The Apple MacBook Air 13" (M5) meets
the Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro)
The best laptop overall at Engadget, Tom's Guide and Tom's Hardware, and silent all day. We tested it head-to-head against the Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro) across 6 key dimensions.
Apple MacBook Air 13" (M5)
“The best laptop overall at Engadget, Tom's Guide and Tom's Hardware, and silent all day”
Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro)
“The budget pick in seven of our nine sources, with an aluminum build no cheap Windows laptop matches”
Head-to-Head Breakdown
Strengths & Weaknesses
Apple MacBook Air 13" (M5)
- Named the best laptop overall by Engadget, Tom's Guide and Tom's Hardware
- 18 hours 4 minutes in PCMag's battery rundown, with no fan noise at all
- 16GB of memory standard, Wi-Fi 7 and a 12MP Center Stage camera for calls
- Apple raised the price by $200 in June 2026, to $1,299
- Only two Thunderbolt 4 ports, so a desk setup usually needs a dock
- The screen tops out at 60Hz, and Engadget wants a faster one
Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro)
- The budget pick at Engadget, Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, RTINGS, PCWorld, Wirecutter and PCMag
- 15 hours 35 minutes in PCMag's battery rundown, which gave it 4.5 stars
- Aluminum body and a sharp 13-inch display at $699
- 8GB of memory slows it down with 30 or more tabs or large files, per Wirecutter
- The keyboard is not backlit, and Touch ID costs $100 more
- One of its two USB-C ports runs at USB 2.0 speed, and it drives only one external display
The Verdict
Our Bottom Line
Five of the nine buying guides we analyzed name the 13-inch MacBook Air (M5) either the best laptop overall or the best Mac. Engadget, Tom's Guide and Tom's Hardware put it first outright, and Wirecutter and PCMag pick it as the Mac for most people. Every one of their reasons matters at a desk. It is quick and completely silent, and the battery outlasts a workday with hours to spare. PCMag's video rundown ran 18 hours 4 minutes; Wirecutter got 16 hours of web browsing.
Apple MacBook Air 13" (M5)
Five of the nine buying guides we analyzed name the 13-inch MacBook Air (M5) either the best laptop overall or the best Mac. Engadget, Tom's Guide and Tom's Hardware put it first outright, and Wirecutter and PCMag pick it as the Mac for most people. Every one of their reasons matters at a desk. It is quick and completely silent, and the battery outlasts a workday with hours to spare. PCMag's video rundown ran 18 hours 4 minutes; Wirecutter got 16 hours of web browsing.
- Office and remote workers whose day is email, documents, spreadsheets and video calls
- Anyone who wants a full workday of battery with hours to spare
- People who take calls in quiet rooms and want a laptop with no fan noise
- Hybrid workers who carry a laptop between home and the office
- iPhone owners who want Apple's support and ecosystem
Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro)
The MacBook Neo is the budget pick in seven of our nine sources, and the praise is unusually consistent. Engadget says Apple came out of nowhere to shame every budget PC maker. PCMag gave it 4.5 stars and measured 15 hours 35 minutes in its video rundown, and Wirecutter got 14 hours of web browsing. Wirecutter's verdict is blunt: no cheap Windows laptop or Chromebook matches its display, build quality or support.
- Buyers who want a Mac for about $700
- Light office users who work mostly in a browser, email and documents
- Home-office workers who keep a dozen tabs open rather than 30
- Anyone replacing an old, slow Windows laptop for everyday work
- People who care more about build quality and support than speed