Computer Hardware Laptop
Rank 04
Apple MacBook Air 13 (2026, M5)
Fanless M5 is still the world’s fastest single-core ultraportable you can actually buy, and the 512 GB base storage finally matches the rest of the machine.
Photograph: MacBook Air 13-inch (M4, 2025, identical enclosure) by AzureSaturn, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons, edited, resized
Why it is here
Notebookcheck (7 Mar 2026, 92% subnotebook) measured Cinebench 2024 Single 200 (tied with the cooled M5 Pro 14) and Multi 957 — only 18% behind the fan-cooled MacBook Pro 14 M5 after minutes of load, then 820 points at 9 W after a 30-minute CB24 loop. Geekbench 6.7: 4185 single / 17072 multi. Display: 546 nits center, 1437:1 contrast, factory ΔE 2.1 / 0.9 calibrated, 98.1% P3, no PWM. Wi-Fi test 16 h 11 min at 150 nits from 53.8 Wh; 6 h 39 min at max brightness. Completely silent. Tom’s Hardware (23 Mar 2026, Editors’ Choice) independently scored GB6 4168/17067 and 15 h 28 min mixed battery at 150 nits. PCMag (Editors’ Choice) and The Verge confirm the same chassis with doubled base SSD (512 GB), Wi-Fi 7, and ~2× storage throughput vs M4. June 2026 RAM/SSD price hike moved the US base from $1099 to $1299; that is the current street start, not a new generation.
Who it is for
Anyone who wants the best everyday laptop in a bag and does not need Windows or a 120 Hz/Mini-LED panel.
Sources
- Insane performance and efficiency without fans — Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 Entry ReviewCB2024 957/200, GB6 17072/4185, 546 nits, ΔE 2.1, 16h11 Wi-Fi, 92% overall, fully silent.
- Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M5) review: Steady as it goesEditors’ Choice. GB6 4168/17067; 15h28 mixed battery; still the best Mac for most people.
- I Tested Apple’s M5 MacBook Air—It’s Still the One Most Laptops ChaseRepeat Editors’ Choice; June 25 2026 $200 price hike to $1299 base documented in-article.
- MacBook Air M5 review: a small update for the ‘just right’ MacM5 + Wi-Fi 7 + 512 GB base; ~2× SSD speeds vs M4; 15.3-inch sibling 66.5 Wh / 1.51 kg.
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