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MacBook Air M5 deal makes Apple’s lightweight laptop more value for money

MacBook Air M5, M4 and MacBook Neo are all discounted right now. Here’s how to pick the right one.

Published on: May 09, 2026 8:01 AM IST
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Apple 2026 MacBook Air 13″ Laptop with M5 chip: AI and Apple Intelligence, 34.46 cm (13.6″) Liquid Retina Display, 16GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD Storage, 12MP Center Stage Camera, Touch ID; MidnightView Details...

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Apple 2025 MacBook Air (13-inch, Apple M4 chip with 10-core CPU and 8-core GPU, 16GB Unified Memory, 256GB) - MidnightView Details...

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Apple 2026 MacBook Neo 13″ Laptop with A18 Pro chip: Built for AI and Apple Intelligence, Liquid Retina Display, 8GB Unified Memory, 256GB SSD Storage, 1080p FaceTime HD Camera; SilverView Details...

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Apple iPhone Air 256 GB: Thinnest iPhone Ever, 16.63 cm (6.5″) Display with Promotion up to 120Hz, Powerful A19 Pro Chip, Center Stage Front Camera, All-Day Battery Life; Light GoldView Details...

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Apple AirPods 4 Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth Headphones, Personalised Spatial Audio, Sweat and Water Resistant, USB-C Charging Case, H2 Chip, Up to 30 Hours of Battery Life, Effortless Setup for iPhoneView Details...

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Every product we recommend is chosen through a combination of Primary Research and Secondary Research.

MacBooks are the go-to laptops for most professionals and creatives these days, and for good reason. They support Final Cut Pro, which is now available as part of Apple Creator Studio at 399 a month. Then there is the overall form factor, especially with the Air models, which lets you get a lot done while still being portable and easy to carry around.

MacBook Air M5 is a solid deal under  ₹1 lakh, and here I explain why. (Shaurya Sharma - HT Photo)
MacBook Air M5 is a solid deal under ₹1 lakh, and here I explain why. (Shaurya Sharma - HT Photo)
Shaurya Sharma

Shaurya Sharma is the Technology Editor at Hindustan Times Digital Streams, where he oversees technology coverage across digital and social platforms. With over eight years of experience across editorial, video production, and digital media, his work focuses on smartphones, AI, consumer gadgets, and shaping audience-first content strategies for modern tech consumers.

He began his career in 2018 as a fashion cinematographer before turning his lifelong passion for technology into a profession. From spending his childhood immersed in tech magazines, video games, and the latest gadgets to covering the global consumer tech industry today, technology has remained a constant throughout his journey.

Over the years, Shaurya has worked with some of India’s leading media organisations, including CNN-News18, Sportskeeda, and Guiding Tech, where he led video initiatives that combined strong editorial storytelling with engaging visual and social-first execution.

A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Manipal University, Shaurya has reviewed hundreds of products across categories including smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, cameras, and wearables. Beyond work, he is passionate about animal welfare, environmental causes, and automobiles, particularly turbo-petrol cars

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This year, Apple introduced the M5 MacBook Air as an upgrade over the M4 model. However, it also came with a price hike. The laptop launched at 1,19,900, which was a higher entry price compared to last year’s M4 model. Yes, Apple did upgrade the storage to 512GB, but it still meant spending more upfront.

Now though, as part of the Amazon Great Summer Sale, the price has dropped to 1,04,990. You can bring this down further with an HDFC credit card discount of 7,000, taking the effective price to around 98,000, 97,990 to be precise.

So, let us tell you why this is a good laptop to buy during the Amazon sale, and if you still cannot stretch your budget that far, we will also suggest some alternatives depending on your use case.

Read on.

MacBook Air M5 deal during Amazon Summer Sale 2026: Should you buy?

The MacBook Air with the M5 chipset comes with 16GB of unified memory and 512GB of storage. This setup makes it ideal for semi-advanced coding, 4K video editing in apps like Final Cut Pro, and even Adobe Creative Suite workflows, based on our testing so far.

Yes, it can get warm if you are working outside or in a non-air-conditioned environment, and performance can dip slightly. But the thermal throttling is not significant enough to become a major concern.

So, if you create content for social media or work with professional-grade apps, this is a very good option. You do not necessarily need to splurge on the MacBook Pro unless you are dealing with extremely heavy workloads or a lot of layers. Even then, the Air can still manage if you are willing to tolerate the occasional slowdown here and there, nothing too significant.

