Notebookcheck Logo
Teaser

Apple MacBook Air 15 M5 Review - Very powerful, fanless and without competition

Finally Wi-Fi 7 and PCIe 4.0.

The MacBook Air 15 is now available with the powerful M5 SoC and the combination of performance as well as efficiency is simply perfect for a fanless design. It is also pretty much unrivaled, because there are simply no alternatives without fans in this segment.
Andreas Osthoff 👁 Published 🇳🇱 🇫🇷 ...
AI Apple ARM Laptop MacBook macOS Thunderbolt Wi-Fi 7

Verdict - MacBook Air 15 gets even better with M5 and Wi-Fi 7

The new Apple M5 SoC is very powerful and also very efficient - a perfect match for the passive cooling system of the MacBook Air 15. There is just nothing comparable in the Windows world, neither with x86 chips, nor with ARM CPUs from Qualcomm. The performance is nothing short of spectacular and the M5 is also very efficient while gaming, where we did not experience any throttling. This means the slim and silent MacBook Air can play even demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 or Baldur's Gate 3 smoothly with reduced details.

Download your licensed rating image as SVG / PNG
Download your licensed rating image as SVG / PNG

Other improvements include Wi-Fi as well as faster PCIe 4.0 SSDs, and this is also the case for the base model starting at $1299. Our review unit is quite expensive due to the RAM and storage upgrades, but you will get pretty much the same performance from the base model, which is our recommendation for most users.

The deficits are still the same on the MacBook Air like soldered RAM and storage, the lack of Face-ID and the limited number of ports, which is even more annoying on the larger 15-inch model. We don't mind the IPS screen on the Air since it has no issues with PWM and offers good image quality, but the refresh rate of 60 Hz is pretty outdated in 2026. Considering the more expensive entry-level level of the MacBook Pro 14, however, we do not think Apple really wants to offer a better screen for the Air and would like you to switch to the Pro for a better screen instead.

Pros

+ fastest single-core processor
+ fanless cooling
+ no throttling while gaming
+ good IPS screen
+ Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 7 & BT 6
+ high-quality aluminum chassis
+ long battery runtime
+ very good speakers

Cons

- almost no maintenance options (RAM & SSD soldered)
- 60 Hz
- only 1-year warranty
- webcam without Face-ID, low resolution for photos/videos

Price and Availability

You can order the new MacBook Air 15 M5 from Amazon starting at $1299.

Table of Contents

  1. Verdict - MacBook Air 15 gets even better with M5 and Wi-Fi 7
  2. Specifications
  3. Case and Connectivity
  4. Display - 60 Hz IPS without PWM
  5. Performance - Apple M5 with 10-core GPU
  6. Emissions & Power Consumption
  7. Notebookcheck Rating
  8. Potential Competitors in Comparison

Apple refreshes the MacBook Air and the 15-inch version is equipped with the faster M5 SoC with 10 GPU cores. The manufacturer also upgraded the Wi-Fi module as well as SSD speeds and you can get the base model with 16 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD storage for $1299 while our review unit has some upgrades (32 GB RAM and 2 TB storage), which increases the price tag to $2299.

Specifications

Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Processor
Apple M5 10-Core 10c/10t, 4 x 4.6 GHz Apple M5 S-Core, 6 x 3.0 GHz Apple M5 E-Core, 23 W PL2 / Short Burst, 11 W PL1 / Sustained, MDE44
Graphics adapter
Apple M5 10-Core GPU, 17 W TDP
Memory
32 GB 
, LPDDR5x-9600, onboard
Display
15.30 inch 16:10, 2880 x 1864 pixel 224 PPI, IPS, glossy: yes, 60 Hz
Storage
Apple SSD AP2048Z, 2048 GB 
, 1986 GB free
Connections
2 USB4 40 Gbps, 2 Thunderbolt 4, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), 2 DisplayPort, 1 Docking Station Port, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm stereo, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor
Networking
Wi-Fi 7 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/ Wi-Fi 6E 6 GHz be = Wi-Fi 7), Bluetooth 6
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 11.5 x 340.4 x 237.6 ( = 0.45 x 13.4 x 9.35 in)
Battery
66.5 Wh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Apple macOS 26 Tahoe
Camera
Webcam: 12 MP Center Stage
Primary Camera: 12 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: six speaker sound system, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 35W PSU, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.512 kg ( = 53.33 oz / 3.33 pounds), Power Supply: 186 g ( = 6.56 oz / 0.41 pounds)
Links
Apple homepage
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case and Connectivity

The case design including ports, webcam and the input devices did not change compared to the previous M4 model, so you still get a very slim but not particularly lightweight laptop at 1.512 kg. The quality is excellent, both in terms of stability as well as build quality. Apple upgraded the Wi-Fi module and it now supports the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard including Bluetooth 6.0. The transfer rates in our test were good as well as stable and also better compared to the smaller MacBook Air 13 M5. The following images are from the previous M4 generation.

Size Comparison

❌
355.4 mm / 14 in 250.4 mm / 9.86 in 12.3 mm / 0.4843 in 1.5 kg3.41 lbs340 mm / 13.4 in 228.5 mm / 9 in 17.7 mm / 0.697 in 1.4 kg3.1 lbs340.4 mm / 13.4 in 237.6 mm / 9.35 in 11.5 mm / 0.4528 in 1.5 kg3.33 lbs340.4 mm / 13.4 in 237.6 mm / 9.35 in 11.5 mm / 0.4528 in 1.5 kg3.35 lbs329 mm / 13 in 239 mm / 9.41 in 18.3 mm / 0.72 in 1.7 kg3.66 lbs329 mm / 13 in 237 mm / 9.33 in 18.29 mm / 0.72 in 1.7 kg3.67 lbs297 mm / 11.7 in 210 mm / 8.27 in 1 mm / 0.03937 in 5.7 g0.01257 lbs
Left: MagSafe, 2x USB-C w/ Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbps, DisplayPort 1.4, Power Delivery)
Left: MagSafe, 2x USB-C w/ Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbps, DisplayPort 1.4, Power Delivery)
Right: 3.5 mm stereo jack
Right: 3.5 mm stereo jack
Networking
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Wi-Fi 7
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
1794 (min: 1717) MBit/s ∼100%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
1827 (min: 1707) MBit/s ∼100%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Broadcom 0x14E4, 0x4388 WiFi 6E AirPort
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
1762 (min: 1689) MBit/s ∼98%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
1618 (min: 1588) MBit/s ∼89%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Intel BE201 320MHz
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
1640 (min: 1449) MBit/s ∼91%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
1562 (min: 1469) MBit/s ∼85%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel BE201 320MHz
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
1656 (min: 1540) MBit/s ∼92%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
1568 (min: 1525) MBit/s ∼86%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
 
