Apple’s M5-powered MacBook Air will launch in spring 2026. The company is also working on refreshed Mac Studio, Mac mini, and new external monitors for next year.
Apple unveiled the first set of M5-powered devices earlier this week, including the 14-inch MacBook Pro, Vision Pro and iPad Pro.
Apple’s new M5 chip packs more power than predecessors, with advanced performance for Apple Intelligence and pumped up GPU performance boosting graphics processing, among other incremental improvements across the chip.
“M5 ushers in the next big leap in AI performance for Apple silicon,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Technologies. “With the introduction of Neural Accelerators in the GPU, M5 delivers a huge boost to AI workloads.”
“Combined with a big increase in graphics performance, the world’s fastest CPU core, a faster Neural Engine, and even higher unified memory bandwidth,” he added, “M5 brings far more performance and capabilities to MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and Apple Vision Pro.”
Ready to convert to Mac? I came across one user who scored a nice student deal on a MacBook Air, and soon found themself upgrading their whole outdated PC setup as a complete, highly functional and reasonably affordable Apple-ecosystem rig.
“I’m so so cooked … the Apple ecosystem is a huge trap!” they joked. “Don’t let one device get into your house.”
Anker’s a top accessories maker for Apple users — maybe most of all for charging needs related to MacBooks and other devices. As usual, Anker Prime Day and Prime Big Deal Days sale items could fill a dense catalogue. So we thought we’d put together some top picks for MacBook users. Namely, a choice multiport charger with solid wattage, a great portable power bank with retractable cables and a highly functional docking station with fast transfer speeds and ample connectivity. Check them out below.
MacBooks make you faster, sharper and more productive. But they’ve always come with one big problem: price. Upgraded’s affordable MacBook financing program changes that.
Whether you’re buying a MacBook for yourself or outfitting an entire company, it usually means a huge upfront bill, a complicated reselling process, or headaches when managing devices for remote employees.
Upgraded solves this with simple monthly MacBook subscriptions, starting at just $33.28 per month. For businesses, Upgraded’s innovative MacBook financing also means turning big upfront capital expenses into smaller operating expenses you can write off, while handing off the hassle of device management.
Apple will reportedly expand the use of custom chips in its future devices. This will start with the upcoming iPhone 17 Air using its in-house modem.
The M5 MacBook Air will allegedly then follow, using a new in-house wireless chip, likely combining Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functionality into one.
Apple is gearing up for a blockbuster year, with a packed product roadmap that spans nearly every category in its lineup. From an iPhone redesign to upgrades for the Mac, iPad and Apple Watch families, the next twelve months promise a steady stream of hardware refreshes, software milestones and perhaps a few surprises.
Whether you’re a casual user or a die-hard fan, here’s a look at every major Apple product expected between now and next summer.
Two new HDMI adapters from Other World Computing (OWC) solve the external display limitations that have frustrated Apple Silicon Mac users since the M1 chip’s introduction, the company said Monday. The new OWC USB-C Quad HDMI 4K Adapter and redesigned OWC USB-C Dual HDMI 4K Adapter offer Mac owners a way to connect multiple external monitors without juggling multiple dongles.
“Whether you’re working with spreadsheets, streaming data, editing video or just need more screen real estate to stay productive, we believe your gear shouldn’t hold you back,” said Larry O’Connor, OWC’s founder and CEO. “With our new Quad and enhanced Dual HDMI adapters, we’re giving users the power to easily expand their visual workspace, without the complexity or cost of juggling multiple adapters or sacrificing performance.”
Want a capable Apple laptop at a super-affordable price? This sale from Cult of Mac Deals means you can land a refurbished M1 MacBook Air for only $429.99.
That’s a crazy-good price for an Apple laptop that’s perfect for most people’s needs.
Apple could launch a MacBook next year that’s even more affordable than the current $999 13-inch MacBook Air. The new budget laptop supposedly will use an A18 Pro chip and come in several colors.
The company hopes to boost MacBook shipments to return to the COVID-19 peak of around 25 million next year with this move.
Want to buy a MacBook and pay monthly? Apple fans love staying current. But when it comes to MacBooks, upgrading isn’t always easy. Base models at big box stores can feel underpowered. Reselling is a pain. And dropping $2,000-plus upfront? Not ideal.
That’s why more people are switching to Upgraded, a MacBook installment plan that starts at just $33.28 per month. It lets you customize your machine’s specs, and offers an easy upgrade every two years.
No resale headaches. No massive upfront cost. Just the Mac you want, when you want it.
