MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air M5 Price Change: Which Should You Choose?

Apple increased prices on various products on June 25th 2026 due to a global shortage of memory chips. The Neo is priced from $699, up from $599, and the Air from $1,299, up from $1,099 (MacRumors). The 1TB MacBook Pro went from $1,699 to $1,999 (Reuters via Khaleej Times).

After the price change, Macworld show that the Neo is now priced at $699 and the 13-inch Air M5 at $1,299 giving a difference of around $600. At the old prices the gap was $500.

The Neo is a mobile chip with 8GB of memory, which cannot be upgraded. The Air has a M5 chip and is now starting from 16GB, which can be upgraded to 32GB. Reviewers suggest that the Air is a better option but the Neo was named an Editor's Choice at launch by Tom's Hardware. They say it is an amazing budget option.

Overall the question comes down to whether you want to pay around $600 extra for the additional memory, brighter and wider colour display and additional ports and faster chip. For most people using their laptop throughout the day, yes the reviews recommend you get the Air. However, if you are using the laptop for basic use and keeping your budget tight then the Neo is still a great option.

This guide will tell you the differences in price, performance, display, ports, battery and best for. We have also included where there are conflicting opinions. We have not reviewed these laptops ourselves, the numbers are pulled from the sources below.

MacRumors reports the new US prices for the MacBook Neo: $699 for the 256GB model, up from $599, and $799 for the 512GB model with Touch ID, up from $699. On the Education Store, the 256GB model went from $499 to $599 and the 512GB model from $599 to $699. In Canada the 256GB Neo went from $799 to $949, though MacRumors does not state the currency.

Reuters, in the Khaleej Times report, lists further increases: the 512GB MacBook Air from $1,099 to $1,299, the 1TB MacBook Pro from $1,699 to $1,999 and the 128GB iPad Air from $599 to $749. HomePod and Apple TV prices also rose, with amounts not given. The report says the iPhone is not affected, and quotes Apple saying it will raise prices on a number of products, so more increases may follow.

Apple says the price change is due to memory. As there is currently a shortage of memory chips, the price of RAM and SSD has gone up. This is due to companies like OpenAI and Meta creating a shortage with their AI servers. Apple said in statements to Reuters, "We've never seen component prices rise so much and so quickly. We have protected our customers so far but this is not great news."

According to Reuters, TrendForce show that the price of DRAM increased up to 98% in the first quarter of 2026, while the price is set to rise again by 58-63% in this quarter. The smartphone market is expected to drop by nearly 14% this year and the PC Market is set to drop by 11.3% according to IDC. An analyst from Creative Strategies, Ben Bajarin said the memory situation is structurally difficult going forward.

One more detail from Reuters matters for shoppers: with the increase, the Neo lost its $100 price advantage over Dell's $699 XPS 13.

If you read older reviews you will see lower prices. Creative Bloq's MacBook Air M5 review lists a starting price of $1,099, and Tom's Hardware's Neo review, updated in March, lists $599 for the base model and $699 for the 512GB version. Those were correct before June 25.

Macworld's comparison reflects the increase, with $699 for the Neo, $799 for the 512GB Neo and $1,299 for the 13-inch Air. It lists the 15-inch Air at $1,499. Macworld also notes that both laptops were price-increased in June 2026.

When looking at reviews be sure to see how recent they are. Reviews from March will have the old price, even though they may have the same conclusion on performance and battery. Some retailers may offer discounts. Tom's Hardware mentioned in their review that Amazon was offering the entry level Neo for $689. This means prices can vary. We haven't checked what the current retailers are offering.

From Macworld, the specs for the MacBook Neo are: A18 Pro Chip (6-Core CPU and 5-Core GPU), 8GB of non-upgradable RAM, 256/512GB Storage (slower SSD), 13" display (2408 x 1506), around 500 Nits, SRGB only, 60Hz and no True Tone. Two USB-C ports (one USB 3 and one USB 2), one external display support (up to 4K 60Hz).

The MacBook Air M5 has a 10-Core CPU, 16GB of RAM (upgradable to 32GB), 512GB Storage (upgradable to 4TB). 13.6" display (2560 x 1664), around 500 Nits, P3 Wide Colour, 60Hz and True Tone. Two Thunderbolt 4 ports, MagSafe 3, two external displays, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 6.

Both laptops weigh roughly the same. The Neo weighs 2.7lbs (1.23kg) (Tom's Hardware) and the Air weighs 2.7lbs (Macworld/Creative Bloq).