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
1243 (min: 1139) MBit/s ∼69%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
1602 (min: 1438) MBit/s ∼88%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
1029 (min: 963) MBit/s ∼64%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1656 (min: 836) MBit/s ∼99%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Qualcomm FastConnect 7800
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
1588 (min: 1549) MBit/s ∼89%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
1749 (min: 1685) MBit/s ∼96%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
1606 (min: 1582) MBit/s ∼100%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1669 (min: 1569) MBit/s ∼100%
050100150200250300350400450500550600650700750800850900950100010501100115012001250130013501400145015001550160016501700175018001850Tooltip
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5; iperf3 transmit AXE11000: Ø1794 (1717-1853)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5; iperf3 receive AXE11000: Ø1827 (1707-1891)
ColorChecker
19.8 ∆E
10.5 ∆E
14.6 ∆E
17.1 ∆E
12.2 ∆E
8.9 ∆E
8.9 ∆E
13.6 ∆E
13.1 ∆E
13.1 ∆E
8.5 ∆E
6.4 ∆E
8.8 ∆E
10.8 ∆E
17.2 ∆E
5.2 ∆E
13.6 ∆E
14.4 ∆E
2.6 ∆E
4.8 ∆E
11.9 ∆E
16 ∆E
19.5 ∆E
5.4 ∆E
ColorChecker Apple MacBook Air 15 M5: 11.53 ∆E min: 2.61 - max: 19.81 ∆E

Sustainability

Apple offers a comprehensive environmental report including data about the CO2 emissions as well as recycled contents. The following image shows exemplary data for the MacBook Air 15 and the highest shown SKU with 24 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD storage has a carbon footprint of 167 kg CO2e.

Environmental data MacBook Air 15 M5 base model
ⓘ Apple
Environmental data MacBook Air 15 M5 base model

Display - 60 Hz IPS without PWM

Subpixel array
Subpixel array
Hardly any backlight bleeding
Hardly any backlight bleeding

Apple did not change the display, so we still get a 60 Hz IPS screen (2560 x 1664 pixels, 16:10) and offers good image quality, but the low frequency is an issue. The surface is anti-reflective and there is a visible advantage compared to most other glossy screens, which is also noticeable in our outdoor shots below. There is hardly any backlight bleeding and there is no PWM flickering, either, while the response times are inconspicuous. Both the brightness as well as the color temperature can be adjusted automatically.

The brightness is still north of 500 nits, but the black value is a bit high at 0.44, which still results in a good maximum contrast ratio of ~1300:1. Our analysis with the professional CalMAN software shows that the factory calibration is not that great and there is a distinct blue cast in combination with a cool color temperature. This boosts the maximum brightness and is not noticeable when you use True Tone, but it is not ideal for picture editing. We calibrated the panel and managed to improve the accuracy noticeably (the corresponding profile can be downloaded for free in the box below), so picture editing is no problem (P3 & sRGB).

511
cd/m²		522
cd/m²		521
cd/m²
534
cd/m²		538
cd/m²		516
cd/m²
523
cd/m²		537
cd/m²		486
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 3
Maximum: 538 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 520.9 cd/m² Minimum: 2 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 538 cd/m²
Contrast: 1223:1 (Black: 0.44 cd/m²)
ΔE ColorChecker Calman: 2.1 | ∀{0.5-29.43 Ø4.75}
calibrated: 0.7
ΔE Greyscale Calman: 3.1 | ∀{0.09-98 Ø5}
86.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 3D)
98.3% sRGB (Argyll 3D)
97.5% Display P3 (Argyll 3D)
Gamma: 2.19
CCT: 7075 K
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
IPS, 2880x1864, 15.3", 60 Hz		Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
IPS, 2880x1864, 15.3", 60 Hz		Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
LQ150P1JX61, IPS, 2496x1664, 15", 120 Hz		Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
ATNA53JB01-0, OLED, 2880x1800, 15.3", 120 Hz		Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Sharp LQ150P1JX61, IPS, 2496x1664, 15", 120 Hz		Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
ATNA60CL07-0, OLED, 2880x1800, 16", 120 Hz
Display
2%
1%
5%
6%
Display P3 Coverage (%)
97.5
98.7
1%
98.1
1%
100
3%
99.5
2%
sRGB Coverage (%)
98.3
100
2%
100
2%
100
2%
100
2%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage (%)
86.3
88.3
2%
87.2
1%
94.6
10%
97.5
13%
Response Times
11%
-8%
96%
-78%
97%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * (ms)
26.9 ?(13.4, 13.5)
23.2 ?(10.5, 12.7)
14%
33.4 ?(12.5, 20.9)
-24%
1.46 ?(0.7, 0.76)
95%
44.4 ?(21.3, 23.1)
-65%
0.64 ?(0.33, 0.31)
98%
Response Time Black / White * (ms)
15.9 ?(4.9, 11)
14.7 ?(4.6, 10.1)
8%
14.7 ?(5.5, 9.2)
8%
0.44 ?(0.24, 0.2)
97%
30.3 ?(15.9, 14.4)
-91%
0.68 ?(0.38, 0.3)
96%
PWM Frequency (Hz)
1200 ?(77)
240 ?(100)
PWM Amplitude * (%)
22
50
Screen
11%
37%
538%
29%
19%
Brightness middle (cd/m²)
538
525
-2%
599
11%
509
-5%
579.9
8%
385
-28%
Brightness (cd/m²)
521
513
-2%
590
13%
508
-2%
576
11%
391
-25%
Brightness Distribution (%)
90
87
-3%
93
3%
97
8%
92
2%
97
8%
Black Level * (cd/m²)
0.44
0.32
27%
0.4
9%
0.01
98%
0.34
23%
Contrast (:1)
1223
1641
34%
1498
22%
50900
4062%
1706
39%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.1
1.7
19%
0.5
76%
1.1
48%
0.96
54%
1.1
48%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
4.1
4
2%
0.9
78%
2.5
39%
2.39
42%
1.8
56%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
0.7
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.1
2.7
13%
0.6
81%
1.5
52%
1.4
55%
1.4
55%
Gamma
2.19 100%
2.2 100%
2.16 102%
2.28 96%
2.13 103%
2.24 98%
CCT
7075 92%
7010 93%
6543 99%
6294 103%
6407 101%
6444 101%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
8% / 9%
10% / 22%
213% / 347%
-25% / 8%
41% / 30%

