PRESS RELEASE
04 March 2026
Apple introduces the new MacBook Air with M5
The world’s most popular laptop gets even better with the incredible performance of M5, double the starting storage, and improved wireless connectivity, packed into a thin, light, and durable aluminium design
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 aluminium 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 university 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, 5 March, with availability beginning Wednesday, 11 March.
“The new MacBook Air with M5 brings incredible performance and even more capability to the world’s most popular laptop,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. “With M5, MacBook Air powers through a wide range of tasks, from everyday productivity to creative workloads, and is even faster for AI. Now featuring double the starting storage, as well as Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, in a sleek and durable design with long battery life, MacBook Air is the perfect laptop for anyone who values the unrivalled combination of performance and portability.”
Incredible Performance with M5 — for AI and Beyond
M5 delivers incredible performance for everything users want to tackle, from everyday productivity to creative workflows. MacBook Air with M5 features a 10-core CPU with the world’s fastest CPU core for even more responsiveness.1 Combined with an up-to-10-core GPU with a powerful Neural Accelerator in each core, MacBook Air with M5 delivers up to 4x faster performance for AI tasks than MacBook Air with M4, and up to 9.5x faster than MacBook Air with M1.2 This makes it an incredibly capable platform for AI — whether using Apple Intelligence across apps and system experiences at home, or running LLMs on device in an enterprise.3
With enhanced shader cores and a third-generation ray-tracing engine, M5 supercharges tasks like gaming and 3D rendering. M5 also features faster unified memory with 153GB/s of bandwidth — a 28 per cent improvement over M4 — enabling even smoother multitasking and faster app launches. All combined, MacBook Air with M5 brings even greater performance compared to previous generations, offering:
- 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 per cent 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
MacBook Air with M5 now comes standard with 512GB of storage — double that of the previous generation — and can be configured up to 4TB for the first time, providing ample space for large projects and games. The new SSD also delivers 2x faster read/write performance compared to the previous generation, significantly accelerating file access and speeding up workflows for users, such as creators importing large photo libraries and students running AI workloads on device.5
There’s never been a better time for customers upgrading from a previous generation of MacBook Air with Apple silicon or an Intel-based Mac. In addition to the blazing performance of M5, the new MacBook Air delivers a broad range of compelling features, including:
- 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 colours 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 colours: 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 colours: 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 personalise their Mac in new ways with colour 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 categorise 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
MacBook Air with M5 was built with the environment in mind, and brings Apple even closer to reaching its ambitious plan to be carbon neutral across its entire footprint by 2030. It is made with 55 per cent recycled content,8 including 100 per cent recycled aluminium in the enclosure and 100 per cent recycled cobalt in the battery. It is manufactured with 50 per cent renewable electricity, such as wind and solar, across the supply chain. MacBook Air is designed to be durable and repairable, while meeting Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency and safer chemistry. The paper packaging is 100 per cent fibre-based and can be easily recycled.9
Pricing and Availability
- Customers can pre-order the new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air with M5 beginning at 3:15 a.m. NZDT on Thursday, 5 March, on apple.com/nz/store and in the Apple Store app in 33 countries and regions. All models will begin arriving to customers, and will be in Apple Authorised Resellers, starting Wednesday, 11 March.
- The 13-inch MacBook Air with M5 starts at RRP NZ$2,199 inc. GST, and RRP NZ$1,999 inc. GST for education, and the 15-inch MacBook Air with M5 starts at RRP NZ$2,599 inc. GST and RRP NZ$2,399 inc. GST 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/nz/mac.
- AppleCare+ delivers exceptional service and support and includes coverage for accidental damage, battery replacement service, and 24/7 support from Apple Experts. For more information, visit apple.com/nz/applecare.10
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- Testing was conducted by Apple in February 2025 using shipping competitive systems and select industry-standard benchmarks.
- Testing was conducted by Apple in February 2026. See apple.com/nz/macbook-air for more information.
- 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-nz/121115.
- Results are compared to MacBook Air with Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB of unified memory, and a 2TB SSD.
- Results are compared to MacBook Air systems with Apple M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 32GB of unified memory, and a 2TB SSD.
- 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/nz/os/macos.
- 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.
- 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.
- Breakdown of U.S. retail packaging by weight. Adhesives, inks, and coatings are excluded from calculations.
- AppleCare+ products must be purchased within 60 days of the original purchase date of your iPhone. Coverage begins on your AppleCare+ purchase date. AppleCare+ benefits are separate from and in addition to the Apple Limited Warranty and any legal rights provided by New Zealand consumer law; for details, click here.