Apple · Updated June 2026
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026): price, specs & release date
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026), released 2026-03. Every price and spec below is linked to its source and dated — no guesses.
Source: apple.com verified ✓ corroborated verify in ledger
The Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026) is listed at $1299 on apple.com as of 2026-06-27, #7 cheapest of 18 laptops (median $1464); other retailers may be lower. It earns a Bronze Deskmark — 44/100 pay-blind standing, #15 of 25 in class.
Verified Jun 27, 2026 · figures linked to their source in the table below
- Best for Fast, efficient M5 performance with no gaming throttling; Long battery life (roughly 15-17 hours web browsing).
- Skip if Outdated 60 Hz refresh rate (no ProMotion) is a dealbreaker.
Is the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026) a good buy?
At $1299, the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026) is #7 cheapest of the 18 laptops we track, where the median is $1464. On the spec sheet, its display of 15.3 in is above the median of the 27, its weight of 1.51 kg is above the median of the 21, and its battery of 66.5 Wh is below the median of the 24. By release date, it is among the newer of the 21 we date.
Evidence of Record
Our data- Independent labsmeasured it
- 2
- Physical metricsrecorded
- 17
- Outlets on recordall tested
- 2
Two independent labs measured this product across 17 physical metrics — geekbench 6.7 multi-core, geekbench 6.7 single-core, cinebench 2024 multi-core and 14 more. With a second lab on record, each figure comes from more than one independent hands-on source — a measure of how much evidence exists, not a rating of the product.
geekbench 6.7 multi-core · geekbench 6.7 single-core · cinebench 2024 multi-core · brightness · contrast ratio · battery · speed · noise · power · weight · cyberpunk 2077 · geekbench 6 multi-core · handbrake 4k to · photoshop · srgb gamut · dimensional accuracy · assassin's creed shadows
Review consensus · sourced & dated
What reviewers say about the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026)
Two whitelisted labs hands-on tested the exact 15-inch M5 MacBook Air - Notebookcheck and Tom's Guide - and both land on an easy recommendation: fast, efficient fanless M5 performance (Geekbench multi ~17,000), roughly 15-17 hours of Wi-Fi web-browsing battery, and a bright, vivid display in the same slim, high-quality aluminum chassis, now with Wi-Fi 7 / Bluetooth 6, 512GB base storage and a much faster PCIe 4.0 SSD. The two reviewers share the positive verdict but emphasize different drawbacks: Tom's Guide flags a $100 price rise and only nominal gains over the M4, while Notebookcheck flags soldered RAM/SSD, limited ports and the outdated 60Hz panel.
Based on 2 reviews · 2 lab-tested · 2026-03-08–2026-03-09
Tested by Notebookcheck, Tom's Guide
Consistently praised
- Fast, efficient M5 performance with no gaming throttling · 2 sources
- Long battery life (roughly 15-17 hours web browsing) · 2 sources
- Bright, vivid display · 2 sources
- High-quality, sturdy aluminum design · 2 sources
- Faster Wi-Fi 7 / Bluetooth 6, 512GB base storage and much faster PCIe 4.0 SSD · 2 sources
Commonly flagged
- Outdated 60 Hz refresh rate (no ProMotion) · 2 sources
- Only a nominal/incremental upgrade over the M4
- $100 price increase versus the M4 generation
- Soldered, non-upgradeable RAM and SSD; minimal maintenance options
Where reviewers disagree Both testers reach the same positive verdict but weight the negatives differently. The clearest measured gap is battery life: Notebookcheck logged 17h12min of Wi-Fi web browsing at 150 nits versus Tom's Guide's 15h37min under a comparable 150-nit web test - a ~1.5h spread from differing methodology. On the 60Hz panel, Notebookcheck calls it 'pretty outdated in 2026' and lists it as a con, whereas Tom's Guide notes the lack of 120Hz ProMotion but is largely untroubled by it. Notebookcheck frames the M5 generation positively ('gets even better'), while Tom's Guide is the one that flags it as only a nominal upgrade that costs $100 more.
The sources (2)
Geekbench 6.7 multi-core: 16,995 points · Geekbench 6.7 single-core: 4,195 points · Cinebench 2024 multi-core: 962 points · Max display brightness (center): 538 cd/m2 · Contrast ratio: 1223:1 · Battery, Wi-Fi web surfing @150 nits: 17h 12min · Battery, Wi-Fi web surfing @max brightness: 6h 44min · SSD read (BlackMagic 5GB): 6312 MB/s · SSD write (BlackMagic 5GB): 6475 MB/s · Max speaker loudness: 84.8 dB · Max power consumption (load): 37.4 W · Weight: 1.512 kg (3.33 lb) · Cyberpunk 2077, 1080p Ultra: 23.3 fps
The performance is nothing short of spectacular and the M5 is also very efficient while gaming, where we did not experience any throttling.
