Apple has announced two notebooks that occupy entirely different pricing brackets, which is a first for the company, meaning that it can become confusing as you attempt to figure out if you should opt for increased savings and get the MacBook Neo or spend the premium to make the M5 MacBook Air your daily driver. This buying guide will highlight all the differences that you need to know, so let us begin.
Display
The MacBook Neo and the M5 MacBook Air sport a unibody aluminum chassis, offering users a premium exterior regardless of how much they choose to spend. However, when it comes to the display, despite IPS LCD incorporated across the board, with the maximum brightness retained at 500 nits, the display resolution differs depending on which Mac you purchase. Additionally, both the 13-inch and 15-inch M5 MacBook Air offer a better panel for creative professionals thanks to the P3 wide color gamut, not to mention True Tone support.
| Display | MacBook Neo | 13-inch M5 MacBook Air | 15-inch M5 MacBook Air |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 13-inch | 13.6-inch | 15.3-inch |
| Resolution | 2,408 x 1,506 | 2,560 x 1,664 | 2,880 x 1,864 |
| Technology | IPS LCD | IPS LCD | IPS LCD |
| Maximum brightness | 500 nits | 500 nits | 500 nits |
| ProMotion support for higher refresh rate | No | No | No |
| Pixels Per Inch | 219 | 224 | 224 |
| Wide color gamut | No | P3 | P3 |
| True Tone | No | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | |||
| Length | 11.71 inches (29.75cm) | 11.97 inches (30.41cm) | 13.40 inches (34.04cm) |
| Width | 8.12 inches (20.64cm) | 8.46 inches (21.5cm) | 9.35 inches (23.76cm) |
| Thickness | 0.50 inch (1.27cm) | 0.44 inch (1.13cm) | 0.45 inch (1.15cm) |
| Weight | 2.7 pounds (1.23kg) | 2.7 pounds (1.23kg) | 3.3 pounds (1.51kg) |
Performance differences, storage, and memory configurations
The M5 is one of Apple’s most powerful chipsets, so it is no surprise that it would be found in the more expensive MacBook Air. In short, this silicon will run circles around the A18 Pro, and to provide you with a closer look at the performance of the MacBook Neo and M5 MacBook Air, check out the Geekbench 6 single-core and multi-core comparisons below.
M5 MacBook Air
- Single-core score - 4,190 (M5 MacBook Air is 21.45 percent faster)
- Multi-core score - 17,037 (M5 MacBook Air is 95.78 percent faster)
- Metal score (GPU) - Not tested
MacBook Neo
- Single-core score - 3,450
- Multi-core score - 8,702
- Metal score (GPU) - 31,286
Not to undermine the MacBook Neo’s capabilities in any manner, but the M5 MacBook Air is clearly on another level. Coming to storage, the MacBook Neo ships with a paltry 256GB SSD for the base model, which used to be the same storage found in the base M4 MacBook Air. Fortunately, for $100 extra, buyers can bump up the solid-state drive to 512GB, but that’s the limit since there are no more configurations available.
For the M5 MacBook Air lineup, you get 512GB for the base variants, which can go up to a whopping 4TB if you’re willing to pay the ‘Apple tax.’ As for the unified memory, the MacBook Neo is stuck at 8GB thanks to the way the A18 Pro has been designed, so you will be limited when trying something adventurous, such as firing up taxing applications and intensive workloads.