Another area where the MacBook Air shines is the display quality. You get a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, and it is undoubtedly one of the best panels in this price bracket.

It is colour accurate, bright enough for outdoor conditions, and excellent for photo and video editing. Then there are the additional MacBook advantages, including the Centre Stage camera, high-quality microphone array, powerful speakers, MagSafe charging, Thunderbolt 4 ports, and more.

Yes, Apple Intelligence is not the strongest AI suite around right now, but the good part is that you can simply ignore it if you do not want to use it.

Overall, the M5 MacBook Air offers very good value at under 1 lakh.

Can’t Afford the MacBook Air M5? Get the MacBook Air M4 Instead

If the MacBook Air M5 still feels expensive, you can consider the MacBook Air with the M4 chipset instead. It is currently available for around 92,500 with credit card offers, or 96,990 without them. And, this too, makes for a great deal.

That is roughly 10,000 cheaper, making it a great option for people who may not care about getting the absolute best performance but still want a MacBook Air experience. The money saved can also go towards accessories like a mouse, keyboard, or even a budget monitor.

2. Apple 2025 MacBook Air (13-inch, Apple M4 chip with 10-core CPU and 8-core GPU, 16GB Unified Memory, 256GB) - Midnight

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Again, this recommendation is for people who do not necessarily need the highest possible performance. The M4, by no means, feels slow compared to the M5 based on our testing. You can still comfortably edit videos, work on photos, and run creative apps without much trouble.

If you want maximum performance, go for the M5. Otherwise, the M4 remains an excellent choice.

Also, the display experience is largely similar to the M5, so you are not missing out on that front either.

What About the MacBook Neo?

Apple launched the MacBook Neo at 69,900, and now, as part of the Great Summer Sale, it has dropped to 61,990.

So, who should buy the MacBook Neo?

If you do not have performance-heavy tasks to deal with and mainly want a machine for research work, typing, browsing the internet, streaming content, or basic office tasks, the MacBook Neo should do the job just fine.

Yes, I have personally seen people edit videos on it as well, especially for lighter use cases. But do not expect anything too intensive, since it uses the A18 Pro chipset, which is essentially an iPhone processor.

The laptop comes with 256GB SSD storage, and the most interesting part is that it still retains the usual Apple build quality. You get the same aluminium construction, excellent battery life, and lightweight portability in a 13-inch form factor.

With credit card offers, you can get it for around 57,990, which makes it a genuinely solid value-for-money option.

ModelMacBook Air M5MacBook Air M4MacBook Neo
Launch Year202620252026
Starting Sale Price 97,990 with bank offers 92,500 with bank offers 57,990 with offers
ChipsetApple M5Apple M4Apple A18 Pro
CPU10-core CPU10-core CPU6-core CPU with 2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
GPUUp to 10-core GPUUp to 10-core GPU5-core GPU
Memory Bandwidth153GB/s120GB/s60GB/s
Memory16GB unified memory16GB unified memory8GB unified memory
Storage512GB SSD256GB SSD256GB / 512GB SSD
Display13.6-inch Liquid Retina13.6-inch Liquid Retina13-inch Liquid Retina
Resolution2560 x 16642560 x 16642408 x 1506
Brightness500 nits500 nits500 nits
Colour SupportP3 Wide Colour, True ToneP3 Wide Colour, True Tone1 billion colours, sRGB
Battery LifeUp to 18 hours video playbackUp to 18 hours video streamingUp to 16 hours video streaming
Wireless Web BatteryUp to 15 hoursUp to 15 hoursUp to 11 hours
Camera12MP Centre Stage12MP Centre Stage1080p FaceTime HD
AudioFour-speaker system with Spatial AudioFour-speaker systemDual speakers with Spatial Audio
MicrophonesHigh-quality mic arrayHigh-quality mic arrayDual-mic array with directional beamforming
Ports2x Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm jack2x Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm jack1x USB 3 Type-C, 1x USB 2 Type-C, 3.5mm jack
External Display SupportYesYesOne external 4K display at 60Hz
Wireless ConnectivityWi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6Wi-Fi 6E, BluetoothWi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 6
KeyboardMagic Keyboard with Touch IDMagic Keyboard with Touch IDMagic Keyboard, optional Touch ID
WeightAround 1.24kgAround 1.24kg1.23kg
Best ForCreators, video editors, advanced multitaskingMost users who want value and performanceStudents, office work, web browsing and light editing

Expertise and research behind this article

I have been reviewing laptops and consumer tech for over eight years, during which I’ve tested countless models across different price segments and use cases. This hands-on experience has helped me build a strong understanding of how to evaluate laptops properly, whether it is performance, display quality, thermals, battery life, portability, or long-term usability. Over the years, I’ve also stress-tested numerous laptops and attended launches and briefings from major brands including Apple, Asus, Dell, HP, and more, giving me deeper insight into what brands prioritise and what actually matters to users in day-to-day usage.

