Apple Introduces MacBook Air With M5 Chip, 512GB Base Storage, and Wi-Fi 7

Apple has officially refreshed the MacBook Air lineup with its latest M5 processor, bringing faster performance, improved AI capabilities, and upgraded connectivity while keeping the same sleek fanless design. The updated laptops are available in both 13-inch and 15-inch sizes and now come with 512GB of base storage across the lineup.

The refresh focuses on internal improvements rather than a visual redesign, continuing the thin aluminum design that has defined the current MacBook Air generation.

M5 Delivers Faster Performance and Stronger AI Processing

The new MacBook Air is powered by Apple’s M5 chip, which includes a 10-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU. One of the biggest architectural changes is the addition of a Neural Accelerator integrated directly into every core. Apple says this design allows AI workloads to run significantly faster than before.

According to Apple, AI tasks can run up to four times faster than on the M4 MacBook Air and up to 9.5 times faster than the MacBook Air with M1. This boost is particularly noticeable in applications that rely on machine learning or generative AI features.

Unified memory bandwidth has also increased to 153GB per second, representing a 28 percent improvement over the M4 model. This additional bandwidth provides more headroom for multitasking and demanding creative workflows.

Apple also shared several real-world performance comparisons. AI video enhancement in Topaz Video is up to 6.9 times faster than on the MacBook Air with M1 and up to 1.9 times faster than the M4 model. Rendering 3D scenes with ray tracing in Blender is up to 6.5 times faster than on the M1 Air and up to 1.5 times faster than the M4 version. Image processing tasks in Affinity can run up to 2.7 times faster compared to the M1 Air and about 1.5 times faster than the M4 model.

For everyday computing, Apple says web browsing can be up to 50 percent faster compared to a PC laptop powered by an Intel Core Ultra X7 processor, with heavier workloads seeing as much as double the performance.

512GB Becomes the New Standard

One of the most notable changes in this refresh is the elimination of the 256GB configuration. Apple has doubled the starting storage, making 512GB the new base option for all MacBook Air models.

For users who need more space, storage can now be configured up to 4TB for the first time on the MacBook Air. Apple also says the updated solid-state drive delivers up to two times faster read and write speeds than the previous generation. This improvement should noticeably reduce load times when opening large photo libraries, working with video projects, or running local AI models.

Faster Wireless Connectivity With Wi-Fi 7

Connectivity has also received an upgrade. The new MacBook Air uses Apple’s custom N1 wireless chip, which supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.

Wi-Fi 7 offers faster speeds and improved network efficiency, especially in crowded environments. Apple says the N1 chip also improves reliability and enhances features like AirDrop and Personal Hotspot performance.

Physical connections remain familiar, with two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a dedicated MagSafe charging connector. The MacBook Air also supports up to two external displays, which is particularly useful for productivity setups.

Same Lightweight Design and Display

Despite the internal upgrades, the overall design of the MacBook Air remains unchanged. The laptop continues to feature a thin fanless aluminum enclosure available in sky blue, midnight, starlight, and silver.

The displays measure 13.6 inches and 15.3 inches depending on the model. Both Liquid Retina displays support up to 500 nits of brightness and can display one billion colors, making them suitable for creative work as well as everyday use.

The display notch houses a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera with support for Desk View, along with a three-microphone array designed for clearer video calls and recordings. Audio is delivered through a multi-speaker system with support for Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos.

Apple also continues its environmental initiatives with the MacBook Air, using an enclosure made from 100 percent recycled aluminum and batteries built with 100 percent recycled cobalt.

macOS Tahoe and Apple Intelligence

The new laptops ship with macOS Tahoe, which introduces Apple’s translucent Liquid Glass interface. The software includes several Apple Intelligence features designed to improve productivity and communication.

Live Translation in Messages allows conversations across languages in real time. Reminders can automatically categorize tasks, while Shortcuts gains new automation actions powered by AI. FaceTime also receives a new Edge Light video effect that adds digital fill lighting to improve how users appear during calls.

Battery life remains strong, with Apple rating the MacBook Air for up to 18 hours of use on a single charge.

Pricing and Availability

Pricing for the MacBook Air remains unchanged despite the performance and storage upgrades. The 13-inch model starts at $1,099, or $999 with education pricing. The 15-inch version starts at $1,299, or $1,199 for education customers.

Pre-orders begin Wednesday, March 4 at 6:15 a.m. Pacific Time, with availability and customer deliveries starting March 11.

With the M5 chip, doubled base storage, and faster wireless connectivity, this update strengthens the MacBook Air’s position as Apple’s most popular laptop while keeping the familiar design users already know.