The replacement for Apple's most popular laptop is now official: the MacBook Air makes the leap to the M5 chip And it does so without hardly touching the exterior. Same ultra-thin aluminum casing, same colors, and same focus on lightness and total silence, but with a profound internal upgrade that directly targets the power in AI tasks, graphics performance, and storage.
Apple has chosen not to experiment with design and to concentrate changes on what is most noticeable in everyday life: Faster CPU and GPU, higher bandwidth memory, a revamped SSD, and next-generation wireless connectivityAll this without sacrificing battery life, which still hovers around 18 hours, and a user experience specifically designed for students, mobile professionals, and users who work with AI and multimedia content without wanting to carry a MacBook Pro.
New M5 chip: more power and focus on artificial intelligence
The heart of this generation is the M5 chip Apple's with a 10-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPUThe company claims that one of these high-performance cores is currently the fastest in the world in a laptop of this type, which translates into better responsiveness in everyday tasks—browsing with many tabs, heavy office work, light editing—and in more creative workflows.
The big news is how the AI ​​section has been approached: Each graphic core integrates its own Neural Acceleratorso that some of the work previously handled by the Neural Engine is now distributed across the GPU. Thanks to this hybrid approach, Apple speaks of AI processing performance up to 4 times higher than the MacBook Air with M4 and up to 9,5 times higher than the model with M1This affects, for example, the use of Apple Intelligence, the execution of language models locally, or video editing with tools that apply automatic filters and enhancements.
On a more graphical level, the M5 incorporates improved shader cores and a third-generation ray tracing engineAlthough the MacBook Air isn't designed as a pure gaming laptop, the improvement is noticeable in compatible games and tasks. lightweight 3D rendering or visualization of complex scenesThose coming from a model with M1 or M2 will especially notice that the interface responds more smoothly when combining several heavy apps.
Unified memory also gets an update: the new MacBook Air with M5 reaches a bandwidth of 153 GB/sapproximately 28% more than the previous generation with M4. This improvement allows the CPU, GPU, and neural accelerators to have more data available at higher speedsThis is noticeable in multitasking and demanding creative projects, from photo editing to high-resolution video retouching.
Upgraded storage: from 512GB base to 4TB
One of the clearest—and probably most welcome—changes is in the internal drive. The MacBook Air with M5 It now starts with 512GB of SSD storage as standard.This is double the capacity of the previous generation, which started at 256 GB. It's a decision that better suits the current user profile, accustomed to working with large photo libraries, video projects, and increasingly demanding applications.
In addition, the equipment can be configured with up to 4 TB of SSDThis capability, previously reserved for higher-end models, is now much more realistic for those who edit 4K or 8K video, manage massive photo catalogs, or want to install local virtual machines and AI models without relying on external drives.
It's not just about quantity: Apple has redesigned the SSD to double the read and write speeds compared to the MacBook Air with M4In practice, this means that importing large projects, opening photo libraries, or loading AI models takes less time, something that is noticeable in both professional tasks and more home-based use.
In specific scenarios, the improvements are remarkable. The company mentions that AI-optimized video processing in tools like Topaz Video can run up to 6,9 times faster than on the MacBook Air with the M1 and almost twice as fast as on the M4. The leap in 3D rendering with ray tracing in applications like Blender is up to 6,5 times greater compared to the M1 and about 50% faster than the previous generation.
In photo editing, solutions like Affinity show a performance increase that, according to figures provided by Apple, It can increase speed by 2,7 times compared to the MacBook Air with M1In addition, compared to some PC laptops with Intel Core Ultra X7 processors, web browsing can be up to 50% faster, while also maintaining significantly lower energy consumption.
Continuity in design: fanless chassis and Liquid Retina display
On the outside, anyone expecting a major change will find a continuation of the current design. The aluminum casing of the MacBook Air with M5 It maintains its ultra-thin, lightweight and completely silent design.The fanless design, which debuted with the M2 models and was consolidated in the M4, remains a laptop designed to be carried in a backpack daily without worrying too much about weight or noise.
The screen is once again a Liquid Retina with 500 nits of brightness and compatibility with one billion colorsAvailable in two sizes: 13,6 and 15,3 inches. The panel offers high sharpness, sufficient for working with text for hours without excessive eye strain and for enjoying multimedia content with a good level of detail and contrast for a device in this range.
