Apple's MacBook Air line has been on a steady upgrade cadence, and supply-chain reports now point to an M5-powered refresh that could make 32GB RAM the new baseline.

The M5 chip

Based on filings tracked by analyst Jeff Pu at Haitong International, the M5 is built on TSMC's second-generation 3nm process (N3P). Expected specs:

  • CPU: 4 performance cores + 6 efficiency cores (10 total)
  • GPU: 12-core (up from 10 in the MacBook Air 13 M3)
  • Neural Engine: 18-core
  • Memory bandwidth: 120GB/s unified memory

The M5 is projected to offer roughly 20% better multi-threaded CPU performance and 25% better GPU throughput compared to the M3. For most Air buyers, the real-world difference will show up in export times for photo and video editing, and in smoother performance when running multiple desktop-class apps simultaneously.

32GB as the new baseline

This is the headline change. Apple doubled the MacBook Pro's base RAM to 24GB with M4; leaks suggest the Air will jump straight to 32GB. With Apple Intelligence requiring significant local memory for on-device inference, this makes practical sense.

Configuration options are reportedly:

  • 32GB / 256GB SSD — base model
  • 32GB / 512GB SSD — mid-tier
  • 32GB / 1TB SSD — top configuration

No 16GB option. No 64GB option for the Air — that remains a Pro perk.

Design and display

The chassis is expected to remain largely identical to the current M3 Air, with one reported change: a brighter display panel rated at 650 nits sustained (up from 500 nits on the MacBook Air 15 M3). The Liquid Retina display will remain at the same resolution, and ProMotion (120Hz) is still absent — Apple continues to reserve that for the Pro line.

Both 13-inch and 15-inch sizes will be available, maintaining the current port selection: two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports, MagSafe, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Battery life

Apple claims the current M3 Air gets 18 hours of video playback. With the M5's improved efficiency, expect Apple to quote 20 hours — though real-world usage will likely land around 12-14 hours of mixed productivity, consistent with the current generation.

Expected pricing

  • MacBook Air 13 M5 (32GB/256GB): $1,099
  • MacBook Air 15 M5 (32GB/512GB): $1,299

For buyers currently considering the M3 Air, our MacBook Air 13 M3 product page and the MacBook Air 13 M3 vs MacBook Pro 14 M4 comparison provide useful context on where the current generation stands.

Timeline

Mark Gurman's reporting suggests an early 2027 launch — likely a March event alongside new iPads. If Apple follows its M4 cadence, the Air could arrive as soon as January 2027.