MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air M5: Which Apple laptop is right for you?
MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air M5: Which Apple laptop is right for you?
Publish Date: 2026-03-05 11:45:00
Source Domain: www.tomsguide.com
If you’ve ever shopped for a “cheap” MacBook, you’d either have to wait for a holiday sales event, buy a previous-gen model, or take your chances on a refurbished machine. Things have changed: Apple has just announced the MacBook Neo, a truly affordable laptop starting at $599.
Of course, that wasn’t the only MacBook announcement we got this week, as Cupertino has also unveiled the new MacBook Air M5. While these ultraportable notebooks have a similar appearance and screen size, they’re very different machines. Because of that, choosing an entry-level MacBook has become a tad harder.
Between the two, the MacBook Air M5 is the premium option, starting at $1,099, and it packs the company’s desktop-class M5 chip, designed for power and efficiency. Conversely, the MacBook Neo runs on an iPhone chip but sports more fun color options.
You may like
MacBook Neo vs. MacBook Air M5: Specs
Swipe to scroll horizontally
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
MacBook Neo |
MacBook Air M5 |
|---|---|---|
|
Price (starting) |
$599 ($499 Education) |
$1,099 ($999 Education) |
|
Chip |
A18 Pro (6-core CPU / 5-core GPU) |
M5 (10-core CPU / up to 10-core GPU) |
|
Unified Memory |
8GB |
16GB |
|
Base storage |
256GB SSD |
512GB SSD |
|
Display |
13-inch Liquid Retina (sRGB, 2408×1506 resolution) |
13.6-inch Liquid Retina (P3 wide color, 2560×1664 resolution) |
|
True Tone |
No |
Yes |
|
Keyboard |
Magic Keyboard (No Backlight) |
Magic Keyboard (Backlit) |
|
Biometrics |
None (Touch ID is +$100) |
Touch ID (Standard) |
|
Camera |
1080p FaceTime HD |
12MP Center Stage |
|
Ports |
2x USB-C (one USB 3, one USB 2), Headphone Jack |
2x Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3, Headphone Jack |
|
Wireless |
Wi-Fi 6E / Bluetooth 6 |
Wi-Fi 7 / Bluetooth 6 |
|
Weight |
2.7 pounds |
2.7 pounds |
|
Battery life |
Up to 16 hours (rated) |
Up to 18 hours (rated) |
