Apple’s most popular laptop is going to win more friends after the unveiling of its latest version – the MacBook Air with M5. Not only does it get the latest Apple Silicon, the starting storage has been doubled to 512GB. This is a massive win for consumers because you’ll be able to install and run your programs for longer before running into a storage bottleneck. You can configure the Air to 4TB of storage if you want to avoid using dongles and cables.
The M5 MacBook Air boasts a faster CPU and a next-gen GPU with a Neural Accelerator in each core, so it can handle all sorts of tasks, from creative projects to complex AI work. This means customers can keep their most important work right at hand. Apple’s N1 wireless chip gives you Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 for smooth connectivity wherever you go.
The MacBook Air has a beautifully thin, light, and tough aluminium design, a stunning Liquid Retina display, a 12MP Centre Stage camera, up to 18 hours of battery life, an immersive sound system with Spatial Audio, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports that can connect up to two external displays.
You can get the new MacBook Air with M5 in 13- and 15-inch models in sky blue, midnight, starlight, and silver. It’s available for pre-order starting tomorrow, 5 March, and will be available from Wednesday, 11 March.
“The new MacBook Air with M5 brings incredible performance and even more capability to the world’s most popular laptop,” John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering.
“With M5, the MacBook Air can handle a wide range of tasks, from everyday productivity to creative workloads, and it’s even faster for AI. Now, it comes with double the starting storage, plus Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, in a sleek and tough design with long battery life. The MacBook Air is the perfect laptop for anyone who values the unrivalled combination of performance and portability.”
MacBook Air M5 v MacBook Air M4
| Feature | MacBook Air (M5, 2026) | MacBook Air (M4, 2025) |
| Chipset | Apple M5 (10-core CPU / 10-core GPU) | Apple M4 (8-core or 10-core CPU / GPU) |
| AI Architecture | Neural Accelerator in each core | Dedicated 16-core Neural Engine |
| Unified Memory | 153GB/s bandwidth (28% increase) | 120GB/s bandwidth |
| Base Storage | 512GB SSD | 256GB SSD |
| Max Storage | Up to 4TB | Up to 2TB |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 7 / Bluetooth 6.0 (N1 Chip) | Wi-Fi 6E / Bluetooth 5.3 |
| SSD Speed | 2x faster read/write vs. M4 | Standard M-series SSD speeds |
| Starting Price | A$1,799 | A$1,599 (At launch) |
The M5 Architecture
The M5 isn’t just an incremental clock-speed bump; it is an architectural pivot. While the 10-core CPU maintains Apple’s lead in per-watt efficiency, the integration of a Neural Accelerator into every single core marks a departure from the dedicated “Neural Engine” block of previous generations.
This distributed AI architecture allows the MacBook Air to handle “Apple Intelligence” tasks— like Live Translation in Messages or complex Edge Light video processing— with significantly lower latency. Apple claims the M5 delivers up to 4x faster AI performance than the M4, and a staggering 9.5x over the M1.
Workflow Benchmarks Against M4
- AI Video Enhancement (Topaz): 1.9x faster.
- 3D Rendering (Blender Ray-Tracing): 1.5x faster.
- Image Processing (Affinity): 1.5x faster.
- Memory Bandwidth: 153GB/s ensures that local LLMs (Large Language Models) stay responsive even with multiple apps open.
Connectivity
Apple has transitioned the Air to its own N1 wireless chip, moving away from third-party solutions. This enables Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0 for the first time in the Air lineup.
- Wi-Fi 7: Essential for users working in high-density environments or those utilising high-speed NAS setups.
- Dual Display Support: The M5 retains the ability to power two external displays (with the laptop lid closed). I can’t deny that having the display closed is a real disappointment. I mean, three screens on the road is my ideal scenario.
macOS Tahoe
Key Tahoe features for the Air include:
- Edge Light: A software-based fill light that uses the display to illuminate your face during 12MP Center Stage calls.
- Advanced Shortcuts: New actions that tap directly into M5’s AI models to extract information from PDFs or automate spreadsheet data entry.
Battery Life
Apple is claiming up to 18 hours of battery life — six additional hours when compared to an Intel-based MacBook Air — with fast-charge capability.
Should You Buy?
If you are still on an Intel-based Mac, the M5 is a revelation, offering 6x the battery life and a massive performance gulf. For M1 or M2 users, the combination of Wi-Fi 7 and the massive AI performance boost makes this the most compelling reason to upgrade in years.
Pricing and Availability
The 13-inch MacBook Air with M5 starts at RRP A$1,799, and RRP A$1,639 for education, and the 15-inch MacBook Air with M5 starts at RRP A$2,199 and RRP A$2,029 for education.
Customers can pre-order the new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air with M5 beginning at 1:15 a.m. AEDT on Thursday, 5 March, on apple.com/au/store and in the Apple Store app in 33 countries and regions.
All models will begin arriving to customers, and will be in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorised Resellers, starting Wednesday, 11 March.
Both are available in sky blue, midnight, starlight, and silver.
