Apple · Instant quote

Apple MacBook Air (2026)

Models: A3448, A3449

Screen Size:

Processor & GPU:

Memory:

Storage:

Cosmetic Condition:

Functionality:

Charger Included?

The Apple MacBook Air (2026) is the M5 generation, announced on March 3, 2026 and on sale from March 11, 2026 in two screen sizes: the 13-inch (model A3449) and the 15-inch (model A3448). Apple labels these machines "MacBook Air (13-inch, M5)" and "MacBook Air (15-inch, M5)" — note that the year is not part of the official name, so your Mac will report the chip rather than "2026". Both sizes run the same 10-core M5 chip with Neural Accelerators and hardware ray tracing, both start at 16GB of unified memory, and both use Apple's N1 wireless chip with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. Because the chip, the memory, and the SSD were all chosen once at checkout and soldered permanently to the logic board, your exact configuration is what sets the resale value — there is no way to upgrade any of it afterward. Pick your screen size, GPU, memory, storage, and condition in the tool above for an instant cash offer.

Not sure a buyback service is a real option? Gadget Salvation has bought used electronics directly from consumers since 2008. We are not a marketplace and not a consignment shop — we purchase your MacBook Air outright for cash. You get a firm quote here, a free insured prepaid shipping label, and payment within two business days of inspection. No listings, no buyer haggling, no seller fees, and no chargebacks weeks later. See how the process works.

One honest note on timing. This is a current-generation machine, and Apple silicon laptops lose value fastest in their first eighteen months. If you are already planning to part with your Air, selling sooner almost always nets more than waiting. Our guide on how to sell your MacBook Air for the best price covers the timing question in detail.

Confirm your exact MacBook Air before you quote

You do not need to open anything or read fine print. Click the Apple menu () at the top-left of your screen and choose About This Mac. That window names your chip and your machine — for example "MacBook Air (13-inch, M5)". The chip line should read Apple M5. If your Mac will not power on, turn it over: the model number is laser-etched on the underside in the format A3449 (13-inch) or A3448 (15-inch).

MacBook Air 13-inch (M5)

  • Model number: A3449
  • Model identifier: Mac17,3
  • Screen: 13.6-inch, 2560 × 1664
  • Weight: 2.7 lb (1.23 kg)
  • Speakers: four-speaker system
  • Part numbers begin MDH74, MDH84, MDHA4, MDHC4, MDHD4, MDHE4, MDHF4, MDHG4, MDHH4, MDHJ4, MDHK4

MacBook Air 15-inch (M5)

  • Model number: A3448
  • Model identifier: Mac17,4
  • Screen: 15.3-inch, 2880 × 1864
  • Weight: 3.3 lb (1.51 kg)
  • Speakers: six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofers
  • Part numbers begin MDV94, MDVA4, MDVC4, MDVD4, MDVE4, MDVF4, MDVH4, MDVK4, MDVN4, MDVQ4, MDVT4, MDVU4

Why the software check matters more than a visual one. Apple has kept the MacBook Air enclosure, colors, camera, and port layout very consistent from year to year, so two Airs from different years can be impossible to tell apart by eye — even side by side. The chip name in About This Mac, or the A-number etched on the underside, is the only reliable confirmation. Take the extra thirty seconds: an accurate selection here is what makes your quoted offer the offer you actually get paid. If you need help, our find your gadget's model page walks through every method, and the MacBook Air category lists every version we buy.

Core hardware configurations

Chip (Apple M5)

  • 10-core CPU — 4 super cores and 6 efficiency cores, on both sizes
  • 8-core GPU — 13-inch entry configuration only
  • 10-core GPU — 13-inch upgrade, and the only option on the 15-inch
  • Neural Accelerators and hardware-accelerated ray tracing
  • 16-core Neural Engine · 153GB/s memory bandwidth
  • Media engine with H.264, HEVC, ProRes, ProRes RAW, and AV1 decode

Memory (unified RAM)

  • 16GB standard on both sizes
  • Configurable at purchase to 24GB or 32GB
  • Soldered onto the chip package. Not upgradable, not replaceable, not repairable — whatever it shipped with is permanent
  • No 8GB configuration exists

Storage (SSD)

  • 512GB standard on both sizes
  • Configurable at purchase to 1TB, 2TB, or 4TB
  • Soldered NAND — there is no removable drive. The SSD cannot be swapped, enlarged, or pulled out before shipping
  • No 256GB configuration exists

Finishes

  • Sky Blue
  • Silver
  • Starlight
  • Midnight
  • Note: color does not confirm your model year — always verify the chip in About This Mac

Display & audio

Display

Liquid Retina LED-backlit IPS panel at 224 pixels per inch on both sizes. The 13-inch runs 2560 × 1664; the 15-inch runs 2880 × 1864. Both deliver 500 nits of brightness, 1 billion colors, P3 wide color, and True Tone. Be clear on what this panel is not: there is no mini-LED or XDR backlight, no ProMotion or high refresh rate — it runs at a fixed 60Hz — and no 1000-nit sustained HDR brightness.

