Customers will be able to bump up the laptop to 4TB of storage for the first time. Apple is promising a faster SSD with "2x faster read/write performance compared to the previous generation," a boon for local AI workloads as well as large files for creative work. In addition, the MacBook Air will get Apple's N1 wireless chip to support Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. But the new chip, SSD, and other upgrades will come at a cost. The M5 MacBook Air will start at $1,099 for the 13-inch model and $1,299 for the 15-inch version. Those are both $100 increases over the M4 MacBook Air, though it's likely we'll eventually see deals from third-party sellers like Amazon and Best Buy. The new MacBook Air laptops will be up for pre-order tomorrow, March 4, and will go on sale on Wednesday, March 11. The 4TB option doesn't come cheap, though. It's $1,200 over the base price.
Most of Apple's performance claims position it against older MacBook Air laptops, positioning it as an ideal upgrade. But Apple also suggests that web browsing on the M5 is "up to 50 percent faster when compared to a PC laptop with an Intel Core Ultra X7 processor, and more demanding tasks get up to 2x faster performance."
Apple launches new MacBook Pros powered by M5 Pro, M5 Max, and 2x faster SSDs
Key considerations
- Investor positioning can change fast
- Volatility remains possible near catalysts
- Macro rates and liquidity can dominate flows
Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/laptops/macbooks/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/laptops/macbooks/apples-new-macbook-air-gets-m5-and-doubles-starting-storage-base-price-increases-to-usd1-099#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com
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Informational only. No financial advice. Do your own research.