Apple
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026)
$1,299
Released 2026-03
Best Laptops · head-to-head
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) vs Acer Swift 14 AI (SF14-61T, 2024)
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Acer Swift 14 AI (SF14-61T, 2024) is cheaper at $999. Every spec and price links to its source.
Acer
Acer Swift 14 AI (SF14-61T, 2024)
$999Cheaper
Released 2024
Which is better: the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) or Acer Swift 14 AI (SF14-61T, 2024)?
They split the 2 specs we compare evenly. The Acer Swift 14 AI (SF14-61T, 2024) is the cheaper at $999.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices verified at capture; live price may differ.
Key specs, head to head
The numbers that decide it, drawn to scale — longer bar wins, the accent bar is the stronger figure.
Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec |  Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) |  Acer Swift 14 AI (SF14-61T, 2024) |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $1,299 | $999 |
| Brand | Apple | Acer |
| Released | 2026-03 | 2024 |
| Display (in) | 13.6 | 14 |
| Resolution | 2560x1664 | 1920x1200 |
| CPU | Apple M5 (10-core, 4 super + 6 efficiency) | AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 (Strix Point, 10-core, up to 5.0 GHz) or Snapdragon X Plus/Elite variants |
| GPU | Apple M5 integrated (8-core or 10-core) | AMD Radeon 880M (RDNA 3.5 integrated, 12 CUs) or Qualcomm Adreno |
| RAM (GB) | 16 | 16 |
| Storage (GB) | 512 | 1000 |
| Weight (kg) | 1.23 | 1.29 |
| Battery (Wh) | 53.8 | — |
| OS | macOS 26 | Windows 11 Home |
| Ports | MagSafe 3, 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), 3.5mm headphone jack | 2x USB-C (USB4), 1x USB-A, HDMI, microSD, 3.5mm headphone jack |
| Release | 2026-03 | 2024 |
Sources — Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026): apple.com (verified 2026-11-05). Acer Swift 14 AI (SF14-61T, 2024): newegg.com (verified 2026-06-15).
What's the difference between the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) and Acer Swift 14 AI (SF14-61T, 2024)?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (8 of 10). Matching specs are omitted.
- Display (in): Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) 13.6 vs Acer Swift 14 AI (SF14-61T, 2024) 14
- Resolution: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) 2560x1664 vs Acer Swift 14 AI (SF14-61T, 2024) 1920x1200
- CPU: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) Apple M5 (10-core, 4 super + 6 efficiency) vs Acer Swift 14 AI (SF14-61T, 2024) AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 (Strix Point, 10-core, up to 5.0 GHz) or Snapdragon X Plus/Elite variants
- GPU: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) Apple M5 integrated (8-core or 10-core) vs Acer Swift 14 AI (SF14-61T, 2024) AMD Radeon 880M (RDNA 3.5 integrated, 12 CUs) or Qualcomm Adreno
- Storage (GB): Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) 512 vs Acer Swift 14 AI (SF14-61T, 2024) 1000
- Weight (kg): Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) 1.23 vs Acer Swift 14 AI (SF14-61T, 2024) 1.29
- OS: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) macOS 26 vs Acer Swift 14 AI (SF14-61T, 2024) Windows 11 Home
- Ports: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) MagSafe 3, 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), 3.5mm headphone jack vs Acer Swift 14 AI (SF14-61T, 2024) 2x USB-C (USB4), 1x USB-A, HDMI, microSD, 3.5mm headphone jack
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026)
Three whitelisted testers lab-reviewed the 13-inch MacBook Air (M5) (Tom's Hardware, TechRadar, Tom's Guide); all rate it the best mainstream ultraportable, praising fast M5 performance, roughly 15.5-hour battery life, and the doubled 512GB base storage with a much faster SSD. Shared gripes: a $100 price hike (no longer $999), an incremental update over the M4, and — noted by Tom's Hardware — the fanless chassis throttling under sustained load. (3 sourced reviews, 3 lab-tested.)
Praised: Fast M5 performance that handles everyday and heavier creative workloads; All-day battery life (~15.5 hours in web testing); Doubled 512GB base storage plus much faster SSD.
Flagged: $100 price increase over the M4 (no longer starts at $999); Only an incremental upgrade over the M4, especially for M4 owners; Display notch remains and there is still no touchscreen.
Acer Swift 14 AI (SF14-61T, 2024)
No sourced tester review yet.