* ... smaller is better

CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Saturation
CalMAN Saturation
CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN Grayscale calibrated
CalMAN Grayscale calibrated
CalMAN Saturation calibrated
CalMAN Saturation calibrated
CalMAN ColorChecker calibrated
CalMAN ColorChecker calibrated
vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. P3
vs. P3
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB

Display Response Times

ℹ
Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
   ↔    Response Time Black to White
15.9 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 4.9 ms rise
↘ 11 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 36 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.1 ms).
   ↔    Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
26.9 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 13.4 ms rise
↘ 13.5 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 36 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (31.4 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ
To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 7996 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured.

In the sun
In the sun
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance - Apple M5 with 10-core GPU

Processor

The CPU performance of the new Apple M5 (4 super cores, 6 efficiency cores) is very impressive and it is the fastest single-core processor you can buy with quite a margin. The multi-core performance is also very good, even though the system has to reduce the power limit quite quickly. The deficit compared to the MacBook Pro 14 M5 with active cooling is still only 18 % during the Cinebench 2024 Multi test, which takes a couple of minutes. After the stress test of CB24 Multi (30 minutes), the result is still just ~10 % lower. 

Across our CPU benchmarks, the new M5 model is 14 % faster compared to the MacBook Air 15 M4 and 43 % faster compared to the MacBook Air 15 M3. The CPU performance is not reduced on battery power.

CPU Performance rating: Percent
Cinebench 2024: CPU Multi Core | CPU Single Core
Geekbench 6.5: Multi-Core | Single-Core
CPU Performance rating
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple M5 10-Core
100 pt
Average Apple M5 10-Core
 
95.3 pt
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core
93.2 pt
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-Core
82 pt
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
69.8 pt
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3
65.3 pt
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
61.4 pt
Average of class Subnotebook
 
61.3 pt
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Intel Core Ultra 7 268V
60.4 pt
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
58.6 pt
Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB
Apple M2
55 pt
Cinebench 2024 / CPU Multi Core
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple M5 10-Core
1172 Points +22%
Average Apple M5 10-Core
  (957 - 1172, n=3)
1030 Points +7%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core
962 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
926 Points -4%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-Core
874 Points -9%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
857 Points -11%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (148 - 1162, n=70, last 2 years)
694 Points -28%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Intel Core Ultra 7 268V
600 Points -38%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3
598 Points -38%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
574 Points -40%
Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB
Apple M2
513 Points -47%
Cinebench 2024 / CPU Single Core
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple M5 10-Core
200 Points +1%
Average Apple M5 10-Core
  (199 - 200, n=3)
199.7 Points 0%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core
199 Points
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-Core
173 Points -13%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3
142 Points -29%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Intel Core Ultra 7 268V
123.3 Points -38%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
123 Points -38%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
123 Points -38%
Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB
Apple M2
121 Points -39%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
119.7 Points -40%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (35 - 200, n=56, last 2 years)
115.2 Points -42%
Geekbench 6.5 / Multi-Core
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple M5 10-Core
18054 Points +6%
Average Apple M5 10-Core
  (16544 - 18054, n=5)
17314 Points +2%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core
16995 Points
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-Core
14901 Points -12%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
14646 Points -14%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
14220 Points -16%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
7596 Points -55%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
7596 Points -55%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2244 - 17489, n=76, last 2 years)
12097 Points -29%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3
12066 Points -29%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Intel Core Ultra 7 268V
11279 Points -34%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
11037 Points -35%
Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB
Apple M2
10093 Points -41%
Geekbench 6.5 / Single-Core
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple M5 10-Core
4326 Points +3%
Average Apple M5 10-Core
  (4128 - 4326, n=5)
4228 Points +1%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core
4195 Points
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-Core
3655 Points -13%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3
3130 Points -25%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Intel Core Ultra 7 268V
2871 Points -32%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
2812 Points -33%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
1896 Points -55%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
1896 Points -55%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
2795 Points -33%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
2751 Points -34%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (960 - 4195, n=70, last 2 years)
2660 Points -37%
Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB
Apple M2
2593 Points -38%
Cinebench 2024 CPU Single Core
199 Points
Cinebench 2024 CPU Multi Core
962 Points
Help

System Performance

The subjective system performance is excellent and the benchmark results support this impression. Apple also increased the memory bandwidth compared to the M4. Overall, you will not notice a difference compared to the more expensive MacBook Pro models or the much more affordable base model of the MacBook Air 15 M5 in everyday scenarios.

Memory Mark MBA 15 M5
Memory Mark MBA 15 M5
Memory Mark MBA 15 M4
Memory Mark MBA 15 M4
Performance rating: Percent
CrossMark: Overall | Productivity | Creativity | Responsiveness
WebXPRT 3: Overall
WebXPRT 4: Overall
Mozilla Kraken 1.1: Total
Performance rating
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
M5 10-Core GPU, M5 10-Core, Apple SSD AP1024Z
93.4 pt
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
M5 10-Core GPU, M5 10-Core, Apple SSD AP2048Z
91 pt
Average Apple M5 10-Core, Apple M5 10-Core GPU
 
89.2 pt
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 10-Core, Apple SSD AP1024Z
79 pt
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 268V, Samsung PM9C1a MZ9L81T0HDLB
60.9 pt
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
60.8 pt
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
60.4 pt
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Kioxia THGJFJT2T85BAT01
59.8 pt
Average of class Subnotebook
 
