In this video I’m answering the big comment I keep seeing: “You don’t need a MacBook Neo, you need an M1 MacBook Air for less.” So I put the $499 MacBook Neo (or $599 normally) up against the Walmart pre-owned M1 MacBook Air deal that’s floating around $361. On paper, benchmarks show the Neo can be slightly more powerful in some areas than the M1 Air—except GPU—so it’s not as simple as “old Mac is always better.” The real decision comes down to what I think is the biggest factor in 2026: support and longevity. The M1 MacBook Air came out in 2020, so you’re already six years in, and I don’t know how long Apple will prioritize keeping that base M1 supported as macOS and AI features keep moving forward. The Neo is brand new, so you’re getting a fresh battery at 100% and likely many more years of software support. If I knew nothing about your situation, the safe bet I’d recommend is the Neo—great price, new hardware, and longer runway. The M1 Air can still be a good deal, but you’re taking the used gamble and the support timeline is the question mark.