Fortunately, the M5 MacBook Air lineup won’t have these limitations, as the base model features 16GB unified RAM and can go up to 32GB for those who require it and are willing to pay the premium.
| Chipset, memory and storage differences | MacBook Neo | 13-inch M5 MacBook Air | 15-inch M5 MacBook Air |
|---|---|---|---|
| SoC | A18 Pro | M5 | M5 |
| Lithography | TSMC 3nm N3E | TSMC 3nm N3P | TSMC 3nm N3P |
| Cores | 6-core CPU (2 performance, 4 efficiency), 5-core GPU | 10-core (4 super, 6 efficiency), 8-core GPU (configurable up to a 10-core GPU) | 10-core (4 super, 6 efficiency), 10-core GPU |
| Neural Engine | 16-core | 16-core | 16-core |
| Neural Accelerators | No | Yes | Yes |
| Memory bandwidth | 60GB/s | 153GB/s | 153GB/s |
| Unified memory configurations | 8GB base (up to 8GB) | 16GB base (up to 32GB) | 16GB base (up to 32GB) |
| Storage configurations | 256GB base (up to 512GB) | 512GB base (up to 4TB) | 512GB base (up to 4TB) |
Wired and wireless connectivity
The MacBook Neo misses out on the newest Wi-Fi 7 wireless standard, shipping with Wi-Fi 6E from MediaTek instead, along with Bluetooth 6 support. It also lacks the more advanced Thunderbolt 4 ports and relies on a couple of USB-C ports that can reach a maximum speed of 10Gb/s. On the other hand, the 13-inch and 15-inch M5 MacBook Air are equipped with two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a MagSafe charging port for extra versatility.
| Wireless connectivity | MacBook Neo | 13-inch M5 MacBook Air | 15-inch M5 MacBook Air |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E from MediaTek | Wi-Fi 7 using Apple's N1 wireless networking chip | Wi-Fi 7 using Apple's N1 wireless networking chip |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 6 from MediaTek | Bluetooth 6 | Bluetooth 6 |
| Wired connectivity | |||
| Ports | Two USB-C ports (one supports USB 3.0 at 10Gb/s, one supports USB 2.0 at 480Mb/s) | Two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports up to 40Gb/s | Two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports up to 40Gb/s |
| 3.5mm headphone jack | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MagSafe charging port | No | Yes | Yes |
Battery life, capacity, and charging
Apple has crammed a smaller 36.5WHr battery into the MacBook Neo, whereas the 13-inch M5 MacBook Air is treated to a bigger 53.8WHr cell. As expected, the battery size on the 15-inch version is 66.5WHr, but both versions will last for up to 18 hours in video streaming on a single charge. The MacBook Neo also has decent endurance, but it won’t last as long as the M5 MacBook Air lineup.
| Battery life, capacity and charging | MacBook Neo | 13-inch M5 MacBook Air | 15-inch M5 MacBook Air |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 36.5WHr | 55.8WHr | 66.5WHr |
| Battery time in video streaming | Up to 16 hours | Up to 18 hours | Up to 18 hours |
| Battery time in web browsing | 11 hours | Up to 15 hours | Up to 15 hours |
| Power adapter size | 20W | 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with up to 60W | 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with up to 60W |
| Fast-charging support | No | With 70W USB-C Power Adapter or higher | With 70W USB-C Power Adapter or higher |
| MagSafe charging support | No | Yes | Yes |
Camera, speakers, and microphones
The M5 MacBook Air is equipped with a significantly better speaker and microphone system than the MacBook Neo, allowing for an upgraded listening experience, while also enabling improved clarity in audio calls. Additionally, where the MacBook Neo sports a 1080p FaceTime camera, the M5 MacBook Air goes the extra mile with its 12MP Center Stage sensor.
| Camera, speakers, and microphones | MacBook Neo | 13-inch M5 MacBook Air | 15-inch M5 MacBook Air |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camera | 1080p FaceTime | 12MP Center Stage with Desk View support | 12MP Center Stage with Desk View support |
| Speakers | Two-speaker system | Four-spreaker system | Four-spreaker system |
| Spatial Audio | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dynamic head tracking using supported AirPods | No | Yes | Yes |
| Microphones | Dual array | Triple array | Triple array |
| Voice Isolation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wide Spectrum | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Trackpad and keyboard
To keep the price down, the MacBook Neo’s keyboard lacks any backlighting, regardless of whether you purchase the 256GB version or the 512GB variant that ships with the Touch ID sensor. Additionally, there’s no Force Touch trackpad, but you’ll still have access to those precise gestures and cursor control. Fortunately, the M5 MacBook Air sports all of these features, not to mention it also houses a larger trackpad for improved productivity. There are a bevy of other differences, which are given below.
