Neo vs Air M5 vs Pro M5: which MacBook fits your budget and workload?

Tom’s Guide compares the MacBook Neo, Air M5, and Pro M5 to help you decide among budget, midrange, and high-end options. The Neo is the cheapest at $599 with a 13-inch display, A18 Pro chip, 8GB RAM and 256GB storage (about 13+ hours battery). The Air M5 upgrades power with a 13.6-inch display, M5 chip, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD and Wi‑Fi 7 (base price around $1,099). The Pro M5 targets performance with a 14.2-inch XDR display, M5, more RAM/storage options (up to 2TB) and extended ports, priced from about $1,699. Choose Neo for value, Air M5 for balanced performance, or Pro M5 for heavy workloads and longer battery life.