Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5) vs Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M5 Pro)
Get the 15-inch Air. A big screen, lighter, silent and half the price, plenty for office work and photos. The 16-inch Pro is the most powerful MacBook short of the Max, for long heavy jobs.
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Which one is for you?
MacBook Air 15 (M5)
A big screen for everyday work, moved around the house or office, not paying double? The Air 15.
Is the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5) worth it?MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro)
Long videos, big photo sets or music projects, drives, cameras and monitors? Then it's the Pro 16.
Is the Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M5 Pro) worth it?Key differences
Performance
Screen
Weight
Ports
Noise
What owners say
Verified buyers only; every 1–3 star review read by us. How we do this
MacBook Air 15 (M5)
Owners love how fast and light it is for its size, and the sharp screen. No low ratings yet.
- Fast
- Light and thin for its size
- Sleek and well built
Nothing came up often enough to list.
MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro)
Owners love how fast it is and the big, sharp screen, and several switching from Windows or an old Mac found it easy. No low ratings yet.
- Fast
- Big, sharp screen
- Long battery life
Nothing came up often enough to list.
Related pages
How we reached this verdict
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: TechRadar, Expert Reviews, TechRadar: MacBook Pro 14, Expert Reviews: MacBook Pro 16, manufacturer specifications.
Owner reports for the MacBook Air 15 (M5): 53 verified buyer ratings at Currys, Harvey Norman (NZ, Australia), Takealot (South Africa) and Costco (Canada), read November 2026.
Owner reports for the MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro): 35 verified buyer ratings at Currys, Takealot (South Africa) and Costco (Canada), read November 2026.