MacBook Neo vs. iPad Air: How I'm deciding between Apple's $599 computing devices

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With the instauration of the new MacBook Neo, Apple has added a caller entry-level enactment to its lineup. Before, if you didn't privation to perpetrate to a caller MacBook Air oregon Pro, you were relegated to the iPad, which offers a importantly antithetic idiosyncratic experience.  

Also: After utilizing MacBook Neo, it's wide Windows needs to rethink its PC strategy (and fast)

But each that has changed. The caller MacBook Neo starts astatine $599 -- the aforesaid terms arsenic the latest affordable iPad Air M4 with 128GB of storage, bringing the MacBook acquisition to an accessible terms point. This puts these 2 devices connected adjacent footing, but they're precise antithetic successful presumption of usability. Which 1 is simply a amended acceptable for you? Let's interruption it down. 

Specifications

You should bargain the iPad Air M4 if...

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1. You privation the touchscreen experience

It mightiness look obvious, but the iPad is fundamentally antithetic than a MacBook arsenic a interaction device. iPadOS is optimized for interaction oregon usage with an Apple Pencil, and arsenic such, offers a much tactile, intuitive signifier of interaction. 

iPads are truthful fashionable due to the fact that they don't truly consciousness similar "computers" -- the quality to tap, drag, and zoom with your fingers straight is similar moving with a carnal object. This makes them large for younger kids, older folks, oregon anyone with ocular impairments. 

Read the review: iPad Air M4

For artists who privation the tactile acquisition and don't request the MacBook Pro's processing power, the iPad Air offers a overmuch much accessible mediate ground, with a vivid show and stylus enactment for sketching, illustrating, and iterating connected designs. 

2. You're an creator oregon creator 

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The iPad Air M4 features a 12MP Center Stage camera, 4K video signaling astatine up to 30 fps, and a amended display, making it amended for creators who privation to sprout photos oregon videos. The smaller, thinner framework is mode much conducive to shooting content, and stylus enactment makes for fast, intuitive representation editing. 

Additionally, the M4 processor successful the iPad Air has 12GB of unified representation to enactment with, alongside an eight-core CPU and nine-core GPU (compared to a six-core and five-core successful the Neo), bringing importantly much processing powerfulness to the table.

3. You privation a amended display 

The MacBook Neo opened up a caller introduction constituent into the MacBook line, but its show is not arsenic flashy arsenic those connected the MacBook Air oregon Pro. The iPad is simply a overmuch amended enactment for anyone who wants a superb display, but doesn't request the top-of-the-line processing powerfulness successful the MacBook Pro. 

Also: MacBook Neo vs. MacBook Air: I compared Apple's caller laptops, and here's my winner

The gorgeous tandem OLED show connected the iPad has 264 pixels per inch and an optional nano-texture display, offering a brighter, much vivid image. This benefits artists, but it's besides a amended prime for streaming movies, arsenic video contented looks crisper and much realistic. 

You should bargain the MacBook Neo if...

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1. You privation the MacBook experience 

The Neo delivers a satisfying MacBook experience, though determination are immoderate trade-offs. I've written astir this astatine length, but Apple did a large occupation balancing physique and features, retaining the champion features from much almighty MacBooks, but keeping the outgo debased with much humble hardware. 

For example, you don't get backlighting connected the Neo's keyboard, but the keys inactive consciousness functional. The Neo's trackpad is not haptic, but it is inactive amended than galore different Windows PC successful the terms range. 

Read the review: MacBook Neo

The effect is simply a laptop that feels astir identical to a MacBook Air oregon Pro connected the aboveground -- its lone regulation being its processing power. If you're utilizing it for what it's designed for -- mundane tasks, moving retired of the browser, and utilizing Apple's iPhone integrations -- it feels great. 

2. You privation a instrumentality for work 

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

On that note, if you're looking for thing to usage for work-related tasks, the Neo is simply a amended option. It runs the aforesaid operating strategy arsenic a MacBook Pro, with a keyboard and rodent that connection amended functionality for work-related tasks. Although you tin surely get a keyboard for the iPad Air and link it to a wide scope of accessories, MacOS is simply amended for productivity tasks, portion iPadOS shines with originative tasks, tablet gaming, and media. 

3. You privation the much price-efficient option

Both the MacBook Neo and iPad Pro commencement astatine $599, but the Neo is simply a small much cost-effective. If the iPad Air M4 is simply a high-performing niche device, the Neo is much entry-level but besides much versatile. The Neo has trade-offs arsenic mentioned, but for the bulk of users who privation a MacBook for non-demanding workloads, it's going to consciousness astir identical to a higher-specced Mac.

Writer's choice

I've utilized some products, and personally, I similar the Neo. It's a small much of a generalist device, but the pros (low cost, bang for buck) heavy outweigh the cons (lower-end hardware). Compared to different Windows PCs astatine a akin terms point, the Neo offers a precise competitory experience, particularly if you're an iPhone user, arsenic it comes with the afloat suite of iPhone integrations, similar Continuity and Phone Mirroring. 

Also: Microsoft was close astir the aboriginal of PCs - it conscionable took the MacBook Neo to beryllium it

If you're an creator oregon creator committed to a instrumentality for those workflows, the iPad Air M4 is simply a amended choice. But for fundamentally everyone else, the Neo is simply a amended option. Even though the iPad is amended for younger kids, the Neo is simply a commendable introduction constituent into the MacBook ecosystem that scales up to immoderate of the astir almighty user laptops connected the marketplace today.