Apple has introduced the new MacBook Air featuring the M5 chip, emphasizing enhanced performance for AI tasks and doubled base storage. The laptop, available in 13- and 15-inch models, starts pre-orders on March 4, 2026, with shipments beginning a week later. It combines advanced hardware with macOS Tahoe for improved productivity and connectivity.
On March 3, 2026, Apple announced the updated MacBook Air in Cupertino, California, highlighting the M5 chip's capabilities. The M5 includes a 10-core CPU described as having the world's fastest CPU core and an up-to-10-core GPU with Neural Accelerators in each core. This setup provides up to 4 times faster performance for AI tasks compared to the M4-equipped model and up to 9.5 times faster than the M1 version. Specific benchmarks show up to 6.9 times faster AI video enhancement in Topaz Video versus the M1, and up to 1.9 times faster than the M4. For 3D rendering in Blender, it achieves up to 6.5 times the speed of the M1 and 1.5 times that of the M4. Image processing in Affinity is up to 2.7 times faster than the M1 and 1.5 times the M4. Web browsing is up to 50 percent faster than on a PC with an Intel Core Ultra X7 processor, with demanding tasks up to twice as fast.
The new model doubles the starting storage to 512GB, configurable up to 4TB, with the SSD offering twice the read/write speed of the previous generation. It features Apple's N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support. The design remains thin, light, and fanless, in aluminum, available in sky blue, midnight, starlight, and silver. Displays are 13.6-inch or 15.3-inch Liquid Retina with 500 nits brightness and 1 billion colors. Battery life reaches up to 18 hours, six hours more than Intel-based predecessors, with fast charging. Other features include a 12MP Center Stage camera supporting Desk View, a three-mic array, immersive audio with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos, two Thunderbolt 4 ports for up to two external displays, and MagSafe charging.
Running macOS Tahoe, it integrates Apple Intelligence for features like Live Translation in Messages and enhanced Reminders. Continuity options include relaying iPhone calls and Live Activities via iPhone Mirroring. Environmentally, it uses 55 percent recycled content, including 100 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure and cobalt in the battery, manufactured with 50 percent renewable electricity, supporting Apple's carbon neutrality goal by 2030.
"The new MacBook Air with M5 brings incredible performance and even more capability to the world’s most popular laptop," said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. "With M5, MacBook Air powers through a wide range of tasks, from everyday productivity to creative workloads, and is even faster for AI."
Pre-orders begin March 4 at 6:15 a.m. PST on apple.com and the Apple Store app in 33 countries, including the U.S. The 13-inch model starts at $1,099 ($999 for education), and the 15-inch at $1,299 ($1,199 for education). Availability starts March 11 at Apple Stores and authorized resellers. Options like Apple Trade In, AppleCare, and Apple Card financing are available.
