Even before the introduction of the MacBook Neo, Apple had a great student laptop. The MacBook Air is our current pick as the best laptop for college students. So in addition to competing against Chromebooks and budget Windows laptops, the new MacBook Neo is also going up against the MacBook Air for school laptop buyers.
Given the large price difference between the Neo and Air, I think we'll see tons of colorful MacBook Neos in schools by next fall. It looks like a hit for student budgets, but should you consider buying a MacBook Neo if you're already out of school?
Let's take a closer look at the new Neo to see what features it offers and those that are missing.
MacBook Neo vs. MacBook Air
For $599, or just $499 with Apple's educational discount, the MacBook Neo significantly lowers the entry price for MacBook shoppers. The Neo arrives on the heels of the new M5 MacBook Air, which raises the Air's price by $100 to $1,099. That likely puts the Air beyond many student budgets.
There's also last year's M4 MacBook Air to consider. It can usually be found for less than $1,000 at Amazon. Right now, it's selling for $899.
With M4 MacBook Air models still readily available, budget laptop shoppers have three MacBook options.
MacBook Neo and MacBook Air compared
MacBook Neo M4 MacBook Air M5 MacBook Air Price $599 $899 $1,099 CPU A18 Pro M4 M5 No. of CPU cores 6 10 10 No. of GPU cores 5 8 8 RAM 8GB 16GB 16GB Storage 256GB 256GB 512GB Screen size 13 in 13.6 in 13.6 in Screen resolution 2,408x1,506 pixels 2,560x1,664 pixels 2,560x1,664 pixels Weight 2.7 lbs 2.7 lbs 2.7 lbs Dimensions (HWD) 0.5 x 11.71 x 8.12 in 0.44 x 11.97 x 8.46 in 0.44 x 11.97 x 8.46 in Connections USB-C x2, headphone Thunderbolt 4 x2, headphone, MagSafe 3 Thunderbolt 4 x2, headphone, MagSafe 3 Battery 36.5-watt‑hour 52.6-watt‑hour 53.8-watt‑hour
The fact that the price gap between the MacBook Neo and the discounted M4 MacBook Air is greater than that of the M4 Air and M5 Air makes a compelling case for the Neo. The Neo costs $300 less than the discounted M4 Air and $500 less than the $1,099 M5 Air. Only $200 separates the older M4 Air and the new M5 Air.
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