Apple has reshaped its MacBook lineup with the arrival of the new M5 MacBook Air and the introduction of the budget-friendly MacBook Neo. The 13-inch M5 MacBook Air, starting at $1,099, no longer holds the position as Apple’s entry-level laptop; that spot now belongs to the cheaper Neo. This shift raises a key question: who is the 13-inch M5 Air for?
The New Landscape: Neo, 13-inch Air, and 15-inch Air
The MacBook Neo, priced at $599, has disrupted the traditional buying path. Students and budget-conscious shoppers now have a viable alternative. The 13-inch M5 Air remains a solid choice for those needing a small, high-performance laptop, particularly for tasks like design or STEM work, where the extra processing power justifies the cost. However, the 15-inch M5 Air provides a better value proposition. For an additional $200, the larger screen and similar portability make it the preferred option for many users.
The 13-inch Air is still a fantastic pick for a small, higher-performance laptop (just not Pro-level performance) and the better choice for a subset of students, such as those studying design or STEM, for example, than the Neo, but it’s not the MacBook Air I’d recommend for most.
Performance and Specs: What’s New with M5?
The M5 chip offers incremental performance improvements over the M4, with faster unified memory (153GBps) and SSD speeds. The baseline model features an eight-core GPU, upgradable to ten cores with higher storage or memory configurations. Apple’s new neural engine architecture boosts AI and ray-tracing capabilities, making the M5 Air a capable machine for demanding tasks.
The M5 Air also features improved networking with Apple’s N1 wireless chip for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. Battery life remains strong, averaging over 17 hours in real-world tests, though some Windows laptops offer slightly longer runtimes.
Is it Worth Upgrading?
For users with M4 or M3 MacBook Airs, an upgrade isn’t immediately necessary. The performance gains are not substantial enough to justify the cost. However, those still using an M1 MacBook Air should consider upgrading, especially if they want the larger 15-inch screen size.
The M5 MacBook Air has generation-over-generation performance gains, with the M5 model outpacing the previous M4 Air on both the single- and multicore tests of Geekbench 6 and Cinebench 2024. Its scores were well ahead of the MacBook Neo’s, especially on the multicore tests, where its 10-core M5 chip has a clear advantage over the Neo’s six-core A18 Pro. The M5 Air also excelled on the Geekbench AI benchmark, showing the power of the M5’s 16-core neural processor for handling on-device AI calculations.
The Verdict
The M5 MacBook Air remains a compelling laptop, but its position in Apple’s lineup has shifted. The introduction of the MacBook Neo and the value of the larger 15-inch Air mean the 13-inch model is no longer the default recommendation. If you prioritize portability and performance over budget, the 13-inch M5 Air is a solid choice. But for most buyers, the 15-inch model offers a better balance of screen size, price, and performance.
