Apple 13-inch MacBook Air M4 vs Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5)
Both are 13-inch MacBook Airs with 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, 18-hour battery, a 2.7 lb body and a 12MP Center Stage camera, so the choice comes down to the chip. The M5 model is the newer machine with a faster CPU and a Neural Accelerator GPU, and reviewers call its performance more than the laptop needs. The M4 model has a 10-core GPU against the M5's 8-core GPU, which matters only for sustained graphics work. Buy the M5 for the longest useful life; buy the M4 if graphics-heavy apps are your priority.
- Choose the MacBook Air M4 if you want the stronger 10-core GPU for video editing, 3D or gaming, and you are fine with a chip one generation behind.
- Choose the MacBook Air M5 if you want the newest chip, the fastest CPU and AI performance, and the longest stretch before an upgrade.
Prices
- Apple 13-inch MacBook Air M4: $1,074.60 at CompSource (last seen Nov 8)
- Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5): $844.99 at Benmos (last seen Nov 11)
- Difference: the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5) is $229.61 cheaper than the Apple 13-inch MacBook Air M4 at the latest prices (Nov 8 and Nov 11)