57.7 pt
CrossMark / Overall
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
M5 10-Core GPU, M5 10-Core, Apple SSD AP1024Z
2426 Points +3%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
M5 10-Core GPU, M5 10-Core, Apple SSD AP2048Z
2356 Points
Average Apple M5 10-Core, Apple M5 10-Core GPU
  (2129 - 2426, n=3)
2304 Points -2%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 10-Core, Apple SSD AP1024Z
1978 Points -16%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
1742 Points -26%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 268V, Samsung PM9C1a MZ9L81T0HDLB
1738 Points -26%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (365 - 2356, n=66, last 2 years)
1618 Points -31%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
1385 Points -41%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Kioxia THGJFJT2T85BAT01
1384 Points -41%
CrossMark / Productivity
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
M5 10-Core GPU, M5 10-Core, Apple SSD AP1024Z
2344 Points +3%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
M5 10-Core GPU, M5 10-Core, Apple SSD AP2048Z
2277 Points
Average Apple M5 10-Core, Apple M5 10-Core GPU
  (2036 - 2344, n=3)
2219 Points -3%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 10-Core, Apple SSD AP1024Z
1871 Points -18%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
1684 Points -26%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 268V, Samsung PM9C1a MZ9L81T0HDLB
1680 Points -26%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (364 - 2277, n=66, last 2 years)
1544 Points -32%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
1303 Points -43%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Kioxia THGJFJT2T85BAT01
1293 Points -43%
CrossMark / Creativity
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
M5 10-Core GPU, M5 10-Core, Apple SSD AP1024Z
2820 Points +3%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
M5 10-Core GPU, M5 10-Core, Apple SSD AP2048Z
2743 Points
Average Apple M5 10-Core, Apple M5 10-Core GPU
  (2620 - 2820, n=3)
2728 Points -1%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 10-Core, Apple SSD AP1024Z
2298 Points -16%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
1977 Points -28%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 268V, Samsung PM9C1a MZ9L81T0HDLB
1976 Points -28%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (372 - 2743, n=66, last 2 years)
1812 Points -34%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Kioxia THGJFJT2T85BAT01
1537 Points -44%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
1496 Points -45%
CrossMark / Responsiveness
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
M5 10-Core GPU, M5 10-Core, Apple SSD AP1024Z
1712 Points +3%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
M5 10-Core GPU, M5 10-Core, Apple SSD AP2048Z
1657 Points
Average Apple M5 10-Core, Apple M5 10-Core GPU
  (1307 - 1712, n=3)
1559 Points -6%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 10-Core, Apple SSD AP1024Z
1490 Points -10%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (312 - 1889, n=66, last 2 years)
1338 Points -19%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
1322 Points -20%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
1320 Points -20%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 268V, Samsung PM9C1a MZ9L81T0HDLB
1311 Points -21%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Kioxia THGJFJT2T85BAT01
1237 Points -25%
WebXPRT 3 / Overall
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
M5 10-Core GPU, M5 10-Core, Apple SSD AP1024Z
540 Points +2%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
M5 10-Core GPU, M5 10-Core, Apple SSD AP2048Z
530 Points
Average Apple M5 10-Core, Apple M5 10-Core GPU
  (480 - 540, n=3)
517 Points -2%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 10-Core, Apple SSD AP1024Z
479 Points -10%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Kioxia THGJFJT2T85BAT01
454 Points -14%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
444 Points -16%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (156 - 530, n=64, last 2 years)
321 Points -39%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 268V, Samsung PM9C1a MZ9L81T0HDLB
310 Points -42%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
291 Points -45%
WebXPRT 4 / Overall
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
M5 10-Core GPU, M5 10-Core, Apple SSD AP1024Z
384 Points +2%
Average Apple M5 10-Core, Apple M5 10-Core GPU
  (376 - 384, n=3)
379 Points 0%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
M5 10-Core GPU, M5 10-Core, Apple SSD AP2048Z
378 Points
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 10-Core, Apple SSD AP1024Z
348 Points -8%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
313 Points -17%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Kioxia THGJFJT2T85BAT01
311 Points -18%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 268V, Samsung PM9C1a MZ9L81T0HDLB
287 Points -24%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
281 Points -26%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (132 - 378, n=68, last 2 years)
267 Points -29%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 / Total
Average of class Subnotebook
  (234 - 1104, n=69, last 2 years)
495 ms * -107%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 268V, Samsung PM9C1a MZ9L81T0HDLB
475 ms * -99%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00
471 ms * -97%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Kioxia THGJFJT2T85BAT01
422.3 ms * -77%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ
399.4 ms * -67%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core GPU, M4 10-Core, Apple SSD AP1024Z
278.4 ms * -17%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
M5 10-Core GPU, M5 10-Core, Apple SSD AP2048Z
238.6 ms *
Average Apple M5 10-Core, Apple M5 10-Core GPU
  (228 - 243, n=3)
236 ms * +1%
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
M5 10-Core GPU, M5 10-Core, Apple SSD AP1024Z
227.9 ms * +4%

* ... smaller is better

Storage Devices

The base model now gets 512 GB SSD storage by default, and the speed was improved to PCIe 4.0, so the transfer rates are on par with the MacBook Pro models at around 7 GB/s. Our review unit is equipped with the 2 TB drive, which is a pricey upgrade ($600). The SSD-chips are once again soldered, but the maximum capacity was increased from 2 to 4 TB for the M5 generation.

