Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 vs Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401 Comparison

Laptop to replace

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Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026

13.6 inches | March 2026

Speed 7.5

Size 7

Display 5.5

Gaming 4

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Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401

14 inches | June 2024

Speed 7

Size 8.5

Display 7.5

Gaming 4

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Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 vs Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401 Comparison Overview

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In this review, we will be comparing MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 and TUF Gaming A14 FA401, two laptops from Apple and Asus. Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 was introduced to market in March 2026 and Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401 was launched in June 2024. There is 21 months difference between MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 and TUF Gaming A14 FA401 so it would still give an advantage to younger MacBook Air 13 M5 2026.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Here is a brief look at the main features of Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 and Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 Key Specs

Launched in March 2026
13.6" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Apple M5 (8-Core GPU)
GPU: Apple M5 GPU (8-Core)
16GB Ram
304.1 x 215 x 11.3 mm (11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches)
Weight: 1.23 kg (2.71 lbs)

Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401 Key Specs

Launched in June 2024
14.0" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
GPU: GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile 6GB
8GB Ram
311 x 227 x 16.9-19.9 mm (12.24 x 8.94 x 0.67-0.78 inches)
Weight: 1.46 kg (3.22 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 and TUF Gaming A14 FA401 compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 over Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401

Weight	1.23 kg vs 1.46 kg	0.23 kg lighter
Screen-to-Body Ratio	~82% vs ~80.5%	Larger screen area ratio
Screen PPI	225 ppi vs 216 ppi	More pixels per inch
Screen Resolution	2560 x 1664 pixels vs 2560 x 1600 pixels	Higher pixel count screen
CPU Fabrication Process	3 nm vs 4 nm	Newer Generation CPU
GPU Fabrication Process	3 nm vs 4 nm	Newer Generation GPU
Number of Microphones	3 vs 2	Better Sound capture
WiFi Standard	v7 vs v6E	More advanced Wi-fi connectivity
Bluetooth	v6.0 vs v5.3	More advanced Bluetooth connectivity
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes vs No	Easy login with fingerprint
Thunderbolt	v4 vs No	Support audio, data, power and video all through one single port

Reasons to choose Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401 over Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026

Side Bezel Thickness	4.8 mm vs 5.6 mm	0.8 mm thinner bezels
Display Size	14 inches vs 13.6 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Refresh Rate	165 Hz vs 60 Hz	Smoother media experience
Screen Type	Matte vs Glossy	potentially less reflections on screen
Response Time	3 ms vs 20 ms	Faster Response screen
GPU FLOPS	6.8-9.5 TFLOPS vs 3.3 TFLOPS	Dedicated GPU unit
GPU Type	Dedicated vs Integrated	Easily increase the Storage when needed
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs No	Connect to external monitors directly via HDMI cable
HDMI Port	1x HDMI 2.1 vs No	Read & Write SD Cards with the built-in reader
SD Card Reader	Yes vs No	Better typing feel
Key Travel	1.7 mm vs 1 mm

Common Strengths of Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401 and Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026

Launch Dates	March 2026 vs June 2024	Both laptops are recent models
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Dolby Atmos Support	Yes vs Yes	3D Surround Sound Support
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401 and Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026

Touchscreen Capability	No vs No	No Touchscreen Capability
Upgradable RAM	No vs No	No Option to increase the RAM size

Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 vs Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 and the Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401.

Physical Specs
Weight	1.23 kg (2.71 lbs)	1.46 kg (3.22 lbs)
Surface Area	654 cm2 (101.3 inches2)	706 cm2 (109.4 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~82%	~80.5%
Side Bezel Thickness	~5.6 mm	~4.8 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.09 kg/inch	0.10 kg/inch
	0.198 lbs/inch	0.22 lbs/inch
Colors	Black, Silver, Gold, Blue	Gray

Comparison of the Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 and the Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401 External Dimensions

Weight

MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 weighs 1.23 kg (2.71 lbs), whereas the TUF Gaming A14 FA401 weighs 1.46 kg (3.22 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. However, it's important to consider that comparing their weights directly may not provide a complete picture since they also have different display sizes.

