GoKawiilThe first fork in the road you'll come to when shopping for a MacBook is whether to follow the Air path, head down the Pro road or take the Neo shortcut. For people who are looking for an everyday home laptop or a work laptop for running basic office apps, a MacBook Neo will suffice. For creative types who need the added processing and graphics muscle of Apple's new M5 Pro and Max chips, a MacBook Pro is worth the added cost. And in between, the MacBook Air remains an excellent mainstream laptop and the cheapest way to get a large display powered by an Apple M-series processor. To help you find the right MacBook for your needs and budget, here are the main considerations to keep in mind.
Price
The entry price for a MacBook is $599. That gets you the new MacBook Neo. Pricing starts at $1,099 for the 13-inch MacBook Air and $1,299 for the 15-inch MacBook Air. Stepping up to a MacBook Pro model starts at $1,699. Here are the starting prices of Apple's current MacBook lineup:
MacBook Neo: $599
$599 13-inch M5 MacBook Air: $1,099
$1,099 15-inch M5 MacBook Air: $1,299
$1,299 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro: $1,699
$1,699 16-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro: $2,699
Size and display
If you'll be taking your MacBook with you to class, work or even down to your local coffee shop most mornings, an Air is the better choice. The 13-inch MacBook Air models weigh less than 3 pounds, and the roomier 15-inch Air weighs only 3.3 pounds, which is still lighter than the 14-inch MacBook Pro.
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