Trusted Reviews
Max Parker
Tested: 13-inch MacBook Air, M5 base option (10-core CPU, 8-core GPU), 16GB memory, 512GB storage
Ports
the two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports remain on one side – a pain when you’re trying to plug in larger dongles.
What reviewers said about the MacBook Air (13-inch, M5)
1 review of this exact model; 3 of a sibling configuration (same chassis; a different chip or size, or the review does not state this Mac’s base chip with its CPU and GPU core counts), used for design topics only. Quotes are short, word for word, and each links to the article it came from. Every one was checked against that article on . MacIQ gives no score and no stars, and averages nothing.
Articles read Specifications and sources for the MacBook Air M5 (13-inch)
What reviewers raise
A count of the reviews we quote on this page that have a quote on each topic, from the findings shown below. A review may say more on a topic than we quote, so it counts what is quoted here, not everything each review covers, and it says how often a topic is quoted, not what was said about it. Battery, performance and heat are counted over the 1 review of this exact model.
- 1 of the 4 reviews we quote mentions keyboard and trackpad
- 2 of the 4 reviews we quote mention ports
- 2 of the 4 reviews we quote mention build and design
Where reviewers and Apple differ
No reviewer’s own figure on this page can be set beside an Apple claim for the same kind of test, so nothing is compared here.
The reviews
Newest first, in the order of the date each article prints (which may be an update date, not a first-publication date). Each quote links to its article; the date is the one the article prints, labelled as the article labels it. “Published” and “Updated” appear only where the article prints that word beside the date; “Dated” means the article prints that date with no label, so the date itself does not say whether it is the first publication or an update. A later update that an article mentions only in an editor’s note is not used as its date.
Engadget
Nathan Ingraham
Reviewed: 13-inch MacBook Air, M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD
This is a different configuration of the same chassis. Only its comments on design are quoted here; its battery, performance and heat findings belong to the chip it tested.
Ports
Apple still hasn’t put a USB-C port on the right side of the computer in addition to those on the left
TechRadar
Lance Ulanoff
Reviewed: 13-inch MacBook Air, M5 (10-core GPU test model), 16GB RAM
This is a different configuration of the same chassis. Only its comments on design are quoted here; its battery, performance and heat findings belong to the chip it tested.
Keyboard and trackpad
The backlit keyboard is expansive, and with good, satisfying travel.
Build and design
The body is made of recycled aluminum that feels premium and smooth to the touch
Tom's Guide
Tony Polanco
Reviewed: 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air, M5, both lab tested (the reviewer daily drove the 15-inch); 1TB SSD as tested
This is a different configuration of the same chassis. Only its comments on design are quoted here; its battery, performance and heat findings belong to the chip it tested.
Build and design
Despite its thin, light design, the laptop’s sturdy aluminum frame prevents it from bending or flexing easily.