Disk Mark MBA 15 M5
Disk Mark MBA 15 M5
Disk Mark MBA 15 M4
Disk Mark MBA 15 M4
Drive Performance rating | Blackmagic Disk Speed Test
Drive Performance rating - Percent
Apple MacBook Air 13 M5
Apple SSD AP0512Z
97.9 pt
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple SSD AP1024Z
97.2 pt
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple SSD AP2048Z
96.1 pt
Average Apple SSD AP2048Z
 
90.7 pt
Average of class Subnotebook
 
68.7 pt
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
Apple SSD AP0512Z
48.5 pt
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple SSD AP0512Z
46.4 pt
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple SSD AP1024Z
44.6 pt
Blackmagic Disk Speed Test
5GB Read
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple SSD AP1024Z
6752.1 MB/s +7%
Apple MacBook Air 13 M5
Apple SSD AP0512Z
6473.4 MB/s +3%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple SSD AP2048Z
6312.2 MB/s
Average Apple SSD AP2048Z
  (5294 - 6312, n=7)
5501 MB/s -13%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2833 - 6473, n=4, last 2 years)
4631 MB/s -27%
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
Apple SSD AP0512Z
3028 MB/s -52%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple SSD AP0512Z
2947.8 MB/s -53%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple SSD AP1024Z
2904 MB/s -54%
5GB Write
Apple MacBook Air 13 M5
Apple SSD AP0512Z
6558.6 MB/s +1%
Average Apple SSD AP2048Z
  (6314 - 6713, n=7)
6558 MB/s +1%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple SSD AP2048Z
6475.1 MB/s
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple SSD AP1024Z
6194.2 MB/s -4%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (1988 - 6559, n=4, last 2 years)
4511 MB/s -30%
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2024 M4
Apple SSD AP0512Z
3426 MB/s -47%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple SSD AP0512Z
3217.8 MB/s -50%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple SSD AP1024Z
3023.9 MB/s -53%

GPU Performance

The MacBook Air 15 gets the faster M5 SoC with the 10-core GPU like the MacBook Pro 14 M5. The performance in short benchmarks is very good and we only see a deficit of up to 5 %, while the advantage over the previous MacBook Air 15 M4 is at least 30 %. However, the performance is not stable and it will drop by around 23 % in the 3DMark stress test (Steel Nomad Light).

The gaming performance on the other hand is completely stable since the SoC simply does not consume so much power to begin with (~8 Watt in games like Cyberpunk 2077, Assassin's Creed Shadows or Baldur's Gate 3). We already saw this behavior on the smaller MacBook Air 13 M5 and the result is that the gaming performance is completely stable, even during longer gaming sessions. If you reduce the details, the Air M5 can even handle these demanding games without throttling and while being completely silent.

3DMark | Cinebench 2024 | Geekbench 6.5
3DMark
Steel Nomad Score
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple M5 10-Core GPU, Apple M5 10-Core
1125 Points +5%
Average Apple M5 10-Core GPU
  (1070 - 1125, n=2)
1098 Points +3%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core GPU, Apple M5 10-Core
1070 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Intel Arc Graphics 140V, Intel Core Ultra 7 268V
910 Points -15%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Arc Graphics 140V, Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
808 Points -24%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (184 - 1070, n=31, last 2 years)
557 Points -48%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
534 Points -50%
Steel Nomad Light Score
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple M5 10-Core GPU, Apple M5 10-Core
5221 Points +3%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core GPU, Apple M5 10-Core
5084 Points
Average Apple M5 10-Core GPU
  (4286 - 5221, n=3)
4864 Points -4%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 10-Core
3839 Points -24%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Intel Arc Graphics 140V, Intel Core Ultra 7 268V
3555 Points -30%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Arc Graphics 140V, Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
3227 Points -37%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (1034 - 5084, n=28, last 2 years)
2729 Points -46%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
2189 Points -57%
Wild Life Extreme
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple M5 10-Core GPU, Apple M5 10-Core
12059 Points +5%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core GPU, Apple M5 10-Core
11498 Points
Average Apple M5 10-Core GPU
  (9391 - 12059, n=3)
10983 Points -4%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 10-Core
8735 Points -24%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Intel Arc Graphics 140V, Intel Core Ultra 7 268V
7931 Points -31%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Arc Graphics 140V, Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
7331 Points -36%
Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB
Apple M2 10-Core GPU, Apple M2
6804 Points -41%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
6546 Points -43%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
6303 Points -45%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (659 - 11498, n=31, last 2 years)
5972 Points -48%
Cinebench 2024 - GPU
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple M5 10-Core GPU, Apple M5 10-Core
6139 Points +1%
Average Apple M5 10-Core GPU
  (6071 - 6139, n=2)
6105 Points +1%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core GPU, Apple M5 10-Core
6071 Points
Average of class Subnotebook
  (3574 - 6071, n=4, last 2 years)
4739 Points -22%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 10-Core
3897 Points -36%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3 10-Core GPU, Apple M3
3380 Points -44%
Geekbench 6.5
GPU Metal
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple M5 10-Core GPU, Apple M5 10-Core
77007 Points +1%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core GPU, Apple M5 10-Core
76530 Points
Average Apple M5 10-Core GPU
  (74568 - 77007, n=4)
75932 Points -1%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (48032 - 76530, n=4, last 2 years)
61590 Points -20%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 10-Core
54887 Points -28%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3 10-Core GPU, Apple M3
47699 Points -38%
Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB
Apple M2 10-Core GPU, Apple M2
45460 Points -41%
GPU OpenCL
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple M5 10-Core GPU, Apple M5 10-Core
48756 Points +2%
Average Apple M5 10-Core GPU
  (47755 - 48756, n=2)
48256 Points +1%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core GPU, Apple M5 10-Core
47755 Points
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 10-Core
36135 Points -24%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (9487 - 206281, n=68, last 2 years)
30524 Points -36%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3 10-Core GPU, Apple M3
30470 Points -36%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Intel Arc Graphics 140V, Intel Core Ultra 7 268V
30317 Points -37%
Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB
Apple M2 10-Core GPU, Apple M2
27920 Points -42%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Arc Graphics 140V, Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
27248 Points -43%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
20783 Points -56%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
20104 Points -58%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
15316 Points -68%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
15316 Points -68%
3DMark Steel Nomad Score
1070 points
3DMark Steel Nomad Light Score
5084 points
Help
Blender: v3.3 Classroom METAL | v3.3 Classroom CPU
Blender / v3.3 Classroom METAL
Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB
Apple M2 10-Core GPU, Apple M2
237 Seconds * -211%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3 10-Core GPU, Apple M3
129 Seconds * -69%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 10-Core
103 Seconds * -35%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (76.3 - 110, n=4, last 2 years)
95.6 Seconds * -25%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core GPU, Apple M5 10-Core
76.3 Seconds *
Average Apple M5 10-Core GPU
  (68 - 76.3, n=2)
72.2 Seconds * +5%
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple M5 10-Core GPU, Apple M5 10-Core
68 Seconds * +11%
Blender / v3.3 Classroom CPU
Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB
Apple M2 10-Core GPU, Apple M2
594 Seconds * -73%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
593 Seconds * -72%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Arc Graphics 140V, Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
584 Seconds * -70%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Intel Arc Graphics 140V, Intel Core Ultra 7 268V
555 Seconds * -61%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (241 - 861, n=67, last 2 years)
523 Seconds * -52%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3 10-Core GPU, Apple M3
491 Seconds * -43%
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple M5 10-Core GPU, Apple M5 10-Core
429 Seconds * -25%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-core GPU, Apple M4 10-Core
405 Seconds * -18%
Average Apple M5 10-Core GPU
  (344 - 429, n=2)
387 Seconds * -13%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core GPU, Apple M5 10-Core
344 Seconds *

