Apple’s new MacBook lineup explained: Neo, Air and Pro
Apple expands its laptop lineup. Here’s how the three MacBooks compare
For years, the MacBook Air was the entry point into Apple’s laptop ecosystem. If you wanted something more powerful, you moved up to the MacBook Pro.
This week, Apple quietly redrew that map.
At its latest launch cycle, the company introduced a new MacBook Neo — the most affordable Mac laptop yet — while simultaneously refreshing the MacBook Air with the new M5 chip and updating the MacBook Pro lineup.
Together, the three devices reveal a more clearly tiered Mac strategy: Neo for entry-level buyers, Air for mainstream users, and Pro for high-performance work.
The announcement was described the as part of Apple’s push into more budget-friendly devices, noting that the company launched a Dh2,599 MacBook Neo alongside several new products aimed at expanding its consumer base.
The MacBook Neo: Apple’s new entry Mac
The most surprising addition is the MacBook Neo, positioned below the MacBook Air.
It starts at Dh2,599 in the UAE for the 256GB version, with the 512GB configuration with Touch ID priced at Dh2,999.
The Neo features:
13-inch display
A18 Pro chip — the same processor used in recent iPhones
8GB unified memory
256GB or 512GB storage
Two USB-C ports and a headphone jack
Supports one external monitor up to 4K resolution at 60Hz
The device also comes in four colours — silver, indigo, blush and citrus — signalling a more consumer-focused design direction.
MacBook Air gets the M5 chip
Above the Neo sits the newly refreshed MacBook Air, now powered by Apple’s M5 chip.
The 13-inch M5 MacBook Air starts at Dh4,599 in the UAE, while the 15-inch model begins at Dh5,499.
For the first time, the Air now ships with 512GB base storage, double that of previous models.
Key upgrades include:
Apple M5 chip
512GB base storage
Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6
13.6-inch or 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display
Up to 18 hours battery life
International coverage notes that the Air’s price has increased by about $100 (from $999 to $1099) compared with the previous generation, partly due to rising memory costs across the PC industry.
Despite the update, the Air remains Apple’s most popular laptop — designed for productivity tasks, coding, media editing and everyday work.
MacBook Pro remains Apple’s performance machine
At the top of the lineup is the MacBook Pro, now available with M5 Pro and M5 Max processors.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 starts around Dh7,199 in the UAE, with higher configurations reaching significantly higher prices depending on memory and storage.
Compared with the Air, the Pro adds:
Active cooling for sustained performance
Liquid Retina XDR display
More ports including HDMI and additional Thunderbolt
Higher-end GPU options
Larger memory and storage configurations
These machines are designed for heavy workloads such as video production, 3D rendering, software development and AI workflows.
Availability in the UAE
Apple has aligned availability for all three machines.
Pre-orders are already open, with retail availability starting March 11 in the UAE across Apple Stores and authorised resellers.
