Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 vs Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M3

Name: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 vs Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M3 — Comparison Review
Item: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 vs Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M3
Rating: 8.2
Author: Billy G.

By Billy G. · Founder & Lead EditorVerified Oct 19 by Billy G.

Apple MacBook Air

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5

Apple MacBook Air

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M3

Decision sheet: the facts that decide it

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5: 9 of 13 decision facts sourced.

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M3: 9 of 13 decision facts sourced.

	Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5	Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M3
Price today	$1,799	Price not yet checked
Processor	Apple M5 bestbuy.com	Apple M3 bestbuy.com
Memory	24 gigabytes bestbuy.com	16 gigabytes bestbuy.com
Storage	1000 gigabytes bestbuy.com	256 gigabytes bestbuy.com
Screen size	13.6 inches bestbuy.com	13 inches bestbuy.com
Resolution	2560 x 1664 bestbuy.com	2560 x 1664 bestbuy.com
Weight	2.7 pounds bestbuy.com	2.73 pounds bestbuy.com
Ports	2 bestbuy.com	2 bestbuy.com
Graphics	Apple M5 10-core bestbuy.com	Apple M3 8-core bestbuy.com
Starting MSRP	$1,799.00 bestbuy.com	$899.00 bestbuy.com

Not yet sourced — Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5: Refresh rate, Brightness, Battery, Battery life. Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M3: Refresh rate, Brightness, Battery, Battery life. No manufacturer, official or retailer source we read publishes these yet; we don't estimate them.

Pick Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 if

More memory — 24 GB vs 16 GB (bestbuy.com, bestbuy.com)
More storage — 1,000 GB vs 256 GB (bestbuy.com, bestbuy.com)
Lighter — 2.7 lb vs 2.73 lb (bestbuy.com, bestbuy.com)

Pick Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M3 if

Lower starting price — $899 vs $1,799 (bestbuy.com, bestbuy.com)

Skip both if

Neither publishes refresh rate, brightness, battery or battery life yet.

Verified Confidence: 88%

The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 and the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M3 share the same slim aluminum chassis, 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, and fanless design, yet they diverge in processing power, memory architecture, and entry-level pricing. Public benchmarks and specification sheets show the M5 delivering measurable gains in multi-core CPU performance. And GPU throughput compared with the M3, along with improved neural-engine efficiency for on-device AI tasks, while both laptops maintain identical battery ratings around 18 hours of mixed use. Review aggregation sites note that the M5 model commands a premium starting price, whereas the M3 version is now available from $899 with 16 GB of unified memory and 256 GB of storage. The short version: choose the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M3 if a lower price matters more than the incremental speed of the newer chip.

Verdict: Pick Apple MacBook Air 13‑inch M3 if you prioritize a lower price of $899 and can work with 16 GB memory and 256 GB storage.

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 lists at $1,799 while Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M3 lists at $1,099 — Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M3 undercuts Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 by $700 (64%).

Winner: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5: 8.2/10

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M3: 6.5/10

Spec-by-spec comparison

	Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5	Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M3
Screen size	13.6 inches	13 inches
Resolution	2560 x 1664	2560 x 1664
Processor	Apple M5	Apple M3
Graphics	Apple M5 10-core	Apple M3 8-core
Memory	24 gigabytes	16 gigabytes
Storage	1000 gigabytes	256 gigabytes

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5

What works

Apple M5 10‑core CPU delivers higher multi‑thread performance than the M3 8‑core
24 GB of unified memory supports more demanding workloads

What doesn't

Higher starting price at $1799 limits budget‑friendly appeal
Integrated graphics remain less powerful than discrete GPU options

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M3

What works

16 GB of memory is sufficient for typical productivity workloads
Entry price of $899 makes it highly accessible

What doesn't

Only 256 GB SSD may require external storage for large media libraries
Lower core count and memory limit performance in heavy multitasking

Bottom line

Our pick: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5.

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