* ... smaller is better

Cyberpunk 2077 | Baldur's Gate 3 | Assassin's Creed Shadows | Total War Pharaoh | Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Cyberpunk 2077 - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset (FSR off)
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Intel Core Ultra 7 268V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V
29.6 (25min) fps +27%
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple M5 10-Core, Apple M5 10-Core GPU
29.3 fps +26%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V
28.2 (23.1min) fps +21%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V
26.9 (22.4min, 21.6P1) fps +15%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core, Apple M5 10-Core GPU
23.3 fps
Average of class Subnotebook
  (8.3 - 30.1, n=66, last 2 years)
20.3 fps -13%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-Core, Apple M4 10-core GPU
18 fps -23%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS
14.9 (11.6min) fps -36%
Baldur's Gate 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:T
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple M5 10-Core, Apple M5 10-Core GPU
47 fps +19%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core, Apple M5 10-Core GPU
39.4 fps
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-Core, Apple M4 10-core GPU
27.9 fps -29%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Intel Core Ultra 7 268V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V
27.4 fps -30%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V
25.5 fps -35%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (10.2 - 39.4, n=57, last 2 years)
22.6 fps -43%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3, Apple M3 10-Core GPU
19 fps -52%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS
17.4 fps -56%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS
17.1 fps -57%
Assassin's Creed Shadows - 1920x1080 Low
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple M5 10-Core, Apple M5 10-Core GPU
32 fps +23%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core, Apple M5 10-Core GPU
26 fps
Average of class Subnotebook
  (17 - 26, n=4, last 2 years)
21.8 fps -16%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V
20 (4min, 11P0.1, 15P1) fps -23%
Total War Pharaoh - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple M5 10-Core, Apple M5 10-Core GPU
49 fps +3%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core, Apple M5 10-Core GPU
47.5 fps
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-Core, Apple M4 10-core GPU
35.2 fps -26%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3, Apple M3 10-Core GPU
35 fps -26%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (16.7 - 50, n=8, last 2 years)
33.7 fps -29%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider - 1920x1080 Highest Preset AA:T
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2025 M5
Apple M5 10-Core, Apple M5 10-Core GPU
59 fps +40%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core, Apple M5 10-Core GPU
42 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V
37 (23min) fps -12%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (30 - 42, n=4, last 2 years)
36 fps -14%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-Core, Apple M4 10-core GPU
34 fps -19%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M3
Apple M3, Apple M3 10-Core GPU
32 fps -24%
Apple MacBook Air 15 2023 M2 16 GB
Apple M2, Apple M2 10-Core GPU
23 fps -45%
lowmed.highultra
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 99 54 48 42
Baldur's Gate 3 (2023) 60.3 49.8 41 39.4
Cyberpunk 2077 (2023) 42.6 32.5 27.1 23.3
Total War Pharaoh (2023) 50.9 47.5
Assassin's Creed Shadows (2025) 26 23 20 13

Emissions & Power Consumption

System Noise

The MacBook Air still uses a fanless cooling unit, so the laptop is always silent and we did not experience any other electronic noises, either. This is a huge advantage over Windows competitors.

Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
M5 10-Core, M5 10-Core GPU		Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Core Ultra 7 268V, Arc 140V		Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V		Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS		Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS
Noise
off / environment * (dB)
23.9
24.4
23.3
24.6
Idle Minimum * (dB)
23.9
24.4
23.3
24.6
Idle Average * (dB)
23.9
24.4
23.3
24.6
Idle Maximum * (dB)
23.9
24.4
23.3
24.6
Load Average * (dB)
31.8
35.8
25.7
28.1
Cyberpunk 2077 ultra * (dB)
38
39.4
31.1
32.4
Load Maximum * (dB)
41.9
45
33.2
32.4

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Surface temperatures are absolutely no problem and the MacBook Air usually stays very cool. If you really stress it, it will warm up to slightly more than 40 °C, but that is no problem. During our stress test with combined CPU/GPU load, the M5 SoC consumes up to 28 Watts and then quickly levels off at around 9 Watts after around 20 minutes.

Max. Load
 41.7 °C
107 F		44.1 °C
111 F		39.3 °C
103 F		 
 38.1 °C
101 F		39.3 °C
103 F		35 °C
95 F		 
 33.3 °C
92 F		30 °C
86 F		31.8 °C
89 F		 
Maximum: 44.1 °C = 111 F
Average: 37 °C = 99 F
39.3 °C
103 F		43.1 °C
110 F		41.9 °C
107 F
38 °C
100 F		40.9 °C
106 F		39.1 °C
102 F
32 °C
90 F		33.3 °C
92 F		33.4 °C
92 F
Maximum: 43.1 °C = 110 F
Average: 37.9 °C = 100 F
Power Supply (max.)  41.1 °C = 106 F | Room Temperature 20.9 °C = 70 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated), Voltcraft IR-900
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 37 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 30.8 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 44.1 °C / 111 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 43.1 °C / 110 F, compared to the average of 39.3 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.7 °C / 75 F, compared to the device average of 30.8 °C / 87 F.
(±) 3: The average temperature for the upper side is 36.6 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 30.8 °C / 87 F for the class Subnotebook.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (33.3 °C / 91.9 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.2 °C / 82.8 F (-5.1 °C / -9.1 F).
Heatmap stress (top)
Heatmap stress (top)
Heatmap stress (bottom)
Heatmap stress (bottom)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
M5 10-Core, M5 10-Core GPU		Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core, M4 10-Core GPU		Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Core Ultra 7 268V, Arc 140V		Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V		Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS		Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS
Heat
0%
0%
2%
7%
-8%
Maximum Upper Side * (°C)
44.1
44.9
-2%
45.7
-4%
42.1
5%
45.4
-3%
44.3
-0%
Maximum Bottom * (°C)
43.1
43.9
-2%
42.9
-0%
39.5
8%
37.2
14%
51.6
-20%
Idle Upper Side * (°C)
24
23.4
2%
23.6
2%
24.5
-2%
22.4
7%
25.1
-5%
Idle Bottom * (°C)
23.9
23.5
2%
23.1
3%
24.4
-2%
22
8%
25.8
-8%