Weight Comparison

Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026

Avg: 13.0-13.9"

Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401

Avg: 14.0-14.9"

Thickness Comparison

Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026

Avg: 13.0-13.9"

Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401

Avg: 14.0-14.9"

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 is 0.09 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401 is 0.10 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Microsoft Surface Pro 12: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ14 HT7407: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch

Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 vs Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401: Internals Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Apple M5 (8-Ñore GPU) Apple M5 (10-Core)	AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS
Base Frequency	4.61 GHz	2.0 GHz
Number of Cores	10 (4P + 6E)	12
Number of Threads	10	24
Integrated GPU	Apple M5 GPU (8-core)	AMD Radeon 890M
CPU Fabrication Process	3 nm	4 nm

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 and Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPU ( AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 ) and compare them:

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	Apple M5 GPU (8-core)	GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile 6GB GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile 8GB
Boost CLock Frequency	1620 MHz	1755 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)		50 W
Type	Integrated	Dedicated
FLOPS	3.3 TFLOPS	6.8-9.5 TFLOPS
Memory Size	System Shared	6 GB
Memory Type	LPDDR5X	GDDR6
Memory Bus	128 bit	96 bit
Memory Speed	9.6 Gbps	~16 Gbps
Shading Units Cores	1024	2560
TMUs	64	80
ROPs	32	48

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 has a FLOPS value of 3.3 TFLOPS whereas the Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401 ' has a FLOPS value of 6.8-9.5 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401 may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	16GB 24GB 32GB	8GB 16GB 32GB
Memory Bus	2x8 GB	2x4 GB
RAM Clock	9600 MHz	7500 MHz
RAM Type	LPDDR5X	LPDDR5X
Upgradable	No	No

With a larger RAM capacity of 16 GB, the MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 offers an advantage for multitasking and resource-intensive applications compared to the TUF Gaming A14 FA401's RAM capacity of 8 GB.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 (2026)	Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401
CPU	Apple M5 (8-Core GPU) (NPU)	AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
GPU	Apple GPU (Metal, unified memory)	GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile 6GB
Memory	16 GB	8 GB ; 6 GB VRAM
Available for LLM total	~10.5 GB (10.5 GB RAM)	~10 GB (4.5 GB VRAM 5.5 GB RAM)
Small Models (1-3B): Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B Requires ~2 GB memory	✔ Runs Well fits in your 10.5 GB RAM	✔ Runs Well fits in your 6 GB VRAM
Medium Models (7-8B): Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B Requires ~5 GB memory	✔ Modest Speed fits in your 10.5 GB RAM	✔ Modest Speed doesn't fit in 6 GB VRAM, spills to RAM (VRAM + RAM, slower)
Large Models
13-15B Models (e.g., Llama 3 14B, Qwen1.5 14B) Requires ~9 GB memory	✔ Modest Speed fits in your 10.5 GB RAM	! Not Practical doesn't fit in 6 GB VRAM, spills to RAM (VRAM + RAM, slower)
16-24B Models (e.g., Dense 20B Q4 ~15.5GB) Requires ~14 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM
24-30B Models (e.g., Dense 30B Q4) Requires ~18 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM
MoE Models (Mixture-of-Experts) (e.g., Mixtral 8x7B - total ~47B, active ~12-13B) Requires ~24 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM
Extra-Large Models (65B+): Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B Requires ~42 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM

For more detailed LLM evaluation (subcategories, performance ranges, memory breakdown)

Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 (2026)|Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 Model Types: Dense 30B Q4 models typically require around 19–22 GB of total VRAM, so they run best on systems with ≥24 GB VRAM. MoE models like Mixtral 8x7B (≈47B total parameters, usually ≈23–26 GB in 4-bit) also need high memory because all experts must be loaded, even though only a few are active per token. They reduce compute cost per token (similar to a ~12–13B dense model), but not memory usage, so they are not practical on 14–16 GB systems.

