Which is better for a student?

The 13-inch M5 Air. It weighs 2.7 lb, runs 18 hours, and costs $1,089 at PC Richard & Son as of November 7, 2026.

Is the bigger screen worth $510 more?

Only if you work in split screen or watch a lot of video. The 15-inch is $1,599 at MelroseMAC as of November 7, 2026, against $1,089 for the 13-inch.

Which lasts longer on a charge?

They are rated the same at up to 18 hours. The 15-inch has a 66.5 Wh battery to power its larger screen.

Does the M5 beat the M4?

Yes. The M5 has a 10-core CPU and 8-core GPU, plus Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. The M4 uses Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

Which is easier to carry?

The 13-inch at 2.7 lb. The 15-inch is about 3.3 lb and wider in a bag.

Should I wait for the 15-inch price to drop?

It hit $1,099 on November 1, 2026. At $1,599 it costs more than the newer 13-inch, so check the price history before buying.

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5) vs Apple MacBook Air 15-Inch (M4)

Buy the 13-inch M5 Air for speed, portability and price: $1,089 at PC Richard & Son as of November 7, 2026. Buy the 15-inch M4 Air only if you want the bigger screen and six-speaker sound, and you can find it near its $1,099 low rather than the $1,599 MelroseMAC price. At current prices the 13-inch is the better value by about $510.

Today the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5) costs $510.00 less at its best price.

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