00:00Should you buy Apple's MacBook Neo or just get an iPad?
00:04The Neo is Apple's newest and first true budget laptop that's aimed at more casual users.
00:10But depending on what you actually need your device to do, whether that's productivity, creativity, or entertainment,
00:15the iPad still might actually make more sense.
00:18So before you spend your money, in this video I'll break down everything you need to know.
00:25Now a big part of the MacBook Neo versus iPad decision is going to come down to cost and value,
00:31so let's start there.
00:32Chances are if you're considering a Neo, it's because of that $599 starting price point for the base 256GB model
00:39or $699 for 512GB and a fingerprint reader like the model I personally bought.
00:45That's almost half the price of a MacBook Air.
00:48But what does that get us on the iPad side?
00:51An 11-inch iPad Air also starts at $599, but you only get 128GB of storage,
00:57which, depending on how large your files are, may or may not be enough.
01:02Also, 11-inch may feel a little bit cramped, especially if you're used to using a larger display, which you
01:07get with most laptops.
01:08So if you wanted the closest iPad-equivalent experience to the Neo,
01:13a 13-inch iPad Air with 512GB of storage set you back $1,100,
01:19and that's before adding some must-have accessories.
01:23Now, if the iPad Air is going to have any chance at replacing your laptop, you're also going to need
01:27a solid keyboard.
01:29Apple's Magic Keyboard is really great, but it costs $269, so if you want to save a bit of cash,
01:34I'll link some of the best deals for third-party options.
01:36One of my favorites is actually right here, the $120 ESR Rebound Magnetic Case,
01:41which is very similar to the Magic Keyboard, but actually has a few tricks up its sleeve.
01:45First, you can completely rotate your iPad vertically if you want to type that way.
01:49It comes with a case, so you have added protection, and you can completely use it wirelessly, which is a
01:54really nice touch.
01:55But besides the keyboard, choices are you also want to pick up one of these, the Apple Pencil,
01:59which is going to set you back at least another $80.
02:01So while the iPad Air does start at that same $600 price point,
02:05you can easily spend twice as much with all your accessories.
02:08Obviously, you are paying a premium for this tablet form factor,
02:12so I'll be giving you some side-by-side comparisons to help you figure out which one of these works
02:16best for you.
02:18iPads are known for being lightweight, but once you throw on a quality keyboard,
02:22the iPad Air is basically the same weight as the Neo,
02:26even if you do opt for the smaller 11-inch model like I have here.
02:29So when it comes to taking these both on the go, they're going to be a tie.
02:34Opened up, though, the iPad actually feels a little bit top-heavy
02:37and can be a little bit awkward to bounce, especially when I'm using it on my lap,
02:41while the Neo doesn't.
02:42Surprisingly, typing on the Neo feels very on par with every other MacBook that I've tested,
02:47but I am bummed that there is no backlighting on the keyboard here,
02:51something that you will find on many of the best iPad Air keyboard cases.
02:55As far as ports and connectivity go, the Neo has two USB-C ports,
02:59one USB 3 and one USB 2.0.
03:01So I can connect an accessory and charge this at the same time,
03:05but since the iPad Air only has the one USB-C port,
03:07I almost always need to bring a dongle with me.
03:10That said, what I really like about iPads right now, especially with iPadOS,
03:13is that you can now connect external drives if you ever need extra storage
03:17or want to quickly copy over files.
03:19And with the M-Series models, like the iPad Air,
03:22you can also connect and extend to a second monitor like you would on a MacBook.
03:26It works really well, and Apple is definitely blurring the lines between these two devices now.
03:31Of course, one thing the iPad Air has that the Neo doesn't is a touchscreen as well as pen support.
03:37So whether you're just swiping, gesturing, drawing, or playing a game,
03:41the iPad lets you feel more connected with what you're doing on screen in a way that a laptop can't.
03:49For me, though, one of the biggest things that'll make or break this entire comparison
03:53is whether or not an iPad Air can get real work done.
03:56So as a video editor, I'm really curious to see how they handle video editing.
04:00On the Neo, I can just drag and drop these files directly into a folder.
04:04On the iPad, I feel like I'm more constantly jumping in and out of the Files app,
04:07and it feels like an extra step every single time.
04:10I don't even want to get into how difficult it was to get,
04:14not even the same, a comparable project imported over here.
