Apple’s M5 MacBook Air Expected in Early 2026, Hints of Potential Trade-offs Emerge
Apple is preparing to launch an updated MacBook Air powered by the M5 chip in early 2026, continuing its rapid release cycle for the popular laptop line. The move underscores Apple’s commitment to its silicon roadmap and delivering performance improvements to its consumer devices.
The company has scheduled a “Special Experience” event for March 4, 2026, in New York, with similar events planned in London and Shanghai, fueling speculation that the new MacBook Air will be unveiled around this time. Even as a firm launch date hasn’t been confirmed, reports suggest retail availability could follow shortly after, potentially in March or the first half of the year, according to MacObserver.
The M5 chip is expected to bring a performance boost over the current M4, with CPU speeds increasing by approximately 10–15% and significant improvements to graphics performance. Benchmarks from a next-generation iPad Pro allegedly running the M5 chip show single-core scores around 4,133 and multi-core scores around 15,437, representing a 12-15% jump over the M4 iPad Pro, MacRumors reported.
Apple is reportedly utilizing TSMC’s 3-nanometer process technology for the M5 chip, opting against the more advanced 2nm process due to cost considerations. The M5 is also expected to enhance memory bandwidth and improve on-device AI capabilities, aligning with Apple’s broader push into artificial intelligence features, as highlighted in Macworld.
Yet, some reports suggest potential trade-offs with the new model. Sources indicate the possibility of a lower screen brightness, the absence of a backlit keyboard, and a base configuration of 8GB of memory. These potential limitations could impact the user experience, particularly for those accustomed to higher-end features, according to Notebookcheck.se.
Despite these potential compromises, the M5 MacBook Air is anticipated to maintain a similar price point to current M4 models, starting around $999-$1,199. The external design is not expected to change significantly from the current generation. This update focuses on internal improvements, offering a noticeable power increase under the hood, as noted by weloveapple.dk.
The expected release of the M5 MacBook Air follows Apple’s recent spring refresh cycle for the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models, with M3 and M4 updates arriving in March 2024 and March 2025, respectively. The continued iteration of the MacBook Air line demonstrates Apple’s strategy of providing accessible and powerful computing options for a broad range of users.
References to three new Apple products were also found in the Mac OS 26.3 release, hinting at further developments in the company’s product pipeline, Macworld.se reported.
