-inch | Choose based on portability and workspace, not the generation label. |
| Other headline features | Liquid Retina display, 12MP Center Stage camera, up to 18-hour video-streaming claim and two Thunderbolt 4 ports | Apple lists the same broad features | The M5 is primarily a specification refresh rather than a redesign of the Air’s core experience. |
Apple’s MacBook Air technical specifications list current M5 configurations. For the M4’s original specifications and model identification, see Apple’s 13-inch M4 technical specifications, 15-inch M4 technical specifications and MacBook Air model identification page.
How much faster is the M5?
Apple’s March 2026 comparisons report substantial gains in selected tasks, not a blanket speed increase for every app. Apple says the M5 is up to 4x faster than the M4 for AI tasks, up to 1.9x faster for AI video enhancement in Topaz Video, up to 1.5x faster for ray-traced 3D rendering in Blender and up to 1.5x faster for image processing in Affinity. These are Apple-reported results from preproduction systems; Apple notes that software, configurations and test methods differ by benchmark. They should not be read as predictions that everyday browsing or office work will feel several times faster. The figures and qualifications appear in Apple’s M5 announcement.
#1 Best Overall
- BUILT FOR COLLEGE. AND BEYOND — MacBook Air with the M5 chip packs blazing speed and powerful AI capabilities into an incredibly portable design. And with up to 18 hours of battery life,* this thin and light powerhouse is ready to take on almost any major, just about anywhere.
- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
- A BRILLIANT 13.6-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Air supports 1 billion colors, making photos and videos pop with rich contrast and sharp detail, and text appears supercrisp. So everything — from class presentations to movies to games — looks truly stunning.
The performance case is strongest when your software can use the M5’s added AI or graphics capability. Independent buyer guidance from MacRumors’ May 2026 guide says routine browsing, office work, media playback and basic editing are unlikely to make the difference perceptible to most M4 owners. That is editorial guidance, not a universal benchmark result.
Should you upgrade from an M4 Air?
Keep the M4 for routine work
If your M4 handles browsing, documents, video calls, streaming and ordinary photo editing, and you are not running short on storage, there is no general-purpose reason to replace it solely for the M5 chip. A generation change matters less than whether your current laptop is actually limiting your work.
Rank #2
- BUILT FOR COLLEGE. AND BEYOND — MacBook Air with the M5 chip packs blazing speed and powerful AI capabilities into an incredibly portable design. And with up to 18 hours of battery life,* this thin and light powerhouse is ready to take on almost any major, just about anywhere.
- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
- A BRILLIANT 13.6-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Air supports 1 billion colors, making photos and videos pop with rich contrast and sharp detail, and text appears supercrisp. So everything — from class presentations to movies to games — looks truly stunning.
Consider M5 for demanding local workloads
The upgrade is more compelling if you regularly run local large language models or diffusion models, enhance video, render ray-traced 3D scenes, or process large creative projects. Those uses align more closely with Apple’s stated performance improvements and the M5’s higher maximum SSD capacity.
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Compare configurations and local prices
For a new purchase, the M5’s 512GB base SSD and newer wireless standards are practical advantages. A discounted M4 may still be better value if its memory and storage meet your needs and the price gap is large enough. Compare like with like: screen size, unified memory, SSD capacity and the price you can actually get in your market. No regional street prices are established here, so the better value depends on current local availability.
Rank #3
- BUILT FOR COLLEGE. AND BEYOND — MacBook Air with the M5 chip packs blazing speed and powerful AI capabilities into an incredibly portable design. And with up to 18 hours of battery life,* this thin and light powerhouse is ready to take on almost any major, just about anywhere.
- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
- A BRILLIANT 15.3-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Air supports 1 billion colors, making photos and videos pop with rich contrast and sharp detail, and text appears supercrisp. So everything — from class presentations to movies to games — looks truly stunning.
Both generations can be configured with up to 32GB of unified memory. Memory is a purchase-time configuration choice, so price the amount your workload needs into both models rather than comparing only their entry configurations. Apple’s M5 announcement and M4 specifications provide the configuration details: M5 and M4.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- BUILT FOR COLLEGE. AND BEYOND — MacBook Air with the M5 chip packs blazing speed and powerful AI capabilities into an incredibly portable design. And with up to 18 hours of battery life,* this thin and light powerhouse is ready to take on almost any major, just about anywhere.
- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
- A BRILLIANT 15.3-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Air supports 1 billion colors, making photos and videos pop with rich contrast and sharp detail, and text appears supercrisp. So everything — from class presentations to movies to games — looks truly stunning.
Rank #4
- BUILT FOR COLLEGE. AND BEYOND — MacBook Air with the M5 chip packs blazing speed and powerful AI capabilities into an incredibly portable design. And with up to 18 hours of battery life,* this thin and light powerhouse is ready to take on almost any major, just about anywhere.
- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
- A BRILLIANT 13.6-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Air supports 1 billion colors, making photos and videos pop with rich contrast and sharp detail, and text appears supercrisp. So everything — from class presentations to movies to games — looks truly stunning.
Which MacBook Air should you choose?
- Choose or keep the M4 if you already own one and it meets your needs, or if you find a sufficiently discounted M4 configuration with the memory and storage you want.
- Choose the M5 if you are buying new and value 512GB of base storage, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, or if your supported creative and AI workloads can use the extra performance.
- Choose screen size by how you work: both generations come in 13-inch and 15-inch models, so the generation itself does not settle the portability-versus-workspace choice.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
