Everything we know about the new M5 MacBook Air before its 2026 launch
Inside the Features, Upgrades, and Impact of Apple’s 2026 MacBook Air Refresh
The MacBook Air has long set the standard for consumer laptops, artfully blending portability and performance in a way few rivals can match. With the M4 generation now behind us, anticipation is building for what’s next.
Apple is preparing to refresh its most popular laptop with the next-generation M5 chip, expected as soon as March 4, 2026. While the familiar chassis remains, the upgrades beneath the surface promise to be substantial. From notable leaps in graphics performance to potential thermal hurdles, here’s a deep dive into what the M5 MacBook Air could mean for Apple’s lineup—and for you.
The M5 Chip: Performance Meets Portability
The defining feature of the upcoming MacBook Air is its new silicon. Apple’s M-series chips have repeatedly redefined expectations for thin-and-light laptops, and the M5 is poised to do the same.
Benchmarks from the M5 MacBook Pro and iPad Pro give us a clear sense of what’s in store:
CPU Improvements: Look for a 15–25% increase in processing speed over the M4. Everyday tasks will feel more responsive, and heavier workloads—like compiling code or batch photo editing—will benefit even more.
Major Graphics Leap: The big story is the GPU. Apple’s new 10-core GPU architecture is said to deliver up to 45% better graphics performance. For creative professionals and casual gamers alike, this upgrade narrows the gap between the Air and pro-tier machines.
AI on Board: The M5 is designed for the Apple Intelligence era. Its Neural Engine brings up to 3.5 times the performance of previous generations, enabling faster, more efficient on-device AI for tasks such as image creation and real-time language processing.
This isn’t just a minor spec bump—it’s a redefinition of what Apple’s entry-level laptop can do. The M5 MacBook Air may even surpass the performance of high-end Intel desktops from just a few years ago, yet still slip effortlessly into your bag.
Design and Display: If It Ain’t Broke
Fans hoping for a total redesign will have to wait. The current MacBook Air design, introduced in 2022, remains fresh, modern, and highly functional.
Chassis: The flat-edged, ultra-thin aluminum body endures—a design that maximizes battery capacity while maintaining a strikingly slim profile.
Colors: Expect the ‘Sky Blue’ option from the M4 Air to continue, alongside Midnight, Starlight, and Silver. No bold new color experiments are anticipated this time.
Screen Tech: The display will likely remain a standard Liquid Retina panel. Although talk of OLED MacBooks persists, that upgrade isn’t expected for the Air until at least 2027. ProMotion (120Hz refresh rate) will also remain exclusive to Pro models, preserving the distinguishing line between the Air and MacBook Pro families.
The M5 Air is about improving the internals, not reinventing the exterior—a testament to the strength of Apple’s current industrial design.
The Thermal Challenge
Installing a high-powered chip in a fanless chassis inevitably raises thermal considerations. The MacBook Air’s signature silent operation—thanks to its lack of fans—could also present its main challenge with the hotter-running M5.
In MacBook Pro models equipped with the M5, increased heat has already been observed, even with active cooling. In the fanless Air, passive cooling alone must keep temperatures in check. As a result, during prolonged heavy workloads—such as 4K video rendering or intensive gaming—the M5 Air will likely throttle its performance sooner than the Pro to avoid overheating.
For most users, this will be inconsequential. Web browsing, video streaming, and productivity tasks won’t push the chip hard enough to generate significant heat. However, those who routinely demand peak performance from a portable machine should keep the thermal ceiling in mind.
Specs and Pricing Strategy
Apple looks determined to keep the MacBook Air both powerful and accessible.
Memory: The 16GB unified memory baseline, first introduced midway through the M3 cycle, remains. In 2026, 8GB simply isn’t enough for a premium experience—especially as background AI processes become more commonplace.
Storage: The base model will likely feature a 256GB SSD. While this offers speed, capacity may be tight for some users. Rumors of faster storage speeds are welcome, but higher capacities will likely remain a premium upgrade.
Price: Pricing is expected to stay stable, starting near $999 for the 13-inch model and $1,199 for the 15-inch. That said, looming tariffs and supply chain costs could increase prices. There’s speculation that a new low-cost MacBook below the Air could debut, potentially nudging the Air’s entry price slightly higher to differentiate the lineup.
Strategic Positioning
The M5 MacBook Air reinforces Apple’s philosophy of trickle-down innovation. By integrating the M5 architecture into the Air soon after its debut in the Pro, Apple ensures its most popular model remains fiercely competitive against a new wave of ARM-based Windows laptops.
This move also highlights the increasing importance of AI in Apple’s ecosystem. Equipping the mainstream MacBook Air with a powerful Neural Processing Unit (NPU) paves the way for developers to create more sophisticated apps that harness on-device AI.
The Verdict
The M5 MacBook Air is shaping up as a classic “S-year” refresh—unchanged on the outside, dramatically improved within.
If you’re coming from an M1 or M2 Air, upgrading to M5 will feel like a significant leap, especially in terms of graphics and AI performance. For M3 or M4 owners, the upgrade is less pressing unless your workflow needs that extra GPU muscle.
As the expected March 4 launch approaches, one thing is certain: the line between consumer and pro power is fading fast—and those who choose the Air are poised to benefit most.
If you enjoy Apple Secrets, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support our work.