* ... smaller is better

0123456789101112131415Tooltip
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5 M5 10-Core GPU, M5 10-Core, Apple SSD AP2048Z; Cinebench R23 Multi + 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test CPU Power: Ø5.13 (4.424-12.356)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4 M4 10-Core GPU, M4 10-Core, Apple SSD AP1024Z; Cinebench R23 Multi + 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test CPU Power: Ø4 (3.391-14.396)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5 M5 10-Core GPU, M5 10-Core, Apple SSD AP2048Z; Cinebench R23 Multi + 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test GPU Power: Ø5.34 (4.55-15.515)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4 M4 10-Core GPU, M4 10-Core, Apple SSD AP1024Z; Cinebench R23 Multi + 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test GPU Power: Ø5.15 (3.976-15.028)

Speakers

The speaker system of the MacBook Air 15 is once again excellent and also a bit better compared to the smaller MacBook Air 13. 

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2044.343.42534.933.73135.236.74033.532.25027.330.36334.739.48025.149.91002254.912518.260.916018.159.720020.466.325022.268.43151770.440014.568.450013.368.663013.370.480012.268.110001267.9125011.773.2160011.773.9200011.571.325001270.2315012.369400012.373.6500012.775.1630012.775.9800012.876.61000012.973.61250012.870.21600012.759.6SPL25.284.8N0.766.8median 12.8median 70.2Delta23.240.541.331.532.528.730.836.335.631.134.628.739.721.349.521.754.420.161.918.856.417.96419.56816.171.213.270.712.170.812.27011.36810.868.41172.611.17411.472.411.669.412.172.512.377.112.677.112.77612.876.91372.112.970.512.360.924.585.80.670median 12.6median 70.72.42.540.442.830.834.230.432.534.935.728.63326.533.92139.318.84418.650.916.350.71857.918.761.215.564.912.562.711.366.411.467.210.769.910.168.710.368.810.670.210.969.711.365.311.46611.964.412.263.912.159.912.158.612.260.712.261.811.859.123.978.80.545.3median 12.1median 63.92.14.140.440.93140.530.138.233.538.732.137.534.539.323.94422.549.120.456.218.559.218.665.820.466.616.96913.167.611.768.811.175.810.480.51075.510.672.110.673.911.172.411.373.511.974.112.176.912.273.212.476.612.578.612.57812.975.212.164.724.487.50.678.2median 12.2median 73.52.94.631.428.331.424.322.524.319.720.819.722.42322.427.922.427.928.124.128.135.22235.24017.74046.518.246.553145356.813.956.862.414.262.464.516.464.565.113.165.169.311.269.367.310.367.366.210.166.270.19.570.170.79.370.771.29.471.270.29.770.267.810.167.87310.4736810.96867.511.567.561.211.961.262.412.162.465.612.565.665.312.165.360.412.560.48123.28151.30.551.3median 65.6median 11.9median 65.641.9436.841.934.135.432.734.237.935.228.3332830.62530.124.137.523.949.421.854.620.760.822.262.316.565.113.66611.365.511.266.610.770.310.567.510.973.910.673.111.272.811.468.311.671.112.167.612.361.612.560.712.567.712.565.412.564.511.859.524.681.80.652.5median 12.3median 65.52.83.7hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseApple MacBook Air 15 M5Apple MacBook Air 15 M4Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar LakeLenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura EditionMicrosoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X EliteSamsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 6.8% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.6% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (7.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 2% of all tested devices in this class were better, 0% similar, 98% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 1% of all tested devices were better, 0% similar, 98% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook Air 15 M4 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 8.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 1.6% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (2.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 2% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 97% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 1% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 98% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 9.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (11.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 3% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 95% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 21%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 7% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 91% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%

Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (87.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 12.5% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (9.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 1% of all tested devices in this class were better, 0% similar, 99% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 21%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%

Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (11.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 3% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 95% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 21%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 7% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 91% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 10.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.1% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (11.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 16% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 80% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 17%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 7% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 91% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%

Power Consumption

The power consumption figures did not really change compared to the previous model and there are no surprises here. The 35W PSU is a limiting factor for a couple of seconds during our stress test, but the consumption quickly levels off at around 30.5 Watts.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.17 / 0.31 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.2 / 11.7 / 11.8 Watt
Load midlight 36.2 / 37.4 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
M5 10-Core, M5 10-Core GPU, Apple SSD AP2048Z, IPS, 2880x1864, 15.3"		Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core, M4 10-Core GPU, Apple SSD AP1024Z, IPS, 2880x1864, 15.3"		Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Core Ultra 7 268V, Arc 140V, Samsung PM9C1a MZ9L81T0HDLB, IPS, 2496x1664, 15"		Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00, OLED, 2880x1800, 15.3"		Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ, IPS, 2496x1664, 15"		Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, Kioxia THGJFJT2T85BAT01, OLED, 2880x1800, 16"		Average Apple M5 10-Core GPU
 		Average of class Subnotebook
 
