Apple MacBook Air M5 review: Is it worth buying instead of the MacBook Neo?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/recommended/tech/laptops-tablets/apple-macbook-air-m5-2026-review/

Publish Date: 2026-06-01 17:00:00

What is the Apple MacBook Air M5?

Apple’s MacBook range had a shake-up this year. It previously consisted of the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro, and while there were several models of each, the buyer’s decision was reasonably simple: everyday users looking for power and portability would pick a MacBook Air, while those after sustained power and more ports would opt for a MacBook Pro.

Then the MacBook Neo arrived, costing little over half the price of the MacBook Air, and this has put the MacBook Air M5 in a slightly different position to its predecessor, the MacBook Air M4. Rather than the entry point to Apple’s MacBooks, the MacBook Air M5 now sits in the middle of Apple’s laptop lineup, sliding in between the MacBook Neo and the MacBook Pro M5.

It remains an excellent laptop, but with the Neo considerably cheaper and offering enough power for everyday tasks, has the MacBook Air lost some of its magic in this latest model?

I’ve spent a decade reviewing Apple’s MacBooks, though my personal history with them dates back to 2007, when I bought my first one the year I started university. In the last 20 years, I’ve moved back and forth between the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air depending on my needs, though more recently, I have also used (and very much enjoyed) the cheaper MacBook Neo.

My experience with Apple’s laptops means I know exactly what each MacBook can and can’t do, when it’s worth paying more for additional performance, and what every price point offers. For each MacBook review, I consider five key areas: design and usability; keyboard and touchpad; display and audio; performance and configurations; and battery life. However, my process is more than benchmark figures and test scores on a spreadsheet.

I use each MacBook as my primary laptop for several weeks, sometimes months, doing everything from writing reviews and editing images to browsing the web, managing emails, and handling those incredibly…

Source