Apple kicked off 2026 with a quiet announcement: new MacBook Air, iPad Air, and an upgraded Mac Studio line — all with M5 chips. No keynote, no live stream. Press releases and done. That approach says a lot about where Apple stands right now.
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💻 MacBook Air M5
The MacBook Air remains Apple's best-selling laptop. The new generation with M5 chip brings: 10-core CPU (up from 8), 12-core GPU, 24GB unified memory as standard (finally), and slightly improved battery (19 hours video playback). The display remains Liquid Retina, no OLED yet. Price: from €1,299, €100 above the predecessor.
Worth upgrading from M3 or M4? Honestly, for most users — no. The everyday difference is minimal. Coming from M1 or M2? Then yes — you'll notice meaningful improvement.
📱 iPad Air M5
The iPad Air gets the M5, making it practically equivalent to the iPad Pro in processing power. Key changes: Thunderbolt port (instead of plain USB-C), ProMotion 120Hz display, and new Magic Keyboard compatibility. Effectively, the 2026 iPad Air is what the 2024 iPad Pro was — at a lower price (€699).
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🖥️ Mac Studio M5 Ultra
For professionals, the Mac Studio upgrades to M5 Ultra: 32-core CPU, 80-core GPU, up to 192GB unified memory. Improved support for 8K video editing, AI/ML workflows, and 3D rendering. Price: from €2,299 (M5 Max) to €4,999 (M5 Ultra fully loaded).
🤔 No Event? Apple didn't hold an event for these products — a sign it considers them “routine upgrades.” It's saving the big events for iPhone 18 (September) and a potential mixed reality headset update.
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📊 Worth It?
Short answer: depends on what you have now. Sitting on an Intel Mac or M1? Upgrade yesterday. Have an M3/M4? Wait. Apple now follows an annual upgrade cycle that doesn't justify yearly purchases. But the 24GB RAM standard improvement changes things: you finally don't need an upgrade for proper multitasking.
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