Apple MacBook Air Apple 15" MacBook Air (M5, Starlight) Review

The 15-inch MacBook Air with the M5 chip is a fantastic ultraportable, especially in this maxed-out 32GB/4TB config. It offers serious power and incredible storage in a thin, light body. Just know its graphics aren't for gaming, and it commands a very high price for the privilege.

If you're looking at a 15-inch MacBook Air, you're probably after a big screen in a thin, light body. The new M5 model delivers exactly that, and then some. This is Apple's latest ultraportable, packing a new 10-core M5 chip, a gorgeous 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, and a configuration that's maxed out with 32GB of RAM and a massive 4TB SSD. At nearly $2,900, it's a premium machine, but it's built for a specific kind of user who needs serious power without the bulk of a MacBook Pro.

People often ask if a MacBook Air is powerful enough for professional work, and with this much RAM and storage, the answer is a definite yes for many tasks. The M5 chip is built on a 3nm process, which means it's efficient and fast, and the 16-core Neural Engine is all about accelerating AI tasks, whether that's running Apple Intelligence features or local AI models. It's a laptop designed for the next few years of software, not just today's.

Our benchmark data puts the M5's CPU performance in the 78th percentile. In plain English, that means it's faster than most laptops out there, especially for single-threaded tasks like web browsing, office apps, and light coding. It'll compile code, edit photos, and handle dozens of browser tabs without breaking a sweat. The 4TB SSD is in the 98th percentile for storage, which is just ridiculously fast and spacious.

Now, the GPU is a different story. It lands in the 18th percentile. The 10-core GPU is fine for driving that high-resolution display, video playback, and even some light gaming from the App Store, but it's not a graphics powerhouse. If you're into 3D rendering, video editing with lots of effects, or playing modern AAA games, this isn't the chip for you. For everything else, the performance is excellent and the battery life, thanks to that efficient M5, should be stellar.

At $2,899, this is a luxury purchase. You're paying a huge premium for that 4TB of Apple's fastest storage and the 32GB of unified memory. For most people, the base model Air is a much better value. But if your workflow genuinely requires that much local storage and RAM—say, for working with massive photo libraries, video projects, or virtual machines while on the go—and you absolutely need the Air's form factor, then this config justifies its price. Otherwise, you can get similar or better performance for less money elsewhere, especially if you don't need macOS.

The most obvious competitor is the 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M4 chip. For a similar price, you'd get a brighter, 120Hz Mini-LED display, more ports, better speakers, and significantly more powerful graphics. If you do any pro media work, the Pro is the better machine. The MacBook Air wins on portability and battery life.

Looking outside Apple, the ASUS ProArt PX13 is a fascinating rival. It's a Copilot+ PC with an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and an RTX 4050. It has a stunning OLED touchscreen, way more GPU power for creative apps, and similar AI capabilities. It's probably a better pick for Windows-based designers or engineers. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, meanwhile, is in a different league for gaming and raw power but is much thicker and heavier. The Air isn't trying to compete there; it's the king of the 'powerful but portable' niche.

Skip this laptop if you're a gamer, a professional 3D animator, or a video editor who works with complex timelines and effects. The GPU isn't up to those tasks. Also, if you're on a tight budget, this nearly $3,000 configuration is overkill; a base model Air or a Windows laptop will serve you better. And if you need lots of ports without a dongle, the two Thunderbolt ports on the Air will frustrate you. Look at a MacBook Pro or a business-class Windows laptop instead.

Should you buy this specific 32GB/4TB MacBook Air M5? Only if you have a very clear, wallet-ready need for that exact combination of ultra-portability, massive storage, and strong CPU performance within the Apple ecosystem. It's an exceptional machine for a consultant, writer, or developer who needs to carry terabytes of data and run VMs, all in a silent, fanless chassis.

For everyone else, we'd recommend stepping down to a 16GB/1TB or 2TB configuration to save over a thousand dollars, or seriously considering the 14-inch MacBook Pro if your budget is already this high. This top-spec Air is a niche product, but for its niche, it's nearly perfect.