Apple's new MacBook Air M5 brings modest upgrades over the M4, but at a $100 premium that may give shoppers pause. The most notable change is the doubled base storage, jumping from 256GB to 512GB, while maintaining the same 18-hour battery life and sleek design. Performance gains include 28% faster unified memory and 4x faster AI processing, though casual users might not notice the difference.

Beyond the M5 chip, the laptop gains Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support through Apple's new N1 chip, though most users won't fully utilize these capabilities. The display and audio remain unchanged with the same Liquid Retina LED panels and speaker configurations. Professional users rendering 3D in Blender could see 50% speed improvements, making the upgrade more compelling for creative workloads.

The M5 isn't worth upgrading to if you already own the M4, but those with older models might find value, especially professionals seeking better performance without jumping to the MacBook Pro. With pre-orders starting March 4, potential buyers should wait for full reviews before committing to the higher price tag.