Apple Launches M5 MacBook Air and Pro With AI Focus
Apple refreshed its portable computer lineup on Tuesday, debuting new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models equipped with the M5 series of processors. The update centers on the introduction of the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, which the company claims house its most sophisticated CPU cores to date.
The primary driver behind this hardware overhaul is artificial intelligence. Apple reports that both the Air and Pro lines deliver up to 4x faster AI performance compared to the M4 generation. These improvements aim to streamline demanding workflows for developers and researchers, including local model training and accelerated image generation.
MacBook Air: Storage and Efficiency Upgrades
The updated MacBook Air continues to cater to a broad user base, now offering 512 GB as the standard starting storage—a twofold increase over previous models. Battery performance remains a key highlight, with Apple citing up to 18 hours of usage.
The MacBook Air technical specifications include:
- Display sizes: 13-inch (starting at $1,099) and 15-inch (starting at $1,299).
- Connectivity: Two Thunderbolt 4 ports, MagSafe charging, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
- Multimedia: 12MP Center Stage camera and a three-mic array supporting Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos.
- Colorways: Sky blue, midnight, starlight, and silver.
MacBook Pro: Performance for AI Workloads
For professional users, the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips provide significant leaps in specialized tasks. Apple notes that these chips are up to 4x faster at processing LLM prompts than their M4 counterparts and up to 8x faster at AI image generation compared to the M1 series.
The Pro models feature up to 2x faster read/write speeds, Thunderbolt 5 support, and a six-speaker audio system. Battery life is rated at up to 24 hours, with fast-charging capabilities allowing for a 50% charge in 30 minutes when using a 96W or higher USB-C adapter.
Pricing for the Pro series is tiered by chip and size:
- M5 Pro models: Start at $2,199 (14-inch) and $2,699 (16-inch).
- M5 Max models: Start at $3,599 (14-inch) and $3,899 (16-inch).
The entire new MacBook lineup becomes available for preorder on Tuesday, March 4, with general retail availability beginning Wednesday, March 11.