Daniel Haaf
Editor
Updated: 10 March 2026
Tossing up between the cheaper MacBook Neo and the pricier but more capable MacBook Air M5? Here’s a simple rundown of all the differences you need to know.
TL;DR
Both MacBook Neo and MacBook Air are made of aluminium. The dimensions differ depending on which model and configuration you choose. Here are the official dimensions to keep in mind:
MacBook Neo:
MacBook Air 13‑inch:
MacBook Air 15‑inch:
MacBook Neo is thicker than both variants of MacBook Air, but slightly smaller in width and depth. It is a marginal difference that will not be particularly noticeable, not least since the weight of the Neo and the 13‑inch Air model is identical.
The reason Neo can be smaller in width and depth has to do with the screen. MacBook Neo has a 13‑inch screen while MacBook Air has a 13.6‑inch screen.
The difference between the screens is large. Where MacBook Neo has a smaller screen with lower resolution, limited colour gamut to sRGB and lacks True Tone, MacBook Air has a larger screen with higher resolution, support for Display P3 and True Tone.
MacBook Air:
MacBook Neo (13‑inch):
The difference in sharpness is small in practice. The colour gamut is a much bigger difference where the Display P3 screen in MacBook Air can show up to 25% more colours than the sRGB screen in MacBook Neo. Above all, this is noticeable in red and green tones.
True Tone is a technology that adjusts the screen’s colour tone to the surrounding light. By measuring the colour and intensity of the light in the environment, the screen can adjust the white point to make it more comfortable to look at. The technology is handy, but you can do exactly the same thing manually in the settings if you want.
If you plan to connect an external screen it’s important to know the limitations of MacBook Neo. You can only use one of the USB‑C ports and it is limited to a maximum of 4K at 60 Hz. There’s no 120 Hz support here.
MacBook Air is more powerful with a faster M5 chip and more memory.
Image: Apple
MacBook Neo:
MacBook Air:
MacBook Air is significantly faster, especially with multitasking, heavier programs and AI features. It is better suited for, for example, lighter video editing, photo editing and more demanding work.
MacBook Neo handles email, web browsing, video meetings, documents and simpler photo editing without any problems. It also manages simpler games. For everyday use it goes a long way, but it is not built for heavy workloads.
An important difference is the memory. 8 GB RAM in the Neo can feel limiting, especially if you want to do more than light office work. It is not possible to upgrade the Neo to more RAM, while the Air models can be configured with 16, 24 or 32 GB.
MacBook Neo gives:
MacBook Air gives:
The difference is not dramatic. Both last a full workday.
MacBook Air has MagSafe charging and supports fast charging with power adapters of 70 watts or higher. MacBook Neo charges via USB‑C and can be charged with any compatible 20‑watt phone charger or faster.
MacBook Neo doesn’t have a backlit keyboard.
Image: Apple
There are some differences in the connections that MacBook Neo and MacBook Air offer users.
MacBook Neo:
MacBook Air:
In practice there is not a big difference between Wi‑Fi 6E and Wi‑Fi 7 for everyday use. Even if the difference in the theoretical maximum speed and channel bandwidth is large, it will not be noticeable in practice for the vast majority.
What may be worth paying attention to, however, are the differences in the ports. Where MacBook Neo has to make do with one port that is basically only for accessories and charging, and one faster one for data transfer and an external screen, MacBook Air can offer dual Thunderbolt 4 ports that are significantly faster.
MacBook Neo:
MacBook Air:
When you look more closely at the details, the differences between the Neo and the Air are clear.
Where the Neo has to make do with two speakers, the older type of trackpad and a keyboard without backlighting, both Air models can offer four or six speakers, a Force Touch trackpad and a backlit keyboard.
In addition, both Air models support Touch ID and have the newer Center Stage selfie camera, something the Neo lacks in the base version. If you want Touch ID in your laptop, you’ll need the 512 GB model of the Neo. There is no Center Stage camera, but instead the simpler, older type of selfie camera.
Choose MacBook Neo if:
With a student discount, the price drops even further. For many people, the Neo works as a solid everyday computer, roughly like Apple’s counterpart to a Chromebook – but with macOS.
Choose MacBook Air if:
The higher price tag gives clearly better performance and more working space. MacBook Air is a model that makes it easier to grow with the computer, but at a slightly higher price.