Apple's next MacBook Air is several months away, but if you've been holding off on an upgrade, here's why now could actually be a good time to buy.

The Current Air is the Best Value Mid-Tier Mac

The M5 MacBook Air starts at $1,299 following Apple's recent $200 price hike, but Amazon is already knocking $100 off, bringing it down to $1,199. The base model's 16GB of RAM means it's no longer hobbled out of the box, and in terms of capability for what you pay, nothing else in the Mac lineup comes close – not even the $699 MacBook Neo, whose A18 Pro chip, capped 8GB of RAM, and lack of Thunderbolt 4 make it a different class of machine entirely. Don't forget: Apple is also offering M5 MacBook Air models in its refurbished store, with up to 15 percent off regular prices.

Prices Are More Likely to Rise Than Fall

The $200 price hike Apple applied in late June to the MacBook Air was a direct result of the ongoing global memory chip shortage, and there's no sign that the pressure is easing. If component costs stay elevated into next year's M6 refresh, there's a real chance that the next MacBook Air launches at an even higher price than today's model. Grabbing an M5 Air now could therefore be tantamount to getting ahead of the next hike.

No Air Refresh is Imminent

The next 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models aren't expected until early next year at the soonest, and they're likely to be an M6 chip bump rather than a redesign – so that's at least six months of waiting for a fairly modest spec-sheet upgrade. The bigger change is an OLED display, but that's even further out: Apple is reportedly bringing the Mac lineup's long-rumored OLED transition to the MacBook Pro first (complete with a touchscreen), and the latest rumors suggest an OLED MacBook Air won't arrive until 2028 or 2029. If a touchscreen OLED panel is what you're holding out for, you're really angling for a MacBook Pro, not an Air.

The Timing Could Work in Your Favor

Apple's back-to-school discounts, now live in the U.S., mean that education discounts and gift card promotions can cut the device's retail pricing. With those discounts in hand, it could work out to be the lowest price MacBook Air you can get before the next refresh (and who knows what price hikes that could bring).

It's Already More Mac Than Most People Need

Apple Silicon long ago passed the point where the MacBook Air struggles with everyday work. The M5 chip handles photo editing, light-to-medium video work, and heavy browser sessions without breaking a sweat. The chip's architecture is designed with AI computing in mind, and it also runs silent with no fan. Not only that, it will get macOS updates for years. For most buyers, the current Air won't feel slow before they're ready to replace it anyway.

Bottom Line

Wait if you want OLED or an M6-equipped machine. But otherwise, the M5 MacBook Air you can buy today is better than waiting for a marginally faster one arriving sometime in the first half of 2027.

This article, "5 Reasons to Buy a MacBook Air Now Instead of Waiting" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple will exclusively rely on Samsung Display for the production of OLED touch panels for its redesigned upcoming MacBook Pro models, according to a new report from Korea-based The Elec.


Citing industry sources, the publication says that the 14-inch and 16-inch panels will be produced at Samsung's 8.6-generation OLED line at Asan, in Korea's South Chungcheong Province. The estimated initial supply is said to be 2.5 million panels, and mass production is expected to begin around August.

Apple reportedly didn't consider LG Display or China's BOE Technology Group for panel development due to yield and efficiency issues, as well as already-busy OLED production lines, making Samsung the default sole supplier. Samsung is said to have secured the position by working closely with Apple from the outset, and adapting its panel specifications and manufacturing capabilities during development.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has repeatedly claimed that 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with an OLED touch screen are pegged to launch in late 2026 to early 2027. However, his most recent update on the matter said that early 2027 is now more likely because of the global chip shortage.

An OLED panel with touch-screen support is just one aspect of a major refresh planned for the high-end MacBook Pro models, with other rumored features including M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, a Dynamic Island (i.e., no notch) and a thinner design. The laptops could have "MacBook Ultra" branding, and macOS 27 will include a touch-friendly interface ready for the laptops.
This article, "MacBook Ultra OLED Touch Panel to Be Exclusively Supplied by Samsung" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums