MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air M1: Which budget Apple laptop should you buy?
MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air M1: Which budget Apple laptop should you buy?
https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/macbooks/macbook-neo-vs-m1-macbook-air
Publish Date: 2026-03-20 17:39:00
Source Domain: www.tomsguide.com
If you’ve been considering upgrading to one of the best MacBooks, you’re in luck: Apple just released the MacBook Neo. Starting at $599 (or $499 for education), this is Cupertino’s most affordable laptop yet and a fantastic entry point into the Mac ecosystem.
Up until now, you had to choose between the $1,099 MacBook Air for portability or the $599 Mac mini M4 if you were willing to stay tethered to a desk. In our MacBook Neo review, we praised the new device as the best budget laptop yet, but there is still another option worth considering.
$599 MacBook Neo Review — Is It Better Than a MacBook Air? – YouTube
Watch On
First launched back in late 2020, the MacBook Air M1 surprisingly still holds up today. Though it initially launched at $999, the release of the M2, M3, M4, and now the MacBook Air M5 has driven the price of the original Air with Apple Silicon down significantly. In fact, you can often find the M1 on sale for $599, putting it in direct competition with the brand-new Neo.
Article continues below
You may like
Now that we’ve fully tested the MacBook Neo, we can see how it stacks up against the legend. If you’re deciding between the two, read this before you rush out to buy Apple’s most colorful MacBook yet.
MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air M1: Specs
Swipe to scroll horizontally
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
MacBook Neo (Base Model) |
MacBook Air M1 (Base Model) |
|---|---|---|
|
Processor |
A18 Pro (6-core CPU, 6-core GPU) |
M1 (8-core CPU, 7-core GPU) |
|
Display |
13-inch Liquid Retina (2408 x 1506) |
13.3-inch LED-backlit display (2560 x 1600) |
|
Memory |
8GB Unified Memory |
8GB Unified Memory |
|
Storage |
256GB / 512GB SSD |
256GB SSD |
|
Battery Life |
Up to 16 hours |
Up to 15 hours |
|
Camera |
1080p FaceTime HD |
720p FaceTime |
|
Weight |
2.7 pounds |
2.8 pounds |
|
Dimensions |
11.71 x 8.12 x 0.50 inches |
11.97 x 8.36 x 0.16–0.63 inches |
|
Connectivity |
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 6.0, 2x USB-C |
Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, 2x Thunderbolt / USB 4 |
MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air M1: Design
The MacBook Neo and the…
