Apple MacBook Air 13.6" M5 Starlight Review
The M5 MacBook Air refines a classic, but its high price and mediocre GPU make it a tough sell. We break down who this luxury ultraportable is actually for.
The 30-Second Version
The M5 MacBook Air is a luxury ultraportable with a weak GPU and a premium price. Buy it for the battery and the Apple logo, not for power. For everyone else, better options exist.
Overview
The new M5 MacBook Air is the laptop you buy when you want a Mac, not necessarily the best laptop. It's a fantastic refinement of a proven formula, but the headline here isn't a massive performance leap. It's Apple Intelligence, and whether you're willing to pay for a chip that's mostly about future AI features that aren't even fully here yet. The one thing to know? This is the ultimate 'it just works' machine for the Apple faithful, but the value gets shaky the moment you look outside the walled garden.
Performance
Our database shows the M5's CPU lands in the 78th percentile, which is solid but not a huge jump from the M3. It's fast, but you won't feel a dramatic difference in everyday tasks. The real surprise is the GPU, sitting in the 18th percentile. That confirms what we all suspected: this is not a machine for anything graphically intensive. Gaming is a non-starter, and even light video editing will feel its limits. The battery life, however, is the star, living up to the 'all-day' promise with ease.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Incredible battery life that actually lasts a full workday. 95th
- The build quality and portability are top-tier; it feels premium and is a joy to carry. 91th
- Apple Intelligence integration is seamless for those already in the ecosystem. 83th
- The screen is beautiful for general use and media consumption. 79th
Cons
- The GPU performance is weak, making it a poor choice for any creative work beyond photos. 21th
- You're paying an 'Apple tax' for the brand and OS, especially at this configuration.
- Only two Thunderbolt ports feels stingy in 2024.
- The 512GB SSD feels cramped for a 'prosumer' machine at this price.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| Cores | 10 |
Graphics
| GPU | Apple M5 8-core |
| Type | integrated |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 16 GB |
| RAM Generation | Not provid |
| Storage | 512 GB |
| Storage Type | SSD |
Display
| Size | 13.6" |
| Resolution | 2560 (QHD) |
Connectivity
| Thunderbolt | 2x Thunderbolt |
Physical
| Weight | 1.2 kg / 2.7 lbs |
| OS | Mac OS |
Value & Pricing
At over a grand for this 16GB/512GB config, the value proposition is thin. You're buying into the Apple ecosystem and future AI promises, not raw specs. For the same money, Windows Copilot+ PCs offer more RAM, storage, and often a dedicated GPU. It's only 'worth it' if you live and breathe Apple's world.
vs Competition
The most relevant competitor is the ASUS ProArt PX13. For similar money, you get double the RAM, double the storage, a stunning OLED touchscreen, and a dedicated RTX 4050 GPU. It runs circles around the Air for creative work. The other elephant in the room is Apple's own 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4. If you need more power for pro apps, spending a bit more gets you a vastly better screen, more ports, and a huge GPU boost. The Air wins on portability and battery, but loses everywhere else.
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13.6" M5 | ASUS ROG Flow ASUS ROG Flow - AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 AMD Radeon | Lenovo Yoga Lenovo - Yoga Slim 9i - Copilot+ PC - 14" 4K 120Hz | Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro Samsung - Galaxy Book5 Pro - Copilot+ PC - 14" 3K | MSI Prestige MSI - Prestige 13”AI+ - Ukiyoe Edition 13.3"OLED | Microsoft Surface Laptop Microsoft - Surface Laptop - 13.8" 2K Touchscreen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | M5 | AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 | Intel Core Ultra 7 258V | Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 | Intel Core Ultra 7 258V | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100 |
| RAM (GB) | 16 | 128 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
| Storage (GB) | 512 | 1024 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Screen | 13.6" 2560x1664 | 13.4" 2560x1600 | 14" 3840x2400 | 14" 2880x1800 | 13.3" 2880x1800 | 13.8" 2304x1536 |
| GPU | Apple M5 8-core | AMD Radeon 8060 | Intel Arc Graphics | Intel Arc Graphics | Intel Arc Graphics | Qualcomm X1 |
| OS | Mac OS | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
| Weight (kg) | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1 | 1.3 |
| Battery (Wh) | - | 70 | 75 | - | - | - |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Cpu | Gpu | Ram | Port | Screen | Compact | Storage | Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple MacBook Air 13.6" M5 | 82.9 | 20.6 | 44.1 | 57 | 79.4 | 90.6 | 49.1 | 94.8 |
| ASUS ROG Flow GZ302EA-XS99 Compare | 95.5 | 80.9 | 99.5 | 98.9 | 89.8 | 93.4 | 76.6 | 55.8 |
| Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14" Compare | 65.7 | 66.6 | 94.6 | 90.7 | 99.9 | 84.7 | 72.3 | 75.6 |
| Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro Galaxy Book5 Pro 14" 3K Compare | 69 | 66.6 | 86.9 | 90.7 | 93.5 | 84.9 | 72.3 | 75.6 |
| MSI Prestige 13”AI+ Ukiyoe Edition 13.3"OLED Compare | 65.7 | 66.6 | 86.9 | 98.4 | 90.6 | 95.5 | 72.3 | 55.8 |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8" 2K Touchscreen Compare | 95 | 42 | 86.9 | 94.8 | 81.2 | 87 | 72.3 | 75.6 |
Common Questions
Q: Is 16GB of RAM enough?
For this machine's intended use—web browsing, office apps, light photo editing—16GB is plenty. The unified memory architecture is efficient. You only need more if you're running virtual machines or keeping 50 Chrome tabs plus Photoshop open.
Q: Can it game?
No. The integrated GPU is in the 18th percentile. You'll be stuck playing older titles at low settings. If gaming is even a minor consideration, look at a Windows laptop with a dedicated GPU.
Q: Should I wait for more Apple Intelligence features?
If you're buying this specifically for AI, wait. The core features are trickling out slowly. The M5 chip is ready, but the software isn't all there yet. Buy it for what it does today, not what it might do tomorrow.
Who Should Skip This
Skip this if you edit video, work with 3D models, or want to play modern games. Also skip it if you need more than two ports without a dongle. In those cases, go get the ASUS ProArt PX13 for creative work or a Lenovo Legion for gaming. Even a base-model 14-inch MacBook Pro is a smarter buy for power users.
Verdict
We can only recommend this M5 MacBook Air to a specific person: someone deeply invested in the Apple ecosystem who needs extreme portability and battery life for writing, browsing, and light office work, and who is excited about Apple Intelligence. For students, business users, or anyone who does more than the basics, a base-model MacBook Pro or a high-spec Windows Copilot+ laptop offers significantly better performance and value for your dollar.