Apple’s New MacBook Air M5 Nears Perfection, Yet One Flaw Remains

Apple’s biggest upgrade over the previous generation is the M5 silicon, which first appeared in the 14‑inch MacBook Pro and the iPad Pro line‑up. In Tom’s Guide’s hands‑on, the chip delivers “excellent performance for web surfing, video editing, and even some AAA gaming,” closing the gap that the M4 left between the Air and the Pro series (Tom’s Guide). Benchmarks show the 15‑inch Air keeping up with the M4 in everyday tasks while pulling ahead on multi‑core workloads, thanks to the extra CPU and GPU cores Apple added to the M5. The result is a notebook that feels “more than enough for everyday use” without the premium price tag of the Pro models, which still dominate heavy‑duty creative workloads (CNET).

Beyond raw speed, the Air M5 gains a noticeable connectivity boost. Apple’s new N1 wireless chip enables Wi‑Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, and Tom’s Guide notes that the “faster Wi‑Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 connectivity… makes a noticeable difference when you’re downloading large files or when peripherals are connected.” In real‑world testing, large video files transferred in roughly half the time of the M4 Air, and Bluetooth‑connected headphones exhibited lower latency during video calls. The upgrade is subtle but meaningful for users who rely on cloud‑based workflows or multiple dongle‑free accessories.

Storage also doubles out of the box. The base 512 GB SSD replaces the 256 GB drive that shipped with the M4, giving users “more room to store your favorite photos and videos” (Tom’s Guide). The larger SSD not only improves capacity but also reduces load times for macOS and professional apps, a benefit that aligns with Apple’s broader push to make the Air a viable alternative to the 13‑inch Pro for budget‑conscious creators. The 15‑inch model, priced at $1,299, adds a bigger Liquid Retina display that retains the “vivid, colorful” quality of its predecessor while offering more screen real estate for multitasking.

Battery life remains a headline feature. Tom’s Guide measured “epic battery life” that comfortably exceeds a full workday, even under the more demanding M5 workload. In a side‑by‑side test, the 15‑inch Air lasted about 18 hours of mixed‑use browsing and video playback, only a few minutes shy of the M4’s advertised endurance. The efficiency gains of the M5 chip offset the slightly higher power draw of the larger display, keeping the Air in the same “all‑day battery” sweet spot that has defined the line for years.

Despite the refinements, the Air M5’s price jump—$100 more than the M4—remains the only real downside. Tom’s Guide lists the higher cost as a con, noting that the upgrades are “nominal” compared with the previous year’s model. For owners of a recent M4 Air, the performance uplift may not justify the extra spend, especially when the Pro line now offers the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips for users who need “peak creative power” (CNET). Nonetheless, for buyers transitioning from older Intel‑based Macs or from the 13‑inch Air, the M5 Air presents a compelling blend of speed, connectivity, and battery life that keeps it “one of the best MacBooks and best laptops currently available” (Tom’s Guide). The only lingering flaw, according to the review, is that the Air’s improvements feel incremental rather than revolutionary—a reminder that Apple’s incremental cadence still leaves power users reaching for the Pro tier.