Full Comparison
| Attribute | MacBook Air M5 (2026) | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price (USD)(USD) | $1,999 | $1,199 |
| Value-for-Money Ratio(%) | Baseline (100%) | — |
| CPU Cores(cores) | 18 cores (M5 Max) | 10-core |
| GPU Cores(cores) | 32 cores (M5 Max) | 10-core GPU |
| Image Processing Improvement(%) | Professional workflows | 2.7x vs M1 Air |
| Base Processor | Apple M5 | — |
| Processor | Apple M5 | — |
| Maximum RAM(GB) | 128GB | 24GB |
| Display Refresh Rate(Hz) | 120Hz ProMotion | 60Hz Liquid Retina |
| Display Size Options(inches) | 13-inch, 15-inch | — |
| Standard Display Size(inches) | 15-inch | — |
| Display Technology | Liquid Retina | — |
| Display Brightness (Peak)(nits) | 500 nits | — |
| Weight (15-inch/14-inch)(lbs) | 3.5 lbs | 3.3 lbs |
| Battery Life(hours) | All-day (16+ hours) | — |
| Weight (15-inch base)(lbs) | 3.3 lbs | — |
| Weight (15-inch model)(lbs) | 3.3 lbs | — |
| Thunderbolt Ports(count) | 3 ports + HDMI + SD | 3x Thunderbolt 4 |
| Additional Video Ports | None (USB-C required) | — |
| Wi-Fi Standard(generation) | Wi-Fi 7 | — |
| Starting Price (CAD)(CAD) | $1,600 | — |
| Base Launch Price (13-inch)(USD) | $1,099 | — |
| Base Memory(GB) | 8GB unified memory | — |
| Battery Life (typical)(hours) | 18 hours | — |
| Base Storage(GB) | 512GB | — |
| LLM Processing Speed(relative multiplier) | 4x faster vs M4 | — |
| Neural Engine(cores) | 16-core | — |
| Real-World Daily Performance Gap(perceived difference) | Identical for business use | — |
MacBook Air M5 (2026)
Starting Price (USD)(USD)
$1,999
$1,199
Value-for-Money Ratio(%)
Baseline (100%)
—
CPU Cores(cores)
18 cores (M5 Max)
10-core
GPU Cores(cores)
32 cores (M5 Max)
10-core GPU
Image Processing Improvement(%)
Professional workflows
2.7x vs M1 Air
Base Processor
Apple M5
—
Processor
Apple M5
—
Maximum RAM(GB)
128GB
24GB
Display Refresh Rate(Hz)
120Hz ProMotion
60Hz Liquid Retina
Display Size Options(inches)
13-inch, 15-inch
—
Standard Display Size(inches)
15-inch
—
Display Technology
Liquid Retina
—
Display Brightness (Peak)(nits)
500 nits
—
Weight (15-inch/14-inch)(lbs)
3.5 lbs
3.3 lbs
Battery Life(hours)
All-day (16+ hours)
—
Weight (15-inch base)(lbs)
3.3 lbs
—
Weight (15-inch model)(lbs)
3.3 lbs
—
Thunderbolt Ports(count)
3 ports + HDMI + SD
3x Thunderbolt 4
Additional Video Ports
None (USB-C required)
—
Wi-Fi Standard(generation)
Wi-Fi 7
—
Starting Price (CAD)(CAD)
$1,600
—
Base Launch Price (13-inch)(USD)
$1,099
—
Base Memory(GB)
8GB unified memory
—
Battery Life (typical)(hours)
18 hours
—
Base Storage(GB)
512GB
—
LLM Processing Speed(relative multiplier)
4x faster vs M4
—
Neural Engine(cores)
16-core
—
Real-World Daily Performance Gap(perceived difference)
Identical for business use
—