In this video I’m comparing the new MacBook Neo vs the M5 MacBook Air, because on paper they look similar, but the price gap is huge: $600 for the Neo and $1,100 for the Air. I break down the core differences that actually matter—starting with the chips. The Air gets the M5 (built for laptops/desktops), while the Neo is running an A18 Pro, basically the same chip as the iPhone 16 Pro. You still get Apple Intelligence on both, but the specs split fast: 6-core CPU vs 10-core, 5-core GPU vs 8, 8GB memory on Neo vs 16GB on Air, and 256GB storage vs 512GB to start. From there, I go through the real-world stuff: 13" vs 13.6" Liquid Retina, both 500 nits, same weight, but the Air gets a better setup overall—four speakers instead of two, a 12MP Center Stage camera, a backlit keyboard, Wi‑Fi 7, and Thunderbolt ports. My recommendation is simple: if you’re a student doing web browsing and light work, the Neo is like an “Apple Chromebook” and saves you a ton of money. But if you want multitasking or any video editing, I’d go MacBook Air—personally, that’s what I’d buy so I’m covered when I need power.