Apple released the 13-inch MacBook Air with the new M5 chip on March 11, 2026 [1, 2]. The MacBook Air features a 13.6-inch Retina display with a 2560x1664 resolution, supporting P3 Wide Color and True Tone for improved color accuracy [3, 1, 2]. It weighs about 2.7 pounds and measures 0.44 inches thin, maintaining a slim and light profile [1].
Powered by a 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Processing Unit, the M5 MacBook Air delivers strong performance for everyday use and productivity tasks [1, 2]. It ships with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD as base specs [3, 1, 2]. Connectivity includes two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports and Apple’s N1 networking chip with Wi-Fi 7 support [1, 2]. Battery life lasts approximately 13 hours on a single charge [3]. The laptop also includes a 12-megapixel Center Stage webcam for video calls [3, 2].
Both the 13-inch and the 15-inch MacBook Air M5 models are discounted by $200 for the Memorial Day 2026 sale. The 13-inch model is available on Amazon for $899.99, down from $1,099 [3, 1, 2]. The 15-inch version is priced at $1,099 on Amazon or $1,149 at Best Buy after the discount [3, 2].
Compared to the MacBook Neo, the M5 MacBook Air offers better performance along with twice the RAM and storage, Thunderbolt 4 ports, a backlit keyboard, a higher-resolution 12MP webcam, longer battery life, and MagSafe charging support [3, 2]. Eric Song, IGN commerce manager, said, "Because the MacBook Air offers so much versatility for its price, it's the best MacBook to buy for most people" [1]. Lifehacker’s Senior Tech Editor Jake Peterson also noted that while the MacBook Pro offers value, "for most people, the MacBook Air M4 or M5 will get the job done around $1,000" [4].
The MacBook Air M5 is recommended for most users unless heavy gaming or 3D modeling is needed [3, 1, 2]. The Memorial Day discounts provide a notable price reduction shortly after the M5 MacBook Air's March launch [3, 1, 2].
