MacBook Air 15-inch (M5) review

The 15-inch MacBook Air with M5 is the pick for people who want more screen but not the weight or price of a 16-inch MacBook Pro. Apple's spec page lists a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display at 2880 by 1864 and 500 nits, a six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers, and a weight of 3.3 pounds, which is 1.4 pounds less than the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro. The base configuration in Apple's store uses the M5 with a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, two more GPU cores than the entry 13-inch model, and Apple rates battery life at up to 18 hours of video streaming. Like the 13-inch, it is fanless, has two Thunderbolt 4 ports plus MagSafe 3 and drives two external displays. The limits are the same too: no HDMI, no SD slot and no ProMotion display. At $1,499 it costs $200 more than the 13-inch at check. We compared documented features and published prices only.

Who it is for

buyers who want a big screen without MacBook Pro weight

Price

From $1,499 at Apple (10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16GB, 512GB).

Buy from $1499 or $124.91/mo.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 14, 2026.

Key features

• Apple M5 chip with a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU
• 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, 2880 by 1864, 500 nits
• Six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers
• Up to 18 hours of video streaming
• Two Thunderbolt 4 ports, MagSafe 3 and support for two external displays

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Largest screen in the MacBook Air line
• Strength: 10-core GPU as standard, versus 8-core on the base 13-inch
• Strength: Fanless at 3.3 pounds
• Weakness: $200 more than the 13-inch model at check
• Weakness: Same 500-nit, non-ProMotion display class as the 13-inch
• Weakness: No HDMI or SD card slot

Key facts

• Price checked: $1,499
• Display: 15.3 inch, 2880 by 1864
• Chip: M5, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU
• Battery: Up to 18 hours video streaming
• Weight: 3.3 pounds

Where it ranks

MacBook Air 15-inch (M5) is No. 5 in our Best MacBooks verdict.