S.Y. Hsu (Asus CEO) said at a conference that MacBook Neo is a shock to the industry and a big problem to solve for Windows laptop manufacturers.
Well, I agree with him totally about what he said.
Apple has been producing arguably the best laptops in the world for a few major reasons: first, their tightly integrated, compatible hardware and software; second, their premium feel; and last but not least, their optimized software experience.
Now, their $599 option in the form of MacBook Neo offers almost all the things that make MacBook more valuable for those seeking them. That’s why it is a big problem for the Windows manufacturers.
Having said that, if you are looking to upgrade your laptop, should you just get the easiest and most affordable choice – the Neo? I don’t think that’s a good idea because there are fundamental differences between the veterans (talking about the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro) and the new MacBook Neo. Let me share those fundamental differences so that you can make the best buying decision.
Sounds good? Let’s dive right into the details.
Price: How Much Does Each Mac Cost?
Let’s start with the most important aspect when buying a laptop.
MacBook Neo is the most affordable of the three currently available MacBook models. It is priced at $599 and comes with only one option, which is 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD. The processor in this laptop is the Apple A18 Pro, which can be found on the latest iPhone 17 Pro Max. I know you will likely have multiple questions at this point about this processor, and I will answer them for you in the next section.
Then we have the MacBook Air M5, which hits that sweet spot of price and overall features. It used to be a thousand bucks, but with the M5 chip and soaring prices of RAM, Apple launched it with a $100-increase price tag. So, it costs $1100 for the 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD variant. The price will go higher as you increase RAM and storage.
Last but not least, we have the MacBook Pro, and the pricing for this is a little complicated.
The very basic variant starts at $1699. This is with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD, just like the MacBook Air M5. Then from this point on, the price increases and goes up to $3599. How?
The 24GB RAM variant with 1TB of SSD, along with the M5 PRO chipset, costs $2699. If you think that might just not be enough for you, you can go for the 2TB variant with 32GB RAM and the ultimate M5 Max processor, which is a beast in its existence.
The price for that beast? Well, it will burn you $3599 with just the upgrades I mentioned. You can still top it up if you want a little better display and even more RAM.
So, that was the pricing for all three of these MacBooks. Now, let’s talk about the real deal – the performance.
Performance: Which Mac Device Is Most Powerful?
I will begin with the best of the bunch when it comes to performance, and that is the MacBook M5 Max. I am sure of it because I have been testing it on my fast Spectrum Internet. Whether it is rendering videos or transcoding them, it felt like a breeze on the MacBook Pro M5 Max.
Having said that, if you are a power user who needs the absolute best performance, the M5 Max is the best bet in Apple’s arsenal. But keep in mind the price will be huge for such performance.
However, if you need a balance between price and performance, the MacBook Air M5 is an optimal choice. A friend had it, and so I had to test this as well. I borrowed from him and then ran all the tests I did on the MacBook Pro on the MacBook Air as well.
How did it hold up? It was pretty good, and I wasn’t expecting that.
I ran Adobe Premiere Pro to edit my drone shots on it, and it worked just fine. I was a bit skeptical, so I ran games on it, and it still worked fine.
Honestly, if I had to recommend a laptop to all (Apple users in particular), that would be the Air. It is compact, powerful, and hits that sweet spot in the price tag that satisfies most users looking for a good laptop.
Now, if you are a very casual laptop user – maybe a student, or an adult in their 50s, you are going to be pretty fine with the MacBook Neo. It is powerful enough to cater to multitasking like editing documents, browsing the web, taking notes, watching videos, and stuff like that.
However, the moment you hit it with heavy software like Adobe Creative Suite or Visual Studio, it shows signs of being a cheap laptop. All in all, if you use a laptop for basic tasks, you will be totally fine with the MacBook Neo while saving your money because it is really affordable (for students, it is $499).
Battery Use: Which One Lasts Longer?
All of these MacBooks are compact devices, and that’s why a lot of people, including me, buy them.
Being compact has another advantage, which is using them when commuting or traveling. However, for such use cases, these laptops have to withstand the test of battery endurance because it is unlikely that you will be plugged in while you are moving.
And that’s exactly where all of these MacBook devices shine.
In my testing, I found the MacBook Pro with M5 Pro lasts the longest on a single charge. Then it was the MacBook Pro with M5, then MacBook Air, and in the end, it was the MacBook Neo with over 13 hours of battery endurance.
This is such a good battery life for a compact laptop.
I should share with you that previously, I was on a Windows laptop, which, frankly, is not efficient. It might be more flexible, but its battery lasted significantly lower than any of the new MacBooks. So, I know for a fact that Apple’s MacBooks have pretty great battery life.
If that is something that matters to you, I recommend switching to a MacBook for peace’s sake. You are not going to regret it.
Design and Build: What Quality Sets Each Apart?
By the macro looks of it, it’s clear that they are all of the same family, which is the MacBook.
For example, from the Neo to the more expensive Pro, Apple has used a premium build to distinguish them from the rest of the competition. The frame is aluminum, the buttons are clicky, and the overall finish is good.
The real difference comes in the sizes, the colors, and the ports.
For example, the Neo comes in playful colors like Blush, Citrusy, and the boring Silver as well. On the flip side, MacBook Air has that professional color scheme, and the MacBook Pro is extremely formal with just black and silver as options.
The size difference is there with Neo backing a 13-inch laptop, and the other is slightly bigger than Neo.
Precisely speaking, the Neo has a Liquid Retina display at 13 inches, the MacBook Air is slightly bigger at 13.6 inches, and the biggest of them all is the MacBook Pro with a 14-inch display.
The size difference is there, but the actual difference lies in the quality of these displays. I wasn’t able to get it initially because my internet speed was a bit slow, and I wasn’t taking the full advantage of these displays, so I reached out to Spectrum customer service to upgrade my WiFi and test these displays as well.
I found that the bigger models are better at screen brightness, color accuracy, and stuff like that. I am not saying that Neo is bad; it is just that the other Apple laptops are better. If you never look at the other two displays, you will fall in love with the Neo’s display (I think that helps your concern if you want to get the Neo).
Now, to conclude this topic, I would say that you need to evaluate your needs before making a purchase decision. If you are an avid user who needs power, get the Air or the Pro. If you use a laptop lightly for browsing and stuff, you are going to be just fine with the MacBook Neo.
The ball is in your court, so get done with your homework, and then make the most sound purchase decision.
