Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) vs Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Max)
65.5Performance91.1
29.8Display74.3
55.3Battery63.2
79.6Portability71
3 spec wins — Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5)8 spec wins — Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Max)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Max) wins this laptop face-off, 77.1 to 56.9, pulling ahead mainly in display (+45) and performance (+26). Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5)
- Stronger portability score: 80 vs 71
- 26% lower thickness: 11.5 mm vs 15.5 mm
- Lower launch price: $1,299 vs $3,599
Reasons to pick the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Max)
- Stronger performance score: 91 vs 66
- Stronger display score: 74 vs 30
- Stronger battery score: 63 vs 55
- 300% higher storage: 2,048 GB vs 512 GB
- 220% higher Peak brightness: 1,600 nits vs 500 nits
Display
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 15.3 ″+8% | 14.2 ″ |
| Panel type | IPS (Liquid Retina) | Mini-LED (Liquid Retina XDR) |
| Resolution | 2880x1864 | 3024x1964 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz+100% |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits | 1,600 nits+220% |
Performance
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M5 (10-core) | Apple M5 Max (18-core) |
| Graphics | Apple M5 10-core GPU | Apple M5 Max 32-core GPU |
| RAM | 16 GB | 36 GB+125% |
| RAM type | LPDDR5X (unified) | LPDDR5X (unified) |
| Storage | 512 GB | 2,048 GB+300% |
| Storage type | SSD | SSD |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,195Top 11% | 4,322+3%Top 4% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 16,995Top 38% | 29,415+73%Top 4% |
Battery
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 67 Wh | 72 Wh+9% |
| Charging | 60 W | 96 W+60% |
Design
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1.51 kg+7% | 1.62 kg |
| Thickness | 11.5 mm+26% | 15.5 mm |
| Material | Recycled Aluminum | Recycled Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm | 3x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 6 | 6 |
| Webcam | 12MP Center Stage | 12MP Center Stage |
| Biometrics | Touch ID | Touch ID |
Software
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | macOS Tahoe | macOS Tahoe |
Related comparisons
Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5)vs HP Googlebook 14VSApple MacBook Air 15 (M5)vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13VSApple MacBook Air 15 (M5)vs Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4)VSApple MacBook Air 15 (M5)vs ASUS ROG Strix Scar 18 (2025)VSApple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Max)vs Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro)VSApple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Max)vs Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Pro)VSApple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Max)vs HUAWEI MateBook Fold Ultimate Design (2026)VSApple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Max)vs HP ZBook Ultra G3a (2026)VS