# How does battery life compare between MacBook Air M4 and M5?

> Real-world battery testing reveals surprising results

*Published: 2026-03-19 | Updated: 2026-03-19 | Source: https://shopsavvy.com/answers/macbook-air-m4-vs-m5-battery-life-comparison*

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## Product: Apple MacBook Air 2025 13-inch with M4 Chip
**Brand:** Apple

Apple claims both laptops get 18 hours of battery life. They have identical 53.8Wh batteries. So what's actually different? The test results tell an interesting story.

## Normal Indoor Use: Essentially Identical

At typical brightness indoors (around 150 nits):
- M5: Approximately 16 hours
- M4: Approximately 16 hours

They're basically the same. The M4 actually lasted 2 minutes longer in one test, which is statistically meaningless.

## Video Playback: M5 Wins

In video playback tests:
- M5: 16 hours 38 minutes
- M4: 14 hours 34 minutes

That's 14% better on the [M5 MacBook Air](https://www.amazon.com/Apple-MacBook-13-inch-Unified-Storage/dp/B0DZDC3WW5?tag=shopsavvy00-20), likely thanks to improved media engine efficiency. Apple didn't even advertise this.

## Maximum Brightness: M4 Wins

At full screen brightness:
- M5: 6 hours 39 minutes
- M4: 7 hours 5 minutes

The M4 lasts about 26 minutes longer at maximum brightness. The M5's faster chip requires slightly more power when everything is pushed to the limit.

## What This Means Practically

Unless you regularly work outside or in extremely bright environments, this is a non-issue. Both laptops easily last a full workday and more at normal brightness settings.

The 6% difference at maximum brightness only affects outdoor workers or those who prefer blindingly bright screens.

## Charging Performance

Both include similar chargers and take about 2 hours for a full charge. No advantage either way.

## The Bottom Line

Don't choose between M4 and M5 based on battery life. They're practically identical for real-world use. Make your decision based on storage, performance, or price, knowing battery life is excellent on both.

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*Where this comes from: This answer is based on ShopSavvy's product database, real-time pricing from thousands of retailers, and analysis of user reviews to give you a well-rounded picture.*