Apple now sells two very different thin laptops in India. The MacBook Neo starts at Rs 79,900 and the MacBook Air with the M5 chip starts at Rs 1,49,900 on Apple's India store (price as of 9 October 2026, 2:49 AM IST). On Amazon's Great Indian Festival page, the Neo is listed at Rs 68,990. They look similar from a distance, so what does the extra Rs 70,000 for the Air actually buy?
We compared the two using Apple's official specifications.
Prices and configurations
The MacBook Neo comes in two versions: Rs 79,900 with 256GB of storage and Rs 89,900 with 512GB. Both have 8GB of memory. Apple launched the Neo in March at Rs 69,900, so the current store price is Rs 10,000 higher, as we noted in our MacBook Neo price report. Amazon's Rs 68,990 sale price is lower than even the launch price, though Amazon's announcement does not name the storage option.
The 13 inch MacBook Air with M5 starts at Rs 1,49,900 with 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage, and Apple lists higher configurations at Rs 1,61,900 and Rs 1,79,900. Our MacBook Air price story covers the range.
Chip and memory
The Neo uses the A18 Pro, the chip first used in the iPhone 16 Pro, with a 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU. The Air uses the M5, with a 10-core CPU and an 8-core GPU in the base model. The M5 is a much more powerful chip, built for sustained work.
Memory is the bigger difference for most people. The Neo has 8GB and it cannot be upgraded. The Air starts at 16GB and can be configured with 24GB or 32GB. For web browsing, documents, video calls and streaming, 8GB on a Mac is workable. For many browser tabs alongside photo editing, coding or video editing, 16GB gives far more headroom, and it also helps the laptop stay usable for more years.
Display
The Neo has a 13 inch display at 2408 x 1506 with 500 nits of brightness. The Air has a slightly larger 13.6 inch display at 2560 x 1664 with P3 wide colour and True Tone, according to Apple. Both are sharp. The Air's wider colour range matters if you edit photos or video.
The Neo supports one external display up to 4K at 60Hz. The Air supports two external displays, which is useful if you work at a desk with two monitors.
Ports, camera and sound
The Neo has two USB-C ports, one USB 3 and one USB 2, plus a headphone jack. The slower USB 2 port is fine for a mouse or a keyboard but slow for an external drive. The Air has two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a MagSafe 3 charging port and a headphone jack, so you can charge without using up a USB-C port.
The Neo has a 1080p FaceTime camera. The Air has a 12MP Center Stage camera that keeps you in frame on video calls, and four speakers. If you spend hours on video calls, the Air's camera is a clear step up.
Battery, weight and Touch ID
Apple rates the Neo for up to 16 hours of video playback and 11 hours of web browsing, with a 36.5Wh battery and a 20W adapter. The Air is rated for up to 18 hours of video and 15 hours of web use, with a 53.8Wh battery and a 30W adapter. For a long day of browsing away from a socket, the Air has a real lead.
Both weigh 1.23kg. The Neo is 1.27cm thick and the Air 1.13cm. One detail to check on the Neo: Touch ID is included only on the 512GB model. The 256GB version uses your password to unlock and approve purchases. The Air has Touch ID across the range.
Charging and Apple Intelligence
The Neo's 20W adapter charges more slowly than the Air's 30W adapter, and Apple offers a 35W dual port adapter with the Air configurations that have a 10-core GPU. Both laptops charge over USB-C, so a good phone charger can top up the Neo in a pinch, just slowly. Both support Apple Intelligence features, according to Apple and Amazon's listing.
The Neo comes in four colours: Silver, Blush, Citrus and Indigo, each with a matching keyboard. If you buy during the sale, check the colour and storage on the Amazon listing before you pay, because Amazon's announcement does not say which version the Rs 68,990 price covers, and compare it with Apple's store after any card cashback on the day.
Which one should you buy?
Buy the MacBook Neo if you need a Mac for college work, browsing, documents and streaming, and your budget is under Rs 80,000. At Amazon's Rs 68,990 it is the cheapest new Mac laptop we have seen this season. Pay Rs 10,000 more for the 512GB model if you want Touch ID and room for files.
Buy the MacBook Air M5 if you edit photos or video, code, run many apps at once, use two monitors or want the laptop to last five years or more. The extra memory, faster chip, better camera and longer battery life justify the price for heavier users.
For many students and home users, the Neo is the sensible pick, and the money saved can go towards AppleCare or a good monitor. If you are weighing a Windows laptop instead, our ThinkBook 14X vs MacBook Air M5 comparison looks at that choice. Full specifications are on Apple's MacBook Neo page.
