Which MacBook Is Right for Your Business? MacBook Air, MacBook Pro or MacBook Neo
MacBook Air or MacBook Pro for your business? See what each suits, the Australian prices and when the MacBook Neo is enough.
Buying laptops for a business is different from buying one for home. You want machines that suit each person’s work, stay fast for years and are easy to look after. For most businesses, the choice comes down to MacBook Air or MacBook Pro.
MacBook Air: the right choice for most staff
MacBook Air is the laptop we recommend for most office roles. It handles email, Microsoft 365, web apps, video calls and accounting software with ease, and it is light enough to carry between home, the office and client meetings.
It runs on the M5 chip and comes in two sizes. The 13-inch model starts at A$2,0991 and the 15-inch at A$2,4991. The larger screen is worth it for anyone who works on spreadsheets or has two documents open side by side all day.
MacBook Pro: for heavier workloads
MacBook Pro suits people whose work pushes a computer hard: video and photo editing, design, large data files, software development or running many demanding apps at once. It is available in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes, with a choice of M5, M5 Pro or M5 Max chips. The 14-inch model starts at A$3,1991 and the 16-inch at A$4,7991.
If you are not sure whether someone needs a Pro, they probably do not. Spend the difference on more memory or storage in a MacBook Air instead.
Memory and storage
Memory and storage cannot be upgraded after you buy, so choose with the next few years in mind. MacBook Air comes with 16GB, 24GB or 32GB of memory and from 512GB to 4TB of storage.
For most office staff, 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage is enough, especially if files live in OneDrive or SharePoint. Choose 24GB or more for anyone who keeps many apps and browser tabs open, works with large files, or uses AI tools on the Mac itself.
A budget option: MacBook Neo
For staff with light needs, such as email, web apps and the occasional document, MacBook Neo is Apple’s most affordable laptop, from A$1,0491. It has limits that matter in some businesses, including support for only one external display, so read our guide to MacBook Neo and when to buy a MacBook Air instead before you choose it.
Setting them up properly
New laptops are the best time to get your setup right: user accounts, Microsoft 365, backups and security. Our guide to setting up Microsoft 365 for a Mac-based business covers the software side.
Need a hand?
If you would like help choosing the right Macs for your team, or setting them up so they are ready to work on day one, see our Mac Support & Setup service, or contact Your Mac Tech.
1. Prices shown are current as at October 2026.
