Apple’s MacBook Air lineup has always been known for offering a perfect balance between power, portability, and battery life. Last year, many users considered the M4 MacBook Air one of the best Apple products ever made. But in 2026, things have changed slightly with the release of the new M5 MacBook Air.
The biggest surprise this year is that the MacBook Air is no longer Apple’s cheapest Mac laptop. Thanks to the introduction of the MacBook Neo, the Air now sits in a new “mid-range” position. That raises an important question:
Is the M5 MacBook Air still worth buying?
After using the M5 MacBook Air daily for nearly two months, here is everything you need to know before spending your money.
What’s New in the M5 MacBook Air?
Apple did not completely redesign the MacBook Air this year, but several upgrades make it more powerful and future-ready.
Here are the biggest improvements:
- 512GB storage is now standard
- New Wi-Fi 7 support
- Bluetooth 6 connectivity
- Faster M5 chip
- Better AI performance
- Improved graphics power
- Price increased by £100
The new base model now starts at £1,099 instead of £999.
While the design looks familiar, most upgrades are focused on performance and long-term usability.
M5 Performance: Fast for Everyday Tasks
For regular users, the M5 MacBook Air feels incredibly smooth.
Simple tasks like:
- Browsing the web
- Watching YouTube
- Attending video calls
- Using Google Docs
- Writing emails
- Listening to music
- Running multiple apps
all work effortlessly.
Apps open almost instantly, and switching between programs feels very responsive. Even with many tabs and applications running together, the laptop stays fast and stable.
This is one of the biggest advantages of Apple Silicon. The experience feels polished and optimized in a way that many Windows laptops still struggle to match.
Lightweight and Easy to Carry Anywhere
One of the best things about the MacBook Air is still its portability.
The laptop is extremely thin and lightweight, making it perfect for:
- Students
- Remote workers
- Travelers
- Coffee shop users
- Content creators on the move
It is so light that many users simply throw it into a bag without even thinking about it.
Apple’s Sky Blue color option also deserves praise. Unlike darker models, it hides fingerprints surprisingly well and gives the laptop a clean premium look.
Is the Base Model Enough?
Yes — and this is important.
Even though the review unit had:
- 32GB RAM
- 1TB storage
- Upgraded M5 chip
the overall experience was very similar to last year’s base M4 model.
That means most users do not need expensive upgrades.
The base M5 MacBook Air already provides:
- Excellent speed
- Great multitasking
- Strong battery life
- Smooth everyday performance
For normal users, the standard version is more than enough.
M5 MacBook Air for Video Editing and Creative Work
Many people think the MacBook Air is only for basic tasks, but that is no longer true.
The M5 MacBook Air handles creative workloads surprisingly well.
During testing, it managed:
- 4K video editing
- Photoshop projects
- Large design files
- Multitasking between editing apps
- AI image generation
without serious slowdowns.
Video editing in Final Cut Pro felt smooth, with no major frame drops or lag.
This is impressive considering the MacBook Air has no cooling fan inside.
Apple Silicon continues to push the MacBook Air beyond expectations.
Benchmark Results: Big Improvements Over Older Models
Real-world tests showed noticeable performance gains compared to older MacBook Air models.
Video Export Test
A 10-minute 4K video project exported in:
- M3 MacBook Air: 11 minutes 20 seconds
- M4 MacBook Air: 9 minutes 5 seconds
- M5 MacBook Air: 7 minutes 33 seconds
That is a major improvement generation after generation.
AI Performance Is Much Better
One area where the M5 chip really shines is AI processing.
Using an offline AI image generator, the M5 completed an image generation task in only 37 seconds.
Older M3 models took more than 2 minutes.
If you use AI tools regularly for:
- image generation
- productivity
- content creation
- machine learning workflows
you will notice the upgrade immediately.
Gaming Performance: Better Than Expected
MacBooks are still not designed primarily for gaming, but the M5 MacBook Air performs surprisingly well.
Games like:
- Hades 2
- Lies of P
- Cyberpunk 2077
were all playable.
Cyberpunk 2077 ran around 50 FPS on medium settings during testing.
After one hour of gameplay:
- the laptop became warm
- frame rates stayed relatively stable
- performance remained playable
Considering this is a fanless ultrathin laptop, the results are impressive.
Battery Life Still Feels Incredible
Battery life remains one of the strongest features of the MacBook Air.
For normal use, the laptop easily lasts:
- an entire day
- sometimes even two days
Many users will not need to carry a charger daily.
Even during heavier creative workloads, the battery performance stays strong compared to most competing laptops.
Downsides of the M5 MacBook Air
The MacBook Air is excellent, but it still has a few weaknesses.
Limited Ports
You only get:
- MagSafe charging
- Two USB-C ports
Both USB-C ports are located on the left side, which can be inconvenient when connecting external monitors or accessories.
Many users will still need dongles.
Display Brightness Could Be Better
The display quality itself looks fantastic, but the brightness is limited to 500 nits.
Indoors, this is perfectly fine.
However, outdoors or inside bright coffee shops, the screen can feel slightly dim compared to newer premium laptops.
MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air: Which Should You Buy?
This year, Apple’s laptop lineup feels more divided than before.
Choose the MacBook Neo if you:
- mostly browse the web
- use office apps
- watch videos
- want the cheapest Mac possible
Choose the MacBook Air if you:
- want room to grow
- edit videos or photos
- multitask heavily
- need stronger long-term performance
- use creative software
Choose the MacBook Pro if you:
- work professionally with heavy workloads
- edit large video projects daily
- need maximum sustained performance
For many people, the MacBook Air hits the perfect balance.
Should You Upgrade?
Upgrade immediately if you use:
- Intel MacBooks
- older slow laptops
- aging Windows devices
The jump to Apple Silicon still feels massive.
Upgrading from M2, M3, or M4?
Probably not necessary unless:
- you need better AI performance
- you work with graphics-heavy tasks
- your current machine feels limited
Final Verdict: Is the M5 MacBook Air Worth It?
Yes — absolutely.
The M5 MacBook Air continues to be one of the best laptops Apple has ever made.
It offers:
- excellent battery life
- strong performance
- premium build quality
- amazing portability
- great value for long-term users
The £100 price increase is unfortunate, but the improvements in storage, AI performance, and graphics help justify the extra cost.
For most people, the base model is the sweet spot.
If you want a laptop that feels fast, reliable, lightweight, and future-proof, the M5 MacBook Air is still one of the easiest recommendations in 2026.
And honestly, for many users, it may be the only laptop they need for years.