Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5) review

The MacBook Air with M5 ranks first because it is the laptop on this list most likely to still feel quick at graduation. Apple's base 13-inch model now starts with 16GB of unified memory and a 512GB SSD, which is double the memory of the MacBook Neo and the base Windows laptops here. The M5 chip has a 10-core CPU and Neural Accelerators in each GPU core, and Apple lists up to 18 hours of video streaming and up to 15 hours of wireless web from a 53.8-watt-hour battery. The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display runs at 2560 by 1664 and 500 nits, and the whole machine weighs 2.7 pounds with no fan. Ports are two Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3 and a headphone jack. The catch is price: $1,199 with Apple education pricing and $1,299 at the regular store. Nothing inside can be upgraded later, so buy the storage you need at checkout.

Who it is for

College students who want one laptop to last a full degree, with plenty of memory and long battery life.

Price

From $1,199 with Apple education pricing ($1,299 regular) when checked.

MacBook Air From $1199
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 8, 2026.

Key features

• Apple M5 chip with a 10-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU
• 16GB of unified memory and a 512GB SSD in the base 13-inch model
• 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display at 2560 by 1664 and 500 nits
• Up to 18 hours of video streaming from a 53.8-watt-hour battery
• Two Thunderbolt 4 ports, MagSafe 3 charging and a 3.5mm headphone jack

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: The most memory and storage in any base model on this list
• Strength: Fanless design runs silently in lectures and libraries
• Strength: 2.7 pounds for the 13-inch model
• Weakness: The most expensive laptop here, even with education pricing
• Weakness: Memory and storage cannot be upgraded after purchase
• Weakness: Only two USB-C ports, so many students will need an adapter for USB-A drives

Key facts

• Price: From $1,199 education, $1,299 regular
• Chip: Apple M5, 10-core CPU
• Memory and storage: 16GB, 512GB SSD (base)
• Display: 13.6-inch, 2560 by 1664, 500 nits
• Battery: Up to 18 hours video streaming
• Weight: 2.7 pounds (13-inch)

Where it ranks

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5) is No. 1 in our Best Laptops for Students verdict.