Apple unveils budget MacBook Neo laptop that starts at $599
Apple's most interesting MacBook in years is here
💻 Apple just announced its highly-anticipated MacBook Neo
📱 It’s a new kind of MacBook that runs on an iPhone processor
📺 It comes with a 12.9-inch display and a thin and light form factor
🧑💻 Apple says it’ll support macOS and run all of the same apps you’re used to
🎨 It comes in a variety of bright colors, including Indigo, Silver, Blush, and Citrus
💰 The best part? It’s priced at $599, making it one of the most intriguing values in Apple’s lineup
The day has finally come: Apple’s new budget-friendly MacBook is here.
After being rumored for quite some time, the company has introduced the new MacBook Neo, a more affordable alternative to the MacBook Air that runs on an iPhone chip. It establishes Apple’s first new MacBook category since the MacBook Air was announced in 2008, and it could quickly dominate markets like education, given that it starts at just $599.
The MacBook Neo looks like a smaller version of the MacBook Air, with rounded corners and bezels around the screen with no notch. Apple uses a 13-inch Liquid Retina display on the machine, which is smaller than the 13.6-inch screen on the Air. This helps keep it a bit more compact and portable. The keyboard is the same as you’ll find on other MacBooks, but Apple decided to swap the black switches for color-matched ones. This gives it a more playful appearance and will certainly stand out among other laptops.
Inside, Apple uses the A18 Pro processor, the same chip found in the iPhone 16 Pro from 2024. The chip can deliver performance that’s about on par with the M1 and M2 chips from a few years ago, which should be plenty for most users. It’s paired with 8GB of RAM and has 256GB of base storage.
Along the sides, you’ll find two USB-C ports (one is USB 3 and the other is USB 2) and a headphone jack, but there’s no MagSafe port for charging. Apple has been offering MagSafe on its laptops for a while after bringing it back in 2021, so it’s interesting to see them omit it here. You also get side-firing speakers, a multi-touch trackpad without the haptics of more premium MacBooks, and a 1080p webcam.
The MacBook Neo runs macOS Tahoe in full, according to Apple. It doesn’t use a modified version of the system or anything like that, despite using an A18 Pro chip. You’ll be able to install all the apps you want and run heavy apps like Final Cut Pro and Photoshop. Of course, performance won’t be as good as some of Apple’s higher-end laptops, but it’ll certainly be faster than any Windows laptop in the sub-$600 range.
Apple says the MacBook Neo’s battery will last 16 hours on a full charge, which is a couple hours shorter than the MacBook Air.
As far as security’s concerned, the MacBook Neo does technically come with Touch ID, but you need to upgrade to a higher tier to get it. If you get the base $599 model, you’ll have to log in with your password every time you open your laptop. For those who want Touch ID, you’ll have to upgrade to the 512GB model. Apple clearly wanted to make this laptop as cheap as it could, while still pushing people to spend more money on it. Limiting Touch ID’s availability is certainly one way to do that.
The MacBook Neo is up for preorder today and goes on sale March 11. Education pricing makes the Neo $499, making it an even greater deal. It’s available in four colorful finishes: Indigo, Silver, Blush, and Citrus.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut and co-host of The Shortcut Live. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.
For most people, this is more than enough
It has a lot of compromises for a tech audience perspective but with the educational pricing at $499 its even better