Apple has unveiled its latest wave of laptops powered by its next-generation Apple Silicon, marking a significant evolution in the company's computing strategy. The newly announced MacBook Air with the M5 chip and the MacBook Pro models featuring M5 Pro and M5 Max silicon are designed to address a broad range of user needs, from everyday productivity to creative pros demanding extreme performance. These launches reflect Apple's commitment to pushing both power and efficiency in its laptops while strengthening its position at the forefront of the premium PC market.
The announcements come as Apple continues building out its in-house silicon roadmap, offering buyers more options and performance tiers than ever before. With competitors like Qualcomm and Intel investing heavily in their own silicon efforts and Apple rivals such as Microsoft and Lenovo advancing Windows-on-Arm platforms, the release of the M5 family underscores industry trends toward custom chip architectures that deliver performance per watt advantages.
Apple MacBook Air, MacBook Pro Specifications
Apple's new MacBook Air is powered by the M5 chipset, which features a faster 10-core CPU and a next-generation GPU with a Neural Accelerator built into each core for handling advanced AI tasks. Apple claims the M5 Air delivers up to 4x faster AI performance than the M4 model and up to 9.5x faster than the M1 MacBook Air, marking a significant leap for everyday and on-device AI workflows.
The base storage has also been upgraded, now starting at 512GB with options up to 4TB. Apple says the new SSD offers twice the speed of the previous generation, improving app load times and large file handling.
Connectivity is handled by Apple's new N1 wireless chip, paired with a 12MP Centre Stage camera for sharper video calls. The M5 MacBook Air comes in 13.6-inch and 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display variants, both offering up to 500 nits brightness. The overall design remains unchanged.
Apple has updated its professional laptop lineup with new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models powered by the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, focusing on major gains in AI processing, memory bandwidth and storage performance while retaining the familiar premium design.
At the centre of the upgrade is Apple's new Fusion Architecture, which merges two dies into a single chip. Both M5 Pro and M5 Max feature a redesigned CPU with up to 18 cores, including six "super cores" optimised for high-intensity tasks and 12 performance cores for sustained multithreaded workloads. Apple claims up to 4x faster AI performance than the previous generation and up to 8x faster compared to M1-based MacBook Pros. The GPU has been overhauled with a Neural Accelerator in each core, enabling significantly faster on-device LLM processing, AI image generation and real-time workflows.
Graphics performance jumps by as much as 50% over M4 Pro and M4 Max models. The M5 Pro supports up to 64GB of unified memory with 307GB/s bandwidth, while the M5 Max offers up to 128GB and 614GB/s bandwidth for heavy AI training, 3D work and high-resolution video editing.
Storage sees a major boost, with the M5 Pro starting at 1TB and the M5 Max at 2TB, featuring SSD speeds up to 14.5GB/s, twice as fast as the previous generation. Battery life reaches 24 hours, and fast charging provides 50% power in about 30 minutes.
The laptops retain the Liquid Retina XDR display with up to 1600 nits HDR brightness, add Thunderbolt 5 ports, support up to four external displays on M5 Max models, and include Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 via the new N1 chip.
Apple MacBook Air, MacBook Pro Pricing
The 13-inch MacBook Air with the M5 chip starts at Rs 1,19,900, while the 15-inch model begins at Rs 1,44,900. Apple is also offering No Cost EMI options from Rs 18,317 per month along with instant cashback. Compared to the previous M4 MacBook Air – which launched at Rs 99,900 – the new models are more expensive, though the M5 chip and doubled storage help justify the increase.
The new MacBook Pro lineup comes in space black and silver, with pre-orders starting March 4 and availability from March 11. The 14-inch MacBook Pro begins at Rs 2,49,900 for the M5 Pro variant and Rs 3,99,900 for the M5 Max version. The 16-inch model starts at Rs 2,99,900 for M5 Pro and Rs 4,29,900 for M5 Max.
Overall, Apple's pricing structure spans a wide range, positioning the Air as an accessible premium option and the Pro models as high-performance machines for creators and professionals.
Apple MacBook Air, MacBook Pro industry comparison
Apple's latest silicon rollout occurs against a backdrop of increasing competition in laptop performance and efficiency. The company's strategy of custom chip design continues to differentiate its products from traditional x86 laptops, enabling performance per watt that rivals often struggle to match. Compared with previous generations, the M5 family extends both thermal efficiency and sustained performance, giving Apple an edge in real-world workflows from everyday tasks to professional projects.
For everyday users, the MacBook Air with M5 offers snappy performance in a fanless design that is ideal for remote work, study, and media consumption. Professionals and creators will appreciate the MacBook Pro's ability to handle demanding software without compromise, making the lineup relevant across user categories.
This launch reinforces Apple's brand strategy of owning its silicon roadmap and tightly integrating hardware and software. By controlling chip design, Apple maximises performance efficiency and user experience, a differentiator in a market where vertical integration increasingly defines competitive advantage.
The broader industry is moving toward specialised silicon and AI-optimised workflows. Apple's push with the M5 chips aligns with this trend, giving users hardware that excels in both legacy and next-generation tasks without significant battery penalties.
Should you buy it?
If portability and all-day battery life are top priorities, the M5-powered MacBook Air is a strong choice. Users who regularly engage in video editing, 3D graphics, or other demanding tasks will find more value in the M5 Pro or M5 Max MacBook Pro models.
The new Macs show Apple doubling down on performance diversity in its products. From everyday use to intense creative workflows, the M5 family balances power with efficiency, keeping Apple at the forefront of premium laptops in 2026.
