March 3, 2026, 4:13 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Apple has extensively updated its MacBook family. The MacBook Air gets a new chip, more base storage, and faster SSD technology. New MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max are also being released, which are expected to significantly improve AI applications and graphics performance.
The new M5 chip will now power the MacBook Air, featuring a 10-core CPU and a GPU with up to 10 cores. Each graphics core includes a special accelerator for AI calculations, making artificial intelligence applications run significantly faster. According to Apple, AI performance is up to four times higher than the M4 model and up to 9.5 times higher than the MacBook Air with M1.
Performance Leap in MacBook Air
The performance leap is also evident in creative applications. AI video enhancement in Topaz Video is reportedly up to 6.9 times faster than on an M1 model. 3D rendering in Blender runs up to 6.5 times faster, and image editing in Affinity is up to 2.7 times faster. When browsing the internet, the device achieves up to 50 percent more speed than a PC laptop with an Intel Core Ultra X7 processor, according to the manufacturer.
The new base storage is 512 GB—twice as much as before. The SSD operates with up to twice the read and write speeds and can be expanded to up to 4 TB. The new N1 chip supports wireless connections with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. Apple states the battery life is up to 18 hours.
The 13-inch model starts at 1,199 euros, while the 15-inch model is priced from 1,499 euros. Both variants are available for pre-order starting March 4 and will be available from March 11.
The New MacBook Pro
Apple is also launching new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max. The chips are based on a so-called fusion architecture, where two computing units are combined into one system. The CPU features up to 18 cores, including six particularly powerful ones.
Compared to the previous generation, AI performance increases by up to four times, according to Apple, and up to eight times compared to M1 models. Graphics performance is expected to be up to 50 percent higher compared to M4 Pro and M4 Max. Depending on the model, up to 64 GB or 128 GB of unified memory is possible.
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Storage is also faster: The SSD achieves transfer rates of up to 14.5 GB per second, nearly twice as fast as before. The MacBook Pro with M5 Pro comes standard with 1 TB of storage, while the M5 Max variant includes 2 TB. Battery life is up to 24 hours.
Pricing for the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro starts at 2,499 euros, and the 16-inch model at 2,999 euros. Versions with M5 Max start at 4,199 euros and 4,499 euros, respectively. These models are also available for pre-order starting March 4 and will be available from March 11.