Laptops
MacBook Neo vs MacBook Pro M5
MacBook Neo and MacBook Pro with M5 Pro are both Apple laptops running macOS Tahoe with Apple Intelligence. The difference is the chip generation and target audience. MacBook Neo uses the A18 Pro chip from iPhone 16 Pro and targets everyday users who want an affordable, colorful, and lightweight Mac. MacBook Pro M5 uses the purpose-built M5 Pro or M5 Max chip designed for demanding professional workloads. This comparison covers performance, display, ports, battery, price, and who each laptop is actually built for.
Last updated: June 28, 2026
Apple
MacBook Neo
A lightweight, colorful Mac with A18 Pro chip, all-day battery, and Apple Intelligence for everyday use.
VS
Apple
MacBook Pro M5
A pro laptop with M5 Pro or M5 Max chip, Liquid Retina XDR display, Thunderbolt 5, and up to 128GB unified memory.
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Specifications
Pros & Cons
MacBook Neo — Pros
✓Much more affordable entry point into Apple silicon laptops
✓Lighter and thinner than MacBook Pro (2.7 lbs vs 3.5 lbs)
✓Longer video streaming battery life (up to 16 hours)
✓Available in four colors: Silver, Blush, Citrus, Indigo
✓Uses A18 Pro chip — same chip as iPhone 16 Pro with strong AI performance
✓Simpler, more affordable charger (20W USB-C)
MacBook Neo — Cons
✕A18 Pro is significantly slower than M5 Pro for professional workloads
✕Only 8GB unified memory — not configurable
✕Display limited to 500 nits, sRGB — no HDR or ProMotion
✕Only two USB-C ports (one USB 3, one USB 2) — no Thunderbolt
✕Supports only one external display at up to 4K 60Hz
✕No MagSafe, no HDMI, no SD card slot
✕60GB/s memory bandwidth vs 307GB/s on M5 Pro
MacBook Pro M5 — Pros
✓M5 Pro CPU is up to 30% faster than M4 Pro; M5 Max goes further
✓Up to 4x faster AI performance vs previous generation
✓Liquid Retina XDR display: 1600 nits peak HDR, ProMotion 120Hz
✓Three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI, MagSafe 3, SDXC card slot
✓Configurable up to 128GB unified memory and 8TB SSD
✓Up to 14.5GB/s SSD read speeds
✓Up to 24 hours battery life (16-inch model)
✓12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View
✓Six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers
MacBook Pro M5 — Cons
✕Starts at $2,199 — significantly more expensive than MacBook Neo
✕Heavier at 3.5 lbs (M5 Pro 14-inch)
✕Overkill for everyday tasks like browsing, email, and light editing
✕Only Space Black and Silver color options
✕Higher complexity — more config choices to navigate at purchase
Best used for
✦Students and everyday users who want a fast, affordable Mac
✦Light productivity: writing, email, browsing, and video calls
✦Anyone switching from iPhone who wants a familiar ecosystem
✦Portable computing with all-day battery and low weight
✦Creative work that doesn't require a dedicated pro GPU
✦Apple Intelligence features without paying pro laptop prices
✦Users who want color options beyond the standard Space Black and Silver
Best used for
✦Developers, engineers, and researchers running demanding local workloads
✦AI and machine learning inference and model training on-device
✦Video editing in 4K and 8K with ProRes in DaVinci Resolve or Final Cut Pro
✦3D modeling, rendering, and VFX in Cinema 4D, Blender, or Maya
✦Music production in Logic Pro or Avid Pro Tools with heavy plugin loads
✦Running local LLMs with fast inference in LM Studio or similar apps
✦Multi-display professional setups with up to four external screens
⚖️
Our Verdict
MacBook Neo is the right choice for most everyday Mac users. At a lower price, lighter weight, and with sufficient performance for browsing, writing, video calls, light editing, and Apple Intelligence features, it covers the needs of students and general consumers well. The A18 Pro chip is the same silicon in iPhone 16 Pro, which is a genuinely fast chip — it just isn't designed for sustained professional workloads. MacBook Pro with M5 Pro is a different category of machine. The M5 Pro chip has significantly higher CPU performance, a much faster GPU, far greater memory bandwidth, and supports up to 64GB of unified memory. For developers, video editors, 3D artists, AI researchers, and anyone running demanding local workloads, the performance difference is substantial and justifies the price premium. The choice comes down to who you are. If your work runs comfortably on an iPhone-class chip, MacBook Neo is the smarter purchase. If you regularly push compute limits, the MacBook Pro M5 is worth every dollar.
