The M5 MacBook Air launches tomorrow, and the first reviews are now available. Here’s what reviewers are saying.
Apple’s mid-tier MacBook is plenty powerful with M5 chip
MacBook Air now sits between the much more affordable, less powerful MacBook Neo, and the higher-end MacBook Pro. But reviews make clear that the M5 MacBook Air is still a powerhouse in its own right.
Lance Ulanoff writes at TechRadar:
For specific comparisons to the M4, Tom’s Guide shared a couple test results. Tony Polanco writes:
These are modest improvements. But as noted by Dan Moren at Six Colors, M5 offers especially strong gains for anyone with an older MacBook Air.
He says, “go back to the M3, M2, M1, and you’re talking jumps in the 38 percent, 57 percent, and 75 percent range for single-core performance.”
Faster SSD speeds exceed Apple’s claims
Another M5 MacBook Air change that contributes to performance gains is the faster SSD.
Apple claims the latest-gen SSD is up to 2x faster than the M4 model. And reviewers confirmed that—and more.
Dan Moren writes at Six Colors:
M5 MacBook Air: Who should upgrade?
The new M5 model isn’t meant to entice users of the M4 MacBook Air. It only offers a few changes when compared to last year’s model.
However, reviewers generally suggested that anyone with an M2 or older could see worthwhile improvement.
Zarif Ali writes at Pocket-lint:
Are you planning to upgrade to an M5 MacBook Air? What’s your current model? Let us know in the comments.
Best Mac accessories
- AirPods Pro 3 (limited-time $224 price)
- 100W USB-C power adapter for fast charging
- tomtoc protective MacBook sleeve bag
- Twelve South aluminum laptop stand for MacBooks
- Anker Docking Station USB-C with Ethernet, HDMI, SD, more
