MacBook comparison
MacBook Air M4 vs MacBook Air M5
Compare MacBook Air M4 vs MacBook Air M5 side by side: chip, memory, storage, display, ports, launch price and how each fits in Apple history.
MacBook Air (M4, 2025)The everyday champion gets the M4, a 16 GB base, a Center Stage webcam and a fresh Sky Blue finish, and Apple knocked the starting price back to $999.
MacBook Air (M5)The Air’s M5 refresh keeps the familiar 13- and 15-inch designs while moving Apple’s most popular laptop to the latest Apple Silicon generation.At a glance
Released 1 year apart — the MacBook Air (M5) is the newer model. 8 of 13 specs differ.
Going from the MacBook Air (M4, 2025) to the MacBook Air (M5), the chip changes from the Apple M4 (10-core) to the Apple M5 and base storage rises from 256 GB to 512 GB. Both launched at $999.
- ChipApple M4 (10-core)Apple M5
- Storage256 GB512 GB
Unchanged launch price, memory.
Specs side by side
| Spec | MacBook Air (M4, 2025) | MacBook Air (M5) |
|---|---|---|
| Release | March 12, 2025 | March 11, 2026 |
| Launch priceSame | $999 | $999 |
| Price todaySame | $1,009 | $1,009 |
| Chip | Apple M4 (10-core) · 4.40 GHz | Apple M5 · 4.60 GHz |
| Graphics | Apple 8/10-core GPU | Apple integrated GPU |
| CPU coresSame | 10 | 10 |
| MemorySame | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB |
| DisplaySame | 13.6" or 15.3" Liquid Retina | 13.6" or 15.3" Liquid Retina |
| Weight | 1.24 kg | Varies by configuration |
| Dimensions | Flat unibody | Desktop computer |
| Ports | 2× Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3 | Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C, MagSafe 3 |
| Operating system | macOS 15 Sequoia | macOS |
Highlighted cells win clear more-is-better specs (memory, storage, lighter weight). Historical pricing uses approximate US CPI; clock speeds are not full real-world performance.
Why each matters
New "Sky Blue" colour and a 12 MP Center Stage camera, with the price back to $999.
Current-generation Apple Silicon update to the fanless MacBook Air line.
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Last updated: 2026-08-14