Apple has unveiled the MacBook Air M5, starting at $1,099 - a $100 increase over last year's M4 model. The company had dropped the M4 MBA's starting price to $999 in 2025, but the M5-equipped version returns to higher pricing despite offering enhanced performance. Pre-orders begin March 4 with availability in 33 countries on March 11.

Beyond the price increase, Apple claims the M5 delivers four times faster AI performance than the M4 and up to 9.5 times faster than the original M1 MBA. Storage has doubled from 256GB to 512GB at the base level, with read/write speeds twice as fast as the previous generation. The base model includes 16GB RAM with 153GB/s bandwidth - a 28 percent improvement over the M4 - and supports up to 32GB.

Connectivity sees a major upgrade with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support via Apple's new N1 wireless chip. The laptops run macOS Tahoe with Apple Intelligence features, feature Liquid Retina displays, 12MP Center Stage cameras, and support up to two external displays through Thunderbolt 4 ports. Battery life reaches up to 18 hours. The 15-inch model starts at $1,299 and comes in sky blue, midnight, starlight, and silver.