Is the 15-inch MacBook Air powerful enough for video editing?

It handles short 4K edits and everyday creative apps well. Long exports and heavy effects will slow it down because it has no fan to sustain peak performance.

How does it compare with the 13-inch MacBook Air?

Same chip family and fanless design, but the 15-inch gives you a larger display and bigger speakers. It weighs more and takes up more bag space.

Does the M5 chip make a difference over the M4?

Apple claims a faster CPU and GPU plus more unified memory bandwidth. For browsing, office work and photos the gap is small; AI and graphics tasks benefit most.

How long does the battery last?

Apple rates it at up to 18 hours of video playback. Real-world mixed use typically lands well short of that but still covers a full workday.

Can I upgrade the memory or storage later?

No. Memory and storage are soldered at purchase, so choose the configuration you need up front.

What comes in the box?

The laptop and a USB-C power adapter with a charging cable. No external mouse or sleeve is included.

Where is the 15-inch MacBook Air cheapest?

At Computer Hardware Inc., for $1,499.95, as of our latest check.

Apple

15-inch MacBook Air

Best price now

$1,499.95at Computer Hardware Inc.Checked Nov 8

Prices are checked against each store and labelled with when.

Visit Computer Hardware Inc.

Apple

15-inch MacBook Air

Best price now

$1,499.95at Computer Hardware Inc.Checked Nov 8

Prices are checked against each store and labelled with when.

Visit Computer Hardware Inc.

Ask our agent about this product

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Price facts

Last seen at $1,499.95 at Computer Hardware Inc. on Nov 8.

Our take on the 15-inch MacBook Air

The 15-inch MacBook Air is Apple's largest fanless laptop, built around the M5 chip with a faster CPU, more unified memory and a next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators for AI work. It pairs a spacious Liquid Retina display with a thin, light chassis and up to 18 hours of battery life. It suits people who want a big screen without a big, heavy machine: students, writers and office workers. Against 15- and 16-inch pro laptops it gives up active cooling and some sustained performance, but it runs silent and stays far more portable.

Best forStudents and office workers who want a large screenWriters and light creative workAnyone who values silence and battery lifeTravelers who want a big display on the go

Pros

Large 15-inch Liquid Retina display
Fanless design runs silent
Up to 18 hours of battery life
Thin and light for its screen size
M5 chip with a faster CPU and stronger GPU for AI

Cons

No fan, so sustained heavy loads throttle
Fewer ports than pro laptops
Memory and storage can't be upgraded later
Not built for sustained video or 3D rendering

15-inch MacBook Air prices at every store

Computer Hardware Inc.New
In stock
$1,499.95Checked Nov 8
Visit Computer Hardware Inc.

About the 15-inch MacBook Air

The 15-inch MacBook Air is a thin, light laptop with a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display. The display supports one billion colors. It runs macOS, which includes built-in virus protection, free software updates and apps such as FaceTime and Messages.

It has a faster CPU, unified memory, a Neural Engine and a GPU with Neural Accelerators. It supports Apple Intelligence, a personal intelligence system for writing and getting things done. Battery life is up to 18 hours.

A 12MP Center Stage camera keeps you in frame on video calls, and Desk View shares a top-down view of your workspace. It works with other Apple devices. iPhone Mirroring lets you view and control your iPhone from the Mac. You can copy on iPhone and paste on Mac, send texts with Messages, and answer FaceTime calls on the Mac.

Display: 15.3-inch Liquid Retina, supports one billion colors
Battery life: Up to 18 hours
Camera: 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View
Audio: Six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos; three-mic array
Ports: 2 x Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe charging port, headphone jack
Wireless: Apple N1 wireless chip with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6
External displays: Supports up to two
Operating system: macOS
AI features: Apple Intelligence

Questions and answers

Is the 15-inch MacBook Air powerful enough for video editing?: It handles short 4K edits and everyday creative apps well. Long exports and heavy effects will slow it down because it has no fan to sustain peak performance.
How does it compare with the 13-inch MacBook Air?: Same chip family and fanless design, but the 15-inch gives you a larger display and bigger speakers. It weighs more and takes up more bag space.
Does the M5 chip make a difference over the M4?: Apple claims a faster CPU and GPU plus more unified memory bandwidth. For browsing, office work and photos the gap is small; AI and graphics tasks benefit most.
How long does the battery last?: Apple rates it at up to 18 hours of video playback. Real-world mixed use typically lands well short of that but still covers a full workday.
Can I upgrade the memory or storage later?: No. Memory and storage are soldered at purchase, so choose the configuration you need up front.
What comes in the box?: The laptop and a USB-C power adapter with a charging cable. No external mouse or sleeve is included.
Where is the 15-inch MacBook Air cheapest?: At Computer Hardware Inc., for $1,499.95, as of our latest check.