MacBook Neo vs Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus

What separates them

Price history

• MacBook Neo: lowest $599.00 on Oct 28 at UCLA Store; $729.00 on Oct 30.
• Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus: lowest $534.00 on Oct 30 at Amazon.

Prices at every store

Specs compared

Questions and answers

Which is better for schoolwork?

Both handle essays, slides and web research. The Neo gives you a sharper screen and longer battery; the Flex 5i gives you a faster CPU and a touchscreen that folds into a tablet.

Which lasts longer on a charge?

The MacBook Neo, rated up to 16 hours versus up to 10 hours for the Flex 5i. Real-world results depend on brightness and what you run.

Is the MacBook Neo worth the extra money?

At $599.00 versus $534.00, the $65 gap buys a brighter Retina screen, Touch ID, SSD storage and six more rated hours of battery. Pay it if you want macOS; skip it if you want the faster chip.

Which has the faster processor?

The Flex 5i's Core i3-1315U is a 6-core laptop chip boosting to 4.5 GHz. The Neo's A18 Pro is a phone-class chip tuned for light tasks, so heavy multitasking favors the Lenovo.

Can I use these as tablets?

Only the Flex 5i. Its 360-degree hinge folds into tablet mode, and the touchscreen works with ChromeOS apps. The Neo is a standard clamshell.

Which is lighter to carry?

The MacBook Neo at 2.7 lb. The 14-inch Flex 5i is roughly 3.3 lb, so the Neo is easier in a backpack.