Home
Trade-in

MacBook Air (M5 series) vs MacBook Neo (A18 series)

Shop MacBook
  • 24-month warranty
  • Free standard delivery on orders over £50
  • 14-day returns
  • Excellent customer support

MacBook Air (M5 series)

Starting at

£1,885.24
See options

MacBook Neo (A18 series)

Starting at

£639.00
See options
(17 reviews)

What's the difference between the MacBook Air (M5 series) and MacBook Neo (A18 series)?

MacBook Air (M5 series) vs MacBook Neo (A18 series) comes down to the RAM, screen size and weight. Refurbished, the MacBook Neo (A18 series) starts at £639, £1246.24 less than the MacBook Air (M5 series).

Refurbished from

£1885.24£639

RAM

16 GB8 GB

Screen size

15 inch13 inch

Weight

1510 g1230 g
  • The MacBook Air (M5 series) has more RAM: 16 GB vs 8 GB.
  • The MacBook Air (M5 series) has a bigger screen: 15 inch vs 13 inch.
  • The MacBook Neo (A18 series) has a lighter build: 1230 g vs 1510 g.

MacBook Air (M5 series) vs MacBook Neo (A18 series) specs

The MacBook Air offers more RAM and higher SSD storage options, suited for users who run multiple apps or need extra space. It also has a larger 15 inch screen with higher resolution, ideal for those who want a more spacious display. The MacBook Neo is lighter and has a smaller 13 inch screen, which makes it easier to carry and better for more portable use. Both have similar brightness, Retina Liquid Retina displays, and 1080p front cameras, so visual quality is strong on each. Buyers should choose the MacBook Air for power and screen size, and the MacBook Neo for portability and simplicity.

MacBook Air (M5 series) vs MacBook Neo (A18 series) price

Colour

  • IndigoSold out
  • CitrusSold out
  • BlushSold out
  • SilverSold out

MacBook Air (M5 series) vs MacBook Neo (A18 series) battery life and software updates

They were released in the same year, so their support lifecycle and update availability are aligned.

Latest macOS Support

This consistency suits users who want to keep their system current without compromise.

Maximum operating system supported

macOS TahoemacOS Tahoe

OS at launch

macOS 26 TahoeN/A

Year of release

20262026

MacBook Air (M5 series) vs MacBook Neo (A18 series) performance

Performance differences between the MacBook Air (M5 series) and MacBook Neo (A18 series) centre on GPU cores, RAM capacity, and storage options. These affect multitasking, graphics work, and how much data you can keep on your device.

Graphics Power

The MacBook Air's 10-core GPU offers more graphics processing power than the MacBook Neo's 5-core GPU. This makes the Air better suited for graphic-intensive tasks like video editing or gaming, while the Neo handles everyday graphics smoothly.

Memory Capacity

With 16 GB of RAM, the MacBook Air can keep more apps and browser tabs open at once, which benefits users who multitask heavily or work with demanding software. The MacBook Neo's 8 GB RAM is still well suited for everyday use and general productivity.

Storage Options

The MacBook Air is available with 512 GB or 1 TB of SSD storage, offering more space for large files and applications. The MacBook Neo comes with 256 GB or 512 GB options, which is enough for typical use but best for those who do not require extensive local storage.

Graphic card

10-core GPU5-core GPU

Macbook architecture

64-bits64-bits

Processor brand

AppleApple

Processor speed ghz

4.6 GHzN/A

RAM

16 GB8 GB

Storage type

SSDSSD

MacBook Air (M5 series) vs MacBook Neo (A18 series) screen

Screen size and resolution differ between these two models, affecting how much you see and the detail you get. Both feature Retina Liquid Retina Displays with True Tone and equal brightness, so colour and clarity remain strong on both.

Screen Size

The MacBook Air has a larger 15 inch screen, offering more room for working on documents, watching videos, or multitasking. The MacBook Neo's smaller 13 inch screen makes it more compact and easier to carry, which suits users prioritising portability.

Resolution Detail

The MacBook Air offers higher resolution options up to 2880 x 1864 pixels, which means sharper images and more screen real estate for detailed work. The MacBook Neo's resolution of 2408 x 1506 pixels still provides a clear and vibrant display with Retina quality.

Ips

YesYes

Resolution

2560 x 1664, 2880 x 18642408 x 1506

Retina

YesYes

Screen brightness

500 nits brightness500 nits brightness

Screen size

15 inch13 inch

Screen type

Liquid Retina DisplayLiquid Retina Display

True tone

YesYes

MacBook Air (M5 series) vs MacBook Neo (A18 series) camera

Front camera definition

1080p1080p

Microphone

N/AYes

Speakers

N/ASide-firing speakers

Webcam

N/AYes

MacBook Air (M5 series) vs MacBook Neo (A18 series) size and design

Both MacBook Air (M5 series) and MacBook Neo (A18 series) share many features such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi technology, and ports, but there are differences in weight and Bluetooth version to consider.

Weight and Portability

The MacBook Neo weighs 1230 g, making it lighter and potentially easier to carry around for long periods. The MacBook Air weighs 1510 g, which might suit users who prefer a larger screen and are less concerned about weight.

Bluetooth Version

The MacBook Air supports Bluetooth 6.0, while the MacBook Neo supports Bluetooth 6. Both provide modern wireless connectivity, but the Air's specific version number could imply slight differences in features or range.

Bluetooth

YesYes

Bluetooth version

Bluetooth 6.0Bluetooth 6

Card slot

N/ANone

Charger compatibility

MagSafe 3 / USB-CN/A

Display

Standard displayStandard display

Jack plug

YesYes

Keyboard language type

QWERTY - EnglishQWERTY - English

Microphone specifications

N/ADual-mic array

Neural engine

16-core16-core

Promotion

NoNo

Release date

March 11, 2026March 11, 2026

Touch

YesYes

Touch bar

NoNo

Usb typec thunderbolt 4 ports

22

Usbc port

22

Webcam definition

N/A1080p

Weight

1510 g1230 g

Wifi technology

Wi-Fi 6 802.11axWi-Fi 6 802.11ax

MacBook Air (M5 series) or MacBook Neo (A18 series): which should you buy?

Buy the MacBook Air (M5 series) if

  • you want more RAM (16 GB vs 8 GB)
  • you want a bigger screen (15 inch vs 13 inch)

Buy the MacBook Neo (A18 series) if

  • you want to spend less: it starts at £639, £1246.24 less than the MacBook Air (M5 series)
  • you want a lighter build (1230 g vs 1510 g)

MacBook Air (M5 series) vs MacBook Neo (A18 series) FAQs

MacBook Air (M5 series) vs MacBook Neo (A18 series) comes down to the RAM, screen size and weight. The MacBook Air (M5 series) has more RAM: 16 GB vs 8 GB. The MacBook Air (M5 series) has a bigger screen: 15 inch vs 13 inch.

The MacBook Neo (A18 series) is cheaper refurbished, from £639 compared with £1885.24 for the MacBook Air (M5 series).

Refurbished, the MacBook Air (M5 series) comes in 512GB and 1TB, and the MacBook Neo (A18 series) in 256GB and 512GB.

Add device
Add device
Add device
Add device