Apple's new MacBook Neo offers a lower price point by dropping several features found in the MacBook Air. The most noticeable difference is the screen - while both are marketed as 13-inch displays, the MacBook Air's is actually 13.6 inches. The MacBook Neo also lacks True Tone technology and has a slightly lower resolution.

The storage and memory configurations show significant differences. The MacBook Neo starts at 256GB storage with 8GB RAM, while the MacBook Air begins at 512GB with 16GB RAM. The MacBook Neo uses USB-C ports instead of the faster Thunderbolt 4 found on the Air. These limitations will primarily affect power users like video editors.

Battery life is another compromise, with the MacBook Neo offering up to 11 hours compared to the Air's 15 hours. The Neo also lacks fast charging and features a basic 1080p FaceTime camera instead of the Air's 12MP Center Stage camera. Perhaps most surprisingly, the base $599 model doesn't include Touch ID - you'll need to spend $100 more for that feature. However, for everyday users who haven't experienced these premium features, many of these differences won't be noticeable.