Comparison · Laptops · Desk research
MacBook Air 13-inch (M5) vs MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)
Quick Answer
MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, Support 126320) and MacBook Air 13-inch (M4, 2025, Support 122209) share the 13.6-inch 2560×1664 Liquid Retina panel (500 nits), MagSafe 3, a 16GB unified floor (24/32 configurable), a 53.8 Wh pack, 18-hour video / 15-hour wireless-web claims, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and 12MP Center Stage. The hop is memory bandwidth, base SSD, and radios. M5: 10-core CPU (4 super + 6 efficiency), 153 GB/s, 512GB base SSD, Wi-Fi 7 + N1, Bluetooth 6, Thread. M4: 10-core.
The verdict
MacBook Air 13-inch (M5) or MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) — quote the two manufacturer sheets.
Why: One-gen 13-inch Air hop. Both Support pages list a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina 2560×1664 at 224 ppi and 500 nits, MagSafe 3, 16GB unified floor (24/32 configurable), 53.8 Wh, up to 18 hours video / 15 hours wireless web, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a 12MP Center Stage camera. M5 (Support 126320, 2026) is 10-core CPU (4 super + 6 efficiency), 153 GB/s, 512GB base SSD, Wi-Fi 7 + N1, Bluetooth 6. M4 (Support 122209, year 2025) is 10-core CPU (4 performance + 6 efficiency), 120 GB/s, 256GB base SSD, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3.
Buy MacBook Air 13-inch (M5) if
You want the current 13-inch Air: 512GB base SSD, 153 GB/s, Wi-Fi 7 with the N1 chip, and Bluetooth 6.
Buy MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) if
You already own — or can date a leftover — 13-inch M4 Air. 16GB, Center Stage, and MagSafe are already there.
Spec comparison
Caption lock: 13-inch vs 13-inch. M5 from Support 126320. M4 from Support 122209.
| Spec | 13-inch Air (M5) | 13-inch Air (M4, 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Year introduced | 2026 | 2025 |
| Chip | M5 10-core CPU (4 super + 6 efficiency) | M4 10-core CPU (4 performance + 6 efficiency) |
| GPU | 8-core or 10-core | 8-core or 10-core |
| Neural Engine | 16-core | 16-core |
| Memory bandwidth | 153 GB/s | 120 GB/s |
| Unified memory | 16GB; configurable 24/32GB | 16GB; configurable 24/32GB |
| Base SSD | 512GB | 256GB |
| Display | 13.6-inch 2560×1664; 224 ppi; 500 nits | 13.6-inch 2560×1664; 224 ppi; 500 nits |
| Battery | 53.8 Wh; 18h video / 15h wireless web | 53.8 Wh; 18h video / 15h wireless web |
| Ports | MagSafe 3; two Thunderbolt 4; 3.5 mm | MagSafe 3; two Thunderbolt 4; 3.5 mm |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 7 + N1; Bluetooth 6; Thread | Wi-Fi 6E; Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Camera | 12MP Center Stage | 12MP Center Stage |
The verdict
M4 already has the 16GB floor and Center Stage camera. If those were the reason you were upgrading from M3, leftover M4 may already be enough. M5’s printed deltas are 153 GB/s, a 512GB SSD floor, and N1 / Wi-Fi 7 / Bluetooth 6.
Frequently asked questions
Did the 16GB floor start on M5?
No. Support 122209 already lists 16GB unified, configurable to 24GB or 32GB, on 13-inch M4. M5 Support 126320 repeats that floor. The M5 storage floor is 512GB; M4’s printed base SSD is 256GB.
Is Center Stage new on M5?
Not versus M4. Both Support pages list a 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View. 1080p FaceTime is the M3 / M2 row, not M4.
Wi-Fi 7 on which Air?
13-inch M5 Support lists Apple N1 with Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Bluetooth 6, and Thread. 13-inch M4 Support lists Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.3.