Sometimes a computer setup may look basic or boring at a glance — but it still might get the job done quite well and pack some surprisingly cool gear. Today’s featured setup, centered on an M3 MacBook Air with dual monitors, is a good example. It features not only Apple’s great lightweight laptop driving a pair of displays, but some other solid peripherals — like a Harman Kardon Bluetooth speaker I’ve never seen before in a setup featured on Cult of Mac.
And while the user seemed unsure his not-super-cool setup warranted posting on social media, he ended up getting lots of reassurance and good advice for improvements.
The 3-monitor setup isn’t terribly rare in the world of computer workstations displayed on social media. But a MacBook Air driving a trio of wall-mounted 4K monitors — all in landscape orientation, end to end — isn’t especially common, as it appears in today’s featured setup. Viewers loved its clean look. And it turned out the user employs a couple of tricks to help keep it that way.
Apple device users looking for a more compact and versatile charging solution now have a compelling new option in the new CukTech 15 140W GaN Charger, the company said Wednesday. That’s particularly good news for MacBook Pro owners. And not just because of the 40% off launch discount — but because this charger packs enough power for laptops.
If your favorite app doesn’t work well with the screen notch in your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, there is a solution. Apple created a “Scale to fit below built-in camera” setting that always puts the app into the space below the notch when in full-screen mode.
And it can be set for individual apps. Here’s how.
President Donald Trump’s newly announced 54% tariff on Chinese imports sent shock waves through the tech industry, with Apple potentially facing billions in additional costs. This raises an urgent question for consumers: Should you rush to buy that new iPhone or MacBook before prices skyrocket?
You might want to accelerate the timing of that upgrade you had in the back of your mind. But those who aren’t desperate to upgrade might benefit from playing the waiting game. See the ins and outs below.
Hooray for (super-) simple solutions. Today’s MacBook Pro and MacBook Air user runs both laptops with Studio Display. But how does he switch between them? Sure, he could employ cabling and software fixes to run both at once, but in this case simple hardware in the form of a dual vertical laptop stand comes to the rescue.
Amazon is famous for its Prime Day and Black Friday deals, but it also runs the Amazon Big Spring Sale, on now. It ends Monday, March 31, unless extended. That wouldn’t be too surprising, given that the mega retailer often extends its sales. So it’s another chance for you to score savings on all sorts of Apple gear, including MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac mini, iPad Pro, iPad Air, Apple Watch, AirPods Pro 2 and more. Click on our posts to all the best deals, below.
When I came across today’s M4 iMac setup on the interwebs, I realized how rarely they come up in Cult of Mac‘s setups coverage. Out of 616 articles I’ve written about setups to date — over more than 4 years — this is only the 11th one to feature an iMac (plus a few others from before I took over the setups beat). And that small number doesn’t come from any hatred of iMacs on my part. It’s just that users seem to flaunt them much less on social media than other hardware. And they’re not top sellers for Apple.
★★★★☆
Anyone who constantly moves around with multiple devices knows finding a reliable power bank for laptop charging can be a challenge. After more than a week of using the new Alogic Roam 21,000mAh Power Bank, I’m ready to share my hands-on experience with the premium charger. Is it worth the investment? Yes. Let’s dive in, and I’ll tell you why.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Griffin goes deep on the M3 iPad Air and the M4 MacBook Air, which he recently reviewed from his unique perspective as a Mac mini fanatic. He loved them both, but which one rules the day? And can either of them come close to his desktop dynamo?
Also on The CultCast:
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
★★★★★
The 2025 MacBook Air with Apple’s M4 processor comes as close as you can get to a perfect computer for just about everyone. As I found during testing for this review, Apple crammed tons of power into a svelte, lightweight design. And this combination has never been more affordable.
This latest MacBook Air might look familiar on the outside. But when you get to work, you’ll quickly discover that the M4 is a totally different beast. M3 to M4 is the biggest leap in performance since Apple’s original switch from Intel processors to Apple silicon.
I put the latest MacBook Air through its paces for this hands-on review — read what I learned below or watch our video.
Joining the Apple ecosystem can cost a pretty penny, but not when you opt for a refurbished MacBook Air. Buying a barely used Apple laptop offers a more affordable way to join the family.
Want in? You can purchase a refurbished MacBook Air from 2017 for just $229.97 for a limited time.
New M4 MacBook Air reviews find it’s one of Apple’s most compelling laptop updates in recent memory — not because of revolutionary changes, but due to thoughtful refinements and a surprising price reduction. Here’s what reviewers said Tuesday about the new M4 MacBook Air.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: There’s plenty to talk about after an absolutely magical barrage of new Apple products unveiled this week. We discuss the highlights (and lowlights) of all the new Macs and iPads.
Also on The CultCast:
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.