The keyboard on the Neo is comfortable but there is no backlight. The touchpad is a clicky mechanical pad (Tom's Hardware). The keyboard on the Air is backlit, has a Force Touch Pad and all models have a fingerprint scanner (Creative Bloq). The Neo entry level does not have Touch ID (Macworld).

The UK version can be upgraded to a 10-Core GPU. The 24GB RAM and 1TB Storage also come with this upgrade for free (Creative Bloq). We couldn't find this for the US version but you can check the Apple Store for your region.

The Air has a much faster SSD than the last generation (~x2). The 12 Megapixel Center Stage webcam is also great (BGR). However, the Neo has a 1080p webcam and Wi-Fi 6E (Tom's Hardware).

The Neo has a single-core score of 3535 and multi-core score of 8920 on Geekbench 6 (Tom's Hardware). The multi-core score is the worst of the laptops they compared. It takes 9 Minutes 57 Seconds to encode a 4K video to 1080p. Whereas the Surface Laptop takes less than 5 minutes. The average frame rate for Cyberpunk 2077 was 32.59 fps (1637 x 1024) on Apple's recommended settings.

The Air M5 has a single-core score of 4158 and multi-core score of 17091 (Creative Bloq). The M5 MacBook Pro has a higher score of 4310 and 17897. The Air M5 is around 14% slower in Photoshop than the M5 MacBook Pro and more than double the speed of the Neo. In Adobe Premiere with raw video it scores about 52% of the Pro's result, so video creators may want a higher tier.

Overall the Air has a full M series chip whereas the Neo has a mobile class A18 Pro chip. The Neo also performs the same as the M1 in multi-core and graphics tests (Macworld). The Air has strong single-core performance, beating most of its competitors. It is faster than the M4 but most users won't see a huge difference (BGR).

Both laptops are fanless. The Neo runs cool with the highest temperature being 96 Degrees Fahrenheit (Tom's Hardware). The Air can dip during long heavy workloads (Macworld/Creative Bloq). If you're doing heavy video editing and rendering then a MacBook Pro is better.

Display: The Neo has an sRGB coverage of 110.9%, DCI-P3 coverage of 78.8%, 452.6 Nits and no True Tone (Tom's Hardware). The Air has a P3 coverage of 93% and 450 Nits (Creative Bloq). Both have a 60Hz refresh rate. The Air would be great with an OLED display at this price (BGR).

Battery: The Neo has up to 16 hours of video playback and the Air has 18 hours (Macworld). However, the Neo didn't quite reach its claims in testing. The Neo has 13 hours 28 minutes of battery (Tom's Hardware). The M3 MacBook Air had 15 hours 13 minutes in the same test. Most users won't reach Apple's claims of 18 hours but it easily lasts a working day with moderate use (BGR).

Charging: The Neo has no fast charging. After 30 minutes it had charged to 22% and after 60 minutes it had charged to 44% (Tom's Hardware). The Air can charge to 50% in around 30 minutes with a 70W or higher adapter (BGR).

Ports: The Neo has two USB-C ports (no labels). One is 10Gb/s with DisplayPort and one is 480Mb/s. There is no thunderbolt. macOS will warn you when using the wrong port (Tom's Hardware). The Air has two Thunderbolt 4 ports and MagSafe. The Air also has limited ports (BGR). You may need dongles for accessories.

The Neo is an amazing budget option and should shock the PC industry. It never feels like a downgrade and has been named an Editor's Choice. It would have been great to have a backlit keyboard and more intuitive ports. (March review, prior to price increase) (Tom's Hardware).

The Air M5 has received an 8.5/10. It has a 4/5 for design, features, performance and value. It offers great value for money with good performance, ultra slim and excellent display. However, it isn't the cheapest MacBook anymore, its RAM is capped at 32GB, it only has a 60Hz display and it isn't as good for video (Creative Bloq).

The Air is a refined upgrade. Overall it is better than the Neo and there is no debate. If you need an upgrade from the MacBook Neo then the MacBook Air is the way to go. It doesn't have an OLED display, limited ports, average speakers compared to the MacBook Pro, limited colours and not the most exciting design (BGR).

Most people should go for the Air as it offers a good balance between performance, portability, battery and price. However, if you are a student, first time Mac user or just using it for basic tasks like browsing, streaming, video calling and basic apps then the Neo is a good option. We would recommend going for the 512GB version (Macworld).

