Apple today announced the Macbook Neo – an affordable Macbook based on an iPhone chipset.
It’s a rare moment when Apple chases the budget-conscious segment, but it’s not unheard of. The company has offered low-cost options of its flagship products like the current iPhone 17e or iPhone SE models in the past.
That said, there has only been a few times when there’s been a value-oriented Macbook model available – the early iBooks of yesteryear, the first Macbook Air, and the introduction of the Macbook M1 models come to mind.
Until now, the best way to get a Macbook on a budget was to look at second-hand or refurbished models.
Design & Specifications
The Macbook Neo features a 13-inch Liquid Retina display accompanied by Apple’s refined aluminium chassis and weighs in at just over 1.2 kilograms, making it super portable.
The bezel around the display is thick by today’s standards, but it reminds me of the mid-to-late 2010’s Macbook Pro design.
Powered by the Apple Silicon A18 Pro that was previously found in the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, the Macbook Neo is a more affordable Macbook that’s a great choice if you don’t need the processing power offered by an M5-powered model.
Daily Companion
The Macbook Neo isn’t designed to be an ultra-powerful machine to handle heavy data processing tasks – it’s made to fly through your day-to-day usage.
While it’s tackling things like web browsing, word processing, photo editing, and spreadsheeting, it provides a 16-hour battery life so it can keep up with your workday.
The processor supports on-device Apple Intelligence with its neural processing units that accelerate chatbot functions and AI features like photo inpainting and erasing.
Like earlier Apple Silicon Macbook Air models, the new Macbook Neo is fanless, using passive cooling to operate silently.
Connectivity
The Macbook Neo features two USB-C ports, both of which support charging. One of these ports is rated for high transfer rates, meaning you can connect external displays via USB-C for increased productivity.
Wireless connections include WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 6 for reliable, speedy connections. If you’re in the Apple ecosystem with other devices like iPhone, Apple Watch, Airpods and more, you can enjoy seamless switching between these devices.
Availability
Macbook Neo is available for preorder now. Shipping and in-store availability will begin from 11th March.
The Macbook Neo comes in four colours: Blush, Indigo, Silver, and Citrus.
Pricing is set at $899 RRP or $749 with an education discount. That makes it one of Apple’s most affordable options ever.
If you’re after a model with a bit more processing power but still want to keep it affordable, it’s also worth noting that refurbished Macbook Air M4 models have dropped to $1239 at the time of writing.
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