M5 MacBook Air Review: Is the $1,199 Price Tag Worth It?
Apple's M5 MacBook Air starts at $1,199 with 512GB storage and Wi-Fi 7. Is the price hike worth it? Read our full review to see if you should upgrade.
By Team Gimmie
Updated August 27, 2026
The $1,199 Question: Is the M5 MacBook Air Still a Bargain?
Apple just did something it rarely does with its most popular laptop: it raised the entry price. After years of the MacBook Air sitting comfortably at the thousand-dollar mark, the new M5 model has landed with a $100 price hike. While Apple is softening the blow by finally ditching the cramped 256GB base storage for a more respectable 512GB, we have to ask if this is a genuine leap forward or just a clever way to tax our loyalty.
As someone who spends more time testing hinges and benchmarking chips than I probably should, I’ve learned that a higher price tag doesn't always equal a better experience. The MacBook Air has always been the gold standard for the average person—the student, the writer, the coffee-shop warrior. But with a new price point and the arrival of the more budget-friendly MacBook Neo, the M5 Air is no longer the default choice. It has to earn its place in your bag.
The M5 Upgrade: A Spec vs. Spend Breakdown
To understand if that extra $100 is burning a hole in your pocket for no reason, we need to look at what has actually changed. The transition from the M4 to the M5 isn't just about a number; it’s about where Apple is placing its bets for the next three years of computing.
M4 MacBook Air (2025) Starting Price: $1,099 Base Storage: 256GB Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E Chip: M4 (Focus on efficiency)
M5 MacBook Air (2026) Starting Price: $1,199 Base Storage: 512GB Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7 Chip: M5 (Focus on AI-processing and sustained speeds)
On paper, the value seems to balance out. If you were to upgrade the storage on an M4 model to 512GB, you’d typically pay an extra $200. By making 512GB the standard, Apple is technically giving you a discount on storage while raising the floor of the entry price. Throw in Wi-Fi 7—which is overkill for most home routers today but will be essential by 2028—and the M5 starts to look like a long-term investment rather than a yearly itch.
Performance Meets Reality
The M5 chip is fast. In everyday use, you’ll notice it most when opening 40 Chrome tabs at once or rendering a quick 4K video for social media. It handles heat slightly better than the M4, meaning it stays silent longer under pressure. However, let’s be honest: if you are just checking emails and watching Netflix, you won't feel the difference between an M4 and an M5.