Audio

The 13-inch uses a four-speaker sound system. The 15-inch steps up to a six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofers — a real hardware difference between the two sizes, not a marketing distinction. Both support Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos on the built-in speakers and dynamic head tracking with supported AirPods. Three-mic array with directional beamforming, plus Voice Isolation and Wide Spectrum microphone modes.

Ports & connectivity

The Air keeps a deliberately minimal port set. MagSafe 3 handles charging, so both USB-C ports stay free for accessories and displays.

Left side
  • 1× MagSafe 3 charging port
  • 2× Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) (charging, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4 up to 40Gb/s)
Right side
  • 1× 3.5mm headphone jack (advanced support for high-impedance headphones)

Not present on this machine: no HDMI port, no SD or SDXC card slot, no USB-A ports, no Ethernet jack, and no Face ID — authentication is handled by the Touch ID button on the keyboard.

External displays: the 2026 Air supports two external displays alongside the built-in screen at full resolution — two at up to 6K/60Hz or 4K/144Hz, or a single display at up to 8K/60Hz, 5K/120Hz, or 4K/240Hz. Both external displays can run from a single Thunderbolt port.

Apple N1 wireless chip Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) Bluetooth 6 Thread Touch ID MagSafe 3

Battery, build & more

Battery & charging

The 13-inch carries a 53.8Wh battery; the 15-inch carries 66.5Wh. Apple rates both at up to 18 hours of video streaming or 15 hours of wireless web. Both ship with the 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max and a USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable. Fast charging requires a 70W or higher USB PD source; the 35W Dual USB-C compact adapter and the 70W adapter were build-to-order alternatives. Include whichever adapter came in your box — a missing charger reduces the offer.

Camera & mic

12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View support and 1080p HD video recording, driven by an advanced image signal processor with computational video. Paired with a three-mic array offering Voice Isolation and Wide Spectrum modes. There is no Face ID.

Keyboard & trackpad

Backlit Magic Keyboard with 78 ANSI keys (79 ISO), including a full-height physical function row and an ambient light sensor, with Touch ID at the top right. Large Force Touch trackpad with pressure sensing, Force clicks, and Multi-Touch gestures.

Wireless

Built on Apple's own N1 networking chip, bringing Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Bluetooth 6, and Thread networking support. You can confirm this in System Information under Wi-Fi if you want a second check on your hardware.

Dimensions

13-inch: 0.44 × 11.97 × 8.46 in (1.13 × 30.41 × 21.5 cm). 15-inch: 0.45 × 13.40 × 9.35 in (1.15 × 34.04 × 23.76 cm).

Build & materials

Fanless aluminum unibody enclosure — there is no cooling fan, so the machine runs silent under any load. Apple lists 55% recycled content overall, including 100% recycled aluminum in the enclosure and 100% recycled cobalt in the battery. Runs macOS Tahoe 26 with Apple Intelligence support.

How the Gadget Salvation MacBook Air trade-in works

Most people assume selling a laptop means either a marketplace listing or a store-credit trade-in. There is a third option, and it is the one we have run since 2008: a straight cash buyback, entirely online.

  • Get an instant quote. Choose your screen size, GPU, memory, storage, and condition in the tool above. The number you see is a firm commitment, not an opening bid.
  • Ship it free. We email a prepaid, fully insured UPS label. You never pay for shipping or insurance. Our packing and shipping instructions explain how to protect the display in transit — worth reading, because the Air's thin lid is the part most often damaged by poor packing.
  • We inspect and pay. Our technicians verify the configuration and condition, then release payment within two business days by PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, CashApp, or a mailed company check.
  • Your data is destroyed. Every incoming drive goes through certified sanitization — see our data erasure protocols.

No listing fees, no final-value fees, no payment-processing cut, no meeting strangers, and no chargeback risk after the fact. If you want to weigh the alternatives first, our blog explains how and where to trade in an Apple MacBook and how Apple Trade In works online — worth knowing that Apple pays in store credit rather than cash. Clearing out several machines from an office, studio, or classroom? Use bulk selling, corporate device buyback, or school device buyback. For an unusual configuration, request a custom quote.

