Apple just launched the MacBook Air M5 in India, featuring its latest chipset. It comes in two sizes: 13 inches and 15 inches. The new Air looks the same, with a thin, fanless aluminum design, a Liquid Retina display, and a long-lasting battery.
Also, it starts with 512GB of storage instead of 256GB and now supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 using Apple’s own N1 wireless chip. But the question is, is the MacBook Air M5 really worth upgrading over the MacBook Air M4? Let’s find out everything below
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MacBook Air M5 Vs M4 Specs At A Glance
| Feature | MacBook Air M5 | MacBook Air M4 |
| Processor | Apple M5 chip (10-core CPU) | Apple M4 chip (10-core CPU) |
| GPU | Up to 10-core GPU, improved graphics | Up to 10-core GPU |
| Neural Engine | 16-core Neural Engine (faster AI tasks) | 16-core Neural Engine |
| Display | 13.6-inch / 15.3-inch Liquid Retina | 13.6-inch / 15.3-inch Liquid Retina |
| Brightness | Up to 500 nits | Up to 500 nits |
| Base Storage | 512GB SSD | 256GB SSD |
| Maximum Storage | Up to 4TB SSD | Up to 2TB SSD |
| Unified Memory | 16GB standard (configurable up to 32GB) | 16GB standard (configurable up to 32GB) |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.x |
| Ports | MagSafe 3, 2× Thunderbolt 4, headphone jack | MagSafe 3, 2× Thunderbolt 4, headphone jack |
| Webcam | 12MP Center Stage camera | 12MP Center Stage camera |
| Battery Life | Up to 18 hours | Up to 18 hours |
| Starting Price | 1,19,000 Rupees | 90,068 Rupees |
MacBook Air M5 Vs M4: Display And Design
Both the MacBook Air M5 and MacBook Air M4 use the same Liquid Retina display, so there is no major upgrade in display hardware between the two models. Some of the key display specifications which same on both devices. Both Mac comes in 13.6-inch and 15.3-inch options with a Liquid Retina LED-backlit IPS panel.
It also comes with up to 500 nits of peak brightness, supports 1 billion colors, and features a P3 wide colour gamut with True Tone technology for automatic colour adjustment. However, Apple is still stuck at 60Hz even in the newly launched Air M5.
Similar story in the design of both laptops is also identical, as Apple kept the same thin aluminum chassis introduced in recent Air models. Both Macs feature a thin aluminum unibody design, a fanless cooling system, and a thickness of about 11.3 mm.
Moreover, both laptops have similar weights: around 1.24 kg (13-inch) and 1.51 kg (15-inch), with a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. While both support MagSafe 3 charging port, 2 × Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, and a 3.5mm headphone jack
When it comes to display and design, the MacBook Air M5 is almost identical to the M4 model. Apple has kept the same Liquid Retina display, thin aluminum chassis, and lightweight build.
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MacBook Air M5 Vs M4: Camera And Battery
Both the MacBook Air M5 and MacBook Air M4 feature the same webcam hardware, so there is no major upgrade in the camera department as well. Both MacBooks have a 12MP center-stage camera with 1080p FaceTime HD video support.
Its center-stage cam automatically keeps you in the frame during video calls, and the desk view shows both your face and a top-down view of your desk. So, the camera hardware and features are identical on the M5 and M4 models.
Battery performance is also almost identical between the two laptops. Both offer up to 18 hours of video streaming. During wireless web usage, it will offer up to 15 hours of battery life. Apple uses a Lithium-polymer battery in the M5, the same as in the M4 model.
Both models can be charged through USB-C via their Thunderbolt ports. Just the M5 chip has slightly improve power efficiency, but the official battery rating remains the same.
When it comes to the camera and battery, the MacBook Air M5 and M4 are almost identical. Both laptops feature a 12MP Center Stage webcam and offer up to 18 hours of battery life.
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MacBook Air M5 Vs M4: Performance, Software, AI
The biggest difference between the MacBook Air M5 and MacBook Air M4 comes from the newer M5 chip, which delivers noticeable improvements in CPU, GPU, and memory performance. Both chipsets have the same 10-core CPU (4 performance + 6 efficiency cores) and up to a 10-core GPU
Both chips support up to 32GB of unified memory, but the M5 increases memory bandwidth to 153GB/s, up from 120GB/s on the M4. This improvement comes from a faster memory controller and better internal architecture, allowing the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine to access data more quickly.
Even though the core count is the same, the M5 chip introduces architectural improvements. Apple claims around 15 percent faster CPU performance and up to 30 faster faster graphics performance compared to M4. Higher memory bandwidth also helps the M5 handle demanding tasks like video editing, coding, and multitasking more efficiently.
The M5 chip mainly improves speed, efficiency, and graphics performance, while the overall architecture remains similar.
Both laptops run macOS and support the same ecosystem of Apple apps and services. Since both devices use Apple Silicon, they support native apps optimized for ARM architecture, which improves performance and battery efficiency.
There is no major software difference between the MacBook Air M5 and M4. However, the M5 will receive longer software optimization support in future macOS updates.
Moving on to AI performance, another area where the M5 chip shows major improvements. The M5 chip introduces stronger AI acceleration, including improved GPU neural accelerators and a faster Neural Engine.
Apple claims up to 4× higher AI compute performance compared to M4 in certain workloads. This means the M5 can run on-device AI tasks faster, including Apple Intelligence features, image and video processing, AI photo editing, and local AI models and apps.
In terms of performance, software, and AI, the MacBook Air M5 brings meaningful internal upgrades over the M4 model. While both laptops share the same CPU core configuration and run the same macOS software, the newer M5 chip delivers faster CPU and GPU performance, higher memory bandwidth, and significantly improved AI processing capabilities.
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Final Words
In the MacBook Air M5 vs M4 comparison, Apple has mostly kept the design, display, camera, and battery the same. The real upgrades come from the new M5 chip, faster memory bandwidth, improved AI performance, and better connectivity, such as Wi-Fi 7.
If you already own the M4 model, the upgrade may not feel essential. But for new buyers, the MacBook Air M5 vs M4 comparison clearly shows the M5 as the more future-ready option with better performance and higher base storage.
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