Apple’s new MacBook Neo is its cheapest, most colorful laptop so far — here’s how it compares to the Pro and Air

Apple has unveiled its most budget-friendly MacBook yet — say hello to the MacBook Neo.

Today (March 4) the tech giant announced its new range of laptops during its Apple Experience event, which also includes the new MacBook Pro M5 Pro and M5 Max, and MacBook Air M5, but it was the MacBook Neo that stole the show.

Pre-orders for the new models are now open with availability from March 11, but how does Apple's first budget-friendly laptop compare to its advanced siblings price-wise? Here are all the iterations of the new models and their prices side-by-side.

Price comparisons for the MacBook Neo, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air

The MacBook Neo has a lower starting price than any other Apple laptop at $599 / £599 / AU$899. That modest price tag doesn't mean compromising on handy features though, and you'll still have access to tools such as Apple Intelligence, the Multi-Touch Trackpad, and Magic Keyboard.

Although it doesn't pack the same storage as the new MacBook Pro lineup (the Neo is available in either 256GB or 512GB) and it runs on a different chip (Apple's A18), the MacBook Neo is a solid budget option on paper ideal for those who want an above surface-level laptop to get them by. This is where the main price differences between the Pro and Air come in.

The MacBook Pro M5 offers significantly more storage than the MacBook Neo, which is part of the reason for the price difference. The Pro and Air are powered by Apple's next-generation M5 chip, which also makes them more expensive than the MacBook Neo, and depending on which size and chip you opt for, you could pay up to $2200 more if you went whole hog with the 16-inch MacBook Pro M5 Max.

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