The MacBook Air with M5 is now official, as Apple on March 3, 2026 introduced the updated laptop featuring a 10-core CPU, 512GB of standard storage, and support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. The device is available for pre-order starting March 4 and ships to customers beginning March 11.
The M5 chip delivers up to 4x faster performance for artificial intelligence tasks compared to the M4, and up to 9.5x faster than the M1. The chip features a Neural Accelerator in each GPU core, 153GB/s of unified memory bandwidth — a 28 percent improvement over M4 — and a third-generation ray-tracing engine.
MacBook Air with M5 Performance Benchmarks
Apple provided several benchmark comparisons for the new model. AI video enhancement in Topaz Video runs up to 6.9x faster than on the M1 MacBook Air, and up to 1.9x faster than the M4. Moreover, 3D rendering with ray-tracing in Blender reaches up to 6.5x faster than M1 and up to 1.5x faster than M4. Image processing in Affinity is up to 2.7x faster than M1 and up to 1.5x faster than M4.
Web browsing on the M5 MacBook Air is up to 50 percent faster than a PC laptop running an Intel Core Ultra X7 processor. More demanding tasks achieve up to 2x faster performance in the same comparison.
Storage, SSD Speed, and Connectivity
The new laptop ships with 512GB of storage as standard — double the previous generation — and is configurable up to 4TB for the first time. The updated SSD delivers 2x faster read/write speeds compared to the prior model. Apple’s N1 wireless chip enables Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 across both the 13-inch and 15-inch models.
The device retains two Thunderbolt 4 ports with support for up to two external displays, a MagSafe charging port, a 12MP Center Stage camera, a three-mic array, and a sound system with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos support. Battery life remains rated at up to 18 hours.
Display, Design, and macOS Tahoe
Both models feature a fanless aluminum design. The 13-inch model carries a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, while the 15-inch model uses a 15.3-inch panel. Both screens offer 500 nits of brightness and support for 1 billion colors. The devices are available in sky blue, midnight, starlight, and silver.
The laptops ship with macOS Tahoe, which includes the Liquid Glass design system and Apple Intelligence features. Apple Intelligence adds Live Translation in Messages, updated Reminders with automatic categorization, and expanded Shortcuts actions. A new Edge Light effect for video calls evenly illuminates the user’s face in varied lighting conditions.
“With M5, MacBook Air powers through a wide range of tasks, from everyday productivity to creative workloads, and is even faster for AI. Now featuring double the starting storage, as well as Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, in a sleek and durable design with long battery life, MacBook Air is the perfect laptop for anyone who values the unrivaled combination of performance and portability.”
John Ternus, Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, Apple
Pricing, Availability, and Environmental Notes
The 13-inch MacBook Air with M5 starts at SAR 4,999, or SAR 4,499 for education. The 15-inch model starts at SAR 5,999, or SAR 5,499 for education. Pre-orders open March 4 across 33 countries and regions, with in-store and delivery availability from March 11 at Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers.
Apple stated the device contains 55 percent recycled content, including 100 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure and 100 percent recycled cobalt in the battery. The supply chain uses 50 percent renewable electricity. Apple said the MacBook Air with M5 supports its goal of achieving carbon neutrality across its entire footprint by 2030. Customers can trade in existing computers through Apple Trade In for credit toward the new model.
