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When the M5 MacBook Air launched, I was impressed with how much value Apple packed in. It is basically a MacBook Pro killer if you do not care about the display. Since then Apple has raised the price across the board, which chips away at that perfect-value status.
I have been using this Air since March. Here is what has held up, the one spec I regret skipping, and whether it is still the one to buy in the middle of 2026 or whether you should look elsewhere.
Still the laptop most people should buy and the one I reach for daily. Just buy it on sale, and seriously consider the 24GB RAM upgrade.
- Excellent build that still feels like day one after 5 months
- Silent fanless design; handles everything from Slack to Final Cut rough cuts
- Light, portable, and a genuine 5 to 7 year computer
- Holds its value well for reselling later
- Price raised at least $200 across the board; base is now $1,300
- Same 60Hz, 500-nit display Apple has used for years
- 16GB base RAM bogs down with lots of background apps
- Fanless design gets warm during video editing
Build quality after five months
The Air is durable. After months of carrying it around there is no discoloration, no dents, and nothing has gone wrong. The sky blue color shows fingerprints a little more than silver, though nowhere near as badly as midnight, and it still looks great because it is mostly silver with just a hint of color. The hinge is still smooth, and the keyboard and trackpad work flawlessly. My one tip: keep your hands clean, since less oil on the keyboard keeps it looking fresh.
Everyday performance, and the RAM upgrade I regret skipping
I run Slack, Safari, Notion, Claude, Reminders, Notes, and some video editing, and the Air handles all of it without slowing down. It is lightweight and just gets out of the way.
My biggest regret is the RAM. I got the base 16GB with a 512GB SSD, and I should have spent a bit more for 24GB. The more background apps like Slack and Messages you leave running, the more macOS bogs down when you switch tasks, because there are so many background processes now. If your budget allows, get the 24GB. It is the single upgrade I would prioritize.
Heat and the fanless design
The fanless design means zero noise, which is great, but it also means heat has nowhere to go. During video editing the computer gets warm, and if you are using it without an external keyboard and mouse, your hands get warm with it. For anything intensive I would put it on a desk and pair it with an external keyboard and mouse. That alone makes it much more comfortable.
Video editing on the Air
I have cut a lot of video on this. For typical rough cuts and general Final Cut Pro work it does just fine, and honestly anything on my channel could be edited on the Air. Where I still prefer an M5 Pro or M5 Max is heavier timelines and longer exports, since export speed and multi-cam playback are noticeably better there. But as a portable editing machine you can count on, the Air holds up better than a computer this size has any right to.
The 60Hz display problem
The display is the usual gripe. It is still 60Hz and tops out around 500 nits. Inside, even with bright studio lights, I can see it fine. Outdoors with the nice weather lately it is sometimes just barely bright enough, and I have to reposition or adjust the angle. It does not personally bother me for typing and email all day, but next to an iPad Pro or MacBook Pro you will notice the difference. Buying a $1,300 laptop with the same panel Apple has shipped for years does feel like a bit of a slap in the face.
The price increase, explained
The real drawback now is price. Apple raised the Air by at least $200 across the board, and adding RAM or storage pushes it higher. The storage and memory chips got more expensive for Apple, so I see why, but it is still a tough pill. Here is where the lineup lands, with the base MacBook Pro for context:
| Configuration | Price |
|---|---|
| MacBook Air, 16GB / 512GB | $1,300 |
| MacBook Air, 24GB / 512GB | ~$1,500 |
| MacBook Air, 16GB / 1TB | $1,600 |
| MacBook Pro (base), 16GB / 1TB | $2,000 |
Never pay full price
My honest recommendation: do not buy the Air at full price from Apple unless you are in a pinch and need a computer today. Apple’s refurbished store, B&H, Best Buy, and Amazon almost always have better prices. With a sale you can get it close to what the old base price was before the hike. The MacBook Pro is worth the jump only if you specifically want the 1TB SSD, the brighter screen, the extra port, and the single fan.
MacBook Air vs MacBook Neo
If you want to save money, the MacBook Neo exists, but I am not a big fan of it because it only has 8GB of RAM. The Air simply runs and feels faster and smoother day to day. If you use your computer all day, spend the extra on the Air. The Neo is fine only if you just want a computer lying around to print things and do the stuff that is annoying on a phone or iPad.
13-inch versus 15-inch
If you want more screen real estate, go 15-inch. The extra space helps if you work with a lot of spreadsheets or documents, large video timelines, or some light audio recording, since you can see more windows at once. You can also pair either size with an external monitor.
Should you buy it in 2026?
For most people, yes. This is year three of the design, and my gut says Apple will not upgrade the display any time soon, since even the Pro still lacks OLED or mini-LED, and a pricier MacBook Ultra later this year would not change the Air. The price hike is real and frustrating, and even sale prices basically just get us back to where the Air was a couple of months ago. But it is still a solid computer, it holds its value, and it is the one I personally grab every single day. Buy it, get the 24GB if you can swing it, and wait for a sale.
