What to expect from Apple's new MacBook Air
What's the story
Apple is gearing up to unveil an updated version of its MacBook Air, alongside a budget-friendly MacBook model. The upcoming MacBook Air will be powered by Apple's latest M5 chip, which was first introduced with last year's iPad Pro and MacBook Pro models. The M5 chip is built on third-generation 3nm technology and features a CPU with up to 10 cores and a GPU with up to 10 cores.
Performance boost
What we know about the M5 chip
The M5 chip offers 3.5 times the performance of the previous generation, M4 chip. Its multithreaded CPU performance is up to 15% faster than that of the M4, while GPU performance is a whopping 30% faster. Each GPU core now has a Neural Accelerator, which boosts speeds for AI workloads that rely on GPUs.
Memory and storage
Unified memory bandwidth will also see an upgrade
The M5 chip also features a unified memory bandwidth of 153GB/s, nearly 30% better than the M4's. This architecture allows the chip to use a single memory pool for running on-device AI models, boosting GPU performance and improving multithreaded performance in apps. The RAM will start at 16GB with upgrade options of 24GB and 32GB. Storage tiers are likely to remain unchanged, starting at 256GB with upgrade options up to 2TB.
Design details
Design and pricing of the new MacBook Air
The design of the MacBook Air was revamped in 2022, and there are no indications that Apple plans to change it for 2026. The company usually sticks with a design for several years before making updates. The new model will be available in the same 13-inch and 15-inch size options as before, with aluminum unibody chassis, fanless thermal system, and Retina LCD display. Pricing is expected to stay at $1,099 but memory upgrades could become pricier due to DRAM shortages.
Anticipated launch
Potential for OLED display in future MacBook models
Apple CEO Tim Cook has hinted at product announcements starting Monday, which means we could see the new MacBook Air as early as tomorrow. There are also rumors of an OLED display for the MacBook Air after Apple launches new MacBook Pro models with OLED technology in late 2026. This could be a major design update for the popular laptop line-up.