As for the models discussed in this article, including the MacBook Air M5, MacBook Air M4, and the newer MacBook lineup, these are devices I have personally used and experienced firsthand. I’ve edited videos on these systems, tested professional workflows, spoken to users who rely on these machines regularly, and evaluated how they perform in real-world conditions before making recommendations.

In particular, I used the MacBook Air M5 extensively across apps such as Final Cut Pro and Adobe Creative Suite to assess its performance, thermal management, multitasking capabilities, and overall efficiency before arriving at the conclusions mentioned in this article.

Other Apple Products On Sale

Apart from MacBooks, several Apple products are also on sale, including the iPhone, AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4 with ANC. Here are more deals worth checking out.

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FAQs

Is the MacBook Air M5 worth buying during the Amazon Summer Sale?

Yes, especially if you can avail the HDFC bank discount. The effective price drops to around 97,990, making it a much better value proposition than its launch price of 1,19,900.

Who should buy the MacBook Air M5?

The MacBook Air M5 is ideal for creators, professionals, students pursuing creative work, and people who need a lightweight laptop for video editing, coding, multitasking, and productivity work.

Can the MacBook Air M5 handle 4K video editing?

Yes. Based on our testing, the MacBook Air M5 can comfortably handle 4K video editing in apps like Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Pro for most workflows.

Does the MacBook Air M5 overheat?

The laptop can get warm during sustained heavy workloads, especially in non-air-conditioned environments. However, the thermal throttling is not severe enough to significantly affect day-to-day performance.

Should you buy the MacBook Air M4 instead of the M5?

If you want to save around 10,000 and do not need the absolute best performance, the MacBook Air M4 remains an excellent option. It still handles creative apps, photo editing, and video editing very well.

What is the biggest difference between the MacBook Air M5 and M4?

The M5 offers better memory bandwidth, faster SSD speeds, and slightly improved performance overall. However, the overall experience, including the display and battery life, remains quite similar between the two.

Is the MacBook Neo good for students?

Yes. The MacBook Neo is a good option for students, office users, and anyone looking for a lightweight laptop for research work, typing, streaming, presentations, and web browsing.

Can the MacBook Neo edit videos?

Yes, but only for lighter workloads. The A18 Pro chip can handle basic video editing, especially short-form social media content, but it is not meant for intensive professional editing.

What storage options are available on the MacBook Neo?

The MacBook Neo is available with 256GB and 512GB SSD storage options.

Does the MacBook Neo support external displays?

Yes. The MacBook Neo supports one external display at up to 4K resolution at 60Hz.

Which MacBook offers the best value right now?

For most people, the MacBook Air M4 offers the best balance of price and performance. However, if you want the latest chipset and slightly better performance, the MacBook Air M5 is worth considering.

Is Apple Intelligence a major reason to buy these MacBooks?

Not really. While Apple Intelligence is supported, the overall hardware experience, battery life, display quality, and software ecosystem remain the bigger reasons to consider a MacBook.

  • Shaurya Sharma
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Shaurya Sharma

    Shaurya Sharma is the Technology Editor at Hindustan Times Digital Streams, where he oversees technology coverage across digital and social platforms. With over eight years of experience across editorial, video production, and digital media, his work focuses on smartphones, AI, consumer gadgets, and shaping audience-first content strategies for modern tech consumers. He began his career in 2018 as a fashion cinematographer before turning his lifelong passion for technology into a profession. From spending his childhood immersed in tech magazines, video games, and the latest gadgets to covering the global consumer tech industry today, technology has remained a constant throughout his journey. Over the years, Shaurya has worked with some of India’s leading media organisations, including CNN-News18, Sportskeeda, and Guiding Tech, where he led video initiatives that combined strong editorial storytelling with engaging visual and social-first execution. A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Manipal University, Shaurya has reviewed hundreds of products across categories including smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, cameras, and wearables. Beyond work, he is passionate about animal welfare, environmental causes, and automobiles, particularly turbo-petrol carsRead More