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose MacBook Neo if...
→You're a student or everyday user who doesn't need pro-level compute
→Budget is the primary constraint — MacBook Neo costs significantly less
→You want a lighter, thinner Mac for commuting or travel
→Your workload is email, browsing, writing, video calls, and light editing
→You want a color option beyond Space Black and Silver
→You're switching from iPhone and want a tight ecosystem integration
Choose MacBook Pro M5 if...
→You're a developer, video editor, 3D artist, or AI researcher
→You run demanding local workloads that require sustained high performance
→You need more than 8GB of unified memory
→You need Thunderbolt 5 ports for fast external drives or displays
→You want to run local LLMs with fast inference on-device
→You connect to multiple external displays at a professional workstation
→You need MagSafe charging and an HDMI or SD card slot
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is MacBook Neo or MacBook Pro M5 better?
A: It depends on what you're doing. MacBook Neo is better for everyday tasks at a lower price. MacBook Pro M5 is better if you run demanding professional workloads and need the performance headroom that M5 Pro or M5 Max provides.
Q: What chip does MacBook Neo use?
A: MacBook Neo uses the Apple A18 Pro chip — the same chip found in iPhone 16 Pro. It has a 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine with 60GB/s of memory bandwidth.
Q: How does A18 Pro compare to M5 Pro?
A: M5 Pro is significantly faster for sustained workloads. It has a 15 or 18-core CPU, up to a 20-core GPU, 307GB/s of memory bandwidth, and supports up to 64GB of unified memory. A18 Pro is a mobile chip optimized for power efficiency; M5 Pro is built for professional compute.
Q: Can MacBook Neo handle video editing?
A: Yes, for casual video editing at 1080p and 4K it performs well. However, for heavy 4K or 8K workflows, ProRes editing, or color grading in DaVinci Resolve, the MacBook Pro M5 provides a much smoother experience due to its dedicated media engine, higher GPU core count, and greater memory bandwidth.
Q: Does MacBook Neo have Thunderbolt?
A: No. MacBook Neo has two USB-C ports — one USB 3 (up to 10Gb/s) and one USB 2 (up to 480Mb/s). It does not support Thunderbolt or USB4. MacBook Pro M5 has three Thunderbolt 5 ports (up to 120Gb/s).
Q: Which has a better display?
A: MacBook Pro M5 has the significantly better display. Its 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR panel offers ProMotion adaptive refresh up to 120Hz, 1600 nits peak HDR brightness, P3 wide color, and 254 ppi. MacBook Neo's 13-inch Liquid Retina display is 500 nits, sRGB, and fixed refresh rate.
Q: How much does MacBook Neo cost?
A: Pricing for MacBook Neo was not yet listed on the official tech specs page at the time of this comparison. Check apple.com/macbook-neo for current pricing. MacBook Pro M5 starts at $2,199 for the 14-inch M5 Pro model.
Q: Which is lighter?
A: MacBook Neo weighs 2.7 lbs (1.23 kg) and is 0.50 inches thin. MacBook Pro M5 (14-inch) weighs 3.5 lbs (1.60 kg) and is 0.61 inches thin. MacBook Neo is the more portable option.
Q: Does MacBook Neo run Apple Intelligence?
A: Yes. MacBook Neo runs macOS Tahoe with Apple Intelligence enabled. Both MacBook Neo and MacBook Pro M5 support Apple Intelligence features.
Sources & References
Prices, features and specifications in this comparison were verified from official sources.
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