HomeTechnologyM5 MacBook Air review: Still the best MacBook for almost everybody

M5 MacBook Air review: Still the best MacBook for almost everybody

TechnologyMarch 16, 2026
1 min read
M5 MacBook Air review: Still the best MacBook for almost everybody
The M5 MacBook Air is a minor upgrade, but minor upgrades add up over time.
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The M5 Pro and M5 Max in the new MacBook Pros are interesting not because they deliver a solid speed increase for Apple's fastest laptop processors but because they also include substantial under-the-hood changes. And the MacBook Neo is interesting because, while the hardware has limits, it's quite a capable and high-quality computer for its $599 starting price.

And then there's the M5 MacBook Air, which was also released this week.

Apple sent us a 16-inch M5 Max MacBook Pro, the MacBook Neo, and a 15-inch MacBook Air to test, and the MacBook Air was the only one without a standard review embargo. As if to say, "we know the other stuff is more interesting—if you want to cover the Air, get to it when you can."

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Source: Ars Technica

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