If you are using it for mostly browsing, streaming, writing, video calling and basic apps and want the cheapest option then the Neo is a good option. If you're a student or teacher then check the Education Store price of $599. However, it does have limitations as it can't be upgraded to more memory (only 8GB), only one external display, no Thunderbolt and no backlit keyboard.

If you want a Mac that will feel fast for years to come, run Photoshop and coding applications smoothly, have two external monitors and last through a working day then the Air is a good option. It is good for everyday use, school, travel and light creative use but not for long heavy tasks or AAA gaming (Macworld).

If you are editing videos or doing heavy tasks then consider a MacBook Pro. The Air scored around half the Premiere score of a Pro (Creative Bloq).

If you're budget conscious then you may want to hold off. The Neo no longer has the price advantage over the Dell XPS 13 ($699). The shortage in memory is long lasting so you can't be sure prices will drop (Reuters).

Both are on the list of macOS 27. However, advanced Siri features require an M3 chip or higher and 12GB or more of memory. This makes the Air a better option (9to5Mac). Not confirmed by Apple.

It helps to lay the US prices out in order, using the figures reported by MacRumors, Macworld and Reuters. The MacBook Neo 256GB is $699. The Neo 512GB with Touch ID is $799. The 13-inch MacBook Air is $1,299, the 15-inch Air is $1,499 and the 1TB MacBook Pro is $1,999.

The steps between them are uneven. Going from the base Neo to the 512GB Neo costs $100. Going from the 512GB Neo to the Air costs $500, and the Air also doubles the memory, upgrades the display and adds Thunderbolt. Going from the 13-inch Air to the 15-inch Air costs $200.

Seen that way, the jump from the Neo to the Air buys more than the jump from the base Neo to the 512GB Neo. If you are already stretching to $799 for a 512GB Neo, the $1,299 Air may be a better use of money. That is our arithmetic and opinion, not a claim from the reviewers. Macworld does recommend the 512GB version if you choose the Neo.

Education pricing narrows the gap a little. Macworld lists the Neo at $599 on the education store, and MacRumors lists $699 for the 512GB education model. We did not find an education price for the Air.

What are you going to use it for? If it's for browsing, email, documents, streaming and video calling then the Neo will be enough (Macworld). However, if you are editing photos, coding or have many apps and browser tabs open then the Air is the safe option with 16GB of memory.

How many screens do you use? The Air can support two external displays while the Neo can only support one. If you use two monitors at your desk then the Air is the way to go.

How long will you be using it for? The Neo has 8GB of non-upgradable memory which may feel limiting after 3/4 years. The Air can be upgraded to 32GB. We couldn't find any information on how the laptops perform after a long period of time.

Do you want a backlit keyboard, Thunderbolt and Touch ID on the base model? The Neo doesn't have these features. The 256GB base model doesn't have Touch ID (Tom's Hardware/Macworld).

What is your budget ceiling? If it is $700, the Neo is the clear choice. If you can reach $1,300, Macworld and BGR both prefer the Air.

Current Street Prices: We haven't checked any retailers and discounts can change often.

Battery Life of Neo: Macworld say up to 16 hours but in testing it lasted 13 Hours 28 Minutes.

Screen Size of Air: Macworld & BGR say it's 13.6". Creative Bloq say it's 13". This seems to be the same panel.

Further Price Increases: Apple said there could be further price increases (Reuters). No details were given.

We haven't reviewed these laptops.

MacRumors, Apple Just Raised the Price of the MacBook Neo, June 25, 2026: https://www.macrumors.com/2026/06/25/apple-just-raised-macbook-neo-prices/

Khaleej Times (Reuters), Apple raises prices of MacBooks, iPads as memory costs skyrocket, June 25, 2026: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/tech/apple-raises-prices-of-macbooks-ipads-as-memory-costs-skyrocket-2

Macworld, MacBook Air vs MacBook Neo compared: https://www.macworld.com/article/667144/macbook-air-vs-macbook-pro-neo-compared.html

Tom's Hardware, Apple MacBook Neo review: a budget-priced game-changer: https://www.tomshardware.com/laptops/macbooks/apple-macbook-neo-a18-pro-review

Creative Bloq, Apple MacBook Air M5 13-inch review: more Mac than you might expect: https://www.creativebloq.com/tech/laptops/apple-macbook-air-m5-13-inch-review-more-mac-than-you-might-expect

BGR, M5 MacBook Air review: https://bgr.com/2131659/macbook-air-m5-review

9to5Mac, Apple confirms macOS 27 Golden Gate launch date: https://9to5mac.com/2026/09/09/apple-confirms-macos-27-golden-gate-launch-date-september-14/