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Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 vs Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch A18 Pro

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against laptops at a similar price

The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 scores 6.6/10 overall, ahead of the Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch A18 Pro at 4.7/10.

The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 leads on performance, memory and storage, battery life, keyboard and build and ports.

The Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch A18 Pro leads on linux support.

They score the same on display.

The biggest difference is memory and storage, where the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 scores 6/10 to the Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch A18 Pro's 2/10.

MacBook Air (13-inch, M5)

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5

6.6/10verdict: buy

The MacBook Air 13-inch M5 is for developers and sysadmins who work in macOS and want a light, silent laptop that lasts a full day away from a charger. It suits people doing everyday coding, containers and remote admin who can live with two Thunderbolt ports. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs Linux on the metal or a wide spread of built-in ports.

Typically about £1,250.11 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

MacBook Neo, 13-inch, A18 Pro chip

Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch A18 Pro

4.7/10verdict: skip

The MacBook Neo is for people who want a light, 13-inch macOS laptop with a sharp screen and a well-regarded keyboard and trackpad. It suits everyday work, writing and terminal sessions more than containers, VMs or long builds. Buyers who need many ports, more than 8GB of memory or Linux should look elsewhere.

Typically about £649 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightApple MacBook Air 13-inch M5Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch A18 Pro
Performance25%7/105/10
Memory and storage20%6/102/10
Display15%7/107/10
Battery life15%9/106/10
Keyboard and build10%8/107/10
Ports10%4/103/10
Linux support5%1/102/10
Overall6.6/104.7/10

Specifications

SpecApple MacBook Air 13-inch M5Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch A18 Pro
CPUApple M5, 10-core CPU with 4 super cores and 6 efficiency cores, 8-core GPU in the 16GB/512GB configurationApple A18 Pro with 6-core CPU (2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores), 5-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine
Memory16GB unified memory, configurable to 24GB or 32GB8GB unified memory
Storage512GB SSD, configurable to 1TB, 2TB or 4TB256GB SSD or 512GB SSD options
Display13.6-inch diagonal LED-backlit IPS display, 2560 by 1664 native resolution at 224 ppi, 500 nits brightness, wide colour (P3), True Tone13.0-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit IPS display, 2408-by-1506 native resolution at 219 pixels per inch, 500 nits brightness, 1 billion colours, sRGB
BatteryBuilt-in 53.8 Wh lithium-polymer battery; Apple claims up to 18 hours video streaming and up to 15 hours wireless webBuilt-in 36.5-watt-hour lithium-ion battery; up to 16 hours video streaming and up to 11 hours wireless web (Apple ratings)
PortsTwo Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, MagSafe 3 charging port, 3.5 mm headphone jackOne USB 3 (USB-C) port with charging, DisplayPort and USB 3 up to 10Gb/s; one USB 2 (USB-C) port with charging and USB 2 up to 480Mb/s; 3.5 mm headphone jack
Weight2.7 pounds (1.23 kg); dimensions 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches2.7 pounds (1.23 kg)
Operating systemmacOSmacOS

Strengths and weaknesses

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5

  • + Measured battery runtimes of 15 to 18 hours
  • + Sharp 2560 by 1664 display with 500 nits
  • + Light, fanless body with a well-liked keyboard
  • − Only two Thunderbolt 4 ports, no USB-A or HDMI
  • − No Linux support listed; macOS only
  • − Owners see little gain over the M4 Air

Skip it if:

  • Anyone who needs Linux running directly on the laptop
  • Buyers who want USB-A, HDMI or an SD slot built in
  • Current M4 Air owners looking for a clear upgrade
Read the full Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 review ›

Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch A18 Pro

  • + Sharp 2408-by-1506 display at 219 pixels per inch
  • + Owners praise build, keyboard and trackpad
  • + Light at 1.23 kg
  • − Only 8GB of memory, and owners say it limits headroom
  • − Just two USB-C ports, one limited to USB 2
  • − Keyboard has no backlight

Skip it if:

  • Developers who run several VMs or many containers at once
  • Anyone who needs Linux certified or reported working on the hardware
  • Buyers who want Thunderbolt, HDMI, USB-A or an SD slot built in
Read the full Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch A18 Pro review ›

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