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PRESS RELEASE March 3, 2026
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced the new MacBook Air with M5, bringing exceptional performance and expanded AI capabilities to the world’s most popular laptop. M5 features a faster CPU and next-generation GPU with a Neural Accelerator in each core, enabling MacBook Air to power through a variety of workflows, from creative projects to complex AI tasks. MacBook Air now comes standard with double the starting storage at 512GB with faster SSD technology, and is configurable up to 4TB, so customers can keep their most important work on hand. Apple’s N1 wireless chip delivers Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 for seamless connectivity on the go. MacBook Air features a beautifully thin, light, and durable aluminum design, stunning Liquid Retina display, 12MP Center Stage camera, up to 18 hours of battery life, an immersive sound system with Spatial Audio, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports with support for up to two external displays. Combined with the power of macOS Tahoe and Apple Intelligence, MacBook Air delivers unmatched value for college students and creative professionals, and it’s the most popular laptop for business users. Available in 13- and 15-inch models in sky blue, midnight, starlight, and silver, the new MacBook Air with M5 is available for pre-order starting tomorrow, March 4, with availability beginning Wednesday, March 11.
  • Up to 6.9x faster AI video enhancement performance in Topaz Video when compared to MacBook Air with M1, and up to 1.9x faster than MacBook Air with M4.2
  • Up to 6.5x faster 3D rendering with ray-tracing performance in Blender when compared to MacBook Air with M1, and up to 1.5x faster than MacBook Air with M4.4,5
  • Up to 2.7x faster image processing performance in Affinity when compared to MacBook Air with M1, and up to 1.5x faster than MacBook Air with M4.2
  • Web browsing is up to 50 percent faster when compared to a PC laptop with an Intel Core Ultra X7 processor, and more demanding tasks get up to 2x faster performance.2

Double the Starting Storage and a Faster SSD

Tremendous Value for Upgraders with the World’s Most Popular Laptop

  • A stunning Liquid Retina display: A brilliant 13.6- or 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display with 500 nits of brightness and support for 1 billion colors makes content look vivid with sharp detail, and text appears super crisp.
  • Exceptional battery life: Up to 18 hours of battery life — six additional hours when compared to an Intel-based MacBook Air — with fast-charge capability means users can work, create, or play all day without plugging in.2
  • Beautiful design and colors: The 13-inch MacBook Air provides the ultimate in portability for users on the go, while the 15-inch model offers even more screen real estate for multitasking. Both models feature a thin, light, and completely silent fanless design that’s available in four gorgeous colors: sky blue, midnight, starlight, and silver.
  • Advanced camera, mics, and speakers: A 12MP Center Stage camera with support for Desk View keeps users looking great and enables more engaging video calls; a three-mic array brings enhanced voice clarity; and an immersive sound system with support for Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos creates an enjoyable three-dimensional soundstage for music and movies.
  • Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6: N1, the new Apple-designed wireless networking chip, enables Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, delivering improved performance and reliability.
  • Seamless connectivity: MacBook Air features two Thunderbolt 4 ports for connecting accessories with support for up to two external displays — ideal for professionals and students who need to expand their workspace. MagSafe enables dedicated charging and peace of mind when users are plugged in.

The Power of macOS Tahoe

macOS completes the MacBook Air experience, with incredible features and built-in apps, such as Safari, Photos, Messages, and FaceTime, that enable users to get even more done. With macOS Tahoe, a beautiful design with Liquid Glass lets users personalize their Mac in new ways with color options for folders, app icons, and widgets.6 Apple Intelligence adds powerful features with groundbreaking privacy at every step — including Live Translation in Messages to communicate across languages, updates in Reminders that automatically categorize the most relevant actions, and more powerful Shortcuts actions that tap directly in to Apple Intelligence models to create automations, such as extracting information from a PDF and adding key details to a spreadsheet.3 Continuity features include the Phone app on Mac, which lets users relay cellular calls from their nearby iPhone, and they can stay on top of notifications with Live Activities, which open in iPhone Mirroring so users can take immediate action right from their Mac.7 Additionally, for video calls, a new Edge Light effect provides a pleasing fill light to evenly illuminate a user’s face in any lighting condition.

MacBook Air and the Environment

  • Customers can pre-order the new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air with M5 beginning at 6:15 a.m. PST on Wednesday, March 4, on apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app in 33 countries and regions, including the U.S. All models will begin arriving to customers, and will be in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, starting Wednesday, March 11.
  • The 13-inch MacBook Air with M5 starts at $1,099 (U.S.), and $999 (U.S.) for education, and the 15-inch MacBook Air with M5 starts at $1,299 (U.S.) and $1,199 (U.S.) for education. Both are available in sky blue, midnight, starlight, and silver.
  • Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options, and accessories are available at apple.com/mac.
  • With Apple Trade In, customers can trade in their current computer and get credit toward a new Mac. Customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in to see what their device is worth.
  • AppleCare delivers exceptional service and support, with flexible options for Apple users. Customers can choose AppleCare+ to cover their new Mac, or in the U.S., AppleCare One to protect multiple products in one simple plan. Both plans include coverage for accidents like drops and spills, theft and loss protection on eligible products, battery replacement service, and 24/7 support from Apple Experts. For more information, visit apple.com/applecare.
  • Every customer who buys directly from Apple Retail gets access to Personal Setup. In these guided online sessions, a Specialist can walk them through setup, or focus on features that will help them make the most of their new device. Customers can also learn more about getting started and going further with their new device with a Today at Apple session at their nearest Apple Store.
  • Customers in the U.S. who shop at Apple using Apple Card can pay monthly at 0 percent APR when they choose to check out with Apple Card Monthly Installments, and they’ll get 3 percent Daily Cash back — all up front. More information — including details on eligibility, exclusions, and Apple Card terms — is available at apple.com/apple-card/monthly-installments.

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  1. Testing was conducted by Apple in February 2026 using shipping competitive systems and select industry-standard benchmarks.
  2. Testing was conducted by Apple in February 2026. See apple.com/macbook-air for more information.
  3. Apple Intelligence is available in beta with support for these languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability and system requirements, see support.apple.com/en-us/121115.
  4. Results are compared to MacBook Air with Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB of unified memory, and a 2TB SSD.
  5. Results are compared to MacBook Air systems with Apple M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 32GB of unified memory, and a 2TB SSD.
  6. macOS Tahoe is available as a free software update. Some features may not be available in all regions or in all languages. See requirements at apple.com/os/macos.
  7. Requires that iPhone, with an active carrier plan, and Mac are signed in with the same Apple Account, iPhone and Mac are near each other, signed in to FaceTime with the same Apple Account, have Wi-Fi turned on, and are connected to the same network.
  8. Product recycled or renewable content is the mass of certified recycled material relative to the overall mass of the device, not including packaging or in-box accessories.
  9. Breakdown of U.S. retail packaging by weight. Adhesives, inks, and coatings are excluded from calculations.