Short version: the M1 MacBook Air was the laptop that made Apple silicon famous, and many people still use one. The current 13-inch MacBook Air with M5 (March 2026) doubles the base memory, doubles the starting storage, and adds MagSafe, a 12MP camera and support for two external displays. Upgrade if your M1 has 8GB of RAM and feels slow, or if you want a better webcam. Keep your M1 if it still does everything you need.
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The M1 Air was fast, light and silent, and the “revolutionary” in our old headline held up. Five years later it’s still a good laptop. The question is whether the M5 is enough better to justify the spend. Here’s the comparison, based on Apple’s specs (we didn’t test them hands-on). Want the bigger screen? Read our MacBook Air 15-inch M5 vs M4 review.
MacBook Air M1 vs MacBook Air M5: what changed
| Spec | MacBook Air M1 (2020) | MacBook Air 13″ M5 (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | M1, 8-core CPU, 7- or 8-core GPU | M5, 10-core CPU, up to 10-core GPU with Neural Accelerators |
| Base memory | 8GB (up to 16GB) | 16GB (up to 32GB) |
| Base storage | 256GB | 512GB |
| Display | 13.3-inch, 2560 x 1600, 400 nits | 13.6-inch, 2560 x 1664, 500 nits |
| Camera | 720p | 12MP Center Stage with Desk View |
| External displays | One | Up to two |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 | Apple N1: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 |
| Charging and ports | 2 Thunderbolt/USB 4 | 2 Thunderbolt 4 plus MagSafe 3 |
| Battery (Apple’s rating) | Up to 18 hours video | Up to 18 hours video |
| Weight | 2.8 lb | 2.7 lb |
Specs from Apple’s MacBook Air (M1) tech specs, Apple’s MacBook Air tech specs, Engadget on the M5 Air launch. Checked October 2026.
What matters in real use
- 8GB is the M1’s weak spot. Lots of browser tabs, photo apps and video calls at once are where an 8GB M1 starts to struggle. 16GB standard on the M5 fixes that.
- The webcam upgrade is huge for calls. Going from 720p to a 12MP Center Stage camera is the change you’ll notice first if you live on video calls.
- MagSafe frees a port. The M1 charges through one of its two ports. The M5 has a separate magnetic charger.
- Battery isn’t the reason. Apple rates both at up to 18 hours of video playback, so upgrade for speed, memory and the camera.
Who should upgrade
- Upgrade to the M5 if your M1 has 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage, you use an external monitor setup with two screens, or you want a better webcam.
- Keep your M1 if it’s mainly for email, streaming and documents. It’s still fine for that.
- Selling your M1? It still has resale value, and Amazon’s renewed program keeps older Macs in circulation. Read our guide to Amazon Renewed if you’re buying one used instead.
Gift it to: a graduate, a writer, or the family member who has been “making do” with your old laptop since 2020.
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