The multimedia section is completed with a 12-megapixel camera with Center Stagewhich automatically frames the user during video calls, supports Top View and a system of three microphones designed to improve voice clarityThe audio is handled by a compatible surround sound system. Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos, which tries to make the most of the chassis's limited physical space.
As for colors, Apple maintains a familiar palette: sky blue, midnight, star white and silverThere are no drastic changes or striking new combinations; the idea seems to be to consolidate an aesthetic that has already become established in the catalog. For those who value discretion in professional settings, the silver and star white options remain the most conservative, while sky blue and midnight offer a slightly more distinctive touch.
Battery life, one of the classic features of the MacBook Air, continues to be a key pillar of the product. Apple speaks of up to 18 hours of useThis figure, in practice, allows you to work a full day and even extend it with lighter tasks without needing to recharge. This margin is especially useful for students, frequent travelers, or those who have meetings and commutes throughout the day.
Connectivity, macOS Tahoe, and user experience
Along with the chip upgrade and the new SSD, the MacBook Air with M5 also debuts Apple-designed N1 wireless chip, compatible with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6This combination aims for more stable and faster connections, something that is appreciated in saturated networks (universities, shared offices or homes with many connected devices) and in the use of wireless accessories such as headphones, mice or keyboards.
In terms of physical specifications, the equipment includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports which allow you to connect high-speed accessories, external monitors, and additional storage drives. One of the new features is that now The MacBook Air with M5 supports up to two external displaysThis expands the range of uses in work environments where multiple monitors are needed to improve productivity. Charging continues to rely on MagSafe, which offers an easy-to-attach and detach magnetic connector.
The software also plays a key role. The laptop comes standard with macOS Tahoe, the new version of Apple's operating system for MacAmong the new features is a revamped interface with the so-called Liquid Glass, which introduces more customization options for folders, app icons and widgets, as well as a more modern look that is consistent with the rest of the Apple ecosystem.
Apple Intelligence, the suite of artificial intelligence features integrated into macOS, is built on this foundation. Among its most visible utilities are... Real-Time Translation in Messageswhich makes it easier to converse in different languages ​​directly from your Mac; the improvements to Reminders, capable of automatically classify and prioritize the most relevant tasks; and a more powerful version of Shortcuts, which allows you to automate processes, from extracting data from a PDF to transferring it to a spreadsheet without going through third-party solutions.
The experience is rounded out with the familiar Continuity features between Mac and iPhone, which allow, for example, forward calls from phone to laptopshare files with AirDrop or control live activities directly from the Air's screen. For those who spend a good part of the day on video calls, the new Light Frame effect adds soft virtual lighting to the user's face, attempting to maintain a more uniform image regardless of the actual room conditions.
Price and availability of the MacBook Air with M5 in Spain
In the Spanish market, the new MacBook Air with M5 comes in two sizes, maintaining its role as an entry-level laptop in the Mac ecosystem, but with a slightly higher price point than the previous generation. The 13-inch model starts at 1.199 eurosWhile The 15-inch version starts at 1.499 eurosIn both cases, specific discounts are offered for the education sector, which slightly reduce the final bill for students and teaching staff.
The dates are also set: Reservations open on March 4th at 15:15 PM (Spanish Peninsular Time) through the Apple website and the Apple Store app, and The first units will begin to be delivered and will arrive in stores on March 11.As usual, the launch is taking place simultaneously in a number of European countries, including Spain, and authorized distributors are expected to receive stock around the same time.
As for colors, the familiar scheme is repeated: sky blue, midnight, star white and silver for both sizes. In terms of configuration, in addition to the base 512GB of storage, users can choose to expand both the SSD capacity and the unified memory, with varying price increases depending on their needs. Apple continues its Trade-In program in Spain, which allows users to trade in old devices in exchange for a discount, although the specific value depends on the condition and model of the old device.
Overall, the new MacBook Air with M5 doesn't seek to break with the past, but Reinforce the strengths of this fanless laptop by adding extra power, more storage, and better connectivity for the coming years.For those already comfortable with the Air's format and design, the update primarily represents an internal leap: more scope for AI tasks and creative projects, less dependence on external drives, and a device that continues to prioritize portability without sacrificing performance that is increasingly close to that of the Pro models from just a few generations ago.
