I have been using a MacBook Air for as long as I can remember. And my MacBook Air M3 is still working perfectly fine. It handles my endless Chrome tabs, video calls, Netflix binge sessions, and even light video edits without any hiccups. But still, whenever Apple introduces a new MacBook Air, I feel the temptation that most Apple fans can very well understand. The idea of a newer chip, better graphics and other upgrades always sounds exciting, even when the current device works just fine. And now that the new MacBook Air powered by the M5 chip is here, millions of Apple enthusiasts around the world are pondering over the same question- what are the upgrades over its predecessor?
On the outside, the new MacBook Air looks almost identical to the M4 variant. It has the same design language which we have grown used to. And the upgrades are all under the hood. Apple is calling the MacBook Air the “world’s most popular laptop” and is talking about faster AI performance, improved graphics, better wireless connectivity and double the starting storage. So what exactly has changed compared to the M4 MacBook Air, and should you upgrade? Let’s try and find out.
Also read: Apple launches MacBook Pro with M5 Pro chip: Key features, upgrades and price in India
As mentioned already, in terms of design, the new MacBook Air looks similar. You have the familiar compact thin and light aluminium body, same 13 inch and 15 inch display options, and the same focus on portability. But when you take a look at the specs sheet, the upgrades become obvious.
The biggest upgrade is, of course, the new M5 chip. The MacBook Air M5 features a 10 core CPU and up to a 10 core GPU. Apple says it delivers up to four times faster AI performance compared to the M4 MacBook Air, and up to 9.5 times faster than the M1 model. For users working with AI tools, on device LLMs or Apple Intelligence features in macOS Tahoe, this is worth paying attention to.
Now, graphics have always been a strong point of all MacBooks. And with the MacBook Air M5, the graphics have further improved. The latest laptop comes with enhanced shader cores and a third generation ray tracing engine. Apple has also claimed up to 1.5 times faster 3D rendering compared to the M4 MacBook Air. This could lead to tasks like Blender renders and image processing in apps feel quicker and smoother.
Memory bandwidth directly impacts multitasking capabilities and app launching abilities of a laptop. And the memory bandwidth in M5 MacBook Air has increased to 153GB per second, which is about 28% higher than M4.
The biggest change is now in terms of storage. Apple has done away with the 256GB storage variant and the base model of the MacBook Air M5 comes with 512 GB storage. Further, this storage can be configured up to a whopping 4TB. Apple also says the SSD is twice as fast as before, leading to faster file transfers and lesser project loading times.
Talking about connectivity, the new model comes with Apple’s N1 wireless chip with Wi Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, replacing the older wireless standard on the M4 model. You still get two Thunderbolt 4 ports, MagSafe charging, support for up to two external displays, and up to 18 hours of battery life. As far as display is concerned, there are the same 13.6 inch and 15.3 inch Liquid Retina screens with 500 nits brightness.
In India, the 13 inch MacBook Air M5 starts at Rs 1,19,900, while the 15 inch model starts at Rs 1,44,900. Now, should you go ahead and pick up this brand new laptop? The answer depends on what you need and how much you are willing to spend.
If you already own the MacBook Air M4 or even the MacBook Air M3 and your usage revolves around Google Docs, spreadsheets, web browsing and video calls, the jump to M5 may not feel necessary. The older MacBook Air laptops are still very capable and efficient for day-to-day tasks.
But, if you have the budget and you plan to work with heavier creative apps, AI tools, light 3D work or simply want more storage, the M5 model might be worth upgrading to. The faster AI performance, improved graphics, higher memory bandwidth and doubled base storage offer a more powerful and future-proof experience.
And if you are a first time Mac buyer with a tight budget, the M4 and M3 MacBook Air laptops are still solid options to consider. On a related note, reports of a budget MacBook set to be unveiled have also been surfacing for a while. This new device could be unveiled on March 4 as part of Apple’s “Special Experience” event. Keep watching this space for more updates on the same.
Also read: Apple MacBook Pro with M5 Max chip just launched: What’s new?