The new MacBook Air M5 costs $100 more - here's what that gets you

Apple has announced a new MacBook Air with the M5 processor. It is $100 more than last year's model, starting at $1,099, but includes 512GB of local storage as the new base and SSD read/write speeds twice as fast as the previous generation. For the first time, the Air will support up to 4TB of local storage.

The M5 chip brings a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, and Apple cites speeds 9.5 times faster than the MacBook Air M1. It also includes Apple's N1 wireless chip for improved connectivity, supporting Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, while backing those gains with the same thin, light form factor.

Last year's MacBook Air M4 standardized the minimum starting RAM at 16GB, and the M5 model keeps that base memory. It retains an 18-hour battery life, the same color options—Silver, Sky Blue, Starlight and Midnight—and a 12MP Center Stage camera. Two Thunderbolt 4 ports support two external displays with the lid open.

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