M5 MacBook Air release date, price, new features and specs
Apple’s M4 MacBook Air was released in March 2024, about a year after the M3 version released. Apple seems to be on an annual cycle with the MacBook Air, and the next generation could be published next spring. This article will keep a trace of what is reported, as well as to offer you a perspective based on the current Apple range.
M5 MacBook Air: release date
- Expected in the first half of 2026
Mark Gurman de Bloomberg reported in March 2025 that Apple was working on the M5 MacBook Air, but did not mention when he was ready. But we can guess according to the availability of the M5 chip series. A recent report indicated that the iPad Pro M5 and M5 MacBook Pro could be shipped to the second half of 2025, which means that the air will be shipped three to six months later.
If the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro M5 are published in October or November this year, we will probably see the M5 MacBook Air in the first half of 2026.
Appleinsider reported on July 3 that Apple would “probably” release the M5 MacBook Air at the beginning of 2026. Code names for new laptops are J813 (13 -inch air) and J815 (15 -inch air).
M4 MacBook Air: specifications
Before entering the M5 MacBook Air, here are the prices of the current standard configurations of the M4 MacBook Air, for reference.
| MacBook Air model | WE | UNITED KINGDOM | Canada | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13in, 16 GB of RAM, 256 GB of SSD | $ 999 | £ 999 | $ 1,399 | $ 1,699 |
| 13in, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB of SSD | $ 1 199 | £ 199 | $ 1,699 | $ 1,999 |
| 13in, 24 GB of RAM, 512 GB of SSD | $ 1,399 | £ 1,399 | $ 1,999 | $ 2,299 |
| 15 inches, 16 GB of RAM, 256 GB of SSD | $ 1 199 | £ 199 | $ 1,699 | $ 2,099 |
| 15 inches, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB of SSD | $ 1,399 | £ 1,399 | $ 1,999 | $ 2,399 |
| 15 inches, 24 GB of RAM, 512 GB of SSD | $ 1,599 | £ 1,599 | $ 2,299 | $ 2,699 |
M5 MacBook Air: Design and features
- Upgrade of the M5 chip and few other
With the M4 MacBook Air, Apple upgraded the chip from M3 to M4, the camera integrated into a 12MP central camera and the Thunderbolt 3 ports with Thunderbolt 4, and introduced a sky blue color to replace the gray space. The new M5 models also had the same configuration of RAM of 16 GB higher as Apple introduced halfway through the M4 cycle.
With all these recent changes in mind, the M5 MacBook Air does not have much else that clearly needs an upgrade. Thus, the next MacBook Air will probably be hardly more than an updating the processor.
The only specification that we would like to see modify is the basic configuration of the SSD. It takes place at 256 GB, which in our view is small. However, given the time that it took Apple to get rid of the configuration of 8 GB of RAM, Apple can stick to the 256 GB SSD basic model for a few more generations.
Apple introduced sky blue as a color option with the M4 MacBook Air.
Eugen Wegmann
The current design of the MacBook Air was introduced in 2022. As it only has a few years, we do not expect it to change with the M5 version.
The rumor reported the plans so that the company implements OLED screens in its macbooks, the MacBook Pro obtaining the new screen first, but this will probably not happen before 2026. The MacBook Air could follow in 2027, but it is also possible that Apple continues to offer the standard liquid display Retina to keep the separate lines, like the iPhone and the iPad.
M5 MacBook Air: Price
When he launched the M4 MacBook Air, Apple also reduced the price of all $ 100 models, bringing the entry -level model to $ 999.
We have not read any report on the prices of the M5 MacBook Air. Apple will probably offer configurations similar to M4, but it remains to be seen if the new lower prices will remain. The threat of prices by the US government is an imminent problem, which could affect prices. Apple could also keep the M4 at $ 999 and start the M5 airs at $ 1,099 as before.