Understanding Performance Categories

The performance descriptions use general categories because actual speed varies greatly based on your specific hardware, model optimization, context length, and runtime software.

Performance Level	Typical Range	User Experience
Runs Smoothly (High-end dGPU)	50+ tok/s	Real-time response. Feels instant, like ChatGPT.
Runs Well (Mid-range dGPU)	20-50 tok/s	Good interactive performance. Slight delay, but usable.
Modest Speed (iGPU/NPU/CPU)	5-20 tok/s	Usable for tasks that don't need instant responses. Noticeable typing delay.
Borderline / Slow (Limited hardware)	2-5 tok/s	Slow-Very slow. Patience required. Better for batch processing.
Not Practical	<2 tok/s	Too slow for regular use. May cause system hangs or instability.

💡 Tip: Your actual results may be higher or lower than these ranges. Test with your specific hardware to know for sure!

⚠️ Note: Performance categorization is based on VRAM capacity and RAM fallback status. GPU type (memory bandwidth, compute power) can also affect actual performance. Currently, we prioritize whether the model fits in VRAM or requires RAM fallback for classification. We may refine this categorization in future updates based on more detailed benchmarks.

BATTERY

BATTERY	53.8 Wh	73 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	No	No
Charging Port Position	Left	Left
Charge Power	35 / 40 / 70 W	200 W
Cable Length	2 meters

On the other hand, the TUF Gaming A14 FA401 features a higher battery capacity of 73 Wh, delivering longer usage time compared to the MacBook Air 13 M5 2026's 54 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026

Avg: 13.0-13.9"

Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401

Avg: 14.0-14.9"

STORAGE
Both laptops, the MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 and the TUF Gaming A14 FA401 have similar max. storage capacities of 4 TB, allowing for ample space to store files and applications.

Storage Options	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB
Upgradable	No	Yes
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes
Memory Bus	Custom	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 vs Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 and Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401 since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 has a display size of 13.6".On the other hand, TUF Gaming A14 FA401 has a larger14.0" display.The total usable screen area of the MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 is 536cm² / 83inch² whereas the TUF Gaming A14 FA401's total usable screen area is 568cm² / 88inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 features a higher pixel density with 225 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026

Avg: 13.0-13.9"

Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401

Avg: 14.0-14.9"

Refresh Rate
The TUF Gaming A14 FA401 offers a higher refresh rate of 165 Hz, resulting in smoother motion and improved visual experience.

Furthermore, the TUF Gaming A14 FA401 boasts a faster response time of 3.0 ms, reducing motion blur for fast-paced content.

Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 vs Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 features a more advanced Wi-Fi standard v7, providing faster and more reliable wireless connections compared to TUF Gaming A14 FA401 (v6E).

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
TUF Gaming A14 FA401 is equipped with 2x USB 3.2 USB-A ports. MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 does not have USB-A ports.
Both MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 and TUF Gaming A14 FA401 feature 2x USB 4.0 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 is equipped with Thunderbolt 4 port. TUF Gaming A14 FA401 does not have Thunderbolt port.

HDMI
TUF Gaming A14 FA401 features an HDMI port (1x HDMI 2.1) for connecting to external monitors. MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 does not have an HDMI port.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
TUF Gaming A14 FA401 is equipped with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards. MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 does not have an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both MacBook Air 13 M5 2026 and TUF Gaming A14 FA401 are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v7	v6E
Bluetooth (latest: v6.2)	v6.0	v5.3
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	No	2x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	2x USB 4.0	2x USB 4.0
Thunderbolt (latest: 5)	Thunderbolt 4	No
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	No	1x HDMI 2.1
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes	No
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	No	No
SD CardReader	No	Yes
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	Yes