Apple has officially unveiled the new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models powered by the latest M5 chip. Succeeding last year’s M4 generation, the refreshed MacBook Air lineup introduces significant performance upgrades, faster wireless connectivity, and a notable storage bump — with 512GB now standard across all variants.

The new MacBook Air models are available for order in India, with pricing starting at Rs. 1,19,900.

Refined Design with More Storage as Standard

Apple continues with its signature fanless aluminum unibody design, maintaining the lightweight and ultra-slim form factor that defines the MacBook Air series. Buyers can choose between:

13.6-inch Liquid Retina display

15.3-inch Liquid Retina display

One of the most important changes this year is the removal of the 256GB base variant. All models now begin with 512GB of SSD storage, effectively doubling the starting capacity compared to the previous generation.

Apple claims the new SSD delivers up to 2x faster read and write speeds. Users can configure storage up to 4TB, making the laptop suitable for professional workflows involving large files, high-resolution media, and AI-based tasks.

M5 Chip: AI-Focused Performance Leap

At the heart of the new MacBook Air is the Apple M5 chip, featuring:

10-core CPU (4 performance cores + 6 efficiency cores)

Up to 10-core GPU

16-core Neural Engine

Dedicated Neural Accelerator inside each GPU core

Up to 153GB/s memory bandwidth (28% higher than M4)

The M5 architecture places heavy emphasis on AI acceleration and on-device Large Language Model (LLM) processing. The dedicated neural hardware within GPU cores is designed to handle machine learning workloads more efficiently without compromising battery life.

Apple’s Performance Claims

According to Apple:

AI tasks are up to 4x faster than M4 and 9.5x faster than M1

AI video enhancement in Topaz Video is up to 1.9x faster than M4

3D rendering in Blender with ray tracing is up to 1.5x faster than M4

Image processing in Affinity apps is up to 1.5x faster than M4

Web browsing speeds are up to 50% faster compared to laptops powered by Intel Core Ultra X7 processors

These improvements position the M5 MacBook Air as a capable machine not just for everyday productivity, but also for creators, developers, and AI-driven workflows.

Display and Multimedia Experience

Both models feature Liquid Retina displays with:

13.6-inch (2560×1664 resolution)

15.3-inch (2880×1864 resolution)

224 PPI pixel density

500 nits brightness

Wide colour (P3) support

True Tone technology

For video conferencing and content creation, the laptops include a 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View support and 1080p HD recording.

The six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers supports Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos. When paired with compatible AirPods models, users can experience Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking.

Memory, Ports and Battery Life

The MacBook Air (M5) comes with:

16GB or 24GB unified memory (configurable up to 32GB)

512GB base SSD (configurable up to 4TB)

Port selection includes:

Two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports

MagSafe 3 charging port

3.5mm headphone jack with high-impedance headphone support

Battery life remains one of the strongest aspects of the MacBook Air:

Up to 15 hours of wireless web browsing

Up to 18 hours of video streaming

The 13-inch model includes a 53.8Wh battery, while the 15-inch version houses a larger 66.5Wh battery.

Wireless Connectivity Upgrades

A major addition is Apple’s new N1 wireless chip, bringing:

Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) support

Bluetooth 6.0

These upgrades ensure faster data speeds, lower latency, and improved reliability, especially in high-bandwidth environments.

macOS, Keyboard and Security

The laptops run on macOS and include:

Magic Keyboard

Touch ID for secure authentication

Force Touch trackpad

Three-mic array with beamforming

Voice Isolation and Wide Spectrum modes for clearer calls

Enhanced voice clarity ensures improved audio performance for video meetings and online collaboration.

Pricing in India

MacBook Air 13″ (M5)

16GB + 512GB (10-core CPU, 8-core GPU) – Rs. 1,19,900

16GB + 512GB (10-core CPU, 10-core GPU) – Rs. 1,29,900

24GB + 512GB (10-core CPU, 10-core GPU) – Rs. 1,49,900

MacBook Air 15″ (M5)

16GB + 512GB (10-core CPU, 10-core GPU) – Rs. 1,49,900

24GB + 512GB (10-core CPU, 10-core GPU) – Rs. 1,64,900

The new models are available in Midnight, Starlight, Silver, and the newly introduced Sky Blue colour option.

Availability

Customers in 33 countries and regions, including India, can place orders via Apple’s official online store and Apple Store app starting March 4. Deliveries and in-store availability at Apple Store locations and authorized resellers begin March 11.

Final Thoughts

With the M5 chip, 512GB base storage, Wi-Fi 7 support, and enhanced AI capabilities, the 2026 MacBook Air lineup represents a meaningful upgrade over its predecessor. Apple has strengthened the Air’s position as a premium thin-and-light laptop capable of handling advanced workloads while maintaining exceptional battery life.

For students, professionals, and creators seeking performance, portability, and longevity, the new MacBook Air (M5) models present a compelling option in India’s premium laptop segment.