| Trackpad and keyboard | MacBook Neo | 13-inch M5 MacBook Air | 15-inch M5 MacBook Air |
|---|---|---|---|
| Touch ID | On the 512GB SSD version | Yes | Yes |
| Force Touch | No | Yes | Yes |
| Gestures control | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Precise cursor control | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pressure-sensing force clicks | No | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Touch gestures | No | Yes | Yes |
| Pressure-sensative drawing | No | Yes | Yes |
| Accelerators | No | Yes | Yes |
External display support
The 13-inch and 15-inch M5 MacBook Air offer excellent expansion of your workspace, thanks to its two Thunderbolt 4 ports. In case you didn’t read the details above, the MacBook Neo lacks any Thunderbolt ports and comes equipped with two USB-C ports instead.
However, only the faster one supports external monitor support, because the second port tops out at USB 2.0 speeds. In fact, connecting a MacBook Neo to a display using the slower port will display a warning. As for what you can or cannot connect using the available inputs, those details are mentioned below.
| MacBook Neo | M5 MacBook Air | |
|---|---|---|
| External display support | One display up to a 4K resolution at 60Hz when using the USB 3-capable USB-C port | Two displays up to a 6K resolution at 60Hz, or 4K resolution at 144Hz |
| One display up to a 8K resolution at 60Hz, or 5K resolution at 120Hz, or 4K resolution at 240Hz |
Price
As stated above, there’s a $500 difference between the MacBook Neo and the M5 MacBook Air, with the more affordable option starting from $599, whereas the premium portable Mac starts from $1,099. While that’s a massive jump, you’re also getting more hardware for your hard-earned cash.
| Price | MacBook Neo | 13-inch M5 MacBook Air | 15-inch M5 MacBook Air |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base model | $599 (8GB unified RAM and 256GB | $1,099 (16GB unified RAM and 512GB SSD) | $1,299 (16GB unified RAM and 512GB SSD) |
| Higher-tier model | $699 (8GB unified RAM, 512GB SSD, and Touch ID) | $100 extra for 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU upgrade $200 extra for 1TB storage or 24GB unified RAM | $200 extra for 1TB storage or 24GB unified RAM |
Which Mac is the best for you?
The MacBook Neo is the ideal machine for students who want to take notes, dabble in Excel, and fulfill their media consumption requirements. While it can be used for taxing workloads since the A18 Pro can handle them, the lack of increased unified memory will be the limiting factor. The MacBook Neo can also become an excellent alternative for those currently daily-driving cheaper Windows-powered notebooks, as the superior build quality, paired with macOS, can deliver a more polished experience.
Keep in mind that we’re not tarnishing Windows’ image, since it too, is an excellent operating system, but if the laptop starts acting up, slows down, behaves erratically, or worse, routinely crashes, it is usually due to driver conflicts or other software problems, which are extremely difficult for the average person to isolate and eliminate. For those consumers, the MacBook Neo is an ideal choice.
As for the M5 MacBook Air, if you want absolute performance from a ‘thin and light’ package and aren’t afraid to push it through the most demanding of workloads, such as programming, audio, or video editing, $1,099 can be considered affordable. We’d never recommend an M5 MacBook Air to students who won’t stress the machine beyond taking notes or completing assignments, but assuming you’re in a field where you have to run demanding workloads, then that’s an exception.
For the majority of users, the MacBook Neo is an excellent pick, and if you want one, you can pre-order from Amazon for $599, with the available colors being Silver, Blush, Citrus, and Indigo. As for the M5 MacBook Air, the base 13-inch version can be pre-ordered on Amazon for $1,099, with the 15-inch variant listed for $1,299. Both of these will be available in the colors Sky Blue, Midnight, Starlight, and Silver.
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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