Power Consumption
-2%
-48%
-21%
-33%
-27%
11%
-21%
Idle Minimum * (Watt)
2.2
2.2
-0%
3.2
-45%
2.4
-9%
3
-36%
4.2
-91%
2.09 ?(1.97 - 2.2, n=3)
5%
3.97 ?(1.3 - 9.3, n=65, last 2 years)
-80%
Idle Average * (Watt)
11.7
11.5
2%
8.7
26%
3.9
67%
8.3
29%
5.6
52%
8.77 ?(3.01 - 11.7, n=3)
25%
6.92 ?(2.5 - 16, n=65, last 2 years)
41%
Idle Maximum * (Watt)
11.8
11.6
2%
9
24%
5.1
57%
8.4
29%
7.8
34%
8.85 ?(3.05 - 11.8, n=3)
25%
8.34 ?(4.1 - 16.4, n=65, last 2 years)
29%
Load Average * (Watt)
36.2
34.5
5%
44.7
-23%
42.5
-17%
34.3
5%
28.3
22%
31.1 ?(5.99 - 51.1, n=3)
14%
43.4 ?(13.8 - 77.9, n=64, last 2 years)
-20%
Cyberpunk 2077 ultra external monitor * (Watt)
21.7
26.2
-21%
49.3
-127%
40.2
-85%
41
-89%
38.2
-76%
Cyberpunk 2077 ultra * (Watt)
23.5
24.4
-4%
51.1
-117%
43.5
-85%
45.8
-95%
38.8
-65%
Load Maximum * (Watt)
37.4
37.5
-0%
64.6
-73%
64.4
-72%
65.2
-74%
61.9
-66%
43.5 ?(21.7 - 71.5, n=3)
-16%
66 ?(30.4 - 110.3, n=65, last 2 years)
-76%

* ... smaller is better

Power Consumption Cyberpunk / Stress Test

05101520253035Tooltip
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5; 1280x720 Prime95 28.10 and Furmark 1.25: Ø34.5 (29.6-37.4)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø4.7 (4.66-4.78)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5; Cyberpunk 2077 FHD ultra no FSR 150cd: Ø23.5 (23.2-24)

Power Consumption external Monitor

05101520Tooltip
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5; Idle 1min (external Monitor): Ø3.05 (2.93-3.26)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5; Cyberpunk 2077 FHD ultra no FSR (external Monitor): Ø21.7 (21.2-22.2)

Battery Life

The battery runtime in our Wi-Fi test at 150 nits is slightly better than before at 17.2 vs. 16.5 hours on the M4 model. The runtime at maximum brightness, however, is pretty much identical at 6.7 hours.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
17h 12min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness
6h 44min
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Core Ultra 7 268V, Arc 140V, 64 Wh
17.7 h +3%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V, 80 Wh
17.5 h +2%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
M5 10-Core, M5 10-Core GPU, 66.5 Wh
17.2 h
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core, M4 10-Core GPU, 66.5 Wh
16.5 h -4%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, 64 Wh
14.8 h -14%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (7.25 - 26.4, n=66, last 2 years)
13.6 h -21%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, 61.8 Wh
7.4 h -57%
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V, 80 Wh
9.5 h +42%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Core Ultra 7 268V, Arc 140V, 64 Wh
8.8 h +31%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (4.95 - 15.8, n=39, last 2 years)
8.52 h +27%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
M4 10-Core, M4 10-Core GPU, 66.5 Wh
6.8 h +1%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
M5 10-Core, M5 10-Core GPU, 66.5 Wh
6.7 h
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
SD X Elite X1E-80-100, Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, 61.8 Wh
5.6 h -16%

Notebookcheck Rating

Apple MacBook Air 15 M5 - 03/08/2026 v8
Andreas Osthoff

Chassis
88 / 98 → 90%
Keyboard
91%
Pointing Device
99%
Connectivity
72 / 74 → 98%
Weight
69 / 20-77 → 86%
Battery
91%
Display
83%
Games Performance
54 / 75 → 72%
Application Performance
98 / 92 → 100%
AI Performance
94%
Temperature
89%
Noise
100%
Audio
92 / 91 → 100%
Camera
48 / 75 → 64%
Average
78%
92%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average
CO2 Emissions
78.5%
Materials
50%
Packaging
100%
Power Use
90.4%
Repairability
40%
Software Updates
50%
Recycle Logo Total Sustainability Score: 68.1%

Potential Competitors in Comparison

Image
Model / Review
Price
Weight
Height
Display
1.
91.6%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple MacBook Air 15 M5
Apple M5 10-Core ⎘
Apple M5 10-Core GPU ⎘
32 GB Memory, 2048 GB SSD		1.5 kg11.5 mm15.30"
2880x1864
224 PPI
IPS
2.
91.2%
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4
Apple M4 10-Core ⎘
Apple M4 10-core GPU ⎘
16 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD		List Price: 1999€1.5 kg11.5 mm15.30"
2880x1864
224 PPI
IPS
3.
87.4%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 Lunar Lake
Intel Core Ultra 7 268V ⎘
Intel Arc Graphics 140V ⎘
32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD		List Price: 2760€1.7 kg18.3 mm15.00"
2496x1664
200 PPI
IPS
4.
90.1%
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Aura Edition
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V ⎘
Intel Arc Graphics 140V ⎘
32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD		List Price: 1989€1.4 kg17.7 mm15.30"
2880x1800
222 PPI
OLED
5.
84.3%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 ⎘
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS ⎘
16 GB Memory, 256 GB SSD		List Price: 1100 USD1.7 kg18.29 mm15.00"
2496x1664
200 PPI
IPS
6.
80.2%
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 ⎘
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS ⎘
16 GB Memory, 512 GB 		List Price: 1799€1.5 kg12.3 mm16.00"
2880x1800
212 PPI
OLED

Transparency

The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was provided to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or retailer for the purpose of this review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.

This is how Notebookcheck is testing

Every year, Notebookcheck independently reviews hundreds of laptops and smartphones using standardized procedures to ensure that all results are comparable. We have continuously developed our test methods for around 20 years and set industry standards in the process. In our test labs, high-quality measuring equipment is utilized by experienced technicians and editors. These tests involve a multi-stage validation process. Our complex rating system is based on hundreds of well-founded measurements and benchmarks, which maintains objectivity. Further information on our test methods can be found here.

Please share our article, every link counts!
Mail Logo
Google Logo Add as a preferred
source on Google
Read all 2 comments / answer
static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article

Related Articles

> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Apple MacBook Air 15 M5 Review - Very powerful, fanless and without competition
Andreas Osthoff, 2026-03- 8 (Update: 2026-03- 8)