Apple MacBook Air 13" M5 vs Apple MacBook Air 13" M3 (2024)

The M5 MacBook Air is the better laptop of the two. It doubles the memory to 16GB, adds a newer 10-core CPU and GPU with ray tracing and a Neural Accelerator in every GPU core, and keeps the same thin, light recycled aluminum body and 18-hour battery. The M3 model with 8GB is fine for browsing, email and schoolwork, but 8GB gets tight once you keep many browser tabs, run Adobe apps or use Apple Intelligence features. Owners of both praise the fanless design, screen and battery; the M5 is simply the one that stays comfortable for longer.

• Choose the M5 MacBook Air if you multitask heavily, edit photos or video, or want a laptop that stays smooth for years.
• Choose the M3 MacBook Air if your work is light — web, documents, streaming — and you want the same thin, quiet design with less to pay for.