Frequently asked questions

01 How do I confirm I have the 2026 MacBook Air, and which screen size?
Click the Apple menu () at the top-left of your screen and choose About This Mac. Look at the chip line: it should read Apple M5. One thing that trips people up — Apple did not put a year in this machine's name, so your Mac will say "MacBook Air (13-inch, M5)" or "MacBook Air (15-inch, M5)" rather than "2026". That is the right machine for this page; the M5 generation and the 2026 model year are the same thing. If your Mac will not power on, flip it over and read the etched model number: A3449 is the 13-inch and A3448 is the 15-inch. Screen size is easy either way — 13.6 inches versus 15.3 inches is obvious in the hand, and the 15-inch weighs about half a pound more. Our find your gadget's model page covers every method if you get stuck.
02 My Air looks just like the one in the photos — is that enough to go on?
No, and this is the most common reason a quote gets revised at inspection. Apple has kept the MacBook Air enclosure, its finish options, its camera, its display brightness, and its two-port layout remarkably consistent from one year to the next, which means two Airs from different years can be genuinely impossible to tell apart by eye — even placed side by side on a desk. Matching your laptop to a photo, a color, or a screen size will not confirm which one you have. Only two checks are reliable: the chip name in About This Mac, which should read Apple M5, and the model number etched on the underside, which should read A3449 for the 13-inch or A3448 for the 15-inch. If either of those does not match, this is not the right page for your machine — browse the MacBook Air category to find the version you actually have, or request a custom quote and we will help you place it. Thirty seconds of checking now protects the offer you were quoted.
03 Will you buy a MacBook Air with a cracked screen, dents, or a fault?
Yes. Damage does not disqualify your laptop — it only changes the number. We buy Airs with cracked or pressure-marked displays, dented or bent lids, worn palm rests, batteries that no longer hold a charge, dead keys, unresponsive trackpads, Thunderbolt ports that will not connect, liquid exposure, and units that will not power on at all. The logic board, the display assembly, and the aluminum enclosure all retain real value. Just select the honest cosmetic grade and tick every issue that applies in the tool above — describing damage accurately up front is exactly what makes the quoted offer the final offer. Two points specific to the Air: its thin lid is unusually easy to damage in shipping, so pad the laptop well and never ship it loose in an oversized box; and if the battery has visibly swollen or lifted the trackpad or bottom cover, tell us and add extra padding, since that is a safety matter as well as a pricing one. More detail in our post on where to sell a broken laptop.
04 Which configurations are worth the most, and what do sellers usually get wrong?
Storage and memory drive most of the spread, since every 2026 Air runs the same M5 chip. A 2TB or 4TB SSD adds substantially over the 512GB base, and 24GB or 32GB of unified memory adds meaningfully over 16GB. The 15-inch generally fetches more than the 13-inch at matching specs, reflecting its higher retail price and the smaller pool of used units on the market. Within the 13-inch, the 10-core GPU configuration is worth more than the 8-core entry version. Here is what many people do not realize: because the memory and the SSD are soldered to the logic board, a 16GB machine is permanently a 16GB machine. A buyer who needs 32GB cannot buy a 16GB unit and add more later — they have to pay for it up front. That makes high-memory and high-storage Airs disproportionately valuable on the used market, and it is the single most common reason sellers underestimate what a well-specified machine is worth. Two more factors that move the number: battery health, and including the original power adapter, since the 40W Dynamic and 70W adapters are not cheap to replace separately. For how the Air compares across Apple's range on residual value, see our breakdown of which used Apple Mac retains the most value.
05 How do I erase my data and sign out of my Apple Account, and when do I get paid?
Back up anything you want to keep, then run Erase All Content and Settings from System Settings → General → Transfer or Reset. That single step wipes your data, signs you out of your Apple Account, and turns off Find My and Activation Lock together. This matters more than people expect: a Mac still locked to your Apple Account cannot be reset or resold by anyone else, so we would have to return it to you before we could pay. If the machine will not boot, just tell us and we will handle the lock during inspection. Do not try to remove the SSD — the storage is soldered in place and cannot be taken out; our technicians run certified sanitization on every incoming drive instead, as described on our data erasure protocols page. If this Air was issued by an employer or a school, confirm it has been released from MDM or Apple Business Manager enrollment before shipping, or it will stay locked to that organization no matter how thoroughly it is wiped. Once your laptop reaches our lab and passes inspection, payment is approved within two business days by PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, CashApp, or a mailed check, and your prepaid label is free and fully insured. Our checklist on preparing a MacBook Air for sale covers the remaining steps, including unpairing Bluetooth accessories.