Apple
MacBook Air 13 M4
M4 · 13.6″ Liquid Retina · 1.24 kg
91
/ 100
From $999
VS
Mac Studio M5 Ultra · 16GB wins by 7
Apple
Mac Studio M5 Ultra · 16GB
M5 Ultra · 16GB
98
/ 100
From $4,199
Specdex verdict
Mac Studio M5 Ultra · 16GB takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, MacBook Air 13 M4 lands at 91 and Mac Studio M5 Ultra · 16GB at 98. That puts Mac Studio M5 Ultra · 16GB ahead by 7 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick MacBook Air 13 M4 if…
- ✓$999 starting at 16 GB / 256 GB
- ✓Best perf-per-watt 13″ laptop
- ✓24-hour battery on light loads
Pick Mac Studio M5 Ultra · 16GB if…
- ✓M5 generation perf-per-watt leader
- ✓Larger unified memory ceiling
- ✓Improved ray-tracing iGPU
MacBook Air 13 M4 91
vs 98 Mac Studio M5 Ultra · 16GB
Score breakdown
MacBook Air 13 M4
91 cpu 92
gpu 86
display 88
battery 96
design 96
build 96
portability 0
Mac Studio M5 Ultra · 16GB
98 cpu 98
gpu 96
display 92
battery 96
design 0
build 0
portability 90
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | MacBook Air 13 M4 | Mac Studio M5 Ultra · 16GB |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 13.6″ Liquid Retina, 60Hz | — |
| CPU | Apple M4 (10-core) | — |
| GPU | 8 / 10-core integrated | — |
| RAM | 16 / 24 / 32 GB unified | 16GB |
| Storage | 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 / 2 TB | — |
| Battery | 52.6 Wh | — |
| Weight | 1.24 kg | — |
| Chip | — | M5 Ultra |
| Release year | — | 2025 |
| OS | — | macOS 16 |
MacBook Air 13 M4
Pros
- +$999 starting at 16 GB / 256 GB
- +Best perf-per-watt 13″ laptop
- +24-hour battery on light loads
Cons
- −No ProMotion 120Hz
- −Single external display on base SKU
- −Notch in display
Mac Studio M5 Ultra · 16GB
Pros
- +M5 generation perf-per-watt leader
- +Larger unified memory ceiling
- +Improved ray-tracing iGPU
Cons
- −macOS-only
- −Memory non-upgradable
- −High-end configs expensive
FAQ: MacBook Air 13 M4 vs Mac Studio M5 Ultra · 16GB
Which is better, MacBook Air 13 M4 or Mac Studio M5 Ultra · 16GB? +
Mac Studio M5 Ultra · 16GB scores 98 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 7. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is MacBook Air 13 M4 worth the price? +
At $999, MacBook Air 13 M4 delivers a Specdex score of 91 — strongest in battery.
Is Mac Studio M5 Ultra · 16GB worth the price? +
At $4,199, Mac Studio M5 Ultra · 16GB delivers a Specdex score of 98 — strongest in cpu.
Does MacBook Air 13 M4 or Mac Studio M5 Ultra · 16GB last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.