The deficits are still the same on the MacBook Air like soldered RAM and storage, the lack of Face-ID and the limited number of ports, which is even more annoying on the larger 15-inch model.
the refresh rate of 60 Hz is pretty outdated in 2026
Geekbench 6 multi-core: 17,276 · Handbrake 4K to 1080p transcode: 4:34 (min:sec) · Photoshop (Adobe) score: 11,865 · SSD write (BlackMagic): 6499 MB/s · SSD read (BlackMagic): 6728 MB/s · Battery, Wi-Fi web surfing @150 nits: 15h 37min · Display brightness (SDR): 454 nits · sRGB gamut: 117.2% · Delta-E color accuracy: 0.27 · Cyberpunk 2077, 1200p medium: 27 fps · Assassin's Creed Shadows, 1200p medium: 19 fps
The MacBook Air 15-inch M5 offers nice upgrades over the M4 version while keeping the same sleek design, vibrant display, and long battery life.
For M4 owners, however, the changes are relatively modest.
it's not a major update from last year, and it costs extra.
Specifications
| Price (US) | $1299 US MSRP, base config 16GB/512GB; launch March 11 2026 |
|---|---|
| Brand | Apple |
| Released | 2026-03 |
| Display (in) | 15.3 |
| Resolution | 2880x1864 |
| CPU | Apple M5 (10-core, 4 super + 6 efficiency) |
| GPU | Apple M5 integrated (10-core) |
| RAM (GB) | 16 |
| Storage (GB) | 512 |
| Weight (kg) | 1.51 |
| Battery (Wh) | 66.5 |
| OS | macOS 26 |
| Ports | MagSafe 3, 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), 3.5mm headphone jack |
Source: apple.com (verified 2026-06-15) · corroborated by en.wikipedia.org. Apple MacBook Air M5 15-inch released March 11, 2026 alongside 13-inch. Specs from Apple specs page: 15.3-inch Liquid Retina, 2880x1864 at 224 ppi, M5 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, PCIe 5.0 SSD. Weight 3.3 lbs (1.51 kg). Battery 66.5 Wh. Same ports as 13-inch. $1,299 US launch price per Wikipedia MacBook Air article.
Is the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026) worth it vs cheaper laptops?
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026) against its closest cheaper and pricier laptops on the specs that matter — every value sourced. See all 18 ranked
| Product | Price | Display (in) | Resolution | CPU | GPU | RAM (GB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026) this | $1299 | 15.3 | 2880x1864 | Apple M5 (10-core, 4 super + 6 efficiency) | Apple M5 integrated (10-core) | 16 |
| Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) | $1099 | 13.6 | 2560x1664 | Apple M5 (10-core, 4 super + 6 efficiency) | Apple M5 integrated (8-core or 10-core) | 16 |
| Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405, 2024) | $1399 | 14 | 2880x1800 | Intel Core Ultra 9 285H (Meteor Lake, 6P+8E+2LPE, up to 5.1 GHz) | Intel Arc Graphics (integrated) | 32 |
Frequently asked questions
What do reviewers say about the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026)?
Two whitelisted labs hands-on tested the exact 15-inch M5 MacBook Air - Notebookcheck and Tom's Guide - and both land on an easy recommendation: fast, efficient fanless M5 performance (Geekbench multi ~17,000), roughly 15-17 hours of Wi-Fi web-browsing battery, and a bright, vivid display in the same slim, high-quality aluminum chassis, now with Wi-Fi 7 / Bluetooth 6, 512GB base storage and a much faster PCIe 4.0 SSD. The two reviewers share the positive verdict but emphasize different drawbacks: Tom's Guide flags a $100 price rise and only nominal gains over the M4, while Notebookcheck flags soldered RAM/SSD, limited ports and the outdated 60Hz panel. Praised: Fast, efficient M5 performance with no gaming throttling; Long battery life (roughly 15-17 hours web browsing); Bright, vivid display; High-quality, sturdy aluminum design; Faster Wi-Fi 7 / Bluetooth 6, 512GB base storage and much faster PCIe 4.0 SSD; Excellent speakers. Flagged: Outdated 60 Hz refresh rate (no ProMotion); Only a nominal/incremental upgrade over the M4; $100 price increase versus the M4 generation; Soldered, non-upgradeable RAM and SSD; minimal maintenance options; Limited ports (only 2 Thunderbolt, no USB-A/HDMI/SD), worse on the larger 15-inch chassis. (From 2 tester reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
How much does the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026) cost?
The Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026) has a US price of $1299 (US MSRP, base config 16GB/512GB; launch March 11 2026), as of 2026-06-15.
How does the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026) compare on price?
At $1299, the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026) is #7 cheapest of the 18 laptops we track, where the median is $1464.
When was the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026) released?
The Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026) was released 2026-03.
What are the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026)'s key specs?
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026) (Apple): display in 15.3, resolution 2880x1864, cpu Apple M5 (10-core, 4 super + 6 efficiency), gpu Apple M5 integrated (10-core), ram gb 16. Full sourced spec sheet verified 2026-06-15.
Price of record: $1299 at apple.com, 2026-06-27. Other retailers may be lower — check the current price:
See Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026) on Amazon As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.Similar laptops
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