Laptops · Review
Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5, 16GB/512GB)
The 13-inch Air's strengths on a roomier screen, worth the extra $200 if you multitask or watch a lot of video.
88
out of 100
Our verdict
The 15-inch MacBook Air pairs the M5 chip with a larger 15.3-inch screen, a six-speaker sound system and the full 10-core GPU even in the base configuration. Notebookcheck found it fast and efficient with no throttling in gaming tests, though LaptopMedia recorded a noticeable drop under long, heavy workloads, as expected from a fanless design. Reviewers praise the bright, accurate panel and long battery life, but the refresh rate is still 60Hz and there are only two USB-C ports. Apple raised its list price to $1,499 in June 2026, so the $1,299 retailer price is the one to wait for.
What's good
- Large, sharp screen in a slim fanless chassis
- 10-core GPU standard on the base model
- Strong six-speaker sound
- Long battery life
What's not
- 60Hz refresh rate
- Only two USB-C ports
- Performance drops under sustained heavy loads
- Apple list price is now $1,499
How it scores
How we rate →Specifications
- Processor
- Apple M5, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU
- Memory
- 16GB unified memory
- Storage
- 512GB SSD
- Display
- 15.3-inch Liquid Retina IPS, 2880 x 1864, 500 nits, 60Hz
- Battery (Apple rating)
- Up to 18 hours video, 15 hours web (66.5Wh)
- Ports
- 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), MagSafe 3, 3.5mm headphone jack
- Weight
- 3.3 lb (1.51 kg)
- Speakers
- Six speakers with force-cancelling woofers