Mashable Picks $1,299 15-Inch M5 MacBook Air as Best 2026 MacBook
Updated
Updated · Mashable · May 31
Mashable Picks $1,299 15-Inch M5 MacBook Air as Best 2026 MacBook
3 articles · Updated · Mashable · May 31
$1,299 gets buyers Mashable’s top overall pick for 2026: the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air, which it says best balances performance, build quality and future-proofing for most users.
The review says Apple’s latest Air and Pro cost $100 more than prior models but now start with doubled storage, making them effectively cheaper than predecessors with matching capacity.
$599 MacBook Neo is framed as the new budget entry point—$499 for students—with an A18 Pro chip, about 15 hours of battery life and enough power for basic browsing, schoolwork and streaming.
$1,699 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro is Mashable’s upgrade pick for creators and power users, offering 1TB base storage, stronger sustained performance and 21 hours 17 minutes of battery life.
The comparison argues MacBooks remain unusually competitive in 2026 because Apple silicon still delivers strong speed and efficiency while avoiding the steeper price increases hitting many Windows laptops and Chromebooks.