MacBook Air · Apple Silicon · 2026
MacBook Air (M5)
The Air’s M5 refresh keeps the familiar 13- and 15-inch designs while moving Apple’s most popular laptop to the latest Apple Silicon generation.
MacBook Air (M5): key facts
When was the MacBook Air (M5) released?
The MacBook Air (M5) was released in 2026.
How much did the MacBook Air (M5) cost?
The MacBook Air (M5) launched at $999 in 2026 — about $1,009 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What are the MacBook Air (M5)’s specs?
The MacBook Air (M5) used a Apple M5 running at 4.60 GHz, with 16 GB of memory and 256 GB of storage. It ran macOS 16.
Why does the MacBook Air (M5) matter?
Current-generation Apple Silicon update to the fanless MacBook Air line.
Full specifications
| CPU | Apple M5 · 4.60 GHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 10 |
| Memory (RAM) | 16 GB (up to 32 GB) |
| Storage | 256 GB |
| Display | 13.6" or 15.3" Liquid Retina |
| GPU | Apple integrated GPU |
| Ports | Thunderbolt / USB-C, MagSafe 3 |
| Weight | Varies by configuration |
| Dimensions | Desktop computer |
| Operating system | macOS 16 |
| Released | 2026 |
| Discontinued | — |
| Launch price | $999 |
How the MacBook Air (M5) compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 1.0× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 4.60 GHz, the clock is roughly 0.7× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro — and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
This held about 65,500 modern phone photos — a respectable library even today.
Launched at $999 in 2026 — about $1,009 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Cross-architecture speed figures are clock-only and approximate; inflation figures use US CPI.
Did you know?
It is the kind of model collectors use to map Apple’s complicated family tree.
Open the MacBook Air (M5) in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-06-27