04:17I still need to recolor grade this right now.
04:20I am very frustrated.
04:21Now, this is where you need to be really careful before buying either your iPad Air or a Neo.
04:26If I know I'm going to be working with a lot of files, especially larger projects,
04:30I definitely want to have at least 512 gigabytes of storage,
04:33which happens to be the max amount that you can get on the Neo.
04:36Sure, you can just edit off of a large SSD,
04:38but that's going to be another accessory you always need to carry around,
04:41and that's just not as seamless.
04:43Okay, back to the edit.
04:44I have to give props to the iPad Air with the import chip,
04:46because this is playing it back smoothly, no drop frames.
04:50This is actually kind of good.
04:52Like, once you get past all the BS, this is actually kind of good.
04:56And while both of these are going to export the file in about the same time,
04:59maybe a slight edge to the iPad Air,
05:02it's the combination of better file organization, better available tools,
05:06larger screen size that really add up in the Neo's favor.
05:09And while I definitely wouldn't want to make either of these my full-time video editing machine,
05:13the Neo handles these lighter workflows a lot better.
05:16But when it comes to the creative side of things,
05:18a touchscreen and pen support are still going to be a must for me.
05:22I edit most of my photos in Lightroom,
05:24and I actually use a combination of a MacBook and iPad for my workflow.
05:28For batch photo editing, I actually prefer the Neo,
05:31but with the iPad's touchscreen,
05:33it lets me be more precise for masking or making finer adjustments,
05:36especially with a pen.
05:38And speaking of the pen,
05:39if you're more artistically inclined, not that I really am,
05:42the iPad is going to be the obvious choice
05:44if you do any kind of drawing or handwritten notes.
05:47I actually bought my first ever iPad just so I could take notes during class.
05:51And for me,
05:52it was a great substitute for a physical notebook
05:55to keep everything digitized and easy to find.
05:57As a school companion,
05:59especially for your maths and your sciences,
06:01where you have complex formulas,
06:03the iPad Air could be a great pick
06:05because you can easily switch between typing and handwriting.
06:11What about gaming?
06:12Neither of these is going to replace your gaming laptop anytime soon.
06:16Actually,
06:16if you're interested in learning about some of the best gaming laptops,
06:19I have a video linked down below if you want to learn more.
06:21That said,
06:21both of these do offer really great entertainment value
06:24and have access to a huge library of games.
06:26For more casual games,
06:28which are usually designed with touch controls in mind,
06:30the iPad is just going to be better.
06:31It feels more immersive,
06:32and these games are really fun to play
06:35when you're on the go and you just want to kill some time.
06:37You can find a lot of these same games on the Mac App Store too,
06:41but it's just not the same with a mouse and keyboard.
06:43That said,
06:44with support for AAA native games,
06:46as well as Steam support,
06:48you can access a huge library of once PC exclusive games
06:51right on your MacBook Neo.
06:53And just sticking with gaming for a little bit more here,
06:56something I've been really into lately
06:57is turning my iPad into a giant gaming handheld.
07:01Especially with support for cloud streaming now,
07:03when you pair this with a controller
07:05like the Razer Kishi XL,
07:07this is one of the best way to play a huge library of games,
07:10including PC games, on the go.
07:12Look, neither of these is going to blow you away
07:14with console-like graphics,
07:15but if you want access to a bigger library
07:17of more PC-like games,
07:19go with the Neo.
07:20If you want to play on the go,
07:22go with the iPad Air.
07:25So that should hopefully give you a better idea
07:27whether the MacBook Neo
07:28or the iPad Air combo makes most sense for you.
07:31While iPads are much more capable
07:33and continue to blur the line
07:35between laptop and tablet,
07:37its software and smaller touchscreen,
07:38especially on the 11-inch,
07:40still makes this better as a media consumption
07:42and creative tool first,
07:43while the Neo is still going to have
07:45the edge with productivity.
07:46Let me know which one you're leaning towards
07:48or if you want to see any other
07:49head-to-head comparisons with the Neo.
07:51You can find the best deals
07:52for everything that I shared linked below.
07:54Don't forget to like and subscribe.
07:56Follow me to see what other cool tech I'm reviewing.
07:58And until the